note: to nest.

....

Springtime has got me nesting.

Our hills are full of snow,

the valley floor an electric green.

There's baby chickens in our garage,

the peas and radishes are up,

and Lucky Red thinks she's part of our human family.  

The front porch of our home is also now her space...

And I'm not even mad about it.

This season is undoubtedly my favorite.

My studio is at a quiet rest,

mostly waiting on fresh silver in the mail....

My hands are constantly in the soft dirt of our third season in this garden.

Iris swell with buds ready to pop,

and that front porch is a maze of bohemian living.

Guitars, hammocks, muddy boots, rag-rugs, and yard tools.

I had some iced tea in a mason jar yesterday

and I am living in sandals and wool sweaters.

Between rainstorms, sunny afternoons, and short hail spurts,

it's a grande time dodging the weather in and out of this home.

Summer's buzz is around the corner, 

and I savor every sunny minute of Montana's late spring.

Hope your little nest is full of sunshine and fuzz too.

To the richness of it all, ya'll.

And the inches of mud piling in corners of my home from hardworking boots.

XO Erin

Hope for Hens

zoooom!

Baby Chicks!

Jesse and I decided it was time to don our own flock of backyard chickens.

Limit 6 in Whitefish.

Hopefully they are all Hens, because it's yet to be decided who has to don the butcher knife for the impending rooster issue. I sure as heck don't want to chop any heads! We got these ladies for eggs, and supposedly will have them by the end of August. Currently they reside in the kitchen, in tupperware.

We have 2 Rhode Island Reds, 3 Black Stars, and one Silver Wyandotte (my personal fave so far, she *I hope* is so stinkin' funny, and will grow up to be a beautiful bird. I admit, it's the reason I chose her.) Nobody has names yet, but I am thinking one of the RIR's is gonna be Houdini, who is proving to be a little escape artist already.

I know nothing about chickens. Literally, NOTHING.

Except for I like eggs, and I don't want a rooster,

Their poop is gold, and they eat table scraps.

tips or suggestions welcome.

So many things happening in the next few weeks, April's Spring is going to zoom right on by....School is only 5 more weeks long! There's a student art show next week, I am taking wax carving lessons from the lovely Jeri once a week or so, I am re-creating an engagement ring for my dear and very pregnant friend in CAD class in a very scary 14k gold with real diamonds from her old ring (and If that isn't a case of nerves, I don't know what is) and the UC Art show is sneaking up closer and closer.

Plus. I want a garden.

all my own.

A big one.

Bad.

Since Jesse and I have been together

(5 years to be exact, can you believe that!)

We have always shared a lovely family garden.

But it's time for our own.

Something that truly is Ours.

That we build together.

And I am very ready for that.

I want Raspberries. And Rhubarb. And Asparagus.

Plum Trees and Pickling Cucumbers.

I have crazy seeds I want to try, and things I don't even know if they grow here.

I want permanent strawberries, and Perennial Herbs.

I want the coolest chicken coop you've ever seen,

and THREE bins for compost.

I want raised beds, and electricity.

Sunflowers everywhere, in all types and colors.

I was told prayer flags weren't allowed.

Too hippie for Jess.

but we all know they'll end up in there anyway : )

I want it all, and I want it my way. hehe.

kidding.

Kind of.

: )