around the yard

Last weekend we finally got the kids play area finished.  We've had the swing set since Catherine was two.  It's been moved two; maybe three times.  Now that Catherine is nearly 10 - and Michaela is 2 - we finally have it mulched and we've added a sandbox. 

We are learning the rules for playing in the sand and how to minimize the amount of sand that gets brought into the house.  The sand was super cheap from the local concrete place and thanks to some friends, we had the equipment we needed to do this quickly and efficiently. 

The mulch was old and mostly decomposed so it was free - the best stuff went under the swings/slide.  The chickens cleaned out all the bugs for us. 

The middle grade went to mulch the windbreak trees Adam has been transplanting (extending the eastern red cedars on the north side to the road), and the fruit trees we bought to start an orchard (6 apple and 4 pear). 

The most decomposed part is going in my vegetable garden.  There is much more work to be done as we have 100 fruit/nut seedlings to be planted.  25 American Plums will form a thicket along the south side of the orchard and 20 Juneberries are going to make a nice windbreak along the north side of the orchard.  We're filling in an empty spot in our south windbreak with the other 5.  We have 25 American Hazelnut (aka Filbert) that are probably going to be planted along the north side of the orchard, too.  Lastly, we'll plant about 20 Chokecherries in clusters among the Hackberries on the north side of the driveway.  We are giving the other 5 to the guys who gave us the mulch.

In addition to the swingset/sandbox, other summer fun will include jumping on the trampoline.  It's from Uncle Tom and is just like the one they jump on at Grandma Q's.  Adam fixed it all up and we got a new mat and springs.  Guardian angels are working overtime out there.  Also, Anthony got a "real" T-ball tee and bat and a new ball and a set of throw-down bases with his Christmas money.  We've got 4 T-ball mitts and Teresa asked me to sign her up for the Summer Softball Camp (2 days of learning the basics from the highschool coach).

Finally, we've got some pictures of our chicks - all grown out of their starter cage.  The timing was perfect because Catherine brought home 2 of the chicks that they incubated in her class.  My guess is that they are Barred Rock, which makes me happy.  We had 5 Barred Rock hens in our first flock, but we had to cull them after just a few weeks.

Also, Adam brought home an Easter surprise.  Meet Snowdrop and Blackberry. 

We think they're both girls...but if one of them is male it's Blackberry.  They're in a really big hutch that Adam built, now.  It can be easily divided if they don't get along - or if we don't want them to get along.  They are going to get big  because they are meat-breeds (Californian, New Zealand?).  I was a little upset because I really wanted small bunnies...so we are also getting the brown (castor) Mini-Rex bunny from this picture for a pet rabbit. 

I think we're going to name him Pipkin. (Yes, I'm using using the character list from Watership Down to choose names.  I know Blackberry was a buck, but there weren't too many does in that book).  The girl selling these was getting out of doing rabbits for 4-H and also offered his aunt (Clover) and the two babies that she JUST had along with their hutch.  We're crazy and said yes...but these rabbits are small.  Their fur is like velvet and they are only 4 pounds full grown and SO cute!  We'll definitely keep some - others will eventually find their way to new owners on Craigslist.