Spring fever is in full force around here. We won't have any babies this year but we're sure enjoying watching everyone elses.

Yesterday when filling the water troughs I noticed a, ever so slight, green hue in our pastures. This made my day! The cows and Mo also seem to be enjoying this new green as well. They all seemed to graze along the ditch, it must be greening up quicker.

Update on Casino:

We took him in on Monday morning, the vet examined him, once he was asleep, and found no broken bone, bad teeth or even torn muscles. At best I felt as if she made a diagnosis on a guess, that diagnosis being, mandibular muscle malitosis( deterioration of his jaw muscles) This is an auto immune disease. Treatment is anti inflammatory meds., soft foods and time. He goes for a follow up visit this Sat. I'm apprehensive as to the cost of this follow up exam, as the running total is now well over $200. It seems as though the veterinarians feel as if you need to spend a small fortune on your beloved pets. If this flares up again we'll be treating Casino with homeopathics and herbs. We're all glad he's feeling better and the meds seem to be making that happen.

We've mixed our potting soil in a big tote, tub. Our mix consists of one bag( organic topsoil), some of our own compost, composted manure, kelp, natural calcium,and 1/2 c. lime( sweeten the soil)

The pots have been soaked in a light solution of bleach water and dried. All we need is the time to fill the pots and begin planting our seeds. First will be some of the annual herbs we know take longer to germinate. Then onto the peppers, cabbage, tomatoes and such. At this time we also like to start a few planter pots of lettuce mix, spinach and radishes. Since we eat seasonally, we begin craving new salad greens in mid March. I'd do sprouting during the winter months, but Mike and Cortney won't eat them. Toward the end of March is usually the time we set up our coldframes, nothing fancy, just old hay bales and old glass windows facing south. This year I've found an inexpensive greenhouse 6x6, $129, and plan to use it as our coldframe. Cortney wants to plant some melons, carrots, and pumpkins early, so this greenhouse will provide a great experiment for her( aka Scientific theory)

We need to make a quick trip into the city to pay our CPA for taxes. PTL! we're getting a nice return, even though we lost our child tax credit on Cortney. This money is already spent, on having a well drilled and the pump and electrical run out to the well. This is for irrigation, as well as water for animals and if need be for our use too. We've been irrigating our property with a gas powered pump, pumping water from the river. When the gas prices skyrocketed last summer, it about broke us to keep our pastures green. So... began the discussion to put in a well big enough to irrigate from. Hay prices have skyrocketed, so even the high cost of this set up will pay for itself in one to two seasons. We also now crop share 10 acres of hay ground. We pray this will cover our needs for hay in the coming winter. The least tons of hay we have to buy the better!

This has turned into a ramble of sorts. May the Lord bless you and keep you in these trying times .