Spring Fling 2014

Addi's gym holds a local mini-meet each Spring —Spring Fling Flip Thing.  She did very well and was so proud to earn a medal and stand on the podium this year. She was also invited to participate in the Saturday training day with Lu Li, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist and other guest coaches. A lot of it was over her level, but she really enjoyed being included. She was so tired, but came home and stretched and worked for hours afterwards! She is such a hard worker and loves gymnastics so much. I am so proud of her.

Egg Dying

Light. Photographers, of all level and expertise, become slightly obsesses with light. We plan everything around the right light. This night little was planned. All day it was so warm outside. The first really warm day spent entirely outside. I put off dying eggs as long as possible to maximize our outside time. After dinner had come and I could not put if off any longer.

In through our living room windows were the most beautiful evening sunshine rays. While eighteen bright white eggs were meticulously being colored, my kids were illuminated with rays of backlight straight from heaven. It was magical.

A River Fix

We all felt it. Sometimes the river calls and Daddy isn't the only one who answers. The sun was warm and the wind mild. The bank littered with other fly fisherman spending their cherished free moments casting lines, hoping to land a beauty worthy of a lifetime of exaggerated tales.

Addi and Landon didn't wait for Daddy to finish tying up before walking the trail that curved with the river. Eager to fish and excited to be outside. Just above the water surface the fresh hatch was being attacked by wing. From further up geese passed by, an eagle hunted and pelicans soared. The river was alive.

 While Landon repeatedly ran down the hill to our spot, Addi built a teepee and Daddy threw in.

It didn't take long. The downward bend of the rod initiated it all —fish on. To my surprise both kids would not help reel her in. Intimidated by the strength and power behind the fish they let Daddy do the work and once landed offered only a gentle pat. Landon was most concerned with its timely return to river freedom.

The kids traded in their stick rods and had their own shot at the real deal. Both of them are so attracted to fly fishing. A serious attraction that seems more than influence from Daddy. Landon loves the equipment and gadgets associated with it all and Addi the biology behind it. It is amazing to see this bond between the three of them grow and develop. Addi is eager for her own pink fly rod and Landon will endlessly cast anything loosely resembling a rod.

Not long after Addi handed the rod back to Daddy he hooked a beautiful pink rainbow. She was "a monster"! Landon said, "Sissy, he's pink for you."

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” 
― Norman Maclean

Farm Life Fragments - Together

This life.
New. New and different.

Each day brings a new dream I didn't know I had dreamt.
He does his best to navigate through my cloudy images of a what life well-lived looks like, to me.
Not always does it agree with his images.
We do our best
to find compromise
to allow room for each to follow where we want to be independently
and yet be more together

As we near our one year anniversary of owning our slice of Montana paradise
we've come far
learned a lot
made mistakes
worked hard
and more importantly simply spent many lazy moments soaking it in

I've seen us grow
as a couple, as a family
something about caring for land
for animals
for little people that are in constant need
and consistently pulling in different direction
and always at different times
it encourages growth in ways not imagined

Acres and time have separated us from the most difficult time in our life
and although life isn't always rainbows, daisies and unicorns
we are happy and we are real
what makes me smile is the joy we are creating
it is the memories
the giggles and laughter that are staining our hearts
it is knowing that looking back they will always know they were loved

Simply being thankful that we were granted a miracle
Thankful that we are whole, together in this place
Thankful to have him, to have them together
Thankful to watch him grow and love
When we can watch him run wild, happy and alive
we are at peace
The sight of him hugging a little life he loves so much
feathers or fur pressed against his cheek
he stops me dead in my tracks and
I nearly collapse with gratitude for these moments with him

The mountains cast their shadows and remind us with each new day
that we are blessed
if we see one more sunset
if we get just one more day on this earth
we were lucky to stand on fertile land
cherished
hand in hand
together

Family, friends new and old
have shared in our excitement of this life

They have come to eat, drink, fix, install and update
they have left tired, sick, and sore

but they always come back!

Farm Life Fragments - Play Pen

As our first brood of baby chicks nears one month old they are quickly out-growing their indoor brooding box.  We started with ten chicks, we lost two to sickness. Eight baby chicks grow fast and as they try to fly they are often successful and end up outside their box. And the goose. Well, she is visibly taller every day. They needed the space and time to acclimated to outside conditions. Daddy and Papa built an outdoor playpen. The playpen gives them a safe place to explore, but separate from the adult flock. I'm hoping that slowly integrating them together will cause less conflict. The daytime temperatures are warming up and they are enjoying their time outside. They are still brought indoors to sleep under their heat lamp, for now.

It is nothing more that chicken wire (I know the irony is too much) attached to fencing posts. I cut a hole in a cardboard box to give them a secure place to hide. Add a water dish and scatter some food for them to scratch around for and you have a baby chicken play pen.

The adult birds checked them out briefly. The cats often sit on top the fence post and watch them, a little too tempted to hunt them, you can tell. But they continue to make the right choice! The goose does a good job of being their protector. She flaps her wings and stretches out her neck if she feels threatened. A job she takes very seriously. It's hard to separate her from them now. She is concerned about leaving them and when she hears them squeal she tries to find them. I am so glad. At first I was really concerned about Buttercup adapting to life outside as a real outdoor farm goose. She enjoys napping with Landon, playing on his carpeted bedroom floor and having warm indoor swims. The first time we left her in the playpen she cried and cried. I spied on her through the window and eventually she settled down and went to sleep. Now, she calmly hangs with her chicks.

I don't know if this is true, but the couple days of sunshine have seemed to drastically change their feathers and comb colors. Three were bright white, two are turning light brown. And our black chicks are getting their bright red combs. Sunshine is good for everyone!

"Those birds are foul",  Daddy said while giggling under his breath, because he thinks he is so funny! Get it --- they are fowl, but they also really stink when kept inside in their brooding box -- foul!

They have entered their adolescent awkward-looking stage. Don't tell Addi, she'll will defend them to the end, but they are ugly! They are no longer fuzzy or round and they run like dinosaurs! Their wings work just enough to send them slamming into the fence.  They eat all the time and poop as often.

Awkward, stinky, and noisy, but I just love having them. I love having chickens running around my yard as my kids play. Landon always stops to trap and cradle one. It is so cool. I am looking forward to the warmer weather when I will attempt to encourage one of my hens to brood a small clutch of eggs! More babies, yay!