Slush

Totally random picture I love of Solveig watching Silje paint.  Silje has recently been working on her watercolor techniques, and she’s actually pretty good.  I’m always amazed at the thought she puts into it.      Painting has become as much of a passion for her as reading lately.  Here she was showing Solveig how brushing in different directions give different affects.  This is her special paint set that Knut gave her that the little kids aren’t allowed to touch.  They have their own messy paints.  🙂

We’re deep in slush.  We’ve once again been to activities outside the house every day this week.  So much for my resolve to be home at least every other day.  It was just one of those weeks where all the things that happen once a month, or even once a year, happen all in the same week.  4H meetings, birthday parties, chess club, choir practice, authentic Japanese dinners, piano lessons, book club…
Knut has been kept hoppin’ clearing away another layer of slush from the driveway as often as the sun allows, as well as attending his share of Spring meetings for the farm and for church what seems nearly every night.

One of the big benefits of this warmer weather has been finally setting up the electric fence we got for Missy.  I’ve been able to exercise her a lot more, and introduce her to her new fence collar.  It’s a great system where when she comes within 20 yards of the road, her collar starts to vibrate.  At 15 yards from the road, her collar starts vibrating and giving off a noise that is unpleasant.  At 10 yards from the road it administers a shock.

So far she stops at the vibrating, which she hates.  In fact, it’s really freaking her out.  She clings to me when I’ve been trying to train her, and so I think I have a lot more work ahead of me.  Even funnier, she herds me away from the vibration area of the yard, in hopes that I won’t feel that awful sensation.  When I approach the restricted area to get our mail from the roadside mailbox, she stands in front of me and pushes me back towards the house.

I’m still trying to figure out the new fence system, and training her in properly.  Next week should provide more opportunities for that.

The cats are wandering all around lately.  I’ve seen a few of them snacking on mice outside, and it seems early for that.  Knut said that perhaps the mice have run out of their winter food already, otherwise they wouldn’t venture out.  At any rate, I’m so thankful for our cats right now.  They are doing their jobs.  I don’t like seeing dead mice, but I like seeing live ones less.

The cats do destroy the garage when they get in there.  Silje feeds them down in the barn every evening.  I absolutely love seeing her feed them every evening.  She fills up a container of food for them and shakes it as she walks from the house to the barn.  Cats from all over the garage and yard perk up and run behind her in step like the Pied Piper.  I seriously think they would follow her anywhere.

That means we’re all out of our hibernation but the chickens.  Their coop is still surrounded by snow drifts up to their windows that are slushy in a hollow sort of way.  The poor hens will have to wait a bit longer.

New layer chicks are arriving next week.  Stay tuned!