Author: niffer

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Spring peeping around the corner

Although winter has not packed his bags ready to go on his March break trip just yet, he has decided to, go for an extended drive into the country. Of course, when the cat is away, the mice will play, and the starlings, the skunks, foxes, and of course the butterflies. Yes, the butterflies and bees are back. Butterflies are like last summer's wishes that have come back after a long winter snooze. While walking our trail with Beauty-dog, a curious Mourning Cloak butterfly gently graced my shoulder for a breath-taking moment, then flew off again in search of food and a place to lay her eggs. The tell-tale band of bright yellow that bordered her burnt umber wings told the story of today. Spring coming to visit us early and she seems to be sticking around. The bees have told us it's spring already, as have the birds, and the love struck squirrels running around in the yard. A dangerous proposition with a Beauty-dog around! But it was none of these things that brought spring home for me. No, it is the marshland lullaby that convinces me that spring is close on the heels of old man winter. I will be sung to sleep for the next few weeks. If the cold weather returns the song gets quiet, but it doesn't stop. Today's sunset brought about the spring-time song that I favour the most. Rising from the marsh just a few dozen feet away it came. A love song really. A love song about new beginnings and surviving the cold. The soft song of the Spring Peeper, a tiny, frog that sings like a giant. Their song drifted across the evening sky. It made me smile. Now it really felt like. Spring was here.

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Off on another adventure

This Friday I leave for Philadelphia. I am going to take my Permaculture Teacher Training course with the wonderful Dave Jacke. For 10 days I will be immersed in permaculture teaching theory and practice at the Kimberton Waldorf School in Phoenixville.

It will be an intensive course, but well worth it. Of course I am running around trying to tie up loose ends here. Tim will beholding down the fort for the time I am gone. That means he has had a crash course in lambing, JUST in case one of our girls does lamb while I am away. Unlikely, but there is a slim possibility it could happen.

Last autumn we traded rams with a friend for a month. He was a beautiful shetland with a coal black coat. We didn't see a lot of action, but our fingers are crossed that all three ewes took. Our calculations estimate that lambing shouldn't begin until the beginning of April, but you never know. So we have been preparing our lambing pens (jugs) and water buckets, and the lambing kit, including the number of our wonderful vet in case of emergencies.

Chicks are also in the planning stages so I can hit the ground running when I get back. Figuring out who to isolate with whom is a big job. So far we will be hatching out some more Chanteclers and some penedesencas. This will be the first time that we have done this with two differnt breeds. We may even have a try with the marans as well. A full egg colour spectrum. Lastyear we just did the chanteclers. Our meat chick may have to wait anouther couple of weeks.

Oh and getting the seedling started, I can't forget about that...It is a busy time of year isn't it, but we LOVE it!

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Wool Rocks!

This is just plain cool. We met Judi at the conference. She was kind enough to take some of our wool home and spin it. This is what happened.

Isn't that cool! Thanks Judi!