First Day of Spring!!!
Boy am I ready!! Yesterday was lovely. We were home as a family most of the day, a rare thing lately with soccer season approaching fast. We had a late breakfast of basic farm fare: eggs, bacon, and home made bisuits and jam...yummmmm....... and then set out to work clearing the patch where our garden will be. I am really looking forward to planting, even though it is still a month or so off. There was much to be done to preapare the area, especially since a bunch of junk had been left on top of it (surprise surprise). John and the boys set to work collecting up the old lumber for a burn pile. They found some fire wood which the boys stacked up neatly and then John buit up his fire teepee. We had a bonfire cooking all day and into the evening. I was tempted to do a weenie roast and smores but it just got too late and a school night. There will be more bonfires.
The kids worked hard and had so much fun. This land is so good for them! Of course there is still way too much garbage about and I am forever chasing them away from trash "treasures." Slowly but surely we will reclaim this land. I was really hoping to get the fruit trees their first pruning this winter but it didn't happen. I will have to wait until next winter now as the sap is running. I have been told it will take 3-4 years of pruning to get them back into production. It seems like a long time to wait now but I know it will go fast. I am just anxious to be picking apples in the orchard.
It's almost time to get chickens. Dylan, Jonah, Quinn and I made a quick stop at the feed store last week to look at the baby chicks. I want to get some next month (in about 3 weeks or so) so I am planning now where to put the coop. Ideally, I want to set it where the garden will be but there is only really one place to put the garden where it will get enough sun, so I can't put it there until after planting season is over this year. I have no idea how to build the coop. I want to build somewhat of a portable coop at least, if not then a chicken tractor that I can move from area to area each day and use the chickens to till and work the soil and eat the weeds. I may start with a strawbale structure and go from there. That wouldnt' be portable but it would be cheap and would get us by until we could build a more permanent structure.
The wildlife must know it's Spring because animals have been visiting in droves. We woke up to 3 deer grazing in our yard yesterday. Connor and his Pop Pop found a "red eyed tree frog" (which is probably isn't but it was darn cute anyway) in the upper field and Connor decided to give it to Jonah for a birthday present. I don't think Jonah's as into it as Connor is, though. Dylan looked out the window and saw a woodpecker going to town on the birch out front and I saw a hummingbird looking through our front window wondering where the feeders have gotten off to. Having so much nature around is so enriching for the boys.
But the animal I really have to brag on is Miss Lily. Since she came to live with us I have known that she is primarily bonded with me. She doesn't fetch, or chase and play with the kids, or bark when cars come up the drive so I had pretty much given up on any other dog-like or assisting behaviors and relegated her to beloved sidekick and companion status, but no more.
As I said, we were outside all day yesterday. The fresh air was wonderful for us all and the fair weather was so motivating. Quinn, being almost 2, requires a very close eye and lots of engagement. Connor needed to be run into town for a couple hours to attend a classmate's birthday party. Since a fire was blazing, I was the logical person to take him so John could stay, hose in hand, ready to revisit his forest fire jumper training at a moment's notice.
I got Quinn to sleep so I didn't want to try to put her in the car and take her town, and John couldn't come in for her nap since he was fire tending, so we set up the much neglected pack-n-play out in the orchard. I got Quinn to sleep and layed her in it. As Connor and I were getting in the car, Miss Lily obviously assumed she was riding along, as she usually does. She looked confused when I told her she wasn't going along and sent her off to John who was calling for her. To my surprise, she accepted that and went to him. I saw her sitting nobly by his feet as I was driving off.
Last night, after the kids were in bed, John recounted how Lily had stayed by Quinn's pack-n-play the whole time she slept. She would not leave Quinn. She was standing watch. And this after Quinn pulled her fur eliciting an actual yelp the other day!
In the afternoon, not yet knowing how my loyal and darling dog had stood watch over my baby in may absence, Connor and I were digging up a small planter box in the yard with Quinn playing a ways away but within sight range. She was following the cat around. I could see her nearing the old chicken coop and I called for her to come back closer. I scooped a couple more shovel-fulls and then looked up and she was no longer in sight. I knew where she was and could get to her quickly and she was not in any danger, so I was not afraid, but I also needed to fetch her up right away. Connor and I put down our tools and went up after her, calling for her to come back. I didn't even notice that Lily had left my side, but she was up right by the side of the old coop and looking back and forth between me and the still-as-yet-invisible-to-me Quinn, her eyes telling me, "she's over here, mom!"
I was so amazed! Lily obviously sensed that Quinn was in potential danger, not sure if it was merely her absence or my calling out to her, but she knew where Quinn was and she was directing me to her! Connor went and got Quinn and after he did, I praised and praised Lily. I brought her in to the house for her favorite treat and loved all over her. I am still amazed by that this morning. What a great dog! I feel so blessed to have her here.
posted by The Metzgers @ 9:32 AM
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