Spring is one of the four seasons. It marks the transition from winter into summer. The days are nearly twelve hours long with increasing day length as summer approaches. Spring is a time of growth and renewal for numerous species and plant life.

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" ~Robin Williams

April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go. ~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Proverb

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. ~Doug Larson

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!
~Robert Browning

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. ~Nadine Stair

It's that time of year, the transition from winter to spring is nearly complete! The last of our dirty snow piles have melted, leaving mucky ground below. Of course the ducks love the gooey, muddy heaps and Babe, our pot bellied pig roots happily around the property, his pig pink nose no longer pink!

We love our little farm, we adore all our critters!! This is the time our critters bless us with little ones to care for, bond with and immediately love! Our hearts are full and it feels good!!!

We currently have 32 baby chicks. Twenty six of them are inside a warm, red lighted trough. Each day they grow bigger and sounds of mayhem within their temporary home alerts us, it will soon be time for them to make the transition to new digs outside in the chicken coop. As soon as nighttime temps outside remain well above freezing (which usually happens about Memorial Day here in northwestern Montana) we will scoop them up and introduce each to a life of free ranging within the safety of double fenced boundaries.

In the "Hen Den" one of our little banty hens surprised us this year with six chicks...her first hatching and she is a wonderful, dotting mama!!

Side note: Just this moment, I noticed something fluttering outside my front screened door. I looked up just in time to witness a beautiful hummingbird looking for one of the nectar filled flowers I recently planted on the front porch. Another sign, spring truly is in the air!!!

Our babies bring us such happiness, as do our elder critters. But there is just something about babies, 'wee ones' that makes your heart sing! If everything comes together as nature plans, it does not take long to bring new little ones in to this world.

Gestation times for critters on our farm:

Rabbits 29-35 days

Chickens 21 days

Pygmy Goats 145-153 days

Dogs 63 days

Ducks 28-30 days

Pot Bellied Pigs 110-115 days

Cats 63-67 days

Yes, spring has sprung and our farm is bustling with new life...even the giant ant hill out front is busy, busy, busy!! When we purchased our property and found the massive hill, our first thought was to destroy it by fire.

We named our farm - Harmony Homestead; we are a no kill farm and that includes the ants. After much contemplation, Dave and I both agreed as long as the ants keep their distance and not invade our home, barns and other outbuildings, why should we destroy what they worked so hard to build? After All, they have the right to live a happy little life too!

Oh lovely spring is in the air, I welcome you, as do all the critters everywhere!!

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything." ~William Shakespeare