We move along through March, holding on to our small victories, not daring to ask for more, enjoying the sweet moments of better weather, contented animals, and most importantly -- happy grandkids.
It feels grand to have turned the corner! To have left behind polar vortexes and ice storms and winter viruses and frightened farmette creatures.
Of course, we aren't in a world of perfect peace and harmony, of sunshine and spring flowers. Not yet anyway. But we're getting there!
This morning is surely an example of a good start and a push in the right direction. Cold still, but not for long. With abundant sunshine and a climbing thermometer, I felt that this snowman's days are numbered.
I feed the cats (post breakfast clean up and rest)...
... and check on the cheepers. We're not letting them out super early, because we're still traumatized by that hawk attack that came before we were even out of bed. There's no logic in our morning protectiveness, but who says that what we do here is completely reasonable and rational?!
Still, as I fix breakfast and Ed comes downstairs, we get dizzy with all that sunshine and decide we may as well open up the coop and set the cheepers free. There's a lot of snow out there, but they may as well enjoy a romp in the barn. Like yesterday. That's our thinking.
We're sitting down to breakfast...
... when I look up and notice the parade. Two in the front, four trailing. Chickens on the march!
To the garage, of course. Where else can they go now -- they positively hate the snow and indeed, poor Peach gets totally lost in it. Somehow the dazzle of all that whiteness totally confuses her.
Happy, the rooster, follows along. The girls are teaching him the lay of the land -- it is his first great adventure with them. (Pepper, the once little Pepper has decided to be the one to reign him in and establish herself as the boss. The other girls just ignore her - yeah, yeah, whatever you want, Pepper - but you can tell that at this point, Happy is quite intimidated by this black and white chick.)
So how do the two young cats respond? (Stop Sign is used to the cheepers but she's out and about now, so the encounter is just with Dance and Jacket.)
They're a little intimidated, but mostly, they are mesmerized by this sudden invasion of big birds! And when the girls take a stroll to the cars (they like to hang out under the truck on a sunny day), Dance follows. She can't take her eyes off of them! (They of course ignore her.)
But wait, did I say "girls" take a stroll? What happened to Happy? (If you look closely, you'll see Dance to the left, a trailing cheeper to the right and a solo traveler, Happy,moving away from it all. As in - I need some private time to figure all this out.)
It's too much adventuring for him. When they set out for the truck, he does an about face and goes back to the barn.
Useless rooster!!
The hens, oblivious to the loss of their Great Protector, head back en masse toward the garage.
Oh, no you don't! You're not going to hang out there all day! That's kittie turf!
I come out and as always, I am their pied piper. I lead them back to the barn.
(I throw them some bread. Happy stands back and watches. Old routine for them, completely new stuff for the poor guy. So tough to be the new kid on the block!)
I have to say, so far so good. The cats weren't scared off, the rooster attacked no one, the cheepers are loving their usual farmette routines. True, the issues continue to percolate. Will the kittens put up with a daily visit of the flock? Will Happy protect them from hawks? Will Whiskers get used to the noise of the trucks all around us once more (construction is in full swing!) and reemerge from wherever he's hiding? Will the snow melt already? Will the flowers come out on schedule?
Let's all hope for as many yeses as possible! But in the meantime, we are (nearly) golden!
In the afternoon, Snowdrop is with us. (Deciding if she wants me to read "the new book.")
It's about a boy who finds a $100 bill. He wants a new bike. His parents can't afford it. He is faced with the dilemma: give back the bill to the person who lost it, or buy the bike... We talk about it afterwards. Serious stuff. I ask her if she wants a second book. She does, reaching for a sweet and simple story about mice ice skating. You have to balance hefty issues with playful stuff in life!
And now she can really unwind. It's time for the world of make believe.
(Do you want to play restaurant?)
You're the cook, gaga! (Meaning, get to it or the customers will starve!)
I take her home tonight. She is dazzling in her navigational skills. Puddles, mud, ice -- it's a dangerous world out there!
It's Tuesday. My daughter and I try to set aside some time on this day for catching up at a place a few blocks form her home. It really is good to talk about kids (and not only kids) when there are no kids pulling at your apron strings.
Home again. Hello, deer. Welcome to the herd here, at the farmette. Cats to the left, a groundhog up ahead under the woodpile, a possum somewhere by the sheep shed, six chickens in the barn, an occasional Maine Coon visitor under the writer's shed, and a bunny family in the bushes to our right.
Have I left anyone out?! May you all get along. You all deserve a safe and happy spring.
It feels grand to have turned the corner! To have left behind polar vortexes and ice storms and winter viruses and frightened farmette creatures.
Of course, we aren't in a world of perfect peace and harmony, of sunshine and spring flowers. Not yet anyway. But we're getting there!
This morning is surely an example of a good start and a push in the right direction. Cold still, but not for long. With abundant sunshine and a climbing thermometer, I felt that this snowman's days are numbered.
I feed the cats (post breakfast clean up and rest)...
... and check on the cheepers. We're not letting them out super early, because we're still traumatized by that hawk attack that came before we were even out of bed. There's no logic in our morning protectiveness, but who says that what we do here is completely reasonable and rational?!
Still, as I fix breakfast and Ed comes downstairs, we get dizzy with all that sunshine and decide we may as well open up the coop and set the cheepers free. There's a lot of snow out there, but they may as well enjoy a romp in the barn. Like yesterday. That's our thinking.
We're sitting down to breakfast...
... when I look up and notice the parade. Two in the front, four trailing. Chickens on the march!
To the garage, of course. Where else can they go now -- they positively hate the snow and indeed, poor Peach gets totally lost in it. Somehow the dazzle of all that whiteness totally confuses her.
Happy, the rooster, follows along. The girls are teaching him the lay of the land -- it is his first great adventure with them. (Pepper, the once little Pepper has decided to be the one to reign him in and establish herself as the boss. The other girls just ignore her - yeah, yeah, whatever you want, Pepper - but you can tell that at this point, Happy is quite intimidated by this black and white chick.)
So how do the two young cats respond? (Stop Sign is used to the cheepers but she's out and about now, so the encounter is just with Dance and Jacket.)
They're a little intimidated, but mostly, they are mesmerized by this sudden invasion of big birds! And when the girls take a stroll to the cars (they like to hang out under the truck on a sunny day), Dance follows. She can't take her eyes off of them! (They of course ignore her.)
But wait, did I say "girls" take a stroll? What happened to Happy? (If you look closely, you'll see Dance to the left, a trailing cheeper to the right and a solo traveler, Happy,moving away from it all. As in - I need some private time to figure all this out.)
It's too much adventuring for him. When they set out for the truck, he does an about face and goes back to the barn.
Useless rooster!!
The hens, oblivious to the loss of their Great Protector, head back en masse toward the garage.
Oh, no you don't! You're not going to hang out there all day! That's kittie turf!
I come out and as always, I am their pied piper. I lead them back to the barn.
(I throw them some bread. Happy stands back and watches. Old routine for them, completely new stuff for the poor guy. So tough to be the new kid on the block!)
I have to say, so far so good. The cats weren't scared off, the rooster attacked no one, the cheepers are loving their usual farmette routines. True, the issues continue to percolate. Will the kittens put up with a daily visit of the flock? Will Happy protect them from hawks? Will Whiskers get used to the noise of the trucks all around us once more (construction is in full swing!) and reemerge from wherever he's hiding? Will the snow melt already? Will the flowers come out on schedule?
Let's all hope for as many yeses as possible! But in the meantime, we are (nearly) golden!
In the afternoon, Snowdrop is with us. (Deciding if she wants me to read "the new book.")
It's about a boy who finds a $100 bill. He wants a new bike. His parents can't afford it. He is faced with the dilemma: give back the bill to the person who lost it, or buy the bike... We talk about it afterwards. Serious stuff. I ask her if she wants a second book. She does, reaching for a sweet and simple story about mice ice skating. You have to balance hefty issues with playful stuff in life!
And now she can really unwind. It's time for the world of make believe.
(Do you want to play restaurant?)
You're the cook, gaga! (Meaning, get to it or the customers will starve!)
I take her home tonight. She is dazzling in her navigational skills. Puddles, mud, ice -- it's a dangerous world out there!
It's Tuesday. My daughter and I try to set aside some time on this day for catching up at a place a few blocks form her home. It really is good to talk about kids (and not only kids) when there are no kids pulling at your apron strings.
Home again. Hello, deer. Welcome to the herd here, at the farmette. Cats to the left, a groundhog up ahead under the woodpile, a possum somewhere by the sheep shed, six chickens in the barn, an occasional Maine Coon visitor under the writer's shed, and a bunny family in the bushes to our right.
Have I left anyone out?! May you all get along. You all deserve a safe and happy spring.
