Spring chores...

 Although it was frosty this morning, the sun soon warmed things up. Chris and I tackled cleaning out some of the animal houses. The goat cozy has two "rooms." Both horse, donkeys, and goats used the larger front room when we still had those sweet spirits here. We added on a smaller room that only the goats could access, so they could have their specialized minerals and supplements away from the greedy equines. Now that only the goats remain, they have both spaces all to themselves. In late winter, when we had weeks of freezing weather, I kept the shavings in the smaller room cleaned up and replaced often but let the bedding in the larger room build up a bit. This "deep bedding method" allows a thicker cushion of shavings and straw to build up and hopefully insulate the goats from the cold ground. If done correctly, it even provides a little heat at the lower sections begin to compost. I just kept adding fresh bedding in layers. This way, the goats could choose which was more comfortable, the thinner layer of clean shavings or the thicker layer of built-up stuff. They seemed to prefer the thicker part. At any rate, today was the day we decided to tackle cleaning out the larger space. We filled 6 or more loads into the giant contractor wheelbarrow we have (a gift from the wonderfulness of my friend JCA.) Working together, we had the whole thing done in about 35 minutes. Chris recently gifted me with a beautiful new broom for the livestock houses, and it was lovely to sweep up every last soiled shaving, exposing the smooth rubber mat floor.  I knew the weather was turning towards spring when I had to stop working to hang my coat up. That felt so good.

The goats got fresh new bandanas, too. They went from Christmas red and green to springtime yellow and blue. 

They got locked into their room while we worked because otherwise, they get precisely in the way of where we want to shovel.

We moved on to the big chicken coop and got it all freshened up. I was pleased to note that all four nest boxes had hens in them, cranking out fresh eggs. Can you see them under their fancy curtains? Chickens slow way down producing eggs in the winter, but they step it up as the days grow longer. I collected 14 cackleberries today! 

The ladies are always inquisitive about what is happening when we clean the coop. Here is one giving me a stern look as I worked. She stayed just outside the door, supervising. 

There may be more days in the near future when I will have to zip on my winter coat to work outside, but not many. Spring chores outdoors are happily anticipated. 

Sweet little things...

 One of my orchids is blooming. I have 5 or 6 of them in the grooming studio, and they like it there. It's warm during the day, the light suits them, the humidity is high from all the dog washing going on, and it's cool in the evenings. They are exotic yet hardy at the same time. I admire them. 

I have a favorite white stool in the studio as well. I forget where I got it, a yard sale maybe. It's lightweight and pretty, shabby, and chipped the way I like. It's always had an odd little rattle when it is moved. We move it a lot, from chair to chair, room to room.

 I assumed a piece of the chipped top was inside, causing the sound. Last week, I happened to glance in just the right light and saw... something. It took a little noodling around, but I found the cause of the mystery sound. 

A tiny, pink, rubber doll shoe. I wonder what wee child tucked it in there and how many years ago. I plan to give it a little wash; it's pretty grubby from some long-ago little hands. And then? I think I'll tuck it back where I found it. 

Chris bought a copy of a favorite magazine and left it for me one day last week. That was sweet. The note he left with it was better still. 

I smiled all morning. Then in the afternoon, a customer brought me a precious gift. 

She told me how she had enjoyed many happy tea parties with her granddaughters, complete with handmade table linens. I suspect The Owlet and I will have many a happy time employing this darling little set. Now I will be on the hunt for a perfect tiny tea set. 

My niece and her husband have been wanting to add a Golden Retriever puppy to their family. I happened upon a litter near me that still had a few pups looking for a home. Today I got to watch Elyse and Kevin fall in love. What a treat. 

Today my daughter went with her husband to his Grandparent's home. They have recently been promoted to heaven, and their house is being cleaned out. Rachel and her sister-in-law were told to take anything they wanted. Side by side, they sorted through cookbooks and kitchenware, shelves, and collectibles. When they would find something they both liked, they tried to defer to the other. Rachel told Heather the story of how my siblings and I split up our parent's belongings with great respect and kindness towards each other and how now, years later, we share treasured items back and forth. Heather's face lit up. "Want to share with me?" She asked. They both found a kitchen item they liked, "Let's share!" Rachel said. "You take it first." This is, perhaps, the sweetest thing of all. 

Rings and things...

 My niece Aimee sent me a link to a ring for sale that she thought I would like eight years ago. It was a vintage, Art Deco style ring, 14-carat white gold, with an aquamarine center stone flanked by two small diamonds. It was love at first sight. Even though it was a bit of a splurge, I bought it for myself. Besides being my birthstone, I just love the way aquamarines look. The ring is a favorite, and I wear it almost every day. 

Both Aimee and my daughter admire and covet that ring. Even though the cousins are close, they joke that upon the event of my death, there will be a screaming, biting, hair-pulling fight over that ring. It has become a running joke. A while back, Aimee and I were in an antique store, and she spied a ring similar to mine in a case full of jewelry behind a glass wall. How she saw it, I will never know. The case was unlocked, and upon closer inspection, we noticed that the ring was remarkably like mine. The stone was a bit bigger, the filagree a bit more pronounced, but the same style. Aimee bought it, brought it home, and polished it up. We all rested easier, knowing there wouldn't be an ugly argument when I keel over. 

I had the bright idea that I'd like Rachel to have a similar ring, now, before I croak.  Aimee is proficient at finding such treasures, so I asked her to help me look online. I looked, too, and found so many pretty things, but nothing similar to ours. But Aimee did. She found a beauty and sent me a link. A six-carat aquamarine with a very similar setting to ours. I ordered it for Rachel's birthday, which is this month. When it arrived, it was prettier than I had hoped. The stone is brilliant, with lots of fire, and way bigger than mine. The band and filigree are lovely. I'll admit, I was a little envious. Aimee was here visiting, and I wanted her to be a part of the giving, so we gave Rachel the ring early. She squealed with delight. 

We took pictures, of course. 

Aimee polished all of them up and slid them on. Hers on the bottom, Rachel's in the middle, mine on top. I can't help but notice that mine is the smallest. This does not seem right! 

Here we are. Me, niece, daughter, with these rings that make us smile. And no hair pulling fights in sight. 

In like a lion...

 In my mind, March is the beginning of spring. Living in Maine, that is a bit too optimistic. This week, we had more snow; 5 or 6 inches of powder came down overnight. Light, fluffy snow like this is easier to deal with than heavy, wet snow, but still and all, I am ready for the white stuff to be gone. 

Mostly I worry about my animals. It's been single-digit cold, making keeping fresh water available for them challenging. The chickens and ducks stay in the coop, avoiding the cold and snow, and the goats trod a path from their house to the hay rack and another to the water tub. They don't wander about more than that. Their world seems very small and confined right now. 

Bravo has no qualms about forging about in the snow. He loves the stuff, running and tossing his toys about. All his yard toys were hidden under the fresh blanket of white this morning, so I let him have my glove for a bit. He considers fetching my glove to be a major treat, flinging it in the air, then leaping to catch it with obvious glee. However, his feet get cold in the snow, so playtime is not prolonged. 

Since I am not enjoying being outdoors much, I turn to inside activities. I got into a storage chest and found the beautiful silver rattle that Chris's co-workers gifted to Rachel when she was born. It was black with tarnish from being stored the past 30+ years, but some polish and elbow grease soon had it sparkling again. It is engraved with "Rachel 3-26-89." We are contemplating adding the Owlet's name and birth date as well. 

I am delighted to see it clutched in the baby's chubby fist and to hear the soft, high jingle it makes when she shakes it about. 

The forecast promises warmer temperatures in the coming days. Not quite spring, to be sure but moving in that direction. I'll keep my optimistic thoughts about March.