Friday, April 15, 2011

Places Everyone! Spring 2011

In this Act of the Grand Play of Life, Everyone is intent upon taking their places.  We are forever grateful for the beautiful and normal cycles of Nature in our midst. How could we not?

The Peas are up in their lovely rows. Yesterday, Richard and Melanie put up Cattle Panels (so that they can dream and be tall). Cattle Panels are made from heavy duty welded wire and they are 16 feet long and 4 high. Richard just purchased these.  In the winter, they will be circled up to provide protection for our Fruit Trees from the Deer.

Richard planted Carrots in the raised beds.  Problem is that the Weed Seeds usually germinate before the Carrots (and in greater profusion).  Richard has begun marking the Rows with Peat Moss in order to know what to weed. This works great.

Plum Blossoms outline branches on the Plum Tree. Would you believe we planted that Tree last year on the Chicken Compost pile? With all that fertile stuff at her feet, that little Tree just took off. Plum Trees in the Wild are bowing their lovely flowering Branches in return.


We expected Rain in the night and through today.  So we placed 5 Gallon Buckets for collection at each of 3 downspouts.  We should have about 30 gallons of precious Rain Water collected today.  In the next week, the Rain Barrels will magically appear.

Seedlings are up in all of the south facing windows.  And they are growing growing growing.  The Tomatoes look like they aspire to be tall trees.  Already, we are putting some outside during the day and others are ready for 24 hour stints.  This week, we put out the 1st transplants:  my lovely Cabbages.

Ms. Lacey Jane Chicken is decidedly broody.  If anyone or anything gets too close or decides she needs to be off her nest, she will quickly let them know that is not her idea.  She found her own collection of Eggs to sit on in a nest box.  We don't like to remove fertile eggs with developing embryos.  Melanie wants to make sure she is incubating pure strains rather than mixed and we just don't have the right number yet. We tried to substitute Dad's Golf Balls instead.  Ms. Lacey Jane (or Ms. Lacey McKacey, as she is also known) thought that was a half baked Human idea.  So Melanie put her back on real Eggs.  In the meantime, Melanie is collecting Eggs for her that seem in high likelihood to be Delawares.  The Delaware Hens, who are new to us this past year, don't really allow the Buffy Roosters to mate with them.  Best day to "set" a Hen is coming up.  Those Delawares are great layers for us during the winter.  We should have the collection soon. In the meantime, Ms. Lacey is on her nest in the brooder house and she's ready to go.

 
While I was writing this entry, Richard went out to let the Chickens out of their House.  On his way there, he found Chester, the Tree Frog, taking his place on the side of the shed.  In the meantime, the Humans are getting ready for Friday morning Yoga.  Maybe Chester was practicing a Yoga pose. After our Yoga session, the Humans will have Breakfast and begin cleaning the House.
In the meantime, we checked WeatherUnderground and noted Rain is coming up in a system from the South/Southeast.  I could see the south Edge which was distinct.  We know these fronts bring in the migratory Birds at this Season.  I wonder which of our Feathered Friends are waiting in cue.  And where are the Monarchs? the Hummingbirds? Just where they are supposed to be, I surely hope.

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