a man and his hoe

every day is a good day

  • Cherry Blossoms

    CherryBlossoms150307

    The cherry blossoms are in full bloom now, three weeks earlier than last year. Last year it was March 27 when they opened up. They smell like baby powder. It’s been a very warm winter and spring. I looked back through my photos and found dates when the cherries bloomed before. They show what an unusual spring this is:

    2015 – March 7
    2014 – March 27
    2013 – March 30
    2010 – March 18
    2008 – April 7 (it snowed March 30)
    2007 – March 29
    2006 – March 25

    In the hoop house, the lettuce I planted last week is starting to pop out of the ground.

    LettuceSprout

  • Becoming a Mother Again

    ButtercupIncubating201503

    This is Buttercup sitting on her eggs today. Last year in April she was doing the same thing. She’s aged a bit in a year. The pictures below are from last April when she was sitting on eggs and teaching her new chicks how to forage.

    Does she have any memories of raising chicks last year? What does she think as she sits on her eggs, day after day? Having raised chicks last year, does she plan on raising them differently this year? We think so little of animals like chickens. They are far more complex than we can fathom.

    ButtercupIncubating201404
    ButtercupIncubating201404WithChicks

    Also see:

  • More Promises

    HenIncubating150306

    A second hen is sitting on eggs. By the end of the month, there should be two mother hens raising chicks. The warm, sunny weather is encouraging them to start early this year.

  • Always a Question

    QuestionA

    Chickens seem to always be on the verge of asking a question. Who is that? What are they eating? When is that nest going to be empty? Where are you going? They are always asking questions. You can see it in their eyes.

    QuestionB
    QuestionC

  • Is She or Isn’t She?

    HanabiHime150303

    Hanabi-Hime 花火姫 has been on a nest for two full days. Is she or isn’t she incubating eggs? She’s just a year old. If she is, she will be the first hen this year. It’s a great time to start. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom, and potatoes are poking out of the ground. I have a patch of potatoes which have gone wild. When I see them sprouting, then I know it’s safe to plant potatoes.

    FirstCherries150304
    FirstPotato150304