Strawberry Patch

3 years ago, when we moved into this house, I planted 4 small store bought organic strawberry plants which produced half a dozen small grape size berries that first year. Those four plants have multiplied into what is now dozens and dozens of plants which produce HUGE juicy berries! I always clean up the patch this time of year, before the plants begin to flower. Trying to find the time to do this was challenging this year, as I needed several hours to get it done. Between kids' naps, their temperaments, the wet weather we've finally been having, my own motivation as well as other activities and events that seemed to be more important than digging in the dirt, I was beginning to think we'd just have to rummage through the weeds to pick our berries this year. But then we had a free, warm sunny day last weekend with two happy kids, a motivated mama and a few baby chicks that wanted to play outside with us in the sun.
A few of the plants already had flowers on them, but after all the love we gave them, vermicompost (worm poop) we mixed in with their soil and marigold seeds we planted all around them, I'm confident they will reward us with amazing fruit this June-October (yes, they give me strawberries that long). I can't wait! Whats even better is that Ezra will be a year old (that magic age the 'experts' say it's okay to introduce strawberries to babies) at the exact same time the first batch of berries will be ready to eat. I think I'm envisioning strawberry short cake as his birthday cake!

This is Sparkles. We won't know for sure for awhile but I am pretty sure she is in fact a he. I've told Esperanza that if she is a boy, we will be eating him for dinner. She wasn't the least bit bothered by the idea. Butter and Fluffy are behind her.

When the chickens come outside I have to enclose them with chicken wire caging so the cat doesn't eat them. Soon, they will be bigger than Lucy. Until then, they don't get to 'free range'.

As the day progressed and the sun became warmer, layer upon layer of clothing was shed.