Crazy Busy

It's been crazy busy around here lately. But it's also been kind of boring. One day it's all outside work, tilling the garden, working in a truck load of composted manure, playing in the dirt. The next it's indoors and the kids are whining "there's nothing to do!" Boy that sounds familiar! I used to drive my mom up the wall when I said that! Then Dad would pipe up and say, "I'll give you something to do!" Which usually meant chores so I'd scoot outside and go find me something to do that didn't involve cleaning the litter box, or doing dishes, or vacuuming.

Spring is in the air and I've got all my seeds and potatoes and strawberries on stand-by, waiting to be planted. We tilled the garden twice and it looks so good! I love freshly-tilled soil, when it's soft and you just want to take off your shoes and sink your toes in there, but wait, we just tilled in cow poo-- eww! The kids ball up the dirt and throw dirt balls at each other and when I catch 'em, I holler, "cow poop!" which makes them drop whatever they got quick. But I guess soft soil is just irresistible and they soon start their dirt ball fights again. Bath night!

I lost a Buff Orpington hen the other day. She was acting funny the evening before and I carried her into the coop. She seemed alright, shook her feathers and hopped into a nesting box.  In the morning, when I opened the coop, she was dead on the floor. She was one of the original 12 chickens I got 3 years ago. Out of 12, I still have 4 left.

I had to play Doctor to Peter last night.  He was jumping from bed to bed and I guess he slipped and landed on the floor on his chin. Split his chin open, but it wasn't obvious at first when he came to me crying. I thought maybe he hurt his chest or something, so I held him and consoled him, scolded him a little bit for jumping on the beds and "see what happens when you do what you're not supposed to do?"  When he pulled away, there was blood on my shirt. Wha..??   So I looked him over and when he lifted his chin up, the cut was wide open and I could see bone. If I didn't have to be doctor I would have played the fainting patient. Cleaned it, used those special bandages that hold wounds shut, swabbed ointment on it, then slapped a big, honking bandage on top of everything to keep him from picking at it. Gave the boy some pain meds and typical kid, he was back to jumping from bed to bed again.

Trying to take it easy today, keeping him occupied with little projects. I changed bandages this morning and it's closed up and healing nicely. I'm surprised he isn't picking at the bandages yet, but I'm glad he's not. I probably jinxed it by saying that and the next time I see him, the bandage is going to be hanging off his chin or something.

We've been doing the Spring Cleaning thing. It's so true, after being cooped up all winter, that as soon as you can open windows and freshen everything up, you get bit by the cleaning bug. Trying to de-clutter and toss out old stuff. I got the kitchen counter cleared and my side of the closet is organized. Papers sorted and put where they belong. Made new curtains for the living room. The yard is picked up of little bits and pieces. Andrew has been burning away old leaves and overgrowth. It's feeling pretty good around here!

Looking forward to Easter. We've invited Andrew's parents to come down, so I'll make dinner and we'll hide eggs for the kids. I don't dye eggs usually, but I think I'll do that this year as part of a science project with the kids-- using food for dyes.  Red cabbage for pink colors, Tea for brown, curry powder for yellow... It'll be fun. Peter got into the plastic eggs a couple weeks ago, and there were colorful eggs all over the house! Waited until after the kids went to bed to pick them up and put them away (read: HIDING THEM!) and the next morning, Peter pitched a fit when he couldn't find the eggs.  He went from room to room, crying "Eggs! My eggs!" over and over before he got distracted with something else.

The Easter Bunny is well-stocked with candy and goodies thanks to couponing. The girls used to ask why I saved the plastic eggs, didn't the Easter Bunny bring new ones every year??  I told them the Bunny couldn't afford to buy new ones every year, so we leave out the basket and the empty eggs at night and while we sleep, he fills them and leaves a little surprise in the baskets.

Evelyn asked me this year if I believed in the Easter Bunny. "Absolutely!" I told her. I remember making little paper baskets and filling them with candy and eggs, leaving them at the door, ringing the doorbell then hiding in the bushes waiting, watching for my friend Mark to discover the basket! I signed the note, 'To Mark, From the Easter Bunny'.   I asked if she thought the Easter Bunny was real and she thought for awhile and replied, "I think so."  I told her if she didn't believe in the Easter Bunny, he wouldn't leave anything for her. Her eyes got wide and she said she did believe! Made me smile.

I can expect another crazy busy week.. Lots going on this weekend and next. I'll try for pictures next post! Til then.. Happy Spring!