Little Chicks, Big Day

It is an exciting day when we get little chicks!

The laying hens in their new portable yard/shelter. Every day they will get a new serving of greens & fresh bedding when we move them to a new spot ... and our grass will get even lusher & greener!

Simple Solution

Vinegar, sprayed full strength on dandelions & weeds, is a simple, effective & inexpensive solution to weeds around flower beds, in walkway cracks or on a graveled yard.



In this photo you can see the weeds inside the flowerbed are lush and green while the ones outside were sprayed with vinegar 24 hours earlier. Be careful not to spray the plants you want to keep though because the vinegar will kill it all.

Cherry Lane

Our "Burb" was "jam-packed" with cherry trees, us and all our gear on our way back from Saskatchewan. It was like travelling in a greenhouse.













Planting our new cherry & haskamp fruit trees on Cherry Lane @ Klasse Woods Natural Farm.






Each little tree got planted into a large hole to which was added "two scoops of llama raisins along with some Klasse Woods compost bran". The Kellog's Raisin Bran jingle inspired one of our own.





One big job done that will not need to be repeated.



Praise the Lord for strength & provision. May He grant the increase!
In about three years from now we should have our first crop of cherries, Lord willing.

Beautiful Blossoms

Did you know that spruce trees "blossom"? I didn't until I saw this:












The blossoms progress to this (new needles with clouds of pollen when the branch is bumped):




One of our own beautiful beds of tulips:



The pink tulips almost look like roses:

Critters & Skitters

Our young men enjoy discovering nature. Here are a few of the critters they've found:














The skitters? Well, they find us! You won't get a picture of one of those here though cause they moment they land ... they're history if at all possible!
We're thankful that there are not yet too many of those. Perhaps the swallows are keeping the skitter population under control? Or is it the cool spring?

Flower Mystery Solved

We've solved the mystery thanks to the latest catalog from Vesey's. Our "skunk lily" is called a "Crown Imperial" - ours are the yellow ones on the right.















Our pink and white flowers in the photo below on the right are hyacinth. Thanks Mother-in-Law & Marci! The Vesey's pictures also verify those:

My Favorite

I've always really liked crocuses ... and now we live in Manitoba where the provincial flower is the crocus. That makes it extra special. I like spring and they are the first flowers to welcome spring plus I love the color.

I know that Corbyn posted his favorite crocus pictures, but I like some of the other shots he got as well and I just have to share them with you too:

Mystery Flowers

Our perennial beds are full of surprises ... can you help us identify them?

This one looks like a lily, but it would be early for a lily. It smells faintly like a skunk - so for now we're calling it our skunk lily ... it's better than having a skunk living under our deck which is what we first thought when we caught those first whiffs!

The twins are showing you how tall it is. It is also very fragile. The plant droops even in just a little rain shower.

These flowers are shorter, about six inches tall. It is so nice to have blossoms & blooms this early.

Planting a CSA Garden

We put the first potatoes into the soil on May 1, 2009. So far we have planted potatoes, corn, peas, spinach, herbs and some zuchinni (under hot caps).

Daddy supervises Timothy, Benjamin & Bronlin doing what they deem as the "best part" of the job - cutting the seed potatoes while Faith Mattaya gets the cushy job, Overseer of Operations.


Everyone can help plant:



As always, clicking on the picture will open it in a larger window for a close up view.

Give Yourself a Shake

Now I can testify as a nursing mother as well, this shake continues to give me boundless energy (ok, perhaps that is a bit of an overstatement, but I do certainly have more energy when I have my daily breakfast shake) ... Baby Faith and I both get grouchy if I run out of hemp hearts.

Here is another version of my morning shake:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

1 cup milk
1 Tsp. blackstrap molasses
2 tsp. honey
10 drops liquid stevia
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules, optional
4 heaping Tbsp. hemp hearts
1 1/2 tsp. dutch cocoa
14-16 ice cubes

Blend & enjoy!

I'm enjoying the different flavors & the knowledge that I can put so many healthy ingredients into my diet so pleasantly and easily.