Sometimes, moments in life are a long, creeping journey to the finish.  You may see the checkered flag or hear the cheers, but you still have a mile left to go.  So as I push toward the end of this pregnancy, and really, the end of my child-bearing journey all-together, I am not so much lumbering toward the end as experiencing the passage of time in slow-motion.  I can not say that I am enjoying the last few days.  The pain and difficulty walking are ever present and fatigue is a joke of an enemy considering there is always so much to do.  However, for this new little person, each moment is a blessing to keep him growing and safe and I am grateful.

To add to the fun of the final weeks, we brought ducklings into the mix along with the chickens.  A friend was hatching some Blue Swedish and although the hatch went awry somewhere, we still got 3 out of it.  Hopefully they are all females.  They are much messier and grow much quicker than chicks, but since the weather is pretty good before too long, they will be able to join the other ladies hopefully.  I have seen a few little skirmishes so I am convinced there is a rooster or two in the mix, either that or we have some "pecking order" being established.

Over all, the last couple of weeks have been an effort to welcome spring and get the house in order without a whole lot of excitement.  There is always something to do and truthfully, I am ready for the small reprieve of the first few days of newborn care, to rest and just focus on my little ones.  They are all so little still and I am constantly amazed at how quickly each moment passes seemingly with increasing speed.  So I am determined to slow down and wait and relish each last little drop as much as I can for a little while.

And then get back to work!

I promise I have a couple of posts coming.  Chickens, ducklings, home/family organization and more.  I just am really living the posts at the moment so it is taking a while.  That and when the sun is shining, especially after so much winter, I have to get outside!

Hugs!

Today is a bust mentally.  I woke up, baby and I still congested - again - looked out the window and, it's snowing - AGAIN.  Now for folks who live in the upper midwest, northeast and high western portion of the country, I am sure I sound like a wimp.  However, it is March 25 here in the good ole' state of Virginy and we are officially below the Mason-Dixon line.  We are a southern state.  We don't see this kind of weather in these parts.

And the chicks are outside in the brooder box.  I am not so excited about the prospect of losing any of the chicks to bad weather.  I have a lamp in there of course, and the sides are partially covered to protect from wind and snow drift but still.  And they are too big and stinky to come inside now, also, the brooder box is too large for me to move by myself anyway.  So, we are stuck waiting to see how they fair.  Of course, if they can make it through this, they will be my kind of chickens!  Tough, hardy and weather wise.  That was how my first set was.  They were such great birds, I have to say I got attached!

I could be knitting now.  I have some projects, shrugs for my sweet girl, that I could be working on...or socks or something for the kids for next winter.  Baby socks and diaper covers? 

I did do something productive last night.  I made creamy chicken enchiladas for dinner and while I was at it I made three more batches of 8 enchiladas each to go in the freezer for when the baby gets here.  I also marinated and froze chicken breasts in an "italian" marinade for that time as well.  I plan on making some chili...maybe today since it is so cold, and freezing that.  I need a few more ideas for meals to make.  I was thinking I would make one regular and one veggie lasagna and some cookie dough for slicing and baking.  I also am hoping to make a huge batch of granola so we can have breakfasts and snacks.  What else?  I will investigate on Pinterest I guess. 

What else is there to do today!?

ice of March

Last night, light snow.  This morning, sleety-snow.  We are anxiously anticipating springs entry people.  Spring.  Go away cold!

reflecting

**This will be a recurring Friday post. A place for pictures, thoughts, ideas. Hope you enjoy.**
 

We lost a chick yesterday.  The baby, in his exuberance fell into the box and a little chick neck was broken.  Death was relatively quick.  Still, it reminded me of the constant presence of life and death in this life we are choosing.  I can honestly say that for me, chicken deaths are not traumatic.  They represent more of a financial loss for me and while that may sound callous, it is the truth.  I am sure that loss of a larger animal will induce some feelings but I think that I will cross that emotional bridge when I come upon it. 

The real deep truth is, I have accepted that animals are important, yet not nearly as valuable as the people that live with them.  And while I am sorry to lose a little life, because all living beings have value, I am grateful still, that we are here and living and experiencing.  The world is still spinning.

eggs before fall

Please ignore the baby's uneaten food on the highchair.  I am cleaning. 

Of course, that little chick is probably eyeing the green beans!

 

At least that is what I am hoping for.  I ordered from Murray McMurray again and the delivery date was close to 4/15.  That would have put us at September for "egg drop".  I do not know about anyone else but really, I need eggs in copious amounts, now!  I have people waiting to buy and I have a growing family to feed.  So I mosied on down to TSC and picked up 30 chicks, some feed and ended up paying just $7 more than what my total order was online.  So I feel like I got the better deal and cancelling the order was easy.  Not to mention that we should have eggs by the end of summer now.  20 week wait is in full effect.  Hopefully they are early layers! 

That and I will have chicks established before the baby gets here and the kids will be used to taking care of them, especially my little farm girl.  Also, they gave me several boxes for the chicks - only 5 chicks to a box - and each box had a coupon for Purina chicken feed $2 off on it.  So that was a win as well!  Hopefully I can coordinate that with a sale...

I will say, it felt good to wake up today to chickens.  I know they only hold the promise of things to come but it feels more like spring now.  And the baby is obsessed with them.  Poor chicks, their fear for their lives when he is around!  He's cute but is not gentle at all.  He'll learn. 

For right now, they are inside.  Pregnancy dictates.  That is what I am claiming at least.  And with the cooler weather, and our proficient hunters roaming, it is safer.  Soon, they will move to the brooder box and the 24-hour chirping will be gone.  I'll enjoy it for now.

a garden will happen...right?

 

So, confession.  I did not order any seeds.  With all of the illness and then planning for the kids' special day, I just couldn't even mentally commit.  But a run to Walmart produced for me, even if I couldn't get going all by myself.  I got enough seeds to get a small container/raised bed garden started.  Basics, nothing extraordinary.  Lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers.  However, I need to get dixie cups and soil so that I can start said seeds now. 

Baby steps.