What's happening

William grabbed my camera today and captured some regular moments.  I'm glad he did because it is the regular moments that so easily slip away from us.  

Most my free time lately has been spent reading, studying, planning and mostly avoiding the work that needs to be done out in the family garden.  But I was soon motivated to actually get my hands in the dirt when we discovered an existing strawberry patch.  Already the plants have sprung blossoms and already they were almost covered in weeds.  I used the trick of The Little Red Hen to call in my helpers, I cried out loud "who wants some strawberries"?  Almost everyone came running and even a few stayed after I explained that it was going to take a lot of work before we actually got to enjoy the strawberries.  But more challenging than the weeding I discovered was the task of keeping them from getting trampled.  All that hard work only to be mashed under some quick little red rubber boots!  So a deep breath and an internal reminder that the goal here is building family connections and not a perfect garden.

James roped the patch off with some leftover twine from a hay bale and we have since discovered an asparagus patch that could also use our care.  Both the strawberries and asparagus have been renamed "tip toe territory".

Meanwhile baby Charles has been spending most his time either crying or wrapped on my back, I prefer wrapped to my back so that is where he is even in the garden.  

George is well into the two year old phase (should have snapped a photo of the way he soaped my shower door today).  Here he is playing the game "will it sink or will it float" in the duck bath.  He got lucky a few weeks ago when he found an old sardine can in the compost pile, it served as the perfect toy boat and his 3 siblings just older than him were very jealous.  George may have had a sampling of this water because I heard some spitting and "yucky"s coming from his way.  But it is also possible he tried to dig into a grapefruit tossed on top of the compost pile as well, this boy eats everything!  He's going to love when there is actually something yummy to taste out here.   

Henry got a really big ouchie on his finger when he and Clara crashed on the scooters yesterday.  He was smart to keep his new garden gloves on.  The girls and him have been finding worms and when he begged for a jar I was honest and kind with my response......"would you rather have a sad dried up dead worm in a jar or a happy fat and juicy worm to eat our compost pile".  He chose the latter and Clara found another worm for his worm "to marry".    

Here is Clara explaining the proper care and handling of worms to George.   She's also discovered the fun of a "high ponytail" this week.

Speaking of worms, Peter discovered you could put a few on a frisbee and send them from one end of the garden to the other and they'd survive, but that's old news because I already facebooked it.  Peter also confided in me today that "sometimes grass looks so tempting to eat".  He then explained that he'd be nervous to eat it because of all the people that walked on it but didn't seem to mind when I reminded him of the animals and what they do on it. 

Peter was able to snag the camera from William for a moment and capture the inside of his nose.  Because that is what boys do.

As for the animals the ducks have been dangerously exploring the road.  There isn't much traffic on our street but since it is paved people really fly down it - I've given strict instructions to all the kids that if a chicken or duck is in the street do NOT go out and get them.  These two ladies have been hiding their eggs but Maryanna was the lucky one who found their stash in an empty horse stall, 

Meanwhile the lambs are growing so much that aside from the thick coat of wool it is hard to tell who is the mother and who is the lamb.  I have scheduled shearing for May 1st and giddy about the pile of wool there will be to be processed.  But not so exciting is the fateful plans for Buckbeak, I am very open with the kids about our plans for the little ram to get processed himself. They have all threatened to become a vegetarian and I respect that, I have considered that myself at a point.  I also explained that being a vegetarian means no more trips with Nanny and Poppy for burgers, it is their choice and I promised no one would be forced to eat something that made them feel uncomfortable.

The goat kids are growing quickly also.  They are just a few weeks away from weaning and I'm not sure how to smoothly facilitate that.  Milk production dropped a bit last week so we are now playing music in the milking room and I believe they respond well to yogi music from Snatam Kaur. 

Paul's been busy with work, spending long hours on calls and on the computer inside his office while we are outside enjoying spring.  He did get a few hours out last week to collect some wood but somewhere along the way he picked up poison ivy and is still itching after several days.  We have plans for hooking up the tractor to turn the garden soil this weekend but since Paul has no experience with that specific piece of equipment he's reading the manual.  I love the way the way Paul is taking to the demands of farm living but love even more the way kids catch us off guard with a camera.
    

Here's a toad Maryanna caught today, she is getting good with that net she got for Easter.  She usually catches at least one a day and William is quick to demand freedom on behalf of the captured animal.  She is not afraid to get dirty out here, running her fingers through some freshly weeded soil she said "oh this is so soft I wish I could sleep in it".  She convinced me that I may enjoy weeding more if I took my gloves off because then I could feel the soil for real.

No mention or picture of James because he was inside reading a book on the couch.  It was just last week while digging up some big weeds that he expressed his fear that time in the garden was going to be getting in the way of his education. I assured him it would only enhance it and promised I wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't agree with that response for several years.  The truth I shared with him was I felt the same way about farm work at his age, I loved it but was just not ready to admit it.

William on the other hand has traded most his books for careful observation. He is learning to identify the different calls of each chicken and responds quickly to a call of distress (a chicken locked in the sheep pen or tack room).  William helped me milk the goats by false light when we lost power on Monday and with no lights or running water he said he felt like he stepped back in time.  

Here are two more great photos from our day, I'm not sure who snapped them because my camera was being passed around.  Looks like George is pointing for his turn with the camera........   

.............and looks like I'm actually really enjoying myself.  So if that is all that comes of my garden effort so be it, I am successfully cultivating joy and that is certainly something you can't just pick up at the grocery store.