Easter Weekend

We had a very laid back Easter weekend. My parents were preparing for an upcoming vacation and we were in the midst of preparing the garden. None-the-less we all found time to come together for an Easter egg hunt and a family dinner.

The weather was beautiful so we were able have our hunt in my parents garden. April was so thrilled. She had so much fun, she asked us to hide them again and again (and has been asking us to go hunting for eggs every day since). Grandma even indulged in some chocolate eggs. Mama uses wool felt eggs so chocolate was an exciting treat.

I also managed to find the time to make some Easter goodies for my kiddos. Finn got a little bedtime book and a knitted bunny. April got a Peter Rabbit book, playdough, silly putty, bath fizzes, an Easter ducky and some chocolate eggs. My Easter treat was not having to cook but still being able to enjoy a delicious home cooked feast. It was so wonderful sharing another meal with my family and including Finn in our family traditions.

Saturday Sunshine

 

The weather around here just keeps getting better and better. We've been lucky enough to have some very warm sunny days. The best way for me to cope with those postpartum blues is to get a good dose of all-natural vitamin D and spend some time in nature with my family. We spent this sunny Saturday walking around our favorite local lake.

It was so beautiful. The sun was out, the trees were blooming and everything was green. There were not many birds on the lake but while walking through the woods we noticed a large bird flying between the trees. We couldn't believe our luck when just in front of us landed an owl. April was thrilled and intrigued. We also listened to the frogs in the creek, watched the bumblebees fly from flower to flower and a heard a couple loons calling to each other.

It was nature at its finest; it was healing to the soul. April could barely bring herself to leave, she was lying in the daisies crying that we would never come back (three year olds can be so dramatic). The sunshine is supposed to stick around for a while. Hopefully we can get our garden work done in time to spend a bit more time going for nature walks together. Today was a perfect sunny Saturday.

Spring Chicks

It is finally that time of year when it is feasible for us to start raising chicks. This week when we went to the feed store for our current flock and noticed a pen full of Rhode Island Red chicks. It was a bit implusive since we weren't quite ready for them but we couldn't say no to our pleading daughter (especially after all the bird losses we suffered this year). The Rhode Island Red we currently have is a very friendly bird so they seemed like a good choice for my little 3 year old who desperately loves cuddling them.

As I said, we weren't quite prepared so we had to scramble to get their cage clean after a year of being left outside and we found we didn't have bedding so shredded newspaper will have to do until we can get them proper bedding. It was kind of cute to see those little fluffy bodies snoozing under brightly colored newspaper strips.

We aren't quite finished assembling our new flock. We are hoping to find another Americana and possible some Wheaten Marans and Jon has been asking me to let him bring some meat birds into the egg-laying flock. Meat birds will mean some more research before I completely commit but I figure he has every right to choose some of the birds so we will likely have meat birds this year.

There is nothing quite like listening to the gentle "peep peep peep" of tiny chicks while I eat my breakfast in the morning sunshine to remind me that spring is here and I am fully embracing the little joys and challenges this season brings.