April recap - all in two week's time...

In my haste writing the last post, I forgot to include two things. The one is not all that noteworthy - we planted our onions and shallots prior to the other main spring planting that was reported on in that last post. But the other thing definitely needs to make it into the scrapbook. Our kids love April Fool's Day and this year it was Kali who took the prize for best joke. Without us knowing, she took it upon herself to send the following text to our dear friends, Jonathan and Christen: "Hey there, quick question: you all wouldn't by any chance be interested in raising a water buffalo with us? Friends of ours are moving and have a calf they need to find a home for and were asking us if we wanted it. We don't really have a good pasture for it on our land but thought it could be an option for you to keep it down at your place and have us pay for feed/supplies? Not assuming you're interested; just wanted to check before we turned it down"

When they read it, they immediately said, "This is so Jason!" and when Jason read it he said, "I feel so seen by my daughter!" The best part is that while our friends thought it as a bit far fetched, they did in fact believe it was from Jason and was a serious request, replying with, "Ha, oh my gosh how often can I say, 'yeah my friends texted and asked if I want to go in on a water buffalo' very intriguing proposition..." In the end they turned it down, but not after doing a big of google research and talking it over with a friend they were traveling with at the time. Way to go, Kali! It provided us with a good number of laughs, and I will admit to being much more into Kali's jokes than Jason feeling pleased with himself all day long as he move furniture to odd places, turned lamp shades upside down, put garden flags in flower arrangements, hid things in people's bed, etc...

But the first of April is a distant memory now... Here's a photo walk through the past two weeks! I know it doesn't appear that I showed any restraint, but there were so many more photos to choose from:

So grateful that 5 of the 8 members of our Tangly Woods pod are now fully vaccinated. Kali is now halfway there and will get her second Pfizer shot at the end of this month. She'll need to get used to being a pin cushion as she'll be getting a whole host of additional vaccinations as she prepares for her trip to the Philippines this fall. Taking her to apply for her passport this week made it seem very real!

In the last two weeks, we hosted two outdoor farm tours. The first was for EMU's Sustainable Food Initiative, where I serve as club advisor (the second was for the Radical Roots 2021 apprentices). Terah was very eager to show them her chickens!

Both visits felt like a good perspective-offering events for me. I realize that having others look in on what we are doing and having the chance to (try to) articulate it, provides an opportunity for me/us to step back and do a bit of reflection. Also, trying to share in 2 hours everything we are up to is exhausting, and that's just talking about it!

We enjoyed both the tour around but then also the lawn chat where we dove more into the philosophy behind what we do and how privilege and power and access and values all fit into the choices we make. It felt good to be able to do a few group things in ways that felt comfortable and safe. 

We also enjoyed a hike with friends and picnic up by Hensley's Pond. The length of time between visits with friends who have children is marked by the inches kids seem to grow between times together. 

Speaking of things growing, the crop of garlic mustard was starting to stand out so this past Tuesday morning we had the Tangly Woods' pod Great Garlic Mustard pull! We split into pairs and attempted to walk over our land and the driveway and pull as much garlic mustard as we could. Alida and I took the driveway and that kept us busy for quite some time, filling 3 five gallon buckets.

We took the time to pick off enough leaves for Mom to make a batch of garlic mustard rolls. 

Otherwise, we spread it on the pad to dry and then yesterday I heaped it around the grape vines in the root patch to add some additional fertility! It felt so good to have a whole day at home yesterday. After another long week of up and down days as I continue to navigate Lyme disease treatment and the uncertainties surrounding it, it felt so very good to be outside and working with Jason on the land (even if some parts of me are complaining a bit today). In the evening, we did something we haven't done during Covid; we went to an outdoor theater performance. EMU put on the musical Shrek and we enjoyed it from a blanket on the lawn.

The day prior also had some Covid-firsts! The girls joined me for town errands and Alida cashed in a birthday coupon of a trip to Kline's for ice cream and a library visit for books. We surrounded those two stops with a dozen or so others. 

All was well until we got home and I could not find the clipboard with the errands list and all the other papers I had accumulated along the way, including a good number with personal information (like passport application things, bank stuff, medical bills, etc...). Before long, in addition to said clipboard, we could not locate Kali's two thick library books. And then yesterday morning I realized my one and only sun hat and favorite sweatshirt were no where to be found. As you can see, we were a little jammed in the car and at our last stop I had to do some rearranging to fit the two pieces of furniture in that were being returned to us. After racking my brain for two days the only thing I can think of is that I stuffed those things in a bag and pulled it out of the car during the rearranging and never returned it and drove away. And someone came along and took it - either permanently or with intentions to return it (still hoping for the latter but my hope fades with each passing day). So I'm trying to be thankful for all the things that did come home with us. Terah is at least well stocked with library books and there are some I'm eager to read the next time I'm the one she chooses to ask, "Will you read a book to me?"

Ok, time to back up a bit. Sorry for the whiplash on this April meander, but I skipped over quite a bit of gardening and chicken and flower updates, so here goes. For starters, the potatoes are planted! We tried something new this year, which was to cut up the potatoes the day before to let them dry/heal over a bit before planting. A successful gardening friend gave that tip. Time will tell, as they haven't sprouted yet, but I'm eager to welcome those first green sprouts!

So we did the potato system that has become our yearly go-to approach. Jason worked hard over the course of a number of days to dig the deep potato trenches. The rest of us came into the picture when the physical labor got easier! First we spread biochar in the trenches. Next we put a bit of soil over the char. Next we planted the potatoes and finally covered with soil. Anytime there were extra hands looking for something to do, those hands could easily be occupied picking up rocks to cart out of the patch! 

Once the biochar pit is emptied, a really fun yearly task I never want to miss becomes possible. Where the old brush pile was, we go and scoop up the beautiful forest floor duff and fill up the pit. It sits there being a sponge for rainfall and nutrients and then in the fall we'll empty it onto raspberries and other things in preparation for the next biochar burn. Yes, more of us doing what we do best: just moving things around!

When I head outside right now, my senses are often overloaded with the beauty all around me. The up close of individual flowers and new things shooting up and out. And the view of the mountain greeting us in the distance. When I have a camera in hand, here's some of what I've been drawn to!

Every time I walk past the the pea beds in the inner garden, I always want to say, "hi peas!"

Often when we come out to garden, Terah will take a stint as photographer. I'm always surprised at what I find when I download pictures. This time, she had some of the best pictures of dandelions I've ever seen!

When possible now, so our eyes can feast on the colors around us, we eat outside! 

And, as much as possible, we include spinach, red buds and violets!

Another new thing we are trying this year is starting the girls' popcorn inside (especially Alida and Terah's, which grow in gardens where seed-stealing chipmunks love to roam). In preparation for that, the final "taste testing" on their popcorn took place so they had the best possible diversity in their seed supply. The germination was right around 100% so hopefully they will get a good stand of corn this year!

We are enjoying foods familiar to us and new foods, almost on a weekly basis. This week's treat was Tala cooking a feast for us featuring Lumpia. They were so delicious - a fried spring roll type food with a savory meat and veggie filling wrapped in a thin crepe-like pastry wrapper. Yum!

Well, it's about time to wrap this up before Jason and I head out for a hike. All three gals are still in bed, but there's more stirring. Last night I dreamed that Alida and Terah's bedroom was in the arch coop. Somehow despite living with the chickens, their beds seemed to not get dusty. Amazing and impossible - as dreams often are. It's not surprising that my dreams placed those two gals with chickens! And that chickens are finding their way into my dreams. Here's some of what's around us right now:

I will close with some of the most recent weeding! We got the tool and hand weeding done on the garlic, and applied chicken compost from the composting chicken coop - another very fun family job. 

If plants can smile, I think the garlic was when we were done! I know I was!! I do enjoy the spring weeding rounds. Jason and I did the herb garden together yesterday before the kids woke. We are transitioning that hot dry spot away from annual plantings and into perennial beds. The oregano and onions chives and fennel are doing their thing very expertly! It does feel good when we learn enough and pay close enough attention to match as best we can a spot with a plant that can thrive there!

If you made it to the end, congratulations!