Western Massachusetts

We went to western Massachusetts to pick up some berry plants that I had ordered. We planned the trip so that we could spend time with our cousins. Our trip was delayed by a couple of hours due to my hitting a large cobble in the road which flattened our front tire. The poor kids kept asking, why aren't we getting the raspberries? We limped home (we were already a half hour west of home when this happened) got a spare tire and limped over to our mechanic. You ask, why didn't I just change the tire? Run-flats....name of our tire....you can drive on it 50 miles. All very complicated. Anyways, we made it to pick up the berries and onto the cousins! There's Thomas looking pretty cute on Eric's digger. The boys are peaking out with Erica, their much loved cousin. She is so cute with the boys and they adore her. I have a feeling her mom was sort of like that with me and my siblings when we were about that age. I think Erica said she will be 10 this summer. We hope to go out again this summer to swim with them.

The same day, we picked up 10 chicks from the farmer down the road...pictures coming. We lost 4 hens and a rooster about 3 weeks ago so our egg production is way down....hence the purchase of 10 more chicks! We also caught one of Tina's roosters and he has happily settled in here to protect and torment our remaining 6 hens. Nathan has taken it as his job to feed and care for the chicks. They are in a dog crate in the cellar so he goes down and sits with them. He also feeds them morning and night. He does very well with them...more gentle than Thomas.