As I listen to the rain gently tapping on the roof, I am so thankful for many blessing that God has bestowed on us in the past few months. Danny's gall bladder surgery went well and he is healing. We have several new babies on the homestead. The plants are growing. This is a little catch-up of what is going on. I have been trying to take care of Danny and the homestead, so please forgive me for not posting as often as I should. Maybe I will be able to communicate on a regular basis soon.
Danny went through his surgery with no complications. That was something that I was a little anxious about. He had lost so much weight and had so many problems with the food he ate. We were blessed with a good surgeon and quick hospital stay, only about 8 hours. Over the past few days, he seems to be gradually recovering. He is able to walk around the property several times a day and supervise my projects. I even allow him to help with small tasks that he won't be picking up something or straining to do. He was supposed to video some of our projects, but the 2 most important ones, didn't record. I am not sure if it was the camera or the cameraman! Maybe soon we will be back in our regular roles. LOL Before the next week is over he will be doing a more but still no lifting. He is used to being outside completing many chores each day. I will be glad when he can do what he wants.
Babies are a wonderful addition! We had 7 baby chicks born on Saturday, before the surgery on Monday. To top that off, there was a cold front moved in that night and stayed for 3 days. On Sunday I tried to find a chick sitter. No luck, so the babies had to go in the "chick room" in the Chicken House. I put their heat light on, added food and water and left them for the next 24 hours by themselves with no one to check them. When I got Danny settled in after surgery, I took off to see if they were still alive. All 7 are doing great! Then on Good Friday, a friend let us get a couple of 6 week old New Zealand rabbits. They are so soft and cuddly. I built a catch tray for the poop, with my patient supervising. That is quite an accomplishment for me. The poop and pee will be caught and used for fertilize on our plants. The rabbits are going to be our momma rabbits in a couple of months. I named them Trixie and Dixie. Trixie has an attitude and doesn't want to be held. Dixie is the calm one. Danny asked how I knew which one was which because they both look alike, all white. I wait until I pick one up! That is the only way to tell.
The plants are growing really well. We have such a variety of them budding, blooming and popping through the ground. Now we are eating strawberries, asparagus, lettuce, green onion, and collards fresh. Every day for the past week we have had something from our place. I am longing for the day we eat 90% from our garden. The English peas are putting on runners. The potatoes are about 14 inches tall. The green beans and corn are about 1 inch tall, but with the light rain today they will grow fast. The huckleberries and mulberries are loaded with berries that will be ready in a few weeks to pick. Blueberries, apples, pears, peaches and orange trees are all blooming. Oh how I wish you could smell the orange blooms! That is the best smell as you walk by. I transplanted some of the tomatoes, egg plant, watermelon, cucumbers, and spaghetti squash. I planted yellow squash and top ground potatoes this week. My herbs are flourishing also. I have dill, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, yarrow, plantain, oregano, and mint. Everything is growing and we should have a bountiful harvest.
Our YouTube subscribers have been a blessing with the calls, emails, messages, cards, letters, gifts, blessings, support and most importantly prayers. Danny received graft tape, rooting hormone and black walnut seeds. Another box had a scoby to make kombucha tea, turmeric root, tree collards and jungle peanuts for us. I went out and planted the tree collards, I didn't want them to ruin. The next day I started my kombucha tea. This is something I made about 15 years ago, but had quit making after about a year. I was excited to start it again. The turmeric was something I had been looking for. I wanted to plant some. I am thankful for our friends thinking of us. Our homestead is about permaculture and growing edible plants all in our landscape. Soon we plan to start a walk around the property and explain how things are working for us.
