Pinks Moons and Easter Chicks

Ok, Ok....I know it's been a long time. I will catch you up to date on the past week. As luck would have it, I haven't been able to get a picture of the full moon this month due to cloud cover. Sad but let me tell you, it's called the Pink Moon. This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month's celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn. Have I mentioned I love full moon's?



This week my mom, the girls and I took a drive up the mountain to make sure their cabin was still standing. We took a very short side trip to look at the elk ranch on the way to the cabin. I can't tell you how many elk they had grazing in their beautiful mountain pastures but it was impressive along with the velvet antlers that were starting to blossom from their impressive bodies. WOW! Can't wait to make a regular stop of this place when we visit the mountain. They sell elk meat so we will have to get our hands on some of those tasty treats for summer bbqing.






With that said, not more than 5 miles up the mountain it was like going back in time to January with all the snow. It was easily covering the t-posts. We had to hike into their place and we stepped over their fence line with the kids. The girls got a giant kick out of opening the back door to see what the backyard looked like. What should to their wondering eyes should appear but a solid wall of snow??

But back in the valley it is trying it's hardest to be spring. We had a nice bbq at Dean's of pork and potatoes and sweet treats the women brought. The kids were tickled to play on the rock pile and when the sun went down we took turns spooking each other by pretending the barn was haunted.

Dean has a gorgeous little pond that is stocked with bass and the kids took turns throwing casts unsuccessfully. Looking forward to more chances this summer.

It couldn't be spring without adding to the pecking flock out here. It's hard to say who gets more of a kick out of the chicks and chickens, me or the girls. We have added 4 black sex link chicks, 2 silver laced wyandottes, a sussex, and 4 aracauna's that lay the colored eggs. And the names? Let's see, we have Belle, Jasmine, PECKER, Orea, Stacey, Susie (is it a compliment to have a chicken named after you?? I guess I shouldn't have to ask considering we have one named Jesus.) We also have Easter, Bunny and Lily. I know there are 2 more that I am forgetting.

Hadley is the ultimate mother hen taking care of her chicks. Easing their worries with calming talk. Afternoons in the sun playing. Making sure Kate doesn't strangle them.

Chicks with Chicks

Before all of this spring like weather this week we had a lot of rain. Mother nature had her way with the banks to the creek and our old reliable bridge fell to it's demise in the rushing creek below. You know what the name of this creek is that runs through the middle of our property? Dry Creek. I kid you not. And I promise you it is never dry. So this little project will fall on the shoulders of Doug and Jake to pull out and repair. The white pipe crossing the creek is what allows us to irrigate on this side of the creek so it is imperative we repair it sooner rather than later. We have talked about replacing it with something much bigger and wider that we could ride the horses across and drive a truck or 4 wheeler.

I will leave you with the sad news of the farm. We laid our best buddy of 13 years. Max has been buried in the back yard beneath the Cottonwood and Locust trees. We will plant a tree to mark his place and will never forget the impact he had on our lives.