Springtime - Like Waiting in Line at the Post Office

" Miss Pissy " and me are going round-n-round again this year - like every year.  She's gone Broody on me again.  So she gets to spend the day in jail until she gives up!

When we're not getting another weekend loaded with solid rain showers - anyways.

“ Crap. “

We get a little bit done.  And it rains.  We get a little more done.  And it floods.  We get a little bit further.  It pours down for 3 out of 4 days.  And we end up having to mow on #4 before we go back and hit it on #3!

I’m just glad things have settled enough that I can take care of the Domestic Front from the Inside.  God knows – there’s been plenty to catch up on there!

I’m gonna have to cave and buy more rechargeable batteries for my regular digital camera.  I’m just not impressed – at all – with the video results from our Sprint HTC Evo 4G.

I must get some better video of these babies!  It is sooooo much fun watching them!  We have 2 cows that are " paying for their raisin' " – without a doubt.

And poor Storm.  His “ Moo “ makes me wonder – “ just exactly WHAT on 4 legs did she tangle with before she got here last October? “

He sounds like a Goat!

“ Aagh! “

I am so glad to be past the births of our 2 new calves.  That first one was a rough ride for me.  There’s just something about the birth of a baby that tunnels your vision and your thoughts.  The fact that we were in the middle of a storm all day long – just left my mind.  My rain coat only worked well enough to flow the water down my waders.  So I dumped that thing.  Ended up changing clothes 4 times that day.  But – rainwater is good for your hair.  And wet hair is why they made blow dryers.

All I cared about was getting that brand new calf and his Mama into a stall together – safe – warm – dry – fed.

Storm is a whole week old today!  And it appears as though the Mamas have calmed down.  Dwayne watched while I had an experience with them yesterday evening – like never before.

I had dished out their evening rations in their bunker.  They’ve been coming in to eat from the back of the paddock after we’ve gone back in the house for supper.  And they were still hanging around afterwards – yesterday – when I decided to take cookies ( Alfalfa cubes ) out to ‘em.

It was a gift for not giving me any crap when I invaded their space and loved on those babies – just ‘cause I wanted!  I told ‘em what I was gonna do – while I was doing it.  I guess I shocked ‘em.  They just stood there – watching.

Anyway – both girls have always kept distance whenever taking cookies from me.  At most – Cora would come up close in the barn alley – competing with Bruce – Killian and April.  But when the cookies were gone – they had no use for me – unless I wanted to go for more hay.

Yesterday evening was something totally different.  I still don’t know why.  But I had both girls standing right beside me.  I thought Patty was gonna pull a ‘ Brucey ‘ on me and rest her head on my shoulder!  Both girls just seemed to be very comfortable being around me.

These babies look so much alike that we can’t tell them apart – unless they’re standing right next to each other.  Patty's calf has a nose that goes straight across the top.  But Storm's nose is shaped like the top of a heart.  ( Okay, Dwayne says it reminds him of a set of boobs - go figure. )  Anyway - I’m having to pick up different colored Goat collars for ‘em when I pick up feed on Tuesday!

We haven’t taken time to figure up a name for Patty’s calf yet.  I think it has to do with the fact that we had already decided he will be going into the freezer.  And we had named Cora’s calf before we were visited by the breeders that sold Artist to us.  We received some very sage advice that has led to further discussion and other decisions.

Our 25 cute little chicks have hit that stage!  Each are currently playing their own Lead Role in the Production of  “  Downy Gone Downright Ugly. “

But they’re still cute!  And they’ll stay that way - until the first one makes it with all those attempts at flying over the top edge of the Brooder.

And then – they’ll be outta here!  I’m not chasing chicks all around a basement.

There will be 25 against 4.  They can all Army Up and fight for the Chicken Coop!

Amazing what a short amount of time can do to a chicken!

This little Cutie has gone from this…

To this!

But I can tell she’s gonna be really pretty after all her feathers come out!

We got more work done on our new garden area over this past round of days off.  Dwayne trimmed the 2 tractor tires before rolling ‘em down to the garden area.  We got the fencing up.  And I managed to get a few things planted!

We’ll be picking up a stronger charger for the hotwire around the paddocks.  So the one we have now will be going around the garden.  We’re hoping it will help – at least a little.

I could not resist picking up this little beauty!  Beautiful red Azalea!  It’s being planted beside the deep salmon pink Azalea.  We have a white one on the opposite side – with a shoot that rooted last year!  I’ll be collecting that little gem to plant on the opposite side of the Red Azalea after the white one finishes its bloom.

This corner of the yard will be so pretty next spring with all the red – pink and white coming from the Azaleas – our Bush Rose and Monica's Kwanzan Cherry tree!

I can only imagine!