Visible Signs of Spring

Brought home our spring batch of pullets (female chicks).  Two dozen (I hope to sell eggs later this summer). Mostly Barred Rocks, some Rhode Island Reds, Black Autstralorps and Buff Orpingtons.  (As a side note, we kept a Buff Orp. rooster last year out of our batch of straight runs because I'd heard they were gentle.  We have had no problems with this guy.  He is not agressive at all!)  An old laundry basket by the woodstove works good for the first day or two while I get their main box set up.  They're now on my sewing desk in a back room, in an old dryer box from the local furniture store (moving soon to a frig box).   

I like the fun colored eggs (we also get white), but the Arucanas are so anti-social!  They stay far away from people and they only lay in the coop if I keep them locked up, which doesn't work with my free range approach.  I'll probably sell them when the others start laying.  The one Barred Rock hen that I got last spring is my favorite - so personable!  That's why I opted for more.

After the May 8th storm ("derecho") took down my clotheslines last year (well, the storm took down trees which took down the clotheslines), and I was so busy cleaning with everything else, I don't think I hung any laundry out.  They're up now and here's my first bit o' laundry hanging in the breeze.  Behind that  you'll see part of the garden, freshly tilled.  Look past the garden and you'll see a couple goats.  We're expecting kids mid-April.  That's always the crowning moment of spring around here!

Babies running around outside in cloth diapers surely means spring...

Some other recent shots...

Little Brook munching a homemade (is there another kind?), whole wheat choc. chip cookie.

Seth washing dishes...

Royal and Atira hammin' it up...