Our First Flock

During the wee hours of the morning, Mike made a trip to the post office for our first ever package of peepers.  A flock of Buff Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, Barnevelders, Blue Laced Bantams, Guineas, and Turkeys.  Thirty three birds to be exact.  We had two very weak birds, but with a few hours of extra snuggling and encouragement, they're back on their feet.  

Fuzzy, warm bundles of joy they are, and just exactly what we needed after last week. 

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A Small Success

So, here's the thing.  This week was awful.  Nothing went the way we wanted it to.  Everything that could go wrong, did, and we didn't handle the stress the way I would have liked.  I spent hours writing down every horrid detail, titling the post, "How to Drive Your Family to the Brink of Insanity While Digging a Sand Point Well."  

And then I deleted it.  

I chose not to dwell on what has already happened, knowing I can't change anything.  I'm letting it go and movin' on.  Apologies have been said and we're each learning from our mistakes, making sure that we have the tools to do better next time.

Right now, we're focusing on the pipe we drilled into the ground, all by ourselves, and it has a reasonable amount of water in it. 

For today, we're calling it a success. 

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In the Kitchen

Egg bake.  It's become part of our morning kitchen routine these last few months.  The variety is endless and no one has complained even once about having it everyday for breakfast.  {A huge bonus for me, because I'm just not that creative in the kitchen.}  

We start with a dozen eggs, a splash of cream or a few table spoons of butter, kosher salt and pepper.  Then we each add a hand full of veggies; mushrooms, green onions, grated carrots, diced potatoes, cheese, spinach, kale, or left overs from dinner the night before.  Pour everything in a greased 9 x 9 pan and cook at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I haven't tried it yet, but you could also make this on the stove top.  It would be nice to not heat up an oven during the warmer months.

What's going on in your kitchen right now?

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After the Rain

After the rain storm...

:: Luke found a milkweed pod and wanted to sail it in the puddles.  

:: The first leaves are bursting everywhere.  Just a little bit of warm rain and sun to give them that final push.

:: A fresh track that we're puzzled by.  It's large, about five inches long and looks just like an elk track.  Could it be?  A herd was established in the Chequamegon National Forest, about sixty miles north of us, back in the 90's.  I didn't think elk traveled this far south.

What are you finding in the woods right now?

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Shepherd's Harvest

Sunday, on the spur of the moment, we traveled up the interstate for the annual Shepherd's Harvest.  We hadn't been in a few years and were hoping to get a chance to meet some Clun Forest sheep, the breed we've decided on.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any around this year, but we did get to meet some other agreeable ewes.  

Most of the afternoon was spent with the animals, but we made a quick run through the market. (It's really not a run through, because it's huge.  Like four full sized barns huge.  I didn't pick up any yarn or fiber this year, but I did find a foraging/knitting basket that I've been needing forever (my other one has a giant hole in it).  I let Luke pick the color; yellow, because it reminds him of the dandelions blooming in the field.  

Over all, I'm glad we made the trip, because it will probably be a very long time before we're able to do it again.

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Joining Ginny

Knitting: Kettle Creek

Reading: Storey's Guide To Raising Chickens (Our chicks arrive in one week!)

What are you knitting and reading this week?

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Woodworking

While Jake and Mike worked on the well this last weekend, Cole and I spent the afternoon building a bench to go with our harvest table.  Currently, we have one small bench (the one that Cole is sitting on) and a large orange water cooler for seating.  Hardly enough for a family of five and any friends that come to visit.  

This was Cole's first big woodworking project.  We made it completely out of salvaged wood and with only a minimal amount of assistance, he did the measuring, marking and sawing.  I think next weekend, we'll make one more.

Jake came in at the end for some much needed muscle.  The last few nails were 4" long and very hard to hammer into the damp wood.  

What are some of your favorite building projects for kids?

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Remember to Exhale

Photos by Mike

When life gets a little too full, we have to remind ourselves to take a moment and exhale.  

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How To Dig A Sand Point Well

How do you dig a sand point well?  Here's how it goes...

Find underground water source.

Twist auger into the ground until barrel is full.  Remove and shake out dirt/rocks/sand.  Check dirt for moisture level.  Group inspection of hole.  Repeat until you have standing water.  Do happy water dance.

You could just feel the anticipation every time the auger came out of the ground.  "Is there water yet?" someone would ask.  Both our neighbors said they hit water at 8 feet and sure enough, with two feet of pipe remaining, we heard the gurgling of water springing up from the earth.  We tried to keep going, but the walls began to cave in, so we put a piece of plywood over the hole and called it a day.  Now, we have to wait for the well pipes to arrive and we can pound the sand point into the deeper, potable water.

The neighbors say good water is between 20 and 40 feet.  We only hit one largish rock with the auger and we're crossing our fingers that we can make it the rest of the way without any major obstacles.  

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Still Cold Enough for Knits

I remember when my brother and I were little; as soon as the ice was out on the lake, we insisted on unpacking our shorts and swimsuits and trekking down to the shore.  My dad was usually the one to join us, wearing a jacket and jeans, while we braved the frigid waters.  It always started with a running jump off the end of the dock.  Then the gasp as our lungs closed up from the cold and a few seconds of splashing around, pretending it wasn't really that bad (a.k.a. our legs had gone numb).  With giant cotton towels, ready and waiting, Dad would smile to himself as though he remembered doing the exact same thing with his brothers.

Today was very much the same.  The boys wanted to go to the beach.  They played in the water while I sat on a bench wearing jeans and a wool sweater.  The only obvious thing to do was to sit back and knit.  Because, it's still cold enough to wear knits.

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Joining Ginny 

Knitting: Kettle Creek Hat in Osprey bare that I hand dyed a teal blue

Reading:  The Resilient Farm and Homestead, by Ben Faulk

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Blooming

A quick walk around the yard, after this morning's rain storm, revealed the promise of Peonies, Lily of the Valley, and Daffodils all around.  The Violets are desperately waiting for the sun to open their petals and the Maples are about to explode.  

What's blooming in your yard right now?

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Out Cold

 

Most nights this week, I've passed out cold before 7 o'clock.  I remember when my kids were really little, falling asleep face first into their food after a long day of playing outside.  That's exactly how I felt this week, barely able to carry a conversation through dinner.  This time of year brings a whole new level of physical activity, combined with everything we're doing to prepare for the homestead.  

Thursday, we managed to take a break from work at home and drive the camper up to the land.  We took apart our old dog kennel and tied it to the top of our camper, thinking it would make the perfect run for our chickens.  I think it's going to be just right.  We had intended to finish the backside of the coop, too, but forgot to bring the right tools.  Ugh!  Instead, we picked rock out the neighbor's field and used it to line the outside of the coop.  They'll help fill in any gaps where critters might get in.

Mike was nice enough to drive the whole way, so I could do some knitting.  I'm working on a custom Kendall Slouchy Hat, using Cascade 220 in heather gray.  I don't normally like the feel of this yarn, (I find it's stiff like cotton) but the natural gray is really nice to work with. 

What spring projects are keeping you busy this week?

  

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Random Mondays

A few random moments from our weekend...

:: I really shouldn't be allowed into an antique store with any kind of money.  I have zero self control in those places and lose all sense of value or thriftiness.  Mike is even worse and we went together.  I saw this watering can tucked into the corner of a second floor corridor and I knew I should have left my backpack in the car.  Who can blame me, the bright yellow paint, loved off in all the right places, softly chanted to me from behind a box of vinyl.  I'm ashamed of what I paid for it and even more disgusted because it has a leak under the handle's rivets.  So here I am trying to be thrifty and simplify and I end up with a twenty six dollar leaky watering can.  At least Mike had enough sense to put back the forty dollar coffee grinder.

BTW, it works just fine for watering outside, but not for my delicate seedlings.

:: More tomato seeds planted.

:: Sweet potato slips  (I think that's what they're called.)

:: Remnants from an afternoon with friends

::  Movie night rocks!  I finished one whole panel of the backpack I'm making for Luke.  I've even picked up for the backside and knit a few inches on that, too. 

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