Growing Things

Spring is the season of growing. Watching the trees come into full leaf, marking the time by which wild plant is in bloom, and anxiously waiting the fresh bounty that is coming, these are some of my favorite things about spring. I love to watch the little seedlings nurtured in the house flourish when they finally get their roots into the earth. Watching the tiny seeds put into the ground become huge and productive plants always seems like a small miracle.

I am so excited to actually have some spring crops. I had almost given up on growing them here. Other years it has been too wet to get in the garden early, and/or has gotten too hot too quickly for the cool weather crops. I plant fall crops of those items usually, but this year we could get in the garden pretty early. I decided to try again. I'm so glad I did. The spring was cooler than normal. This week is hot, but we've had some beautiful cool spring like weather. In the garden that translates to spring spinach, lettuces, and snow peas. We are looking forward to the broccoli, cabbage, and shell peas too!

~Now if I could just get the rest of the summer garden in. . . but that is another story.

The animals are growing too. The bee hives have gotten taller. Not sure when that happened, but I imagine the bee keeper must have had something to do with that. The turkey poults are about triple their sized. The bunnies are just about to be weaned. And can you believe this is our puppy?! Vivian could hold her like a baby when we brought her home a couple months ago! Stella is almost as big as our other dog now.

Of course there are more things that just keep growing around here. Four of them that just won't stop. Can you believe these are my babies?!

The family vehicle has also grown. Bye Bye mini van. We are now a Suburban type family.

Of course this family vehicle also doubles as a farm truck.

Lots of growing around here. What are you watching grow this spring?

Ivy Face Viv

You know when you a long weekend away you're going to pay for it the following week. It is great to get away, and we needed it but while we were gone the garden didn't get planted, the weeds didn't stop growing, and the to do list only grew. It has been a non stop week of farm work and other commitments. I'm whooped!

Poor Vivian got poison ivy on her face. Yesterday her little face was swollen. We decided to wait it out and hope that it cleared on its own.

This morning, my mom had an outpatient procedure. We were at the hospital at 6:30. At 8:30 Tim sent me this picture.

Poor Vivian had woken up with one eye completely swollen shut and her face swollen and sore. Waiting it out wasn't working. While I was at the hospital with mom, Tim took Viv to the doctor. He have her a steroid shot, and pills to take for the next 12 days. He warned that she may be grumpy and have an increased appetite. Look out! It is going to be a bumpy ride.

So now, where to start on that list of mine.....

Science

You might be a homeschooler if you have a trip planned for a church conference, decide to leave early, and drive a little farther to hit the local science museum first. 

The Great Lakes Science center in Cleveland was a great start to our long weekend. The church conference was wonderful too, but no pictures to show from that. :)

Happy Birthday Nolan!

Today my baby boy turns 9! He celebrated by having his two best friends, Judah and Jackson, over to run through the woods, giggle about those things only 9 year old boys find funny, and battle each other on the WiiU.

We surprised Nolan with a "fruit" cake. Believe me when I tell you that he could not have been more thrilled. That kid loves fruit. So much so, that recently Kellen paid him for helping with a job. Nolan used all his earnings to buy mangoes. I kid you not.

Happy Birthday Nolan!

Happy Hens and Brave Bunnies

2 1/2 weeks old and starting to venture from the nest. 

The hens love spring in the woods. 

Look Who Showed Their Faces!

The turkey hens got up for a little bit, and we got to see the poults! Hard to tell how many there are, 11-12 I think. I love the black ones! The hens went back onto to the nest. There were still quite a few unhatched eggs. We will see if any more hatch. There is another hen sitting still too on a different nest!

Can you see it?

Can you see it? No not those turkey hens. Can you see what what is under them?

No? Me either. There are newly hatched poults under those hens! Those mommas just aren't ready to get up from that nest yet. Did you catch that I tried to bribe her with some grain? She didn't fall for my trick.

They are just doing their job. There are still eggs there to hatch, and there are brand new little ones to protect. I get it, but I just wanted one little picture.

I went to look several times today. I could see three with the best look I got; the time I went out without the camera. The best picture I got was this.

Look close. You can see it. There is a poult right there. Really.

More to come later....when the girls decide to stand up and let me see those babies! I hope.