The Wednesday Write-Up

I think I made an error in my planning this spring. I assumed once April arrived that spring would arrive. This is not the case. I'm sitting here looking out the window at trees drooped with ice and freezing rain. I'm also listening to the peeps of five rather large "baby" chickens upstairs. They are roughly six weeks old and fully feathered little cheepers. They don't even need the heat lamp anymore and are quickly outgrowing their brooder. Yet I can't possibly put them out in the hen house. After all it's going to be 25 degrees outside tonight. So for now I will continue to allow them a place in my house and clean out their stinky cage every three days (can you tell I'm ready to vacate them?). They are cute and curious little buggers and the little white one (the Ideal 236) is the most personable little pullet. She's always waiting to peck at my rings and is first in line for their treat (a hard boiled egg all smashed up).

Enjoying the sun outside last weekend, oh what a difference 48 hours makes.

The garden is on hold for, what feels like, eternity. We haven't gotten out there to rototill since it's either too wet and raining or snowing every weekend. Perhaps this weekend it will be dry enough. I'm so ready to get all those seeds in the ground. Meanwhile the seedlings are growing big and strong. To the tomato and sweet peppers I've added basil (making pesto this year!), zinnias, cilantro and lavender. They are coming up strong, with the exception of the cherry tomatoes which are pretty sad looking for some strange reason. I'm hopeful I won't have to buy hardly any started seedlings this year. I need more grow lights for next year, I know that.

Last weekend was so beautiful I was able to get the tortoises out for some fresh air and sunshine. They've been sustained all winter on timothy hay, bagged baby greens and occasionally romaine lettuce. They are sure ready for some delicious dandelions and grass. I let them run around the yard while I was sitting there. Rocky, the miniature horse, was super curious about the moving rocks and I could tell he was willing them to just come a little closer and enter the paddock for some "play time" (I'm sure Rocky would murder them if they did get into the horse pen).

He wouldn't take his eyes off of Billy Bob.