Join Me in Welcoming

Please join us in welcoming the first kid of the 2016 birthing season!

I arrived home from a late night of work to discover our first time mama, Daisy, had successfully delivered, cleaned, and started nursing her very first little one. Needless to say, I was impressed! This new mama was in the birth stall, fully up and functioning before the after birth was even delivered.

Of course, this warranted a quick picture and phone call to my right hand farmgirl, Miss K- who was all smiles and squeals. She quickly decided on a name- mama is 'Saisy' (as she says it) and her baby is a little Bud. I believe she chose well.

 Miss K could hardly contain herself long enough to arrive for his welcome. As you can see, they were instant friends. K is quite the goat mama- gentle, soft spoken in the stall, and very gracious in letting mama 'Saisy' know she, too, is loved and is doing a very good job. I, however, was in the dog house because I forgot to bring the raisins (every animal gets a treat from Miss K when she comes to see them). Shame on me.

Today, Miss K still reels with delight in joy of new farm babies. We hike out there regularly for nibbles and nuzzles from this sweet guy- and, of course, keep our eye the other new mama to be who is showing some healthy signs of kidding.

Let's join Miss K in her enthusiasm and welcome Daisy's Buck to the Scaife Family Farm!

Miss K's New Loves

They arrived on the homestead farm Saturday morning; creatures great and small welcomed them with nuzzles and noises. No welcome was so wondrous as the one that came Sunday afternoon as our littlest farm girl found a whole new set of loves. 

Little Miss K has been combing the pages of our favorite poultry catalog for weeks. Each time revealed the struggle within her to choose only a few (a feeling I know well). She practiced her poultry care techniques with little fluffy toy chicks in order to be fully prepared when the real ones arrived. This weekend as a set of chicks found their way to our brooder, Miss K joined the ranks of crazy chicken ladies everywhere! 

Genuine enthusiasm and joy beamed from her dimpled face as she made her way to the brooder. Soft whispers of love and adoration were given as she crouched down and carefully let them settle at her presence. Hand feeding, gentle cuddles, and just plain sitting and observing their antics was the only thing on her agenda that day. Quite an attention span for an almost two year old!

I grew up with baby chicks. My children grew up with baby chicks. Now our little Miss K will grow up learning the many wonders and amazing life lessons chicks can give. Welcome to the family, Miss K's new loves. The 'wittle beebee shickiez' have arrived!

Little Hands on Deck

Of the many changes that have come to the homestead, a grand baby has been one of the most precious. Miss K has been a part of our lives for nearly two years, and in that time she has grown to be quite a little homestead hand.

She may look like a little doll, but this gal is a strong force to be reckoned with. Her little feet carry her to every corner of the Scaife Family Farm; barns, pastures, gardens and playgrounds are no match for her. K hauls feed, tosses hay, and works the garden right along side her Grand-daddy and me.

Every animal on the farm runs to greet their favorite little farm girl; they know she always comes baring gifts... raisins, carrots, and the tops of strawberries! Her hugs and kisses are welcome and met with tender nuzzles and noises. Eggs are gathered.. one at a time to the fridge and back. Nest boxes are fluffed every time she is here. Is it any wonder they love her?

As she grows, so do her skills. Where once she simply walked through the garden observing the growing things, now she pulls weeds, harvests, and waters. Instead of following us during chores, she pitches right in carrying feed and hay right alongside us. There is no need to drag her along, she visits all the different jobs several times in a day making sure little bits of things get done as we go.

The most important thing to remember when working with little ones at our heels.... to them all work is play. When K and I work together my expectations are light and flexible: we might work one row of weeds, clean one stall, or wash only a handful of dishes. That is all okay; it will get done, just slower that if I were doing it myself. It is about the process, not the results... and the process is a beautiful thing to be a part of.

For the Love of a Girl- Doc and Miss K

From the first moment they met, Doc knew he loved Miss K. This tiny human stole the heart of a giant long-eared grump.

For the love of this girl

he

paces the fence waiting for her to visit his pasture;

announces her arrival with what seems like enthusiasm- if a donkey can be enthusiastic.

For Miss K, Doc

withholds his nibbling habit

for the tender brushing fingers of her tiny hands;

allows mushy girl kisses to command his mighty presence.

Not only has Doc become rather mushy with her, but he even caved in to nibbling dried leaves instead of his preferred 'fresh green' leaves (though he does spit them out when she isn't looking).

He has been seen fretting over her as she climbs the slide, 

or works the garden.

Jealousy has been suspected when he sees her

petting Ben, 

or chatting with the goose.

Yes, it is quite mind boggling how such a determined beast can be brought to gentle grace by a tiny bundle of giggles and curls. 

He is the first to announce her arrival and the last to tell her goodbye.

He is the first name she calls when she gets here and the last visit she makes before going home.

For the love of a donkey, Miss K sneaks carrots and apples from the fridge- and talks everyone into a walk outside.

For the love of a girl, Doc humbles himself with gentle love and grace.

I'm just waiting for the day she finally gets him to 'sit' on command (she is working very hard on that one). 

The Adventures of Miss K: S is for Song

No matter what the moment or the mood we find ourselves in, a song always brings a smile. It seems a great many of our emotions are lifted when music tickles our ears. Miss K loves to sing.

In moments of play she is always drawn to musical items: her favorite? the nativity that plays Away in  a Manger. Dancing and smiling, the music gives her joy and softens a sour moment. Knowing this, we have set various 'musical' items around the house in order to offer her opportunity. Of course, she loves to snatch my phone with a request for Pandora's toddler tunes. Music is joyful, but singing is even better.

Holding a baby doll in her arms, she starts the tune Rock a by Baby, eyeing anyone nearby to join her. There is Twinkle Twinkle and a host of other familiar tunes- but there is one that stirs a reaction like no other. A song a have sung to her since birth; one I keep unique to her and her alone. When the first few words are heard all movement stops. She turns to face me with a smile bigger than anything you have ever seen. Giggles escape her as she wiggles side to side and inches closer- because we have to have a full hearty hug at the end.

I have no idea what made this 'our song'- it isn't modern, new, or even that common. It's quirky and unusual- like us. Interestingly enough I had decided the second verse just didn't fit us, so I reworded it when she just a few months old; a reflection of the crazy chaos that was at that time and how fun it was in spite of it.

So here it is, Miss K's favorite (the original version).

The Adventures of Miss K: We Paint

In the afternoon, long after goat herding and chicken chasing, there comes a point in the day where we paint. A time of togetherness; of quite and stillness; painting time is where no words are spoken- none are needed. We paint. 

I hear the pitter-patter of her little feet. There at my side she smiles, paints and brushes in hand, and impish smile and teasingly asks, 'We paint?" She knows I always say yes. The anticipation builds in her little heart as I grab paper and a bowl of water; she loves to paint. 

At the table, she climbs to her favorite perch a.k.a. my lap. For the record, I attempted to find her a chair just the right height, but that was not going to work for Miss K. My lap is where it's at! Sitting there together, she has her paper and I have mine Together we begin the beautiful dance from water to paint to paper. Swish, swish, swish. 

Recently I purchased some glitter water colors- imagine her delight! Then I picked up a few new paint brushes- now that excited her. She loved them so much, she used every one of them (at the same time). 

Generally Miss K is much like me- always moving and going; quite a busy gal. Not true when we paint. Here she is still and quiet; focused on the process; unphased by the outcome. Some days she uses her favorite colors: blue, yellow and green. Recently she has been focused on individual colors and their variance: blue, then purple. I think for a 1 year old that is fairly amazing. 

What happens to all these water color pages? I'm glad you asked. After they have dried and Miss K has gone home, I sit down and sketch a memory on them. One of her in the garden, one on her swing, another with her donkey- you get the idea. These are gathered together in a folder for when she is older- Miss K's watercolor memories of Grandmama's house.