If you are able to stay home, I hope you feel "safe at home" not "stuck at home."
It is such a luxury to have the option.
If you are among the people working to keep people and animals healthy, supply chains functional, and everybody fed, thank you so much and please take good care of yourself.
I am thankful that all are well here.
The hens are providing organic eggs daily.
Eloise waiting for the Daily Apple.
~~~
The goats have enough good hay to take us through, with careful feeding, to first cutting. And a delivery from the feed store last week provided my usual Spring top-up of supplies, which my Occasional Helper very helpfully came by to put away for me. I've missed having him here lately, but we usually work together on projects and although he was willing to come, I could not justify the unnecessary risk. (To him, to me, to the world at large.)
However, unloading 50-pound sacks from a feed order is always a solo job, and the bonus since-you're-here task of shifting a dozen bales of hay out to the "distribution centers" saves me a heck of a lot of heavy lifting and dragging for a couple of weeks.
It's uncertain when I will have Occasional Help again,
but I'm certainly grateful for last week's visit.
And I'm not the only one:
Violet, the eldest, tasting the new mineral mix.
Bud, the youngest, waiting his turn to taste the new mineral mix.
~~~
It's been quite cold lately, but unless it is raining,
Piper and I have been taking daily walks along our road.
It's a team sport.
I do the looking...
and Piper does the sniffing.
~~~
There have been many "firsts" in the past week.
The first wood frogs singing.
The first robin in the paddock, first pomegranate finch at the feeder.
And literally overnight, the goldfinches began to color up! One day all the finches at the feeder were the same muted green, and the very next day:
~~~
In other green and gold news:
the marsh marigolds are coming along:
I hope you are finding many things to feel thankful for these days.
It's a gift we give ourselves.
~~~~~
Glad to read you are getting along
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and artwork
Enjoy the warmer weather in the forecast
Stay Safe!
I'm glad you're doing well. I do get concerned about people alone -- I'm one of them -- and the vital supplies for the goats are in place, a big concern. What is first cutting?
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you.
Liz, hay fields are cut as often as the weather and growth allow. In my neck of the woods, it's usually two cuttings per year, and each cutting will have different qualities even under ideal conditions - I usually try to get all 2nd cutting. When I lived in CO I bought alfalfa hay, and there was usually a 3rd cutting in a season as I recall. Last year, there was a very poor 2nd cutting here because the weather was so wet for so long, and I bought the worst hay I've ever bought in my life. I only fed it until I could find something else, and I'm going to burn about 800 pounds of it.
DeleteIt is always a pleasure to visit your place, Quinn, and see the critters. I'm thankful today for this little look into your world. Stay safe, my friend.
ReplyDeleteAnd you! I think you'll be keeping pretty busy during your "summer off" :)
DeleteSuch cute goats! I'm glad things are well stocked for you. I love when the goldfinches change color! :-)
ReplyDeleteDid you notice the green one in the picture? I took about 60 snaps to get one with both stages of color, but after posting it I wasn't sure people would even see it with all that bright yellow in the foreground!
Delete'Safe at home' vs. 'Stuck at home' - I'm choosing safe. I have lots to keep me occupied in my sewing space and lots of books to read, so I'm good. It's wonderful that you have your OH to come to do the heavy lifting - and even better that he's willing to do so. Enjoyed seeing all your photos today, but especially the goldfinches. Haven't seen any here as yet but the robins have been back for about 3 weeks.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you are all set in terms of animal care. Thank goodness for the Occasional Helper and you planning ahead.
ReplyDeleteYou and Piper are such a good pair. Are her joints feeling better? I hope so.