A Whole Mooo-d

You are strong. You are capable. You can get through life’s hard parts. I believe in you. (Do you have any snacks?) — Julia

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Here’s What’s Happening At Good Spirits Farm

• We’re prepping for a rare March snowstorm. Julia, if my math is right, is due to give birth in 11 days. I’m worried the change in barometric pressure, as it swings from 60 degrees today to the teens tonight, may cause the baby to come early. Normally, I would bring Julia into the barn a few days before her due-date, but I think I’ll go ahead and bring her in tonight, just in case. I’d never forgive myself if her calf was born in the middle of the night in a snowstorm and died from hypothermia.

• Chris and I both took this week off from our day jobs to take what I think they call a “work-cation.” We spent the week trying to get ahead on projects, like assembling and painting new beehives and chicken-proofing the garden.

  

• Remember that rooster we had to separate last week? We gave him his own flock of hens and moved the group to another part of the farm. Yesterday, I noticed one of his ladies was being picked on. So, I removed her, placing her back with the original flock. Now: These gals had only been separated from the original flock for five days, so I figured she’d be right at home back with her old group. But: A few minutes later, I turn around to see her making her way across the farm, returning to her friends! I was so surprised to see that, after only five days in that group, she had such a strong sense of belonging!

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Here’s What I Loved This Week

Our “work-cation” coincided with both of our birthdays. Because we’re lazy busy, we usually just do one cake for the both of us. However: since we’re only doing one, it has to be spectacular. This year’s cake hit that high note.

I started with this banana cake recipe, but doubled it so I could bake two tiers. Then, I added toffee bits along with the chocolate chips, and gilded the lily with this cream cheese icing (which uses much less sugar than most; important because the cake is plenty sweet already). It was so outstanding, I’m trying to resist having a slice for breakfast.