a man and his hoe

every day is a good day

  • Detour While Collecting Eggs

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    I went out to collect eggs this afternoon and made a detour through the woods to see what is blooming. Bleeding hearts, thimble berries, trilliums, and spring beauties were in bloom all along the path. On one bleeding heart leaf, a thimble berry petal had fallen.

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    In the garden, the apple trees are in bloom. In Japan, when people talk about flower viewing, they are talking about viewing cherry blossoms. However, this was not always the case. During the Nara period (710-784) plum blossoms were adored for flower viewing. Aristocrats would have parties to view a single plum tree and write poems about the plum blossoms. Their adoration turned to cherry blossoms in the Heian period (794-1185) during the reign of emperor Saga who was emperor from 809 to 823 because he preferred cherry blossoms. Some cherry trees those ancient people adored still bloom today.

    These days when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, crowds gather under the cherry trees to feast and drink and sing and dance. The feasts are often so elaborate that there is even a saying, “dumplings over flowers”, meaning that people go for the food instead of the flowers.

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    No day these days is complete without seeing what Skunky is up to. Is Skunky safe? Is Skunky healthy? Skunky is doing well. Long live Skunky!

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  • What Happens to a Bulb of Garlic

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    Leave a bulb of garlic in the ground in the fall and in the spring, each clove of the bulb will sprout, resulting in a beautiful green bouquet shooting out of the ground. If you leave it grow through the summer, you’ll end up with a handful of small garlic bulbs, too small to easily peel and use. But, pull the bouquet out of the ground while it’s still young, and the result is a wonderful bunch of green garlic, perfect to slice and dice, and season any dish which craves garlic.

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  • Asparagus Fever

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    The chickens enthusiasm is contagious when I dig several trenches to plant asparagus root crowns. They’re infected with asparagus fever, a feeling of overwhelming joy and exuberance brought about by the prospect of fresh asparagus.

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  • Skunky at One Week

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    Skunky is a week old. What a fun week it’s been. I can’t watch Skunky without getting a smile. Once Skunky’s feathers start coming out in another week or so, we’ll have a better idea what colors and patterns Skunky will eventually have. It would be great if those long stripes streaking from Skuny’s eyes remain.

    And let’s hope Skunky stays safe. Running around outdoors, even with a vigilant mother, can be dangerous. Kestrels, Goshawks, Merlins, and other sundry raptors would love to snatch a little chick for a snack. It’s a moral dilemma raising chickens this way. Do I keep hens and their chicks locked up for four to six weeks until the chicks are much larger, or do I let them run free? If I tried to keep them locked indoors, the hens would go nuts. They would try to scratch their way out of any enclosure. That would be crueler than letting them take their chicks out into the wild world. And so I set them free to explore this wonderful world, dangers included.

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  • Before the Sun Climbs Over the Treetops

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    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, Lucky is in her nest, getting ready to lay an egg.

    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, the tulips huddle in the morning cold.

    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, the fruiting cherry blossoms wait their first bee.

    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, chickens leave their footprints on a frosty bridge.

    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, grosbeaks gather at the bird feeder.

    Before the sun climbs over the treetops, wakeup.

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