Land Awakening

Springtime is the land awakening.

The March winds are the morning yawn.

~Lewis Grizzard, Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

The land is awakening. The snow has left all but the deepest shadows and gullies. The garden has the beginnings of life, chives and rhubarb. The buds on the tree's are getting bigger. And although I have not started a seed, I am harvesting already.

I am harvesting maple sap to make into syrup. I misplaced my taps and had to wait for the ones I ordered to get her. Thankfully the weater is just what the doctor ordered for this persuit...warm days and nights below freezing. I only do enough to keep the family supplied but it is fun-something to tampen the growing spring fever.

Another sign of spring is baby chicks. Tuesday night Farmer Dave called to say he had some. #2 daughter and I drove out and picked up 50 broilers and a couple of the heavy breed rooster chicks. I didn't expect broiler chicks until April or May but if I get them now I can possibly get two batches done this year without breaking the bank. If not then they are done before we harvest the garden. These will be out of the brooder by the time the layer chicks get here.

I had dyed the last of the white roving in splotch. I think that is a word...a splotch here and a splotch there. Anyhow I started spinning it and it might end up as some socks for #1 daughter. And speaking of #1, we moved her back home for a couple of months. Her bf and her are going to get their own place after he graduates from college and moves out of the "man house" he is sharing now. In hopes of clearing off all her debt prior to this move she moved home so she can use her rent monies towards that goal. She did live an hour away but may be moving further so I have to spoil the heck out of her while I still can.

Her rent is paid until the end of the month but timewise this past weekend worked for the move. Tomorrow we will go back out to wash out the fridge, clean the oven, vacuum the carpet, mop the floors, say goodbye to the neighbors and and drop her keys off to the landlord.

She says she wants to learn how to spin! I was shocked. Even if she just does one bobbin now I think it will stay with her and she will go back to it later in her life. My mom taughts us how to crochet and after years I started to do it again and the knitting and spinning followed. My sister went back to the crocheting recently and who knows knitting and spinning might follow for her also...I will try my hardest!!!