A Bit of Space

It seems that I may have needed a wee bit of space. Everything in the past (almost entire!) month has been a bit much, and I could not keep blogging up on top of everything else. And while this week doesn't seem particularly better, it is time for me to get going again.

I must say that having my mother here with us has been amazing. She did the lion's share* of the work, and now my garden is weedwacked, cleared of almost all of the shrubbery I wanted to get gone, my two new beds are filled in (and deer netted!), necessities have been purchased, surfaces have been cleaned, new routines have been established regarding the Acorn** and his bedtime... all good things.

And my sister came to visit for the first time. I always loved showing people around when they came to visit us in Japan. I think it can be so cool to see your mundane existence through other's eyes as they see it for the first time... and Stoneyhaw is definitely different! She was only here for about 2 days, but we did manage to pack a bunch in there and I was very glad to see her before the insanity of her home ownership and impending induction into motherhood swept her away for a bit.

I also managed to get my garden in (mostly) and while the strides seem hobbled and not nearly as big as I would like them to be, we ARE making them.

Or at least that's what my mom told me!

My mom and sissypants.

It's important to partake in southern food immediately upon deplaning.

The Battalion eye their first greens suspiciously.

This Wyandotte has completely changed in the 2 weeks since I took this picture.

The Battalion has also learned how to roost.

Feeding was getting a wee bit frenzied at the end of their confinement there. Glad that's over!

They took to free ranging like champs and go back to the coop fairly late. For chickens. We have stopped feeding them all but a few handfuls of scratch grain here and kitchen scraps there. They keep their crops bulging all on their own. So proud!

They got a bit confused the first downpour they were in - and some took to huddling under a scrawny bush. Please note they were 20 ft from their coop, 15 from the Brigade's and about 10 from 2 barns and a camper - all with ample shelter... and under the big barn and the camper is where they hang out often, so not so foreign...

Some of them have taken to being toted on the Acorn's head

So. Many. Berries. Can't. Wait.

And I found some!

My dad's least favorite vegetable. Fortunately for me, I LOVE chard!

Mr. Toad.

Daylilies from my Godmother. Hi Roxanne!

Have you ever seen a potato flower?

I love them!

How about an onion flower?

Leftover metal panels from the construction of the Chicken Palace will be guiding my beans this year.

Baby beans!

Garden visitor. We like these guys.

*please note that at this time 'lion's share' translates as 'all'.


**aka 'the Spawn'. Trying to change what I call him. But he's still kind of 'The Spawn'-y to me.