By Leaps and Bounds Part 2: Rescue and Rehabilitation

(Ever since March has come upon us, we seem to be collecting Animals by leaps and bounds.  So I decided to start a blog series focusing on this expanding part of our life.  So if you haven't read about my cheaper than a dozen, ducklings, then you can read about them in the Part 1.  Otherwise here is the story of our Tuesday animal.)

Tuesday morning we were privileged to add yet another animal to our growing "farm".  We had seen a message from a lady who had a chicken with an medical condition that she was told was incurable, and she wanted someone who knew how to "put down" her chicken.  Well, wanting to be helpful we gave her our number and told her we could take care of the chicken. 

 We went and met her in a TSC parking lot (dangerous place I know :P) and after looking at the chicken and talking to the lady, deducted that the chicken could most likely be "fixed".  But when we communicated this information to the lady, she told us that if we wanted to do that, fine, but she wanted no more to do with it!

So this beautiful Silver Laced Wyandotte has come to make Lily Spring Gardens and Farm her home.  Right now she is in the Infirmary (which doubles as the Nursery, and also holds Germination Station, Worm House, and Meal Worm High rises and incubator)  and though requiring medical attention multiple times a day, seems to be doing alright, and hopefully with continual care will become a part of our main flock.


And that was just the second day of the week...... :)

~Chs

By Leaps and Bounds Part 1: What You Can Buy for a $1.50

      As a lover and raiser of Ducks, I am constantly on the look out for opportunities to add to my flock.  After much thought and debate I had put in an order for laying ducks this spring, but they were not scheduled to arrive till the end of April.  So knowing I could fit in a batch of runner ducks (which I raise and sell for pets, layers, 4-H etc.) and desperately wanting to have some ducklings as soon as possible, I began to watch our local Tractor Supply Co.   

      Pretty soon an add on their website announced that Chick Days were here and of course Ducklings along with them!  The first chance I had, we ran into our local TSC and let out a sigh of delight in seeing these absolutely darling part of God's creation.  There were 2 bins just full of ducklings, as well as plenty of chick bins of course.  Alas, I only could enjoy looking at the ducklings within the confines of TSC, because they were outrageously priced.  $4.80 a bird!!  

      Well, being the resourceful person that I am :)  I had picked up the info last year that TSC received it's shipments of Ducklings on Tuesday or Wednesday.  So this past Monday I called the TSC and sweetly asked if they still had ducklings available.  

      "Yes," came the reply, "in fact we have lots of them!"   

      Quickly I followed up with the inquiry of price.  "O, well, if you come into today the ducklings are on special."  

      I held my breath hoping for a $1 but expecting $2, "Ummm, Steph how much are the ducklings?"  She asked a fellow worker. "Oh, they're 50 cents."  

      I was floored....  I desperately tried to keep my head on straight and asked the last and most important question.  "What breeds do you have?"   

      Without missing a beat, she replied, "both Pekins and Runners." 

      Needless to say, I was out the door as quick as possible with Charity and Josiah in tow and a promise to Mother that I wouldn't come back with more then 6 ducklings at max. We made it to TSC and I kept myself at a fast walk all the way to the bins.  They were still full!  

       As I stood there leaning on the gate and staring down at the little fuzzy beaks, one of the workers walking by and hoping to make a sale said "Hey, if you buy 2 I'll give you 2 free!"  Uhuh....

       It took all of my self-control NOT to come out of the store with every single duckling in the tub :)  I was a very good and mature girl and stuck to my word to Mumsie, strolling to the cash register with 6 precious bundles in my box.   The total for all this cuteness............................................................ $1.50

 Yup, each of these cost 25 cents, and somehow I got out of paying a sale tax :D

       So now I am the happy Mother of ducklings again.  At first they were pretty full time, screaming every time I left the room, but they soon settled down, and they have been so fun to watch and interact with.  They love cuddling, crawling as far as they can into the crook of my elbow.

Then last night they had the first swim of their little lives, and absolutely loved it!!  They eat and talk and drink and scream, and drink some more, and in between all of that they take naps.

It's so hard being a duckling.

 "Hey, are you watching me?  Cause I wasn't really sleeping!"

 Surprisingly the babies all got names almost right away.  Of course these monickers are temporary since I will sell them once they are grown up, but for now, let me introduce you to...

 Fritz, (the extremely chubby little dumpling on the left) and Freckles ( who though you can't see it in the picture has little black markings on his head and back)   Please ignore the blur in the right corner :)

 Vic (to be changed to Victor, or Victoria as needed) and Val.

 Vic, and Val are my sleepy ducklings and don't last to long on their feet before plopping down and taking a nap. :)

 

And last, but certainly not least...  Penny and Pip!  Penny is the smallest of the 6 but very friendly and sweet and one of the best swimmers ;)  Pip is extremely skinny and tall, and very curious.

 They have the funniest expressions.  This is Pips "Duh... Hey whats UP?" face.

 And Vic with his deliriously happy face.

(Fritz and Freckles saying Hi!)

So, if you need a baby animal fix, you know where to find me, and if you are in the running for ducks, come early May I will have some well socialized goofy Runner ducks for sale!!!

~Chs

Verses to start off the March

 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
    For His mercy endures forever.
² Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
    For His mercy endures forever.
³ Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
    For His mercy endures forever:

⁴ To Him who alone does great wonders,
    For His mercy endures forever;
⁵ To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
    For His mercy endures forever;
⁶ To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
    For His mercy endures forever;
⁷ To Him who made great lights,
    For His mercy endures forever—
⁸ The sun to rule by day,
    For His mercy endures forever;
⁹ The moon and stars to rule by night,
    For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-9

“All flesh is grass,
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8

Back on the Home Front..

While Mom and Dad were soaking up the sunshine in Florida, back here in frigid Michigan their children were hard at work... most of the time.

One of the items on our busy schedule was helping Josh and Theresa move out of their apartment and back into Theresa's parents for a while.

Of course their apartment was all the way at the top of the building.  Three flights of stairs....  Excellent exercise! ;)

Up in the apartment Theresa was busy trying to fit everything into boxes,

Down below the guys were endeavoring to fit everything in the vehicles!  They were quite successful actually, and we only had to make one trip back, with 2 out of the 4 vehicles for the remaining bits and pieces.

We only had one major accident, which unfortunately involved Theresa's right leg being severed at the knee.  But not to worry, we just happened to have just taken apart the coffee table and gave her one of it's legs to stand on.  She'll be just fine.... :P

The rest of the time (when we weren't discussing chickens, ducks, pigs, cows, farming, moving, or life in general) we spent cleaning up the house for the parent's return.

You would not believe how many times we washed dishes on Saturday as we cleaned the kitchen; it is absolutely marvelous how many dishes 4 people can go through!

LOOOOOKKK  A clean Counter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With lots of hard work, a good dose of soap and elbow grease, we did managed to have everything in pretty good order by the time we had to go pick up Mom and Dad from the airport.  Pheww!  :)

So, there is a very brief and incomplete summary of our last weekend.

~Chs

Down in Florida

 Last week, the "children" of the Sauve family were "home-alone".  Dad and Mumsie were privileged to attend the National Ligoneer Conference in Orlando, Florida.

They had a wonderful instructive time, very much enjoyed the warm weather, and were overwhelmed with the attendance at the conference.  Over 5,000 people!!!!!

Below are a few photos from their weekend.

The Chapel.

Look at all those people!

When they went to get their rental car the lady suggested they upgrade to a midsize car since Dad would have had a very hard time fitting in the economy cars (Dad said they looked like Roller Skates :P )  but when they went out to the lot there weren't any midsize cars so they were given a full size for the same price!!

The enormous church where the conference was held.

The Brass Band that serenaded them during one meal.

At the end of the conference they invited all who wanted to come up and sing the Hallelujah Chorus.   Dad went to sing, along with a couple hundred others!  They only had one practice but mother said it sounded magnificent.

Heading homeward over the clouds.

We are so grateful Mom and Dad had a safe and enjoyable time away, and well, we managed to behave pretty well back on the home front... :)

~Chs

Winter Flowers

Winter is still settled on us, and though there are little green shoots pushing their way up in the frozen world, there are no brightly tinted blossoms to greet your color-hungry eyes.  Here at Lily Spring Gardens and Farm, we have solved this problem by both forcing our own bulbs, and grabbing up any bunch of flowers which are on sale at the store.

Hyacinth are some of our favorite flowers to force, because then you can actually smell their gorgeous perfume without standing on your head to sniff. :)

 

 Dad bought his girls this beautiful bouquet of multicolored Roses.  Simply Gorgeous, and a few of them actually had a scent which is unusual for greenhouse Roses.

Then for Valentines Day Dad purchased this beautiful lily for Mother.

We hope to plant it outside once the weather breaks, and enjoy the beauty in the following years as well!!

This little happy flower doesn't smell at all, but it sure does make you smile :)  It is solar powered so when ever the sun comes out, the little flower bobs and dances in pure delight.

You have to be careful going into Kroger late February, especially if you have any money in your pocket.  The other day Dad and I stopped in, and I immediately decided to rescue the pitiful pot of Tulips that were discounted.   The pot was bone dry, and the Tulip leaves were faded and old, but there were many flowers still alive, so I brought it home and enjoyed the beauty while it lasted.

This year I tried forcing Daffodils for the first time.  They got a little tall and spindly  but are absolutely adorable.  Pretty soon the flowers will start blooming outdoors - little Crocuses creating dots and splashes of brilliant color across the lawn, Daffodils nodding in rows in the the breeze, Chinidoxa peeping shyly in our new flower bed, and buds bursting into life on tree limbs.  Sigh, Spring is one of the most exquisitely, delicately, beautiful times of the year!

~Chs

Visitors

It was a snowy Saturday; so snowy in fact that it was hard to see the trees out back.  Into this blizzard I ventured, wrapped up in scarf and coat to feed my ducks their lunch.  Sadie Rose accompanied me, and we were soon fighting our way through the blowing flakes marveling at the thickness of the falling snow.  After I fed my ducks I decided to go for a quick walk around back and headed up the pine tree path.  It was truly beautiful and I vaguely wished I had my camera with me.  I quickly banished the thought, and decide to simply enjoy the beauty and capture it in my memory.  I was just beginning to head back up when a flutter of wings and a soft cheep-cheep attracted my attention.  Looking up I saw 3 bluebirds peering down at me through the maple branches.   That's it, I thought; I have to fetch my camera.

To my immense relief and surprise they were still there when I returned, and not only did they stay, they POSED!

Truly, the little birds seemed to like me taking pictures of them, and perched, chirped, and tilted their little heads regarding me with curiosity.  I was thrilled.

They perched on branches, bushes, and the tippy top of sumac.

The females reminded me of little English Robins.  So poofy and cute!

Sweet little couple.

I stood out in the snow for what must have been at least 30 minutes if not longer, simply captivated by the charming little creatures.

Perfectly Adorable!

I finally was driven inside by frozen fingers, and shared my find with everyone inside.  Faith made up some Bluebird food and we headed back out to set up a feeder for the little songbirds.

I was a little worried that they all would have left and I wouldn't be able to show Faith them.  But, no, sure enough there were a line of them in the maple tree.   Sitting like little fluffy balls gravely watching the proceedings.  We hope that they find our offerings, and stay around for a little while.  But even if they don't, I am so very grateful for the chance to spend a happy, snowy half hour with these dainty little feather friends.

~Chs