Spring, Snowstorm and Squab

What a busy last few days! I have much to share, and hope I don't lose your interest halfway through.

Last Thursday's poultry auction, while warmer than the previous month, and certainly a blessing that it fell on Thursday this month instead of the following day — there just wasn't much to choose from. About half as many items for sale, and half as many people. There weren't any Cayuga ducks (for me to make good on replacing my son's drake), and no geese or turkeys that Steven was interested in owning.

However, ran into another friend of ours there, and he purchased a huge lot of pigeons (to use to train his bird dogs). In that batch of pigeons were two which stood out from the rest, because they were not colored the same. One was reddish and one was white. Steven talked with Mickey about those two, because he liked them, and ended up bringing them home:



Now, some have asked me "what good is a pigeon?" I have to admit I'm not real sure of an answer on that! Some people eat them, I know, as squab -- quite a delicacy in other cultures. Cheap meat that many Europeans used to raise. Some varieties of pigeons can be kept for competitions in messaging, or in acrobatics, etc. Apparently they can even be used in warfare! (that's an interesting article Steven found while researching pigeons). Overall, though - Steven just likes birds. All types. And he just wanted to have them. Much in the same way I want every dog I see. :)

Steven this week is working toward building some kind of dovecote in the top of the pole barn for his new acquisitions. He is hoping one would be male and one female, so he could raise little ones; but now he's thinking they are probably both female.

Then Friday came the big spring snowstorm. I left work early to make sure I could get home, and it was basically raining ice (sleet) very heavily at that time. Overall, though, the farm got much more snow and less ice than Wichita did. We estimated 8 inches - although since it came down in blizzard conditions, with much drifting and blowing, it was really hard to tell.

The goats didn't like it at all! They stayed in the barn and kept bellowing at us to bring them more food. The ducks didn't seem to mind the snow at all. Most all the other animals stayed huddled in protection somewhere unseen.

Saturday afternoon the sun came out and the melting began. Now things are a muddy mess, but we needed the moisture, so it was good.

Sunday we went to McPherson to see my other two kids, and my young men had fun building a snow fort and having a snow ball fight.

(click on any of the photos to view them larger)

(p.s. -- I think those coveralls I purchased for Steven at Orscheln (back when his sister worked there)is one of the best investments I have ever made! Now I want a pair for me!)