Today

Posted On January 11, 2011

Things be happening around here. Let’s see… where to start? I’m already fantasizing about gardens. I can’t wait. Each year (of which there have only been 4), I’m more and more excited about the nearing growing season. If it keeps going like this I think I might burst. Sometimes I really think this is in my blood. Although it’s intimidating, too, because I have so much to learn. There’s so much I don’t know, so much I’ll just have to learn through doing and making mistakes. I’m going to make lots of mistakes. I’m taking the stance that I should make lots of mistakes. I’ll study and delight in them, even. I just can’t make the same ones too many times. That’ll be the real measure of growth- not in doing everything perfectly but in making different mistakes each year. I like it. So, this year I’m going to be doing my own big ol’ veggie garden, and planting up the front and back yards with various local plants and perennials. We’ll build our little greenhouse, a nice awning for hanging out and eating under, a sitting spot and a fire pit… and that’s just at my house. Then there’s the acre of garden at my job, starting seeds and breaking ground and all of it. Checking out the other sites for possible kitchen gardens and chickens, etc.. Then helping them to use it and store it and distribute it as needed… Oh my. I do love a good adventure, don’t I?

Little Yellow is laying! She wouldn’t come out of this roost the entire time I was out there today, but I wish I had gotten a better picture of her. She’s so beautiful and fluffy and golden, and is totally accepted by the rest of them now. Not sure what the pecking order is now, but they all get along fine. We’re getting about 2-5 eggs a day in this weather. During our warm spell we got 7 in one day! That’s from six chickens… It’s a good thing we love eggs so much. They don’t go to waste at all.

Maya loves the chickens. The chickens? They don’t seem to mind her either.

Me and Asa. Look at his wrist chub!

I am serious about this little guy, I tell ya. He’s delicious, and he smells like sweet fresh life and everything good, he coos and laughs and is happy all day long (unless tired or something), and I could just melt into him I love him so much. Lucky, lucky me.

He’s also grabbing everything and trying to put it in his mouth. His first two teeth are probably hours away from breaking through. He rolls on occasion, and he’s able to sit on his own for a short time, but we always have to spot him. 

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Maya stinks. We always thought we were so lucky to have such a naturally hygienic dog. I mean, she only had a slight "dog" smell if you stuck your nose in her fur. We’ve literally only given her two baths in her life- we just realized she didn’t need them. Lately though, her breath smells really, really bad. Like, offensively bad. At first we thought that she was getting into something or it was just age, but now we know something is wrong. We’re taking her to the vet today to see if she’s got an infection in her mouth or something. Poor thing. We are going to be switching up her diet to be mostly meat, and we’re brushing her teeth more. We figured out that it’s not any more expensive than good dog food, and dogs live an average of 2 years more when they are fed a meat diet. It just makes sense, and I’m sorry we didn’t do it for her earlier.

Paperwhites from xmas. So beautiful!

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Thinking about being an actual farmer lately. I mean, at this point I wouldn’t exactly label myself as a "farmer", more of a "homesteader". But, I keep revisiting the idea of being able to get that land across the street and turn it into a little urban farm for the neighborhood. We’d grow vegetables and fruits galore, grow stuff in a greenhouse year round, and experiment with different growing methods. We’d raise more chickens and keep goats and ducks, selling eggs and goats cheese. I’d love to grow luffa for people, too. I’d also like to experiment with growing mushrooms. Anyway, just dreaming. But seriously, I can almost taste it.