Little Bundles of Joy

After tracking these precious little ones for almost two days, the post office called this morning to let me know they had arrived. I barely slept last night for worry. However, they arrived safe and sound. Carefully taking the box from the postal worker, I sat it gingerly on the passenger seat. I had warmed the car considerably for the last leg of their journey.

When I arrived home, I quickly let the dogs out and then carefully opened the box. Inside were six of the cutest little Ancona ducklings (reminding me of when my Cayuga ducklings arrived this time last year - were they really that little too?). I picked each one up in turn and dipped her beak in the water Brian had prepared earlier with electrolytes. They eagerly drank and then hobbled to the feeder where chick starter pellets awaited them. After getting their fill they all headed under the Brinsea heater for a nap.

And so it's a day of watching carefully these little bundles of joy. Drinking. Eating. Napping. Repeat . . .

Spring is in the Air

Since moving into March we've enjoyed warm weather here on the farm. The snow is gone and in its place are puddles and lots of mud from the installation of water lines to the barn last fall. It's a mess! It's fun to watch the ducks playing in the puddles though and the chickens are venturing further from the coop foraging for whatever falls prey in their path. Seeing them at the outskirts of the farm yard makes me nervous and I keep a close eye out. It's reassuring to know that Rooster is out with his hens keeping watch. I have to chuckle as he prances from one group of hens to the next in all is studly splendor.

The girls have just a few more months before their crias (baby alpacas) are born. Soon they'll be heading into the big pasture and we'll be keeping vigil for the signs of our first born alpaca here on the farm. It's an exciting time!

The Ancona ducklings I ordered in January have been shipped and I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival in the next day or two. I can't imagine starting life out in a box and being juggled around to boot. The brooder is ready with warming lights, electrolyte water and food and we're ready with lots of love and care. It will be fun to watch them grow and have their first experiences. Swimming, of course, is at the top of the list. And their first days outside enveloped in protective fencing for the first few months. I wonder what our resident ducks will think of the new additions?

The window and pantry renovations are nearing completion and I'm looking forward to the porch and stair additions at the front of the house. The new front door was installed last fall and once the weather is consistently warm, I'm going to paint it red. I ran other colors by Brian, but he's stuck on red. Sometimes we just have to appease the men in our life - especially when they rarely have an opinion.

I saw two Robins in the back yard this morning. So now it's a waiting game . . . for the ground to dry and warm under the careful watch of the sun. Spring has sprung.