Just so you know –

there IS a flip-side to our lush green grass and early spring flowers.

That's it for a very wet day at . . .

Production projections

Looks like it's going to be a seven-egg day:

Aaaand . . . (drumroll, please) . . . it looks like it will be a three-ewe lambing season!!!

Yesterday I spent extra time getting hands-on with the ewes (since I couldn't ride my horse). Annabelle is still growing her babe(s); I can't express milk so we may have some days to wait yet. Neither Marta nor Sarai have convincing udder development, but Marta has a bit more and is a proven ewe, so I'm counting on her being PG. Sarai is the big question mark. As I stood with my hand pressed against Sarai's right side, I felt the unmistakable rapid-fire kicking of a wee creature eager to stretch its legs. WHEEEEEE!

Waiting on lambing season just got more exciting at . . .

The birds and the bees

The Knitty Blog recently featured a charity knitting invitation that I couldn't pass up – knitting nests for orphaned baby birds! I had some yarn left over from knitting a cowl that was perfect. As promised, the little nest worked up quickly.

Ready for tenants

Cute little thing; wouldn't it make an adorable baby hat?

I decided I had to make one – a baby hat, that is. The massage therapist who has been working on my frozen shoulder recently welcomed his fourth child into the world. Perfect; I'd make a little something for the newborn to show her daddy how much I appreciate the help I've gotten. I had some very girly yarn in my stash; doesn't it sing "Easter/Spring"?

As I was knitting, I quelled the little voice that said, "That's a little big, isn't it?" If it was, I reasoned, I could gift the first attempt to a friend's daughter; I had enough yarn for two. As I continued, the same little voice mentioned, "The cast-on edge is awfully tight, isn't it? No 'give' there at all!" Okay, so it wouldn't be a stretchy fit; that's okay, right? But when I reached the point to decrease for the crown I could no longer ignore my dissatisfaction with the almost-hat.

So I ripped it out and went searching on Ravelry for a better use of the yarn. Using the advanced search features, I found the Baby Eyelet Cardi and cast on. I'm MUCH happier with this project – and it's zooming right along!

To bring this post full circle back to nests and the creatures who use them, here is a robin for those of you who could use a reminder that Spring is on its way,

and some of our eggs. The blue egg is from Goldilocks, our lone Easter Egger. This is her second egg of 2014; the other was even smaller. Oh well, at least she is trying to get back into the groove of things, which is more than I can say for the Speckled Sussex!

And here are some things for the bees to go along with the birds in this post. ;-)

That's it for today from . . .

Neither lion nor lamb

February definitely went out like a lamb; Friday was a beautiful, sunny day. March has arrived chilly and wet, but that's pretty typical for here this time of year.

I took the above photo of Annabelle on Friday. She is definitely late term, but I was thinking her udder didn't indicate imminent lambing. This morning I searched my blog for photos to compare her udder development now to the last time she lambed. I found the photo below, taken eight days before she delivered twins Bloom and Bittersweet in 2012. All of a sudden, I'm thinking she could deliver any day!

Speaking of Bittersweet, I snapped this shot yesterday morning. He is obviously unfazed by the deer deterrent spray I applied to the firs' trunks. Rick says we have more chicken wire and has promised to help me get it around the trees today. Ha; I'll believe it when the view below changes! They've been like that for hours….

I'll leave you with a shot of swelling cherry buds. Next time, I'll share knitting projects – unless Annabelle preempts that!

Happy March, from . . .