Have you noticed a shift in seasons?
It seems that in recent years, seasons change a little later than they used to.
As a result, those April showers that we used to sing about
are happening more and more in May.
And right now we are in the midst of them!
Friday morning we were scheduled for a preschool visit.
Friday morning we awoke to rain.
Luckily, the rain stopped in time for our little visitors.
We had such a wonderful time sharing our farm and our animals with
this enthusiastic group of preschoolers.
The turkeys were in integral part of the day... following us everywhere we went.
The turkeys were in integral part of the day... following us everywhere we went.
They were happy to get up close and personal with all of the animals.
I couldn't convince any of them to give the donkeys a kiss, however.
(Donkeys love kisses!)
I took them in the horse lot, two by two, so that they could touch all of the horses.
Moonbeam reached his head down and snatched up
a gold glittery barrette from one of little girl's pigtails...
moving it around inside his mouth like a lozenge and them spitting it out on the ground.
"Here you go," I laughed, as I handed it back to the little girl's Mom.
I'm pretty sure that one will never be worn again.
One of the most interesting parts of the morning was meeting
the great-grandfather of one of the preschoolers....
Harry, pictured above, used to live in our old log cabin.
During the mid 1950's his family lived there.
There was a small barn in the lower area of our front pasture,
where his family raised meat for the family.
They had a smoke house and preserved the meat that way.
Because there was no indoor plumbing, the family had an outhouse.
There was, however, a pump in the kitchen that pumped drinking water up from
the spring in the basement of the house.
They cooked on a wood-fired cook stove,
and heated with another wood stove in the living room.
Harry said it was his job to get the wood ready for the morning's fires.
He remembers being 10 to 12 years old while living here,
and working in the summertime on the neighbor's farm for 50 cents a day.
His stories were fascinating, and we were so happy that he came along for the visit.
Their visit ended with a picnic in the pavilion.
Saturday, Jack and I got up early (it was raining again),
and drove to Maryland for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.
I was in heaven in the midst of so many wool vendors.
(I found a new sweater pattern and some wool for that sweater...
and yes, I did already start it!)
There was lots to see.
Sheep...
of all types...
and Alpaca...
And once again, the rain stopped in time for our adventure.
As you can see... Jack found his own fun, while I traipsed through the fiber vendors.
Sunday was a complete wash-out.
It poured all day long,
so everyone stayed indoors.
The garden is happy with the rain...
except, perhaps, Minerva.
She just returned from her winter (summer) in Australia,
and reports that it was the hottest one she ever experienced.
She's glad to be back to the cooler spring of Pennsylvania.
One of the most interesting parts of the morning was meeting
the great-grandfather of one of the preschoolers....
Harry, pictured above, used to live in our old log cabin.
During the mid 1950's his family lived there.
There was a small barn in the lower area of our front pasture,
where his family raised meat for the family.
They had a smoke house and preserved the meat that way.
Because there was no indoor plumbing, the family had an outhouse.
There was, however, a pump in the kitchen that pumped drinking water up from
the spring in the basement of the house.
They cooked on a wood-fired cook stove,
and heated with another wood stove in the living room.
Harry said it was his job to get the wood ready for the morning's fires.
He remembers being 10 to 12 years old while living here,
and working in the summertime on the neighbor's farm for 50 cents a day.
His stories were fascinating, and we were so happy that he came along for the visit.
Their visit ended with a picnic in the pavilion.
And, of course, the fairy gardens were a big hit.
Saturday, Jack and I got up early (it was raining again),
and drove to Maryland for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.
I was in heaven in the midst of so many wool vendors.
(I found a new sweater pattern and some wool for that sweater...
and yes, I did already start it!)
There was lots to see.
Sheep...
of all types...
and Alpaca...
I do have to say... I wish we had a couple of alpaca!
And once again, the rain stopped in time for our adventure.
As you can see... Jack found his own fun, while I traipsed through the fiber vendors.
Sunday was a complete wash-out.
It poured all day long,
so everyone stayed indoors.
The garden is happy with the rain...
except, perhaps, Minerva.
She just returned from her winter (summer) in Australia,
and reports that it was the hottest one she ever experienced.
She's glad to be back to the cooler spring of Pennsylvania.
Comments
What a gift you give to those children when they get to visit your true "haven".
And how fun to meet the man who lived in your cabin as a child, and for him to see it so well cared for and kept in it's "natural" state.
I'd volunteer to give the donkeys (horses, pigs, sheep, etc)all the kisses their hearts desire.
Mick