First Day Musings -- Spring!

Spring has arrived at Lazy Bee Farm this week. While it has been nibbish at night -- around 32-degrees -- the days have brightened to a sultry 66-degrees. This is the kind of weather that makes a young or, a-hum, older, woman's thoughts turn to babies. And chickens. And dirt.

Maisey and Monk are a delightful pair at six weeks. They bounce about the lots, surf the cow's back (should she be in a really good mood and resting by the hay stall), and pull out tufts of hay -- for eating and piling. They are in their forever home it seems. I am smitten with Maisey who bawls just like her Momma Mia. I adore how her ears airplane around her little horn sprouts. Monk has taken over Don's heart. Both come when called, which only makes it harder to even consider letting them leave for another home.

Diddles, as we call 'em in the South, have been order to supplement (actually replace, but don't tell) the aging hens who are not pulling their weight in the coop. By mid-April we will have 50 brown egg layers from Murray McMurray basking in the grow lights of the coop. Come July we will have eggs from them, we hope. We can't keep up with our egg orders now, so having new hens just makes sense. We are expanding to the Farmer's Markets this year, with our friend Shelly, and hope that the eggs will be a big draw.

Delivery men bearing boxes of assorted shapes, sizes, and weights have kept Moose and Annabelle busy this week. As the official greeters of Lazy Bee Farm, the dogs, er, greeters, have sniffed every package to determine orgin, contents, and connections to other dogs in far away places such as Maine and Piedmont Virginia. Heirloom seeds from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and potatoes from Wood Praire Farm have delighted us with their creative packaging and interesting contents. Now, if the ground would only dry enough to plant our early crops...

Shelly, Don, and Alvin started greenhouse construction yesterday as I chased down the greenhouse cover in Henry County, Va. Puckett Greenhouses is the most interesting business; it is tucked up a hollar and fills it to overflowing with greenhouses and equipment. I counted 15 houses full of plants, seedlings, and other delightful gardening supplies. It smelled like heaven next to the office. Upon investigation, Mother and I found a greenhouse door propped open and jasmine in full bloom twining around the posts and up along the roofline. Surely, God selected jasmine to scent heaven.

This week, tragically, spring break is over. I still believe I have the best job in the world; I am so grateful that it gives me time to pursue the things that make life wonderful. Babies. Chickens. Dirt. Who could ask for more??

What are you doing to celebrate Spring?