We do not allow ourselves leisure so that we will be able to work better. We work so that we will be able to be at leisure. (Paraphrase of Josef Pieper, “Leisure, the basis of culture.”)
We got home from Mass and told the girls to change out of their church clothes into their relaxing clothes. This is their interpretation of “relaxing clothes.”
The dresses were made by a classmate of theirs in our homeschool group.
Later in the afternoon we convinced them to get into play clothes so that they could run around in the cul de sac with their friends, and then we eventually went over to the farm for a bonfire with Uncle.
Evie decided that this was the day that she would learn to split wood. Uncle taught her how to stand and hold the splitter, which was really too heavy for her, and slide her forward hand down the handle with the stroke, and how to hit the block (instead of her shin).
Meanwhile, Mommy and Daddy went to go look at our animals.
We let the piggies out onto the pasture. They are so chill and friendly (another great selling point for the Meishan breed) they come right up to you and sniff your fingers. They love snacks and sometimes they will even stand still if you scratch their backs.
As soon as they are let out onto the pasture, they immediately begin nibbling at the grass. They root a bit, though. Don’t let anyone tell you that Meishans do not root.
Mommy walked over to the chicken fence, and they…
flocked to her! They also were expecting snacks.
17 eggs. The Americaunas do not like laying in winter. We are lucky to get one green egg per day, compared to the 3-4 we were getting in Summer.
The hen house was starting to smell a bit so…
We spread a few bags of paper shreds over the poop, mostly concentrated under the roosts.
We get the paper shreds free from Ryan’s work, and they make great compost and good bedding, although they are not great for nesting boxes. Hay is really the best thing for that.
We sat around the fire and ate leftover pizza.
Uncle only had miniature marshmellows, so the kids tried to roast mini marshmellows on the fire, with decidedly mixed results.
At about sundown we went and put the geese and the pigs back into their respective enclosures.
During this time Evie had managed to split her very first piece of firewood!
Victory is sweet!
Don’t worry, little lumber lady, there’s plenty more where that came from.
So there you have it, a nice relaxing Sunday. God be praised!
Little Farm in the Big City 