This week...

This is actually from the last two weeks...

 Baby chickies are now relocated to the chicken coop, but confined to this large dog crate, because, well, full grown chickens are not so nice to little babies all the time.  The term pecking order did come from chickens.  In this photo they are enjoying some fresh air.

Our friend lent Isaac the first Harry Potter book, and we are delving straight in.  Here my dear boy has his tiger stripes on his cheeks, isn't he sweet?  They are always sweet when they're sleeping. ;-)

 We've had TWO luna moth sightings at our back door.  We now know that luna moths only live for 7 days, and have two generation cycles in our area, so if we are lucky, we may get another chance in 7 to 9 weeks.  Both moths were boys, as you can tell by their bushier antenna.  Who knew?

 Discovered what the inside of a bleeding heart bloom looks like.

 Getting back into smoothie making.

 The boys gave their little sister lots of flowers.  She wasn't so sure about this, but she just looks so stinking cute.  Mmmm I just want to nibble those cheeks of hers.

Had our first bird (ever that I've seen) in our bird bath, and a beautiful one at that.  I haven't had a chance to look it up, but it is lovely there with those pink flowers and Buddha near by.

So that was our week (or two...), and next week we get to go camping!  Hope your week was just as lovely.

First Harvest

Aren't they beautiful? Other than all the green ones Coby has been eating, this is our first bounty to come from the garden this season (oh and the chives).  There is something so rewarding about growing your own food. The satisfaction of planting and growing and finally harvesting.  These berries were a year in the making, since I planted the bushes last year and then nipped all the buds so it would produce runners and grow stronger roots.
These berries are looooong gone, I could barely snap the photo, but there are many many more coming (assuming I can keep Coby away from them before they ripen), and I hope enough that we can preserve some.  Oh, I dream of a day when we have a large enough garden to grow and freeze or can food to last us through the winter months.  I am borrowing this book from a friend, Preserving Summer's Bounty and it's excellent.  I'm so looking forward to trying my hand at canning. I did get two whole stocks of rhubarb (oh, see another harvest I'm forgetting) so maybe a little strawberry rhubarb jam is in order.

::sigh::

 Well, I had envisioned keeping up with my blog better.  Trying to make daily entries, posting our going ons, the crafts I am working on, the garden and growing homestead and just keeping family and friends up to date with our lives.  I wonder how many blog entries there are out there like this? I've been meaning to blog, but....

 But, I've been having some set backs.  The first one: I prefer to write at night, but I have a little girl who will not sleep with out mama laying next to her.  I do have a laptop, and could theoretically write in bed, but it is older than dirt and will no longer acknowledge our wireless connection.  Not being very technically savvy, I'm not sure how to fix this other than to buy a a new laptop which just isn't in the budget.

 The next issue: I have no way to store photos.  The laptop has no more memory left, the new (to me) desk top was handed down from Sam's work when they up-graded his computer, but all the programing wasn't cleared and I can't save any photos to the desk top.  We got an external hard drive, but are having technical difficulties with that. I know I can up load directly to my blog, but then I have to go through all the photos daily (this computer is very slow with up loading photo on the view finder), and I just don't have that much time (something about two active little boys and a new babe).  Oh, the list could go on and on.

 I am working on it though!  Or more accurately, I'm asking those around me who know more about this to help me.  So, while someday I hope to be able to write daily, and include beautiful photos (from the new camera I so badly want and with photoshop editing), for now I will try to just write and add a photo here and there.  And I will keep dreaming about the blog I hope to one day create.  I will stop procrastinating on this blog simply because I can't do it exactly the way I want.

Staying low

After a wonderfully busy weekend, we are hanging low today.  Little Jacoby has a stomach bug, so there is lots of snuggling needed, and also lots of laundry to do.  And trying to do our best to wash hands frequently and strengthen our immune systems in the hopes that it does not spread.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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In the Garden

 I went out to water the garden this morning and was greeted by these beauties.  This is our first year with a large strawberry patch, and I'm hoping for a good bounty. 

 I planted this whole bed last year, and trimmed back the blooms since I had read that should make for a more plentiful harvest the following year.  I've been out feeding and watering them and I see so many buds in there. 

 Our little blueberry bushes are also starting to bloom as well.  This one is a cultivated variety, but our land is covered with wild low and high bush as well.  Unfortunately, the chickens usually get to them first, but I'm thinking of getting some gardening fabric to cover them with after they are done blooming.  Maybe, just maybe, we can collect a few handfuls.  Blueberry jam anyone?

Somethings, of course, must be planted.  I decided to go easy this year, having a new babe and all, and only started a few things.  The rest will be purchased as seedlings.  My very favorite, kale and lettuce, I can never seem to have enough of either.  Usually, I'd just throw it right out in the garden in a little patch and thin as they grow, but since I didn't do the sheet mulching in the fall, the beds are covered in cardboard and straw and manure, so in the pots they go.

 And our little apple tree we planted last year.  The deer did quite a number on it, so we have it fenced off.  Unfortunately,there doesn't seem to be any blooms on it.  Lots of love and care and maybe some good doses of natural fertilizer and perhaps next year...

And some happy little dandelions.  I know, usually the gardeners foe, but they are just so happy.  And, how could I possibly dislike something that brings the kids so much joy?  Plus, every part is edible, so really they are just an under appreciated wild edible.

I just so love our little garden.  There is nothing so therapeutic to me than to get my hands in the earth.  To watch as the things I've planted grow and produce food for my family.  That deep sense of satisfaction I feel in clearing a bed of weeds.  The way the loam we got to fill the beds several years ago was dry and chalky and now is dark and smells rich and sweet.  The fresh air and sunshine.  Oh, what could be better?  And I have dreams, dreams of a bigger garden and root cellars and more apple trees and bees, perhaps some sheep and maybe a cow someday.  But that will have to wait, this house and yard are just a bit too small.  And it's hard to put so much love in your land knowing that you don't plan to keep it.  I can only hope the next person to call this place home will find as much love here.

Today...

Today we...

We enjoyed watching our ladies and roosters foraging in the back yard. Hopefully eating all the ticks that have been plaguing us.

Made silly putty for the boys to play with.

Isaac giving Jacoby and Deanie chick lessons.

Enjoyed some time with my sweet little girl. Oh, is there anything sweeter than a naked baby. Love!

Planted some carrots and fed and trimmed some rhubarb. You'll have to excuse the angle, I was holding a sweet little baby.

Looked at the garden I gave to the boys and realized, they were growing lots of weeds.  Perhaps some recipes for dandilion greens are in order?  I think so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last, but not least, there was a free section at the library where this oh so interesting puzzle was, and I just could not resist. 

 

Now, I'm off to bake a loaf of sourdough and shred the pork for our pulled pork dinner. Hope your day was wonderful too.