the roundup
If you had been there to witness The Great Chicken Roundup of 2012, you would have been in stitches.
spring plowing
While I was out at the farm on Saturday, Lee and Luke hitched Belle and Duke to the plow. The unusually warm weather meant that it was time to start the spring plowing a little earlier than was usual.
There is nothing quite like the beauty of a horse team in action. The soil was wet and heavy and the horses really worked to turn it over.
Seeing the team pulling across the field, it was all to easy to let my mind slip 120 years into the past. Although rare today, this sight was all to common to our great grand parents.
sewing squares
I spent a couple hours at the farm on Saurday. There was a lot going on. Volunteers planted over 1,000 trees, Duke and Belle were hitched to the plow and began the process of turnng over the heavy wet soil. In the house, Debbie was sewing quilt squares on one of the hand cranked sewing machines.
She had a stack of fabric and asked me to pick out some that she would use. With the fabric in hand, she cut it into smaller squares and then sewed them together on the machine. Once assembled, she then used the old iron to press the square flat.
If you live in the Dayton area, the sheep sheering will occur on April 15th. While the men are sheering, the women typically spin processed wool into yarn. If you have never seen them all in action, you might want to stop by.
thunder mug
My family called them thunder mugs. I think most people call them chamber pots. Under any name, they probably beat going out to the out house in the middle of the night in the winter snow.
new rooster
We've gone a long time without a picture of a chicken. I know you are going into fowl withdrawal, so her is a photo of the new rooster. He needs a name. I called the last one Barnaby Millstone. What should we call this fine bird?
one of these things
One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong…
Meet the new donkey. No name to report yet, but she sure is wooley.
ewe and lamb
coffee run
saturated barn
Saturday morning, I visited the barn just as the sun began to peek above the tree line. I could follow the sun's progress as it first touched the windmill and then the roof of the barn.
Before long, the entire side of the barn was engulfed in light. The sun brought the red barn to life and it's paint seemed to glow in the saturated light.
It's moments like these and light like this that makes my habit of waking early, an enjoyable one.
tim mcmurdo 