Some Unexpected Free Ranging

I looked out the window this morning a little a little after 9 and saw this.

The Grump

The goats were out.

I must not have latched the gate properly this morning after I fed the farm. Look at Melina. What a grump. If she gets any fatter she can just roll around like a ball. I love her though.

Princess Kate enjoys some spring grass.

They were so excited to be out that it made my heart ache for last summer when they roamed the yard free.

For some reason I think Kiki looks like a bunny as she

Beautiful Grace.

They were not happy when I locked them back up in the fenced area.

And remember my last Farm post where I said I’d hung up a sign at the end of the driveway and put a cooler out there for general egg sales? Well, I came home one day less than a week later and my sign was taken down and had been put by the lemonade stand with a note saying that “Signs of any kind are against association rules and are NOT allowed!” I was pretty miffed. I guess the neighborhood association has rules against that sort of thing. But, sales will continue without the sign, and I have to say that business has been pretty good and word seems to be getting around even without the sign, so poo on them.

A bountiful basket containing just 2 days worth of laid eggs!

I can feel summer coming in my bones. I also know that summer is on it’s way because I’ve started making pickles! For some reason when the weather starts to get warm I get an overwhelming desire to can things — perhaps to try and preserve the long lazy days of summer.

The first pickles of the season; Refrigerator Dills; the spears will be ready in 2 weeks and the whole pickles will be ready in 3 weeks.

I’ve been playing with different pickle recipes for a couple of years now. This is the first time I’m trying “refrigerator” dills. Since they don’t go in a hot water bath for sterilization, they should retain their crispness. I also made dill pickle slices today and an indian-inspired cauliflower pickle.

My garden is really starting to grow now. The host, astilbe, anenome, and bleeding heart are really getting big. The flowering quince is getting green and leafy in preparation for it’s beautiful peach colored flowers, and Evan planted 8 more strawberry plants for me last week.

A beautiful male cardinal stopped by for some leftover scratch grains on the ground. They never stick around long though, do they?



So that’s what’s been happening on the farm lately!