We had a weekend pretty typical of most of early spring in New England…lots of sap buckets and lots of mud. We saw so many hawks that I lost count.

Saturday morning we attended a little children’s program, put on by our local symphony’s outreach group. And by local symphony, I mean the symphony of our nearest large city, about 45 minutes away. The program was referred to as a “musical petting zoo”. The kids got a hands-on opportunity to explore various instruments. Would you believe that I forgot my camera?? The site of Elijah playing a little half violin was nearly too precious to bare! He had very little interest in trying the other instruments, but the violins really captured his attention. He’s been saying for quite some time now that when he’s old enough for music lessons, he wants to learn to play the violin. The look on Iain’s face when he finally got the trumpet to sound, was pretty priceless too! They were disappointed that the “zoo keeper” hadn’t brought and upright bass! Galen was partial to the triangle.

The program was at the library of our sister town, our neighbors to the east, with whom we share an elementary school and a dump. The historic part of town is very picturesque, a collection of quaint old homes and churches, that looks like something off of a postcard. It was a beautiful day with a clear, bright blue sky. After the program we took a quick walk, stopping to watch sap drip into buckets and hawks circle the sky.

This weekend marked a first for us. We finally, finally got up the nerve to prune our fruit trees. We have two plum trees, two cherry trees and a peach tree. I’m hoping to add more in the coming years. I’ve always wanted an orchard. Then when people ask things like “Where are the kids?” you can answer “Oh, their off playing in the orchard…” Yeah, I spent my girlhood reading too many historic novels that took place in the countryside of England… None-the-less, it’s a lovely dream for a family with interests in sustainable living and food production. Now it’s time for us to really get into the nitty-gritty and learn how to properly care for it all. This was a step in the right direction. We were nervous, but heres hoping we did well! So, um, how many trees do you think an orchard makes, anyway??

No takers yet on the little kitty who wondered into our lives last week. I posted a found cat report with the local shelters, sent out an email on our town’s email list, and spread the word through the library and other various hot spots. Despite 4 inquiries in the first two days, no one has claimed her, and we’ve had no calls since. We’ve introduced her to our cat Constance, and it went surprisingly well. It’s looking like she may have found a home after-all. We’ve decided to name her ‘Maple’, and the kiddles are just tickled-pink. She’s already starting to put on some weight and is turning into a beautiful cat with a sweet personality. We’re hoping to be able to bring both cats up to the new house soon.

I have a ton of projects that need attending to. Hopefully I will have some crafty things to post for you soon!