What's Going On?

Heritage Australorps

Already here from Hidden Meadow Farm, an Australorp cockerel and his mate: Darwin and Adelaide.  In the next few weeks six pullets will arrive to our newest coop and to grow until they can join the mated pair.  The new girls are from other fine stewards of the land- at Active Life Farm.

The first kits of the season were born to the colony uber-queen late (Sweetpea) - two light tabbies and a mahogany.  The mother is the daughter of the first female to use the barn (Elizabeth).  As far as I can tell the sire is Peaches, a light tabby male who is guarding the litter.  Mom chose the scruffiest sleeping box for nursing, I will be cleaning the space as I can, so long as she allows me.

On the first day of spring, March 20, 2011, we experienced a 'Supermoon' when a full moon was at perigee.  It's the first time since 1993.  This image was taken at 6:55 am as dawn began and just before clouds obscured the moon.  It was -6C and I ventured onto the deck, facing west, in my housecoat and slippers.

Last day of winter, March 19, 2011

The land is drying out but temperatures remain below freezing after a few days of above-normal temperatures.  Lambs are being born at Hidden Meadow Farm, which is heartening, it's where our new flock will be hatched.  We need to complete the pop door, the outdoor platform and the delivery chamber on the new coop and then it will be finished.  The older hens get that coop, since it is smaller and we get only an occasional egg.  The new birds will get the larger one with 6 nest boxes. 

For the first time since November 7, the air smells of relief.  It has been our most difficult winter in 23 years, with 28 recorded weather events so far.  So now, on March 05, 2011, I dare to hope that the just-above-zero temperatures may last a few days and that the sheets of ice and mounds of snow will reduce.  The cats are outside, some in the evergreen maze at the base of the property, and I suspect the uber-queen will have her kits there with others in attandance, sometime in April.  The hens were lined up on the ramp before I offered treats (grapes) and were dust-bathing in the covered run when I left them.  Hundreds of birds, including over 30 ringnecks and dozens of mourning doves are feeding and their songs have a gleeful tone for a change.  We saw deer at a neighbour's yesterday and expect them back on our property at any time.  I hope the losses have not been too great.  Bobcats had been sighted, never a good sign for the herbivores.

By March 06, 2011, we began to experience a massive thaw.  Over half of the snow pack is gone and most roofs have shed layers of dangerous ice.  There is localized flooding so we're glad to be on a hill.  Massive rain storms are approaching from the American northeast, so nearby Brooklyn, Salmon River, LaHave, Blue Acres and Middleton are bracing for trouble.

Forty years married in December 2010