April

 New blood came to our farm in April. Our milk cow, Gracie (light brown), was set to go on maternity leave for 1 1/2 months or so, and we panicked a bit at the thought of no milk for that long!

Ramont then found a rather perfect new cow for us. Joanie (dark brown with chocolate drippings) is 1/16th Angus and the rest Jersey, currently giving right about two gallons each day. It's not quite enough to meet our current demand and certainly not enough to make extras like cheese, but that should change once Gracie has her calf at the end of May. In any case, both are now back out in the pasture and things are looking quite good.

We also got 12 new chicks, which are no longer this tiny and cute (nor in the basement).

Flowers!

May baskets stealthily delivered all the way out in the country! (thanks Vern and Jane)

Jonathan asked me to take a picture of him running really fast. When I showed this to him he was genuinely disappointed: "what? I thought there would be smoke behind me."

The highlight of April was the visit of good, good friends all the way from California. Jessica and I were MCC- and housemates back in Washington D.C. after college and then again in seminary in Indiana. We've traveled to see each other in various lands inbetween then, and here we were in Minnesota. It was such a good week of relaxed visiting.

This picture is out of order, but I wanted to include it to show Anna's current interpretation of the human existence and body type.

Back to visiting, and to a great photo Matt took of our yard.

Next up: May.