Cosycactus

Finally taking time for a little update here on the blog! It is a photo heavy post as I have been using my "proper" camera more often now, but I had problems uploading photos to my computer so they are all coming out today. 

It is also a chicken heavy post! Not sure if I have shared photos of our chickens here before, I know I  have on Instagram. I love all the colors they have.

The chicks are doing really fine, and just love to cuddle up around the neck and face for a quick nap. Mamma hen (snow ball) is really ok with us picking up the chicks and is not aggressive at all. They are all five doing well and turning from fluff balls into feathery teenagers now.

The weather is pretty much unpredictable still. We had a couple of really warm days, followed by incredible storms, but today and the rest of the week we have 5 degrees and it is supposed to snow tomorrow. But we know were we live, and are grateful for the few days of summer we get each year. We have been taking walks in the forest most days and just watching nature transform from winter and into spring and summer.  I am also expanding the garden a little this year, putting up some walls for raspberries and getting a strawberry patch ready. Otherwise there are potatoes, kale (green and purple), salad, radishes, carrots, onions and tomato plants. Red and black currants will hopefully also bloom this year and of course rhubarb! 

We have a short-eared owl nesting just behind our home. She has laid five eggs, which you can see above. We have to be very careful as to not disturb them, and we are avoiding that part of the forest at least until mid July when the babies will have left the nest. We do hope though to get close in a couple of weeks to see if we can take a look at the baby owls.

Getting ready for winter, chopping wood. I always remember this quote while chopping wood: "Before enlightment chop wood, carry water. After enlightment chop wood, carry water"

My babies, milk kefir and sourdough starter.

Enjoying home made yoghurt on the one day of sun we had. 

It is also the one year anniversary of my PhD defense! I remember very well when I woke up on the day of my defense and thought of how life would be one year from then. Well life has turned out quite nice and I am finally getting into the rhythm of a job I really enjoy, taking care of my growing kids and all the challenges that pre-teens come with, and keeping up with the homestead. 

We are really looking forward to summer break, though I will be working as much as I can until mid July, as I have no official holidays the first year of employment.

Hope to drop by here soon again! Have a great week. xxx