We Bought Plants

With our normal activities being curtailed due to Husband's illness and my absolutely crazy busy work this year, we have not started any garden plants or flowers. The May long weekend is the usual time to plant the garden in our neck of the woods.

On Wednesday we stopped on at the local garden store and purchased starters and flowers. Luckily we put the in the garage overnight as we woke up to snow yesterday morning and it was a rather cold and dreary day. This morning we are being faced with the same.

The old laying hens were suppose to go to a family I know and we kept them over the winter until they could build a coop. It appears that they have changed their minds, and I really need the room in my henhouse. So we put an ad on Kijiji stating the hens and rooster would be free if someone could pick them up. I was surprised at the response I received, and on Tuesday they will be going to their new home. I'm looking forward to cleaning out the barn and rearranging the birds into different pens.

Husband is still home and he is waiting for his third surgery which has been postponed until the end of the month. So far he has been off work for almost 4 months and it will be awhile longer before he returns.

Ugh, I just looked out the window and the snow is falling.

Northern Lights

Husband woke me up last night shortly before midnight as the northern lights were out. It was exciting as we have not seen them in many years. I don't why they have been so elusive, as I remember often in the late 80's standing out on the driveway with my parents and sisters watching the dancing light show.

If you have never seen Aurora borealis, they can be quite spectacular. Last night's display was like a faint green dome of streaky lights above the house which pulsated. Towards the north there were a few heavy streaks of light which looked as though a bright spotlight was pointed up in to the sky.

First chick of 2012

Our first chick hatched this evening... only 41 more to go. I'm curious to see if our hatch rate this year will be better than last now that we used the automatic egg turner.

Anniversary

Husband and I had our 18th wedding anniversary on Monday. We didn't get to celebrate as he is still recovering and is not up to going out, and I am still over run with work and was out with clients most of the day and evening.

But we did have a wonderful surprise....




Daughter baked us a beautiful carrot cake (my fav!)

Kijiji

Do you use Kijiji?  In my community it is the online buying and selling forum to use.  One always hears about Craigslist, but it has never really caught on here.  Kijiji is the way to go!

Last year we used it to sell our ducklings and chicks, and to purchase our pigs.  I usually check it everyday to see what has been posted in the livestock section.  I like to see what is being sold... mini horses, goats, cattle, pigs, chickens and the like.

Through Kijij, I have contacted a lady out west who will be selling rabbits in May (and she will deliver!).  It is something we have been debating about since moving here; whether we should raise some meat rabbits.  I am hoping to get a breeding pair of New Zealands and also a pair of Flemish Giants from her.

New Zealand Rabbit

Flemish Giant Rabbit

Not Enough Hours in the Day

I have already been working 14 hours today and I'm not finished yet.  I have a few minutes to make sure I get this post in for the challenge.

I did take a brief hiatus to take Husband to the surgeon for his check up.  We thought he would go back to work after the Easter long weekend, but it is not to be.  He's off for another 2 months with a third surgery scheduled during this time.  Wow, you really never know what kind of curve ball life is going to throw at you.

Yesterday's soup tasted MUCH better today.  Obviously it needs to sit to flavour.

Robins and Soup

I know I can eat some strange things, but contrary to the post title the robins and the soup are not connected.

Robins - I saw the first robins of the spring today. Even though it snowed all day yesterday (a wet sloppy snow) the birds appeared today.

Soup - I have been really busy with work over the past few months and I knew that I would be home late today, so I prepared a soup in the crockpot this morning. I have never used it for a soup before and it worked pretty good. I didn't find the recipe all that wonderful but it was filling. Some extra spices and tweeking and it could taste far better

Hamburger Lentil Soup

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
6 carrots, sliced
3 potatoes diced
1 clove minced garlic
4 c tomato juice
2 c dry lentils
4 c water
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp tyme
1 tsp sage
1 T salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Brown ground beef and onions.
Combine all ingredients in crock pot
Cook on low for 8-10 hours