Month: April 2021

Hiking with the kids

Yesterday at dinner, daughter said she took today off to spend with her kiddos and they were looking for a hike. I suggested that they do Kelly’s Knob and I would go with them. I have hiked it twice with Son 1 and family, the first time a backpacking, the second time from the road to the Knob and back because my knees were so sore by the time we got there the first time, I couldn’t get out on the rocks at the Knob. I had forgotten that the 1000 foot elevation change happens almost entirely in the first .5- .75 miles, then the hike levels out along the ridge line with a couple of shorter ups and downs, but basically a gentle walk once to gain the elevation. The hike is a bit more than 5 miles round trip.

It hasn’t greened up that high yet, so the trees are still bare, the only green being the moss and lichens. We heard no wildlife going in but had a Chickadee serenade us on our walk back out.

It took Daughter and me to get granddaughter across the crevices to get out on that rock, but from there you can look through the gaps in the mountain toward Blacksburg and Christiansburg off in the distance. It was a bit hazy today to see much out at the distance.

I have definitely gotten my workout today. We returned to the house and made lunch with ham sandwiches or salads then moved the chicks to their new abode. I still need to drag the 110 gallon tank out and clean the pine shavings out of it and into the compost pile, wash the tank out and store it away until it is needed again.

I’m glad I can still hike with my kids and they are patient with me when it is steep and I get out of breath.

A Beautiful Day

The past two days have been gorgeous. Yesterday I got most of the lawn mowed. This morning before hubby got up, the edging was done, then the rest of the mowing finished.

In a day or two, the chicks are going to be moved to the coop. Today they are out in the 110 gallon water tank in the sun with netting over the top to keep them from getting out and to keep anything else from getting in. They were going through the food in the smaller feeders, so the big girl feeder was put in the tank for them to get used to it. They also got the big girl water dispenser. They are funny dust bathing in the wood chips in the sun.

Yesterday when walking up to the mailbox, I spotted my first wild bee with full pollen sacs.

I guess it is time to put the bee house out. And in a week it will be time to put the Hummingbird feeders.

Easter meal prepared, enjoyed, and cleaned up with daughter and her kiddos. Egg hunt was a success. Puppies got attention. Chicks moved back to the shelter and safety of the garage. I’m full and want a nap.

We Survived

The two cold days and frigid nights are in our past. Hopefully, the last of the season, but it is still 5 weeks to last frost date. The covered young plants all survived, though I need to made the fence tunnels for the two 4 foot square beds so I can drape plastic over them to make a mini hoop houses. The plastic shower curtain liners wouldn’t stay taut enough to not droop down on top of some of the seedlings. Yesterday I pulled them back tight and this morning they were droopy again.

The chicks in the garage did fine, though they are so very crowded in the big water trough. I do want to power wash the inside of the coop before I put fresh straw in it to move them. Three are still smaller than the others, but all have feathers and I think they will be fine with the warmer nights upcoming.

Saturdays are Farmer’s Market days and this was the first week the opening changed from 10 a.m. to 8 a.m. and I didn’t want to be there that early, so I feared it would be mobbed. It was so cold, it was mostly vendors out there, bundled up and standing out in the sun in front of or behind their stalls. The weeks goodies were purchased and we went down to Tractor Supply to get chick feed and some poultry fence so I could build a temporary pen for the big hens. They have been cooped in the Palace for a week, it is dark in there with no windows except some hardware cloth high on the south end and a hardware cloth door on the north end. Once home, a small 64 square foot pen was erected and they were allowed out into the grass to peck and scratch. If they return into the Palace on their own for the next few nights, I will remove the pen and give them free range time again.

I don’t really want to have to set real fence posts and erect a wire fence to give them more room if they balk at using the Palace as their new home. I have the posts and the old fence wire available if I have to take that route.

Tomorrow I will have daughter and her kiddos here for Easter dinner. I have hidden some eggs with trinkets and coins in them for an Easter Egg hunt, though I suspect grandson will find it childish as a young teen. Granddaughter will enjoy it. There are six different colors of eggs and I have assigned 3 colors to each, plus a small Chocolate bunny each, so it will be fair and no arguments (I hope). At the Farmer’s Market I bought Hot Cross buns for the bread for dinner to go with the ham, au gratin potatoes with local cheese, and a green salad or cooked vegetable. I wish the asparagus were up, but not yet. Daughter will bring deviled eggs and we will enjoy some time togther. I found out this week that both sons have had at least one vaccine, so maybe we will be able to see all of our family again soon.