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!

His First Love

"Until one has loved an animal, one's soul remains unawakened" 

                                            ~ Anotole France

Well, no problem with his soul. His love for all animals, but especially his goose is almost unreal. He loves her with all his little heart, and she feels the same. He is hers. And she is there with him whatever he is up to –bike rides, dress up, naps or bath time. Although their bond is new, less than a month old, they continue to be very attached.

He says things like, "I sure love my Buttercup." "Oh, you silly goose." "Come on goose-goose, chase me." "She really does love me too." "With me super powers, I can fly with wings like Buttercup."

We took Buttercup to Addi's class. I knew she would feel safe and secure on his lap and that is where she rode. She was calm and quiet the whole drive in to town. 

It is so hard for him to not be holding her. He loves when she chases him and loves even more giving her giant bear hugs. 

When their love began:

About three weeks later:

Moments of Migration

Hundreds probably thousands. 

Like an active, disturbed bee hive the flock ignites into a dark cloud

The sounds of thousands of wings lifting to flight 
simultaneous and staggered
A heart and muscle powered engine is turned over, 
this machine is loud and powerful

Together we wonder which one initiated the change
From foraging comfortably
to changing positions in the field 
taking flight for a long journey

Where are they going Mama? 

   Why do they stop here Mama?

      How do they fly that far Mama?

         Mama aren’t they scared?

            Mama why are some darker than others ?

               MAMA where’s me fruit snacks?

Their questions are almost as many as the gander. 
and I have at least partial answers. 

They are following the sun to summer. They will make a nest and lay their eggs in the warm tundra. 
   They stop to rest and eat.   
      They follow paths left by the ones before them. 
      Inside them they know where to go and when to stop. 
          {Faith in their success guides them.}
         The benefits of completing their journey far out-way
         the unknowns, constant challenge and exhaustion 
         of getting there. 
            The younger geese are a little darker 
            than the adults. When they are all grown up 
            they will be a bright white. 
               You ate them all. (Some are easier than others!)

       [After every answer, he replies “what dat mean?']

With her baby goose cradled safely against her body she gazes, amazed
So young, but she understands the gift we were given to be witnessing anything in these numbers
In awe, she explains migration to her goose, but pleads with her not to ever, ever do it

In a steady hum of honking they are in constant contact
even little Buttercup gives a few muffled honks, different from her baby coos
You can’t deny that she instinctually feels the energy, a very different breed from those that surround her
Next year a full grown farm goose, will she be tempted to join up, wild and free

At times aren’t we all a little tempted to live wild and truly free.
To lift off and join the flock 
To see something new, do something scary and daring
To see our world from a different view, a fresh perspective

What will make her little metal pond and daily feeding routines enough?
The little ones that love her will make her backyard chaos home. 
She’ll be invited on bike rides, evening walks and front porch camping trips. 
She’ll be hand-fed, squeezed and kissed. 
remaining grounded, secure 
And we will hope she will choose to remain apart of our little featherless flock

As the sun sets on this moment
The massive, impressive flock ascends to the heavens
The white blanket on the field lifts
and it condenses into several black V clouds
On their way
A brief stop that we were lucky enough to be apart of

Will this year’s babies, those that haven’t yet been born
Make the same stop out our front door?
Will the bits of left over wheat in this field sustain them as it did their parents

She will dance under their wings and 
colors marking days end will rest on mountain tops
Our shadows will be the only mark we leave

In this moment my heart was at rest knowing for now,
they are not tempted to fly from their nest to find adventures all their own.
For now. 

These moments of migration were shared with our Jaci and that made it even more special. 

Several massive flocks landed and flew away again. Over a weeks time I can't fathom the amount of Snow Geese and Tundra Swans we saw, just outside our door. 

Best Bathtub Toy Ever

What started out as a minor experiment to see if brand new baby geese have a natural ability to swim, quickly turned into both kids stripping and sliding into the not-so-warm tub to swim with their goose– who in fact knew how to swim without having to be 'taught'.

I wasn't at all surprised when they quickly climbed in with her. In fact I wouldn't have expected anything else! We sprinkled goose food in the tub and she instinctually started diving and shifting along the bottom of the tub to get the food. She swam perfectly the first time and seems to really love it (almost as much as Landon.) She purposely bumped into the rubber duckie and climbed onto Landon's foot and legs to take a rest. She can swim with her head submerged for a long time and bubbles come off her beak. She fluffs up her feathers and shakes in the water only to dive under again. Landon loves it most when she dives. "She can dive!" he squeals.

Addison thought it was fun, for a minute. The water was too cold and the slimy sunken goose food was almost too disgusting to handle. But the second time Landon gave the goose a bath she couldn't resist and climbed in again!

I'm not sure I've ever seen a bigger smile on Landon's face. I'm pretty sure he will request every bath time to include Buttercup. Swimming in the tub with his real baby goose who seems to love the wake and waves he makes, is there a better bath toy in the world?! He squeals and giggles and talks about how much his goose loves him and his waves.