Morsels

Morsels:  tiny bits of goodness from the past week....

This is the time of year when green is everywhere, and we're high on spring.  We're all barefoot in the mud, gardening and sweaty, black fly bitten, sun burned--we can't imagine having had to wear boots and snow pants, and trudge through snow.  And then it rains and is 40 F and we fire up the wood stove (one last time) and suddenly we're not so far from winter as we thought.  But, in trying to schedule appointments and lessons last week I found myself turning the calendar ahead in search of some blank squares--and realized we're just a page away from Summer.  Its kind of a cruel joke here in Maine that the longest day of the year is mid-June, when the lakes are just barely swim-able, and we're still firing up the wood stove (one last time).  But then summer is so unbelievably beautiful and after that come September and October with all their Indian summer glory, and suddenly we remember why Maine is the way life should be (and is!).  

But, back to spring, where, at least as I type this, I'm feeling like even the rainy days are lovely (though I'd like a little more heat ya'know) and I can't stop photographing every green thing in sight.  And chickens too.  So bear with me.  

    The ladies on new grass

  A few things growing in the yard

 This week we're:  

   * Eating our first salads from the garden (lettuce, spinach, radish, chive and asparagus)

* Watching the trees burst into cloud (pear, apple, wild cherry)

*Cutting, splitting, hauling, and stacking a lot of wood (yes that mountain of trees is nearly as tall as the barn).

* Preparing for a new colony of bees (picked up a nuc on Sunday to install the next sunny day, and hoping to split the blue hive later this month).  I'm looking for interesting names for the hives since there'll be some need to distinguish between the three.  So far they're just by color, but it seems like they deserve something a little more creative.  I'm up for suggestions.  

 

 Overheard from the kitchen, 9 a.m.

Juniper:  "Alright Kale, we could have frozen peas, or frozen blueberries...oooh, and I do see some ice-cream."
Maybe its time for second breakfast?

When Kale was an infant we had a lot of diaper free baby time, holding him over the toilet to go most of the day.  He was out of diapers all together by two.  Interestingly, he is our only child to ever wet the bed.  For a long time I was getting him up at night to pee, layering towels and sheep skins, but finally realized we had to start using diapers at night.  Unfortunately, after not wearing diapers for months Kale was furious at the idea of wearing a diaper to bed.  He insisted he was not a baby, and would not wear a diaper.  He was shaking with rage.  No diapers.  Since he has never worn disposables (only occasionally while traveling as an infant) he wasn't familiar with pull-ups.  I brought home a package and explained they were "pee-catchers" to catch his pee at night so his pajamas and bed wouldn't get wet.  Plus, they have cool pictures on them!  And he bought it.  He loves his pee catchers.  So, ironically, after cloth diapering two babies and non-diapering the third, I am buying and throwing away disposable "pee-catchers".  I can't stand the situation, but feel fairly powerless to change it.  I don't want to create an issue over something I'm sure he'll soon outgrow. So, I'm taking solace in the thought that at least it is only, and not even always, one a night.  

That is until yesterday when Kale rushed past me on the way to the bathroom, after having to stop a very fun game to pee.  After doing his business he came up to me beaming with this brilliant idea:  

K:  "Maybe we could buy some morning pee-catchers so when I have to pee I can just go in my pants.  Then I won't have to stop my game".

Hmm....

 

 

Happy Tuesday!