Volunteer-because it IS a BIG DEAL!

I am home and showered and sliver extracted from belly (how did that happen?).  I am fresh off of another Sunday afternoon of hosting a volunteer work day in our school gardens. Today was an "extra" to make up for all the cancellations after this very snowy winter in NOVA.  Too start: I am not an exuberant hostess who can gush and stroke egos and make people feel warm and fuzzy.  Sometimes, I might go as far as to offend my volunteers with an "off comment".  Those that know me, know that I am joking and throw it back at me.  It is usually too late when I realize they don't know me as well as I have imagined. (I digress)

What I do say, when I am thinking and remembering that I am the hostess; "You all are AWESOME!"  "Thank you sooo much!"  The reply of these volunteers is most likely; "No problem."  "It was my pleasure."  "It's no big deal."  That's my favorite one.  It IS A BIG DEAL.  You all came out here on a not so warm day, on a Sunday afternoon, to do manual labor that no one else wants to do.  In particular, a job that I have procrastinated because I hate it so much!

Now the job is DONE!  In only one hour; JoAnne, Rob, Liz, Noah, Jen, Marie, Vicki, and Jaden have finished a task that I couldn't even think about because I dread it so.  I am always amazed at the amount of work a handful of motivated and hard working people can get done in a couple hours on a Sunday afternoon.  By the end of the time, I am usually making stuff up to keep them all busy!

So, my point,  VOLUNTEER!  For those things that -maybe- someone else will do and -probably- will get done without you.  But when you do show up it makes ALL the difference to that program and makes the job that much easier for everyone.

Also, we used a power tool that has made this job my new favorite task in the gardens :))

Rooster or a Hen?

We went for a visit to Chris and Sara Guerre's farm this weekend and visited the, now almost 4 week old, chicks.  They are looking spectacular and gangly with all their new feathers and gigantic feet :)  I have to say, the beaks are the most impressive to me.

They are staying warm in a special out building that has been insulated and heated with a space heater.  In just a few more weeks they will be ready to move to the "big hen" coop.  It is fun trying to guess which ones are going to be roosters and which hens. We thought we might have heard a tiny crow while we were sitting with them in their brooder.  But it was hard to think that is even possible!  With some breeds, you can tell right away by the color of the chick what gender they are.  With these Ameracaunas it is a little trickier and mainly a waiting game.  Some of chicks are already growing combs, are they the roosters?!