Friday bullets - February 26, 2021

It is amazing the difference a little sunshine and (even slightly) warmer weather can make in ones outlook on life. Spring might just actually arrive someday.

• To that end, I decided that I really needed to do something about ordering seeds, so that is what I've been working on the past couple of days. The dire news I'd been hearing about seed supplies being low didn't seem to affect me, as I was able to get just about everything I wanted. I don't think I'm going to be growing as many different things this year, but will instead focus on growing more of the things we eat a lot of. I need to start thinking about getting things set-up to start seeds soon.
• A reader asked how our chickens and other birds were doing during the horrible cold spell. They are all fine. The chickens spent most of the time hanging about inside the coop, only coming out to get some food and water. We did put scratch down in the bottom of the coop to keep them occupied. The ducks and geese didn't seem to know it was cold and would spend their days lying on the ice inside the pen. I let them out the other day for the first time in a long time. For about fifteen minutes they all stood there looking at the open door as if they were confused as to what they were supposed to do. They finally figured it out. As to coyotes... we have lost a few birds to coyotes including the really mean rooster, Rooster. (I'm afraid there was not much mourning over his loss.) It's one reason why they are only let out for a limited amount of time each day. The other reason that if the ducks are out for too long they get into trouble.
• We are coming to the end of our Ancient Greece study, so to celebrate, at the end of March we'll have a party with Greek food and a performance of Theseus and the Minotaur. We started looking at the play this past week. Everyone is really enjoying their parts, so much so that I found them all rehearsing on their own when I got back from a quick grocery store run this morning.
• I haven't had to wear snow pants while working in the barn for a week.
• W. and MC have found an apartment in the city which they will be moving into at the beginning of March. We will really miss not having W. around on a daily basis, but it is very good that MC can move up here and they can actually begin their life together. And Chicago really isn't that far away from us.
• Earlier in the week I finished Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport that Changed their Lives Forever by Kareem Rosser. It is the story of children growing up in a very impoverished area of Philadelphia who become involved at a local stable through a program called Work to Ride. Horses, polo, equity, entitlement, healing... there is a lot in there. Even if you are not interested in polo, I highly recommend it. 
• I am hearing sleet hitting the window as I write this. Yuck.
• A few times this week we've heard an owl or two outside the window at night. I'd rather hear and owl than sleet.
• Y. got to put in new earrings today and was very happy.

It evidently wasn't a terribly eventful week because there isn't much else to say. So, I'll end here. Have a great weekend.