Garden Day

 We spent yesterday from 8 until we had to leave for math class at 1:30 in the garden. James used the weed eater and mower and tidied the grass up around it. Ben dug up the kamikaze grass-looking weeds that grow up along the wall. The girls, Elijah and I planted our baby plants that I bought, as well as the ones that I started from seeds in the milk cartons. I have two beds left to plant, one for green beans and the other for cantaloupe and watermelon. I am hoping to do a little research on what watermelon like, because mine have never tasted very good.

We created a wooden tent structure for the cucumbers to vine up; I think I need one for the zucchini also. They were pieces of Alei's old deck that were falling off.

We built three round little beds for kiwi plants. My one plant met a tragic end a few years ago when JD pulled it thinking that it was a dead tomato plant. At that point, I could not remember if the remaining plant was the male or female. We transplanted that plant to the middle bed, and I ordered a new male and female for the ends; next we have to build them a trellis.

I woke this morning to this sweet moment of Elijah and Selah reading a library book on hippos. The picture is dark, but I have to remember these moments when they are arguing later in the day.

What isn't as cute is Bella attempting to lick the sticky off her hands rather than wash them.

  

Doing Stuff

 There is a lot going on and I often forget to stop and blog about it; sometimes I even forget to take pictures!

We are happy, happy, happy that it is spring, at least feeling like it. We celebrated one nice morning with fresh donuts.

 Saturday was Tori's last weekend basketball game. See that blur going for the ball? That is her. She played really well and enjoyed the team. Her Saturday game was in the neighboring county that Alei lives in and Alei was hoping for her Dad to visit after the game with his drill.

I had a pressing matter that needed JD's attention more, however, so James and I showed up with the drill. James helped her with about three pieces of furniture and we installed a doggie gate across the kitchen for Toby to stay in while Alei is at work. Toby has never minded using the carpet if it isn't convenient to go out to the bathroom.

JD stayed home and built a cow stand that we can lock Mooster's head in for milking. I've been gored with her horns one too many times to even try to prepare her for milking without locking her in. So far, I have fed her the last three nights in the stand. After a week, I will start locking her in. Then I'll work to rubbing her and attempting to tie her tail to practice for when the calf comes and we need to milk.

We own too many fat goats at the moment and I'm pretty sure that Leia is close to having this springs babies. I thought I had bred her for a May delivery, but I think Vinny must have jumped the fence early as she is looking rather round and waddling.

Hans the pig, I mean goat

I have figured out that it's ok to have all the spring roosters live at your farm all summer; they basically just hunt bugs full time. What isn't a good idea, however, is to go into the winter or next spring with them. I had about 14 roosters move into the barn for the winter and poop on everything. Now that it is pretty outside, they are still living and pooping in the barn. A few days ago we put one rooster in the hen coop to fertilize eggs and a second snuck in. Turns out they spent the day fighting each other and we have two one-eyed roosters now. We are going to have to narrow down our rooster population, as there are more eggs in the incubator already that will result in a new pack of roosters along with the desired egg laying hens.

We haven't tackled cleaning the chicken coop yet, but it's close. We did rake all the gum balls out of the chicken mansion and put down a layer of fresh leaves for them to dig around in. Elijah was very helpful as you can see.

Today I finally started planting seeds in milk cartons. I sure hope they work out the way we hope and I get a jump start on my plants, so we can have an earlier harvest. Selah and Bella love to help plant.

A full day of classes and an evening of outside put the girls to sleep tonight by chapter two of our read aloud book -