A Seedy Sort of Day

Today was a lovely sunny day. It was perfect for planting seeds. I have had mixed feelings about seedlings this year. I had great success with transplants bought from the nursery and mixed success with transplants I started from seed. I decided to try again.
I chose a warm, sunny weekend to give them a good start. I've devoted half of my dining room table to trays of seedlings. I figure if they don't look strong by the time they should be moved outside then I'll go to the nursery and get transplants there. I'll really only be out the cost of the seeds.
I'm not really sure what has led to my seedling problem. Perhaps not enough light in my house or starting seeds too early in the season. Whatever the reason, I have made some changes. This year I used larger containers to give the roots more space to take hold. I've used quality organic potting soil with fish fertilizer. Finally I've put them in the sunniest place I can in my house. Maybe the extra love and attention will help.
Since it was a warm sunny day, we also hung our mason bee "condo" and got ourselves some mason bees which we set out this afternoon. I'm hoping that this year we don't get a cold snap after they hatch and loose them all again. I would really like to see my fruit trees do well and the bees are crucial for that to happen.
Let's all think sunny, happy thoughts and hope that both the seeds and bees get the best start in life!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

New Arrivals

 

Our journey towards raising chickens has taken a huge leap forward. We got chicks on Sunday! Well technically they are pullets because they are old enough to be sexed. We have a bylaw in our city that allows us to have up to 5 females but no males. So we got 5 girls.
These are Silver Laced Wyandottes. Originally I wanted the Blue Laced Red Wynadotte but I couldn't find any sexed birds in that coloring so I went with the Silver Laced (still pretty birds). We chose Wynadottes because they are supposed to be good dual purpose birds. I wanted a bird that was a good layer but was still a good meat bird when their egg production declines. They are also supposed to be docile which was another appealing feature for a backyard bird.
The top picture is the day we brought them home and the middle picture is last night. They already look bigger. They will be 4 weeks old this Saturday. We kind of skipped the fuzzy babies phase but I'm ok with that. We also skipped that heat lamp phase, all we needed was to add a space heater to our already warm laundry room which I'm also ok with.
Their permanent home is still under construction. We really weren't planning on getting the birds this soon but I was at the Poultry Swap and saw these girls and had to have them. The coop is a little big but eventually we plan to move to an acreage and I'd like to take this coop with us and get some more birds. This coop could accommodate around 12 birds someday.
I'm doing my best to remember that these are not pets but livestock that we will someday serve for dinner. But I also want them to be people friendly so I try to hold them often. So hard not to feel attachment to something so soft, small and helpless. April seems pretty attached. She checks on them regularly. We have held the birds out for her to pet but she's too excited and seems to want to grab them by the neck rather than pet them. Oh well, she is only 13 months old. We've had to put up our first baby gate because she likes to go into the laundry room and scream at them in excitement and rattle the cage in an effort to reach in a grab one. Poor birds are pretty agitated whenever she's near. I think a mutual love and respect will develop one day.
For now we are working on finishing their coop, keeping them clean and safe (they really like to make a mess) and learning all those little things chicken owners need to know (I'm feeling nervous about our first time clipping their wings). New arrivals indeed.

Simple Yet Effective

 

 In the hopes that warmer weather might actually appear, I've made myself a lightweight shawl. I used the Simple Yet Effective pattern with some Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn. I wasn't sure I was really going to like the particular colorway I ended up with but I really like the blues and browns. It all came together so nicely.
Although it is technically spring, it has been oh so cold around here. Today was the first day when I didn't feel the need to wear a hat and gloves when I went outside. I actually walked through my yard barefoot. It didn't last though. Hopefully this weather will get warmer and the sun will show itself more often so I can plant my garden!

Today we

: : enjoyed every minute of sunshine
: : discovered a renewed love of ducks
: : realized that spring might just be beginning after all
: : made time to stop and smell the crocuses (and maybe pick a few too)
: : enjoyed fantastic views and took deep breaths of fresh salty air
: : were reminded that family time is truly the best time

Hope you and your family are having a wonderful weekend.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

Recipe: Mussels in Garlic Cream Sauce

This recipe is our go-to fancy dinner recipe though it really isn't all that fancy. We get our mussels locally from Saltspring Island. If you are afraid to try them or don't really like the "fishy" taste, this recipe is a good one to try. I always approximate so go ahead and make this to your taste.

You will need:
2 dozen large mussels
2-3 tbsp organic butter
1/4 cup white wine
3-4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
chopped parsley (optional)

In a large skillet heat butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add white wine and cook for another minute or so, stirring regularly. Add heavy cream and reduce to a simmer. Rinse mussels well and add to the sauce. Cook until all the mussels have opened and the meat has started to lighten. Serve hot over rice or orzo. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if you desire.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama