Come and Stay, Spring!

There are actually tiny green leaves next to the swelling, pink buds that suddenly have appeared from the dried-looking stems on the trees in the yard.  Dare we believe that spring is truly here?  It seems like winter has dawdled and dwindled. Perhaps winter is feeling that being in the limelight should be savored and coddled, no matter the effect on the shivering masses, waiting for a warm tap on their bony, winter-weary shoulders from a benevolent, old friend, Spring.  But, the calendar says that spring truly is here-Yes! we see it parked in our driveway-we are just waiting for it to get out of the vehicle and make itself a guest in our home.

 Last year at this time, we were in ecstasy (and in another state) over the birth of our new grandson...and while we were gone, grumpy old winter got back at us for leaving the farm with a freezing gust that took half of our blueberries.  Once a blueberry bush has blossomed, if there is a freeze, you will lose whichever blossoms succumb to the cold.  

Just enlarge this picture to see the blueberries to come!

This year, we are being on watch, like a once-plundered old man sitting at his window, rifle in hand, waiting for that no-good blueberry thief to show himself again.  Well, not really, but it does help to convey the feeling of not wanting to see our beloved berries stolen away again if it can be helped.  There is, after all, still a chilly wind in the air...

The bees are happily pollinating the blossoms; you can hear a low buzzing when you approach the bushes....one cannot but help to imagine smoothies, blueberry pie, blueberry topped cheesecake, muffins, pancakes...OH MY!

In other news...

 The new chicks are growing up really quickly.  Poppy put up a barrier in the coop so that the old girls could still come in and privately sit in the nesting boxes without tripping over the silly young whippersnappers.

  But Poppy did not fully understand the need for the genteel, older women to have their total privacy and dignity.  He thought that if he left a space for the little ones to run under when the big girls were around, they would  respectfully take their leave when they got the stink eye from the matriarchs.  Hmmm, you would think, would you not?  However, Poppy did not listen to Mamie (again) this time, and felt he had come up with an ingenious plan to just let the old and young intermingle and get to know each other's inherent qualities. Please note the results below....

 You probably can guess: the little gawky nerds went way beyond their boundaries, and one poor girl got her head knocked silly; she was put into her place by an older woman that knows how things are done around here.  So, Poppy really  made extra work for himself-not only having to put up another board on the bottom of the partition, but also putting the little teenaged patient in isolation with a greasy head full of triple antibiotic.  

Sigh...life around the farm....never a dull moment.
Nurses Pickles and Stella insisted that they have a look at the bandaged patient...

Said patient was embarrassed that she was in this predicament....

Nurse Pickles, gifted animal whisperer that she is, knew to check the distressed chickie's temperature...

"She will live!" nurse Pickles proclaimed.  So Mamie and Poppy can rest tonight, knowing that the little mischievous chick will grow up with her siblings.  Thank you, Pickles, for your gift of foresight.

In other farm news, Mamie had a craving for something sweet and delicious, but she did not want to lift a pinkie to make a delectable dessert.  So she asked Poppy to take a turn and make a special dish they could enjoy together.  Here is what he presented her with...

Mamie is still mad that Poppy stole the baby leaves off of her hydrangeas....but at least her sweet-tooth was calmed for the night.
EDITED TO ADD:

Good thing Mamie didn't chew those leaves!  POISONOUS!!!
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