The chicks and ducks are growing so fast. Several of our girls (the chicks) have already figured out how to get up on the roost on the front porch of the coop. Such big girls! Last night, they all went into the coop at dusk all by themselves. (me thinks the kids were glad for the that!) And the ducks? Man, they are whoppers already. My spring peeps are growing up. What’s a mama to do?

My office space in our house is not just buzzing as it is tax season and that is my other business, but now it is cheeping and peeping, too, with the sounds of Spring. Monday we got 15 baby chicks ( variety of breeds) and 2 ducklings (mallards)! Had to stop by Tractor Supply to get feed and waterers and they happened to have ducklings, and well, I just couldn’t resist. Then Meghan, Frankie and I drove out to Leicester to Double G Ranch to get our baby chicks. If you have never been out there, to the farm, that is, you really should go. What an incredibly place and Valerie and Lance are the best! They have goats, chickens, ducks, guinea hens, pigs and a beautiful setting for their farm. They are having farm days throughout the spring, summer, and fall so keep an eye on their website for those dates and take the time to go out and visit! They also sell their farm products at the West Asheville Farmer’s Market which will be opening at the end of April. We are so fortunate to live in an area that supports and promotes our local growers. Thank you to all our area farmers and bakers who share their wonders with us.

We let the ducklings swim around in our upstairs bathtub last night and they were so cute. The kids were absolutely entranced, watching the ducks’ little webbed feet take so naturally to the water, watching them swish their tails and dive beneath the water. Too much fun. Our chicken coop has now been completely cleaned out and reinforced. Of course, it will be several weeks before the babies can go outside to stay, but everything is ready for them.

Yippee! Throw your hat in the air! We’ve got eggs! Our girls (the chickens) have started laying. We’re so excited. They just started yesterday and so far we’ve gotten half a dozen farm fresh, totally organic, beautiful brown eggs. Oh yeah! We’re going to try them this morning when all the kids get up. The girls have built their own little nesting areas in two of the corners of their house. Apparently they decided not to use the wonderful boxes that Joe made for them. At least not yet. Maybe in time. But wherever they want to lay, we’ll take it.

In case you aren’t aware, chickens are pretty much like pigs with wings. Every night after dinner, the kids ‘slop’ the chickens with the table scraps. Not just veggies, but pasta (think about it, spaghetti looks a lot like worms!), meat and poultry bones, leftover bits of meat, you name it, they love it! Our oldest son said the other day that when they do start laying eggs, we’ll need a chisel to break the egg shells. No doubt. We even crush up egg shells to provide them with the grit and calcium they need. They are the first stage in our compost pile. After we mow the lawn, they get the clippings sprinkled around their pen. As we feed them our leftovers, they create, well…..which drops into the clippings. Every few weeks, we clean out their pen and put the ripe clippings in our compost pile. (You cannot put chicken droppings directly into your garden as it will burn your plants.) It’s an awesome recycling system!

We’re wondering if the powers that be are suggesting that we build an arch. Thursday afternoon while sitting on the front porch, Barbara and I heard a strange meowing and looked over the side rail, and lo and behold, there was the cutest kitten. Miss Puss wrangled her way into our front door and adopted us. Our other cats are still deciding upon whether they want to adopt her or not, but they’re getting closer to a positive decision.

Then yesterday afternoon, while Joe and the kids were out in the backyard building boxes in a factory like way, a literal pack of dogs showed up. Apparently there was one of them they decided to ditch, maybe they didn’t consider him cool enough, and Poodee Doots ended up staying. He’s the cutest thing. Probably a beagle/dachsund mix. Of course, then introductions had to be made with Roscoe, our one year old Great Pyreenes but they are getting along famously. The sublime and the ridiculous.

Have to wonder if a zebra or horse or goat might show up today!