Spring in the Hen House

My chickens are truly excited about the idea of Spring arriving.  While they do stay dry and warm in their lovely home my hubby built for them - we can't do much about the lack of sunshine around here in the winter.  They are thrilled about the lengthening days!!! 

My hens are doing a great job of eating up the weed seeds and bugs in my yet-to-be planted garden

 

 This young hen in particular is especially excited about Spring.  She has it in her head that she is going to hatch a few eggs!!  She isn't, as there is no Daddy around (roosters would be most unwelcome to my neighbors!)  But that fact does not stop her from her broody ways.  She has plucked all the feathers off her chest to make the eggs she is sitting on even warmer.

We have to kick her off the nesting box to get to our eggs and to make her eat and drink - silly girl.  I am contemplating getting a chick from the feed store and stuffing it under her wings so she has a baby to care for.

This never fails to give me a thrill - a wonderful source of healthy food for my family!!!

Mmmm mmmm good!!!

During the brief day of sunshine we had I got out and cleaned the food and water dispensers for my ladies - see, nice and clean - do you think they will appreciate it?!!  Next stop at the feed store will give them new straw to scratch in too!!  Spring in the Hen House is always good!!!

Blessings,
Christine

A Sunny Day

We had a sunny day this week - a truly sunny day with warm, yellow sunlight streaming in the windows beckoning me outside.  It was amazing!!!

So out I went with one of my big boys at my side to man the shovel (big belly syndrome, again :0)!!)  My blueberry bush has been lonely all winter so we got busy...

And dug a few holes....

And planted a couple of baby blueberry bushes...someday we will have an abundance of those luscious purple berries right out of our own yard!!!  I can't wait!!!

We also planted a rhubarb crown - oh such a yummy thing to grow - pies, cakes and sauces oh my!!!

What lovely things to do on the rare, sunny, spring day in my neck of the woods!!  Happy Spring!!

Blessings,

Christine 

Birthday!!!

We had a birthday!!  Young Miss Abbie turned eight!!

 She has officially has moved from the "littles" to the "mediums" in our home :0).

(Her cake was supposed to look like a slice of watermelon - my baking abilities were severely limited due to the lack of full sized oven so it turned out lopsided and not at all what my vision was - but the kiddies liked it so that's all that mattered hahaha).

Abbie is such a source of joy in our home - something I could see in her from the time she was born.  She surely fulfills her middle name of Joy!!  Happy Birthday sweet Miss Abbie - Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!!

Blessings,
Christine

New Friends

After several weeks of having a non-working oven and me nearly going crazy not being able to bake much for my family we finally found what we were looking for - a new-to-us oven in good working order!!!

 Yahoo!!!  I am able to bake again - and I sure have been enjoying my new friend in the kitchen!!!

Mmmm and the kids sure have been happy too!!!

 The first bread  made for my family in the new oven - yummy good!!!

 The other new friend is this lovely new-to-us refrigerator we found at a scratch and dent store.  And there certainly are some scratches and dents but it is so nice to have a fridge that fits what we need in it and to have our other old, far too small fridge in the garage to store extra milk and stuff!!!  What a delight!!  We've never had a fridge that makes ice and give us lovely filtered water - oh my - such fun!!!

My weekly menu posted for all to see

Isn't this just the cutest cup ever?!!!!  I found it for a dollar at the local grocery store and fell in love with it's pretty spring cheer.  Since I have had trouble drinking enough water and my puffing ankles are telling me to get going on the fluid intake I decided that this sweet cup would be mine - to cheer me on in the water drinking endeavor.  And it's working - along with the lovely cold water and ice from my new friend I am doing tons better getting that water down!!!  Yahoo for new kitchen friends!!  We are so blessed to have found both of them at very inexpensive prices - love shopping used!!!!  Happy Spring!!

Blessings,
Christine

Yay for Digging!!

After many, many, many days of dreary rain in which we more than doubled our rain average for the entire month of March we have a break!!!!!

In spite of the mud I just could not resist the lure of the dirt!!

 Out came my pitch fork and grubby shoes and into the garden I went.  Oh, how good the earth smelled!!  How wonderful the crumbly soil felt under my fingers!!  Bliss!!

I got most of my veggie garden turned over until big belly syndrome took over and I just could not do any more - then I made my big boys go out and finish for me while I tried to soak away the aches and pains of digging while pregnant :0)!!  But truly, all the achiness was worth it!!!

So now that the turning part is over we will add some compost and hopefully get some early spring veggies planted very soon!!  I can hardly wait - my mouth is watering for my own homegrown veggies!!!  Happy Spring!!!!

Blessings,
Christine

Mischief Maker

Sometimes even the littlest ones get into mischief!!!

A few minutes in the corner is just the ticket to remember why it's important to obey mommy!!!

I have to confess, I thought she looked stinkin' cute sitting there so seriously - thinking about her naughty behavior.  An "I'm sorry, Mommy" and a hug and she was back on her merry way!  Hopefully with a lesson learned (I kinda think not though - she is one busy, busy two year old!!!  She keeps me hoppin').

Blessings,

Christine

P.S.  Thank you all for your encouraging comments about being over 40 and pregnant!!  They all were soooo encouraging!!  I really felt uplifted when I read them all!!!

A Tidy Corner

Somehow with the snow and other fun weather we've had around here I lost control of the entryway in our home (well, I wish it was only the entryway - but we'll talk about that later, lol!!)  But the entry was getting to be a terrible disaster - then the shoe rack broke - and with 10 people leaving their shoes there...well, you get the idea.

Ugh...not a good impression when you walk in the house!!!!

So after looking at this mess for a while I put my thinking cap on and came up with a solution:

Better - don't ya think?

I have four baskets - one for hats, mittens and scarves, one for Sunday School shoes, one for Tennis shoes, and one for Boots.  I am hoping the winter gear and boots basket won't be needed for too much longer - I will turn the boots basket around and the tag will say flip flops and sandals (I can't hardly wait!!!)

It was so nice to come out to the living room this morning and see that nice tidy area!!  I do want to come up with some other ways to make that place look pretty but for now the tidiness makes me very happy!!!  Tidy corners and non-mussed places in my home bring me peace!!  Sorta like when my heart is not mussed with ungodly thoughts there is calm in my life!!  You know what I mean?!!!

We are into our fourth week of germs making their presence known in our house!!  Yuck!!  We are kinda going in slow motion - every week another person or two comes down with a fever and a bad cold.  Funny bug that only wants to infect one or two at a time instead of the whole clan at once!!  Oh well, if we have to do this slow motion thing - now is the best time - while the weather is still grey and before wee one has arrived!!!

Blessings,

Christine

Projects and Babies

A few weeks ago I started a new project - a scarf that I was super excited about:

Remember this picture?

Well here it is all finished - I am very pleased with the results - the scarf is soft and comfy (and will be longer next winter - when the baby bump is gone :0)!!)

 I really loved this design - I was kinda sad when I finished the yarn off 'cause it was just fun to do!!

Two new projects are in the works - both for Christmas - getting a head start because I know there probably will be a spell where crocheting is the last thing on my mind - snuggling wee one will take over!!!

Working with these bright colors has been fun these last days of winter!!

On the baby front my friend Cinnamon (who just had a super sweet little girl a couple of weeks ago) has reminded me that I have not mentioned my due date.  Well, our little one is due to arrive June 3!!  All is going well and I am feeling pretty good.  I am tired in the evenings and being that I am vertically challenged (very short) baby is already starting to crowd my breathing space so that is sometimes uncomfortable - but all in all we're doing well!!

I have to say that the one thing I am not liking so well is that even with seeing a midwife people seem to be acting like this is a higher risk pregnancy - seems funny to me that when I had Esther just 2 years ago I was also over 40 and no one blinked - but now...

I know everyone is suggesting all these tests etc. because they believe it is best but on top of making me feel more stressed and anxious than I want - I believe that God planned and created this tiny babe and He will take care of things!!  Time is going fast and we are really looking forward to meeting little one face to face!!!

Blessings,

Christine