Flora and Fauna Fotos

 As spring progresses the flowers and wildlife become more and more abundant.  I thought I would share some of my nature photos with you.  I hope you enjoy!!

The Orioles have come in force, we might even have a pair nesting in the maple tree out back.

 We have at least four to six Robins' nest all around our property.  This particular one we found once the eggs had already hatched.  They went from above to...

this!  Two of them fledged one evening leaving this last baby in full possession of the nest.

The next morning he too headed off for his own adventures.

Another Robin couple made a nest in our pine trees out back, and have three beautiful blue eggs residing in the structure right now.

 Blue skies and Dandelion fluff.  :)  

 Josiah now is a collector of wild flowers, and he can identify almost any Michigan wildflower in our area.  If he doesn't know it, you will be sure he will before 24 hours is up.  He dug up these gorgeous wild geraniums from the side of the road and transplanted them into the glade out back.

 A beautiful blue butterfly.

 Sadie Rose loves to chase after lids/frisbees (which we call "rabbits"); she will do it for hours!!

 This duck nest was found in our neighbor's field; there were 11 eggs all crowded in a cozy nest.  A couple of days ago when I went to check on it again, the ducklings had hatched and left already!

 One of my favorite wildflowers of this season (and I use the term "favorite" loosely because I have MANY!) has to be the Dame Rocket.  

 You will see it flowering in profusion along the road side, spreading its purple and cream beauty all about it. 

 There is a particularly gorgeous patch beside the Pregnancy Resource Center where we volunteer, and so last time we were there I had to go out and take pictures of it.  Multitudes of pictures.

 Of course a bouquet came home with us as well. :)

 Our front flower bed has done wonderfully this spring, most of the flowers came back from last year and have multiplied themselves.

 Our poppies, which we were very surprised survived transplanting last year, have bloomed and faded, as have the Lilly of the valley.

Right now the Columbines are dominating the front flower bed.  We have ruffled ones, plain ones, pink ones,

and Faith's special pride and joy, her long spurred Columbine!

 The other night I was out taking shots of the flowers, and I was just about to click the shutter on this one columbine when the most darling bumble bee landed on it!!!!  I LOVE when things like that happen. :)

 Out back the Blackberry bushes are in full bloom (much more so than in the above pictures which was taken a few days ago). We are delighted and are looking forward to piles of blackberries come late summer. 

In the garden there are flowers too.  Chives.  Chives in abundance.  So many Chives we are giving them away.  As many as you like! 

 But they are pretty flowers and the bees love them.

 Some one gave us a huge bouquet of these lovely lilies and they have lasted for a week now, beautifying are dining room table.

 The mallow came back this year, spreading throughout the bed, and brightening the landscape.

 And to end this rather lengthy picture post, here is a full view of the front section of the flower bed.  So many things have been happening around here, and if nothing else happens I promise to post soon about the things that already have, but I have a feeling that is a false hope! :)

~Chs

Early Garden Work

 This last couple weeks we have been very busy with a variety of projects and events, including but not limited to: attending a wedding, Faith, and I (separately) spending a few days with our Aunt Carmen after her knee surgery, all our normal volunteering, and last but not least preparing for a surprise party (which I will be sure to tell you about in detail later).  But somewhere between all our scheduling we were able to work on some gardening.  

 Faith had started a half dozen or so early tomatoes as an experiment, so two weeks ago, not without some trepidation, Faith planted them in the garden.

 There were a few nights when we had to cover them, but they managed quite well, and I would say the experiment was a success, because we now have tomato plants which are already flowering in the garden!  (now to just plant the other 100 or so tomatoes :)

 Over in the strawberry patch things are coming along nicely, and there are bunches upon bunches of little thumbnail size green strawberries which are continually growing and just barely beginning to get a pinkish cast.

 Back in the big garden the lettuce is coming along nicely, as are the peas, and...

 the radishes.  We really don't eat radishes very much, but they grow so quickly and are so cheery and bright that we just can't help but plant them!

 Now all the beds are cleared in the garden, and this past week we planted pole beans, bush beans, carrots, and beets, and in the garden patch out back there are potatoes growing, and three rows of corn planted.

We are very thankful for the garden that God has allowed us to have, and are trying our best to use the time that we have wisely so that we can keep up the yard work as well as enjoy life and help others.  Sometimes we wish there were more hours in the day, and then other times....

~Chs

Triplets!!!

On Tuesday, May 8th, after a few days of watching and waiting, our Nubian goat kidded. (for those of you who do not know goat terminology, this just means that she had her babies, it does not mean she told a joke :)

Since this was her first time, we expected only one kid, but because of her size, we were hoping for two...... We did NOT expect THREE!!!

That is correct. After minimal labor Java popped out one beautiful dark brown headed darling girl. Then, not even a minute later another girl, this one with gorgeous butterscotch colored, long delicate ears entered the world.

It was nearly 10 minutes later when the third kid came.  A very large, very adorable boy.

So now we are the extremely proud owners of three adorable kids.  

The happy family of four.

The babies are ever so healthy and energetic, even more so now than when these pictures were taken,

And Java, despite our forebodings, has turned out to be a wonderful mother.  I love her low voiced little momma nicker.

The triplets are now a week old, and they are bouncing around like crazy, especially since Puella has officially transferred back to live with the big goats.  She eggs them on, and seems particularly fascinated with the little boy.  Those two are butting heads almost constantly!

We are very grateful to God for the easy and healthy birth of Java's kids, and are constantly asking for wisdom, as our "little farm" becomes bigger, and bigger, and bigger......

~Chs

Derby Day

For the past year I have been blessed to volunteer at Banbury Cross Therapeutic Equestrian Center, and this year Faith has joined me, and we have both enjoyed working there ever so much.  Each year on the Kentucky Derby, Banbury hosts "Derby Day" their once a year fundraiser, and the week before is full of cleaning and set up.  

We did everything from cleaning pastures...

... to power washing gazebos and other structures, 

...to washing drying and stacking chairs,

over 240 chairs.  :)

We wiped down everything,

and the men set up all the arbors and the gazebo.

Everything we did was all building up to Saturday, and when we arrived that morning things were going in full swing.  Tables were being set, and everything was being decorated and set up.

There was the silent auction, which was full of a variety of useful and interesting items.

and a flower shop, extremely bright and colorful.

All morning long we set tables, and re-arranged tables, then straightened table settings, and then went back to check again. 

And this wasn't any simple setting either, you had a dinner fork, and a knife and spoon, then the dessert fork plus the charger and the plates, water, glasses, napkins etc..

Faith and decided to confuse everyone by wearing matching clothes.  We find it immensely amusing how many people ask us if are twins, but of course the funniest part is the look on their faces when we tell them we are 8 years apart!! :)

After lunch we all went an changed and then finished the last few details before the guests arrived.

As the time drew near, a bagpiper began to play filling the air with compelling music.

Inside all of the girls were frantically cutting pies, key lime pies, that insisted on being ornery and refused to come nicely out of their pie dishes.  Then once they had been removed and set on a plate, their crust would just drop off!

The young men had the fun of being valets and were very busy rushing cars here and there.

By now the Arena was filling up with lots of people, and many interesting hats.

There were big hats, small hats, pink ones, floppy ones, feathery, and plain...

The boys still valiantly moved cars, as the people began to come in floods.

... Hats with toy horse, with huge bows, or piles of netting, the variety was endless.

Once the dinner had been served, then the "bussing" units were sent forth to clear tables, and the back alley (or in this case back barn aisle) dish washing company started up business. 

You have never seen so many dishes in your life!

And of course, once the dinner dishes were cleared then the pies were served, then once the pie had been consumed we had to start again on the bussing, and then rinse all the dessert plates! :)

One of the many of the fundraiser done that night was auctioning off the sponsorship of our therapy horses. 

They all did wonderfully and behaved themselves quite well.  After the auction ended the valets started up again while us girls finished clearing the tables.  

Once everyone left, the great tear down began.  Now, that was epic, and quite exhausting, but... I do not have any pictures of it, for the simple reason that I was actually helping out and had no time at all to document it.  (Oh, and for the record, all the pictures of the set up and during, were taken between fits of work, I didn't just stand there doing nothing with camera in hand :)

~Chs