Monterey Peninsula

We made our annual spring pilgrimage to the Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove area last week. It was wonderful as always. We spent most of the day at Point Lobos. It was really busy there, but a gorgeous day all the same. We didn't see any otters like we usually do, but we did see harbor seals and sea lions AND we found a cool tidepool with lots of sea urchins and chitons. After a fun day of exploring, we stopped off at the Sea Harvest and had clam chowder and fish. The boys, of course, had chicken. I guess we are lucky that this year Andy will eat chicken. There was nothing on the menu that he would eat last year. Point Lobos has to be one of the most beautiful places in California, if not the whole west coast. It is just amazing.

Chicks!!

We finally got some babies! It was weird how it all came about. We were lamenting that all of the hatcheries seemed to be out of the bantam layers we wanted and were ready to just get a few smaller standards. So we researched some of the smaller sized standards and decided we would be ok with them. It would be nice to have some full sized eggs.

Mr. Geek REALLY wanted to get some chickens, but we couldn't find any we wanted. I decided to check craigslist and found someone with Aracaunas and Welsummers, two standard breeds on our short list. We drove 1.5 hours each way and picked out the last Aracauna and 2 week old Welsummers. They are all so cute. Susie the Aracauna (so named by Rob) is about a month old and quite the escape artist who required a bit of wing trim her first night with us, and Ginger and Corsair are smaller, but definitely using their wings too, and it won't be too long. I love their chipmunky look. They are all going to be so lovely as they get older, and they are quite engaging and amusing now. Susie will eventually lay medium to large bluish green eggs by summer time and Ginger and Corsair will lay large dark brown eggs.

It has been a very chicken spring break so far and it was so fun to have some little peeps for Easter here with us! They are such awesome pets.

First Harvest!

Rob pulled the first of the radishes yesterday. He thought that was so much fun and especially loved eating the pretty little Easter Egg radishes. We'll have more again in a few weeks. We now have lettuce planted and will soon be planting some carrots.

7 years

We've been married 7 years today. 7 years of wedded bliss. Ok, so a lot of it hasn't been blissful. We've had two wonderful children, both of whom have special needs and challenges, and that takes its toll on a couple, no matter how much we love them (and we do!) We haven't ever gone away by ourselves because Mr. Geek doesn't want to, though once in a while I would like it. We've gone through my severe depression, job terminations, career changes, and we've lived in 7 homes in 7 years. That's a LOT for a couple. But here we are, still together. Neither of us is the happy type (we tend to be moody and broody) but we are happier with each other than we'd be with anyone else, I think. Here's to many more years. :)

Just another (fun!) day at the Martinez Marina

I forgot to journal about a recent trip to Martinez (weekend before last). It was a gorgeous (albeit windy) spring-like day and everything was crystal clear. We saw the usual gulls (western), avocets, western grebes, etc. But this time we also saw a sea lion off the side of the jetty. It was pretty cool! Usually there are a bunch of people fishing out there. A fisherman came along and told us that the sea lion likes to hang around when they are fishing and steal the fish right off the line! What a clever bugger! It was fun to watch and the boys were enthralled. Andy was making roaring and growling sounds at it after hearing it was a sea LION. Silly boy!

We love going out there, there's always so much to see and you can see the train tracks, small craft in the marina, large ships, and TWO bridges: Carquinez and Benicia. It's also a nice spot to go in the summer because it's windy and cooler than the surrounding areas. It's one of our favorite local landmarks.

Spring has sprung!

I've been so busy and infected with spring FEVER! It's been so great here. I've been outside creating and amending 4 planting beds (building them up from a gravel pit, it's been a lot of work!) Mr. Geek has helped a lot on weekends at well. I think I may finally have them ready for planting in a few weeks.

So, along with garden fever I have somehow ALSO contracted chicken fever. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our dear little chicks. We've finally found a feed store that will order the kinds we want (bantams that will lay a reasonable number of eggs) plus a few silkie chickens for fun and because they are supposed to make great pets. I have learned more than I ever would have thought I would know about chickens. I can't wait to raise some baby chicks as well. It may be another month before we get them, but I can be patient, I think. We are hoping to get one or more of the following: Ameraucana (they lay blue and green eggs!!), Barred Plymouth rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and the aforementioned silkies. All of these are supposed to be gentle, sweet natured hens, and we look forward to adding them to the family. The coop is almost done, and it looks pretty good.

So, with all of this garden and chicken fever I haven't done much scrapbooking. It's bound to happen in the springtime for me though. Spring and fall are my favorite seasons and I like to be outside working in the yard. I get a lot more scrapping done in the summer and winter when it's either raining or too hot to be outside.

I made an interesting discovery while clearing a planting bed in front of weeds today. I found 4 perfectly intact squirrel skulls. I think they must fall or get knocked out of the palm trees out front (which are right next to this planting bed).

I've been busy at Rob's school helping in the classroom and helping at Andy's school as well. Andy is going on his first field trip this Friday. They are going to a farm. I am driving him to the farm. We also have Pinewood Derby this week and a few other things, and next week looks hectic as well. Then we get a week off to just chill. That will also be when I start planting parts of my garden. Can't wait! My radishes are getting close to harvest time...I can't believe how slow they have been to "round out" but they are doing pretty well now. Not a single one has been attacked by a predator (leaves anyway). I guess containers are the way to go for radishes. I started some baby leaf lettuces from seed too, but I won't see them pop up for another week. Soon it will be carrot planting time too! Well, as soon as those radishes come out.