Spring in Full Swing

Last weekend as I was walking across the yard, I looked up and saw my girls digging in the flower bed and realized I was having one of the best weekends of my life.

We started that Saturday off working on the chicken coop. The metal roof sheltering the run had been salvaged from the old barn out back, had been used on the chicken run when the coop was close to the house, and was being re-used again. But the previous nail and screw holes needed caulking in order to keep the roof from acting as a sieve. The kids climbed on top with me and helped wipe down the areas that needed caulk.  Then, outfitted with latex gloves, Zivah and Joe followed behind me, smoothing the dollops of caulk over the holes. After the first row of holes, I relinquished the caulk gun to Joe. Finley stood underneath checking for missed or inadequately caulked holes, while I sat and supervised.

That job finished, the girls and I went off to the nursery to buy some plants for my freshly-dug flower bed while Joe stayed behind to mow the go-kart track. Back home, with the girls planting their flowers in spots I would not have chosen, I was a little overwhelmed by the joy working alongside my kids was bringing me.

The business has been busy enough that we hired a kid young man part time to help Chris. We knew he would need some training, but had no idea how much of an understatement that would be. The poor guy didn't know what a Phillips head screw driver was. He had never used a drill. He couldn't figure out how to use the snips to cut a cable. (Fingertips won't work, son.) My kids? If I do my job right, they will know how to do things. At least I hope they will know how to figure it out if they don't.

Flowers planted, we took a moment to play with chickens and take some pictures.

Thursday, we bought some future meat. The big calf (on the right) had the scours (diarrhea) when we brought him home, and we were a little worried he wouldn't make it, but I've been giving him Power Punch with his milk and some probiotics, and he seems to be doing better. He's still a little weak and unsteady on his feet, but his poop has thickened up, so I'm feeling optimistic.

Our neighbors were kind enough to lend us some bottle holders. There was no way I could handle feeding three calves on my own without them.

This weekend, the kids asked me to pull the truck into "The Nature Club" so they could load up sticks into the back and clean the area up a bit. Any time they ask to work instead of playing video games, I'm more than happy to oblige.

The Woods

Not feeling particularly sane today, I shirked all responsibility for half an hour and headed out back and into the trees, camera in hand.

Little, bitty flowers are sprinkling additional color to the green-brown-gray landscape.

This mighty oak is beginning again.

 While other trees are slower to push out their leaves.