wonderful

Last week was quite good.   

We had amazingly warm weather.  Sweaty hot.  It was the first time in months I was able to enjoy being barefoot.  I loved each and every moment. 

While we were enjoying the fine weather, we successfully hatched 27 chicks.  

We loved the abundance of all of the chicks, but don't exactly have the facilities for those numbers of chickens. 

So, we delivered 24 of the chicks to the farm on their second day, keeping the three smallest chicks a little while longer.  

In exchange for the chicks, Melissa gave me 12 goose eggs.  Can you imagine my delight to be in possession of a full dozen goose eggs?  I could only manage to fit 11 of the goose eggs in the incubator.   The small smattering of eggs on top are 3 chicken, 2 banties, 2 guineas and one duck.  To use a garden metaphor here, the geese are the pumpkins, the other eggs, the rest of the plants.   

The 12th goose egg is waiting on deck.  If I have to take anything out of the incubator because it's not growing, #12 will go in right away. 

In another incubator I have been working on hatching some friends for Elizabeth Taylor, the one and only Sebastopol goose on Melissa's farm.  The four Sebastopol eggs which I ordered from Indiana, arrived three weeks ago, and I am delighted to report that they each have a baby goose growing inside.  (In case you're keeping track, that's 15 goose eggs growing in my kitchen.  Joy!)

The chances of all four shipped eggs taking off and growing are extremely rare.  I was hoping to hatch one or two geese, four would be a miracle.  Hatch day is next Monday.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Liz really needs a husband. 

Elizabeth Taylor with Ryan and Bruce. 

Meanwhile, I've been spending lots of time in the garden. 

This week we added tomatoes and pumpkins to our already growing winter veggies. 

We have a few pink strawberries. 

The first of what I'm sure will be many pumpkin pics this season.

And the flowers in our front bed are the best ever.