Leaves of Grass, Ticks, and Chicks

Yesterday, I had the windows in my bedroom open. Yea! Springtime has finally won her struggles with winter. The nearly daily rain stopped for a bit, too, and walks in the afternoon commenced marred only by the presence of a tick--twice--after walks. Luckily, they could easily be brushed into the commode before they took a taste. I'm left to wonder what the blood thinner I take would have done to them,

Aidan came with me on some of the walks. We enjoyed the grassed fields a lot. Aidan demonstrates his enjoyment...








He used my camera for a bit...

Aidan appreciated the fields we tramp through and snapped this...

...and this...

...and this...








The empty paper towel tube I set aside for recycle became fodder for Aidan's imagination and he demonstrated "Re-use" and saved the planet one bit of refuse--at least for a little while...







In other news, the household has welcomed 15 baby chicks from the Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri. Starting with the boxes; the first came from John's work and sits by a window in the living room, yes, the living room since the whole family wants a chick experience several times a day. Me, too.

Fifteen of them with a hatchery assurance they are female. All praises if it is true. Another Amos rooster wouldn't get my gold star. As you can see Amos the Rooster in Tucson lives on in my memory and not in a good way. Well, I guess I'll admit he had great shiny, black-with-color-tints feathers when he hadn't molted them in the heat and run around featherless.

Keoni, home from school, helped with the unpacking
.

Wendy says the darker ones are Americanas, and I forget what the others are called though one breed lays in winter.  I remember the rest are varied breeds, so it will be interested watching what develops.

First sip of water!...

...and now we know how to take lots of sips of water.

Just a week later, they are still just as popular.

Toby had his comeuppance and had to go to the veterinarian for his annual. Being an outdoor cat fecal samples are impossible to collect, but, no worries, he rewarded all with a sample on the way to the vet office. Of course, he has worms. We knew that. While he free feeds on the excellent dry Wilderness Blue Buffalo diet at the barn, he dines on rats and mice. And birds. (Don't think about that!)

All cleaned up and immunized, Toby is ready to go home. He is now "very mature" at 17.9 lbs.

Keoni made plans with Seth Trumbore and Peter Lockman for another mini-concert this summer at our church where Seth is an Assistant to the Music Director.  Keoni photoshopped a poster for them...

A varied presentation of seasonal-themed pieces. They have a following now and many have asked if they'll play again this summer. Nice.

A little kitchen cleanup awaits as I often help at that end of the goat-milking process. Wendy is faithfully caring for and milking every single morning. Quite a production taking place

Besides the leaves of grass, there is the pond to think of. Lots of reeds growing giving ample protection for the frogs. The water splashes with them as we approach it, almost never really seeing one.