I have come to seriously believe that grasshoppers were created solely for the amusement of little boys.



And could catching one and observing it all day long possibly count as school? Science, perhaps?
Either way, these little critters are something worth loving. They put up with all sorts of creative play and maybe not-so-tender abuse and at the end of a long day are usually let loose in an unfamiliar part of the yard, exhausted and battered.
Yet still, they keep coming back for more!

If there is one thing that has really captured Isaac's interest while his grandfather is here it is the carpentry.



My father is a skilled woodworker and he has wasted no time in getting the children involved with his projects. Currently they are building a chicken coop. But when grampy is busy doing other things there is still plenty to be done. Isaac gathers up the wood scraps, the sawdust, the nails and his hammer and spends ages pounding, sifting and sorting.



Chris and I are going out of town for our anniversary tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to spend some couple time. Not that we need a break from our little darlings so much as we just need quiet time with each other! We'll be staying at what I think may very well be the only Victorian in the entire state of New Mexico. Although I am seriously looking forward to a little quiet and relaxation with him it is starting to look like Pepper may be tagging along after all. She is nine months old and still refuses pretty much everything but the breast.

However, we will see about that tomorrow. Until then, I'll keep planning our wonderful and romantic child-free weekend.

Since today is the final day of Low Impact Week I thought I'd post our biggest recent lifestyle change. Something that I have always wanted was to have my very own free range chickens. Finally this week we took the plunge and bought 8 little Araucana chicks. They should start laying blue and green eggs sometime around late September and I am so excited! Chez Pim blogged back in January about fresh local eggs and the hens that laid them. She has some gorgeous pictures of her diverse dozen that inspired me to look for this particular breed.



They are very cute and cuddly. I find myself escaping outside to their pen during the day for little moments of peace and relaxation. I sit on the grass and watch them scamper and scratch. I lay on my back and stare at the tree above me as they peep near my head. I think about going out there while I am changing diapers and washing dishes.



These hens should provide us with delicious nutrient rich fresh eggs for most of the next 2-3 years.
After that they can go in the pot and provide us with good food there.
They will make excellent natural pest control in the yard and garden.
They will leave nitrogen rich droppings that can be composted and turned into wonderful dark soil which will go back into the garden, make my plants healthy and attract more bugs for them to eat! It really is a wonderful cycle.
They will also provide hours of entertainment for my homeschooled children and teach them many useful lessons about responsibility, natural sciences and an appreciation for where our food comes from.