Spring is Springing

My goodness, my friends. 

It's 71 degrees as I type this! 

We started the month as a blustery lion... goodness!

Here's Keith on the patio as he got home from work tonight, I sat to talk to him for a few minutes before finishing up chores.  Tomorrow we close on the new house, and we are full of talk right now. 

I apologize for not commenting on your blogs... I am swamped.  I am the chief packer, and 

am still doing all the chores for the time being.  We do have some friends coming to 

look at chickens this weekend, and we are praying they decide to take some. 

Keith has suggested I write to the goat project leaders in surrounding counties, since 

the Leavenworth County leader does not appear to be interested in a goat donation. 

I'll take some time to do that in the morning. 

We have had an offer from Oak Grove Animal Sanctuary, the wonderful people 

who rehomed our llamas two years ago.  They have a Facebook page if you 

would like to "like" them.  They have offered to take all the animals if we are 

unable to rehome them, but we are hoping that won't have to happen.  In the back of my mind, it relieved me to know they would have a place to go. 

Officially, spring isn't here for 7 more days... but in the minds of the Elvi, it has already sprung. 

Poor Buffy. 

Thank heaven I didn't have to intervene.  

I have been trying to get a good picture of Speedy for two days.  If you look closely, you will see that he suffered a lot of damage to his comb over the winter, there is a band of black and the points are all black. 

This little guy is going with me, I think.  He only weighs a few ounces... and he's going to be squeezed in. 

Notice the grass is greening. 

I took this picture on my way to my traction appointment this afternoon at Fort Leavenworth. 

See those hay bales?  Well, let me tell you a cautionary tale. 

Last year we had little rain, and most people around here only got one cutting of hay.  Indeed, Keith and I were paying 9.50 a square bale of brome at the feed store.  I managed to buy 14 bales from a local farmer, who dropped them off here one day.  That held us most of the winter. 

So... this past year, in the fall, I called the same farmer and 

asked if there was any way he could deliver a dozen bales, and he 

told me that the amount was too small, and he could not do it. 

Fast forward four months.  I happened to stop by someone's house whose barn is used by 

said farmer, and saw that the barn was FULL of nice bales of brome.  Full. 

Two weeks ago, my phone rang in the car and I pulled over to the side of the road. 

It was the same hay guy... wanting to know if he could deliver a load of hay for me. 

$5.50 a bale.  

I told him we were just about out of the hay business, and if I happened to stop by the "hay barn house" I would buy a few bales and leave the money with the lady there. 

So... we have a surplus of hay this winter... though the picture at the top of the page is deceptive. These happen to be bales at a major Angus cattle producer here in Leavenworth county, and they 

have bales lined up on three of their farms, ready to feed their herds. They don't mess around. 

See the bracket that used to hold the ramp to the little red henhouse???? 

Goats! 

Naughty, naughty, goats! 

Chris and I will fix it next week. 

We won't be seeing beautiful scenes such as this much longer, and friends, if you 

think that this isn't hurting me... every minute I see these sights, every picture I take, I am locking away in my heart forever. 

I will miss it all so much. 

But, things change.  This will be for the better for Keith, and ultimately, for me, too. 

How strange it seems not to be starting seeds, or listening to little peeps as I feed and water them. 

I will try to get caught up on reading your blogs this weekend at some point.  I hope to start moving boxes after I deliver eggs on Saturday. 

Til then....