Meadow-Like Grass

Spring mornings on the farm tend to be pretty busy.  Getting the kids up and ready for school, taking care of the ducklings and chicks in the basement, taking care of the adult chickens in the barn, walking the garden, doing a little sporadic weeding or just noticing what is new over night, then heading on to work.   At the tail end of these chores yesterday morning my sight became fixed on a little reddish dot in the grass outside the kitchen window.  After a few moments of trying to focus my eyes on the dot I realized that it was a baby deer nestled down in our meadow-like grass (yes traveling soccer last weekend and then rain have precluded any mowing activities).

We have a family of deer that seem to call our little farm home and last spring I caught sight of a fawn that was a week or so old, but was unable to get a decent picture of it.  Never before have I seen a newborn and yesterday I just watched and watched the little sweetheart.  It was getting lighter and mom was not around, which isn't unusual.  I had hoped to be home and able to see mom come and collect her new little ward, but that was not in the cards.  However, I did get to see his/her first attempt at standing, and then promptly sitting right back down again.

When we returned home later in the day, all that was left of this morning was an indent in the grass.  Mama Doe is well aware of when it is quiet here and took her baby off to a more sheltered spot.  Oh, but how glad I am for our  yet to be mowed meadow like grass, for without it we would not have had our morning visit.

Thirty Short Hours

This has been a whirlwind weekend.  It was our first overnight travel for a soccer tournament and prepping to get out of town at the peak of planting, pruning, transplanting and taking care of baby ducks and chickens inspired quick bursts of productivity in very short segments of time.  Yes, there is an annual tournament scheduled for Mother's Day weekend, but I say what better way to spend the day than by being a mom!  The tournament itself was great and deserving a post of its own.  When we got home this evening with storms approaching and spring heavy in the air we threw open all of the windows, walked the property and marveled at the massive amounts of change that can occur within thirty short hours.  We were truly awarded by the first lilac blooms opening outside our kitchen window.  A deep breath of gratitude for the spring that seems to have arrived, a beautiful farm to work and an amazing family to share it with.  A Happy Mother's Day indeed.

The Big 1-1

It is hard to believe that time can fly so incredibly fast and seems to speed up with each passing year.  This little man has interests far and wide and is willing to try anything...as long as it is not b-o-r-i-n-g.  Like his dad, he must know how things work and will work very hard at anything new that he tries.  Along with all of the rugged outdoorsiness that he loves, he found music this year in the form of baritone and piano.  The way he can quickly process new things and the internal drive that he exhibits is quite amazing.  To my eleven year old: as you grow may you keep your drive, inquisitiveness, wit, politeness and incredible empathy.  They are wonderful building blocks to the man you will become.

Looking for Love

The air is alive with the the sounds of birds this morning, peppered with intermittent quacks from my little friend here.  The sun is shining and Spring is in the air, can you feel it?

The Promise of This Year's Garden

The cool damp weather has been perfect for beginning to harden off all of this year's garden babies.  Even the wind is helpful giving them some exposure and allowing them to strengthen.  We seeded the peppers and tomatoes four to a pot and they are now ready to transplant into their own pots for a couple of weeks when they will be put in the ground.  If the weather remains moderate then they will take up permanent residence here in the cold frame, on colder days or if there is a chance of frost, they will be tucked into the warmth of the grow room in the basement.   The broad leafed plants in the immediate front of the photo are our first succession of Kaleidoscope (Kale Brussels) and as they are cold tolerant, they are headed directly to the ground in the next week.

The cool weather crops are all growing nicely.  We pulled the covers back from our little hoop houses yesterday so that we could weed and everything looks wonderful.  The beets have sprouted in another bed, but are much smaller.  When they are about the size of these radishes, then we will plant the next batch.  Based on how these have grown in the last week, it looks like it may be time for our next seeding of radishes.  One of our challenges this year is staying on top of succession plantings so that we can have volumes of one time harvests regularly.

The mammoth rhubarb plant that we inherited with the farm is emerging beautifully this year.  This plant gives tender stalks the size of B's arm and is prolific long into the season.  The mound of dirt that it is pushing up this year as it comes through is quite impressive.  It is an almost cathartic feeling, after a week of such gray, to finally see some beautiful color and the promise of this years garden.