It's a bear!

Monday morning before breakfast Marc headed out to our back 40 to pull the taps from the maple trees. While he was out I started getting the girls dressed for the day, that was until I heard Marc come running back to the house in a panic.

Turns out sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning a bear had stopped by the bee hives and had a little look for some honey. Being the end of winter there wasn't much in there for the taking which meant the hives were not completely destroyed. Marc quickly put them back together so the bees would have a chance before the rain rolled in.

After lunch and while the girls were napping, Marc and I headed out to the hives to set up an electric fence. We also repositioned our trail camera towards the hives. And it's a good thing we did because that evening when the bear came back our hives were safe and we caught the bear on camera. What a curious being!!

Apr21 044 from Christina A on Vimeo.

16 chicks and counting

At noon today we received a phone call from the post office letting us know that our baby chicks had arrived. Off Marc went to collect them and bring them home.

We ordered 5 each of speckled Sussex, barred rock, and cuckoo maran. We received all of those plus one extra barred rock. Hopefully we have all hens but we'll only know for sure once they grow up a bit.

They are now happily settled into their brooder in our garage with food, water and a heat lamp. I'm really looking forward to watching them grow up and seeing how they interact with the four non blondes when they all move into the new chicken coop. 

Poppy - 4 Months

Weight - 15 pounds 1 ounce

Length - 24 1/2 inches

Head Circumference - 16 3/4 inches

Dear Poppy,

Something I wondered about a lot while you grew in my belly was whether you and Violet would look alike as siblings. Now, as I look at your 4 month picture I can't believe how much you and Violet are the same yet different. While Violet was born with more hair, you both have the same color and type of hair even down to the part that sticks up in the back because of your cowlick. You two have the same color blue eyes, a beautiful blue that is dark around the edge and different from both your mom and dad's shade of blue. But while Violet's eyes are definitely Daddy's shape we think that you look like I did as a baby. Violet has the same toes as your Aunt Effie and Aunt Stephanie while you have mommy's toes. Even though you weighed more at birth, Violet seems to outweigh you each month. However, length for length you two are pretty comparable. The rest we haven't figured out yet. So while you two aren't twins it is clear you are definitely sisters.

This month not only do you keep flashing your big cheesy smile but you have also started to coo and "talk" to us and the toys around you. You have started to reach out and hold the toys around you on the play mat, bouncy seat, exersaucer and car seat. If you aren't using your hands to reach for toys you are busy sucking and chewing on them, especially your first two fingers. I don't think you've figured out how to use these to soothe yourself just yet but we are optimistic that you are on your way. Then again maybe you won't be a thumb sucker and you will rely more heavily on your monkey lovey which you already like to hold.

Because of your interest in your hands we stopped swaddling you this month. We also moved you out of our room and temporarily into the guest room. Eventually you and Violet will share a room but we have to get some sort of bedtime routine for you figured out first. It would also help if your sleep patterns became a little more regular but that's a pretty big request for a four month old. No signs of rolling yet but you are definitely kicking your legs a lot and trying to arch your back. Sometimes when I put you back in your crib in the middle of the night I can hear the sound of you banging your legs against the mattress as you settle yourself back to sleep. No crying just the rhythmic sound of your legs crashing against the mattress.

We're really excited to watch you continue to grow and gain control over more of your body. Will you be rolling by the end of next month? Will you have started blowing raspberries? Time will tell and I can't wait to find out!

Love,
Your Mom, Dad and big sister Violet

Violet's Four Month Post

Violet and Poppy at 4 months

Homesteading

Happy Spring! (Vermont style)

Today Violet and I embarked on a morning of homesteading chores. First we headed out to the maple trees to collect the buckets of sap. Sugaring season is beginning to wind down so we wanted to make sure we collected as much sap as possible. On our way to the trees we saw various deer tracks in the snow. Based on the number of tracks around the bonfire Violet and I decided that they had their own little party last night.

After returning with five gallons of sap, Violet and I checked on the chickens. As of yesterday we have started getting eggs from the Four Non Blondes. Marc I and I each enjoyed one this morning for breakfast and boy were they tasty.

Our last activity for the morning was making muffins. Violet is becoming a very good bakers assistant. Secretly I know she's just in it for the chocolate chips but her ability to whisk and stir are definitely improving. More importantly she is keeping 98% of the ingredients in the bowl these days.

All of these activities with Violet this morning reminded me how excited I am to start sharing them with Poppy too. Happy Friday!!