Baby Chicks and Violets

When my daughter-in-law, Shelly, posted pictures on Facebook Saturday morning with the caption, "They are here! Oh, so cute!", I knew I was going to have to go see them for myself.

Twenty-four lovely little rust-colored layers-to-be and one pale little cockerel. (Barely visible in the middle at the bottom.) Getting baby chicks in April was always a big part of my youth. Sweet memories.

 Of course I had to hold one. A friend of Shelly's on Facebook asked if she was going to name them all, so I said, "What's this one's name?" trying to be funny. Shelly said, "What do you want to name it?" Obviously Goldie or Rusty would work, but I couldn't come up with anything else. Now, as I think of when my Grandson, Ki, was little and naming the calves at Grandma Ruth's, he would name them 'Seven' and 'Five', words that he was just learning. So, I'm naming the little girl I held, 'Eight'.

After visiting the chicks, Shelly and I took a stroll around the yard. The flowering almond is just opening, naturalized near this tree and rock.

Oh wind, where have you been,
That you blow so sweet?
Among the violets
Which blossom at your feet?

The honeysuckle waits
For summer and for heat
But violets in the chilly Spring
Make the turn so sweet.
     (Christina Rossetti)

Shelly offered to help me dig some starts of these wild violets. It has been awhile since I've seen the little white ones with the blue faces. I used to have some at the farm, dug up at Grandma Ridnour's.
And the mauve colored ones - are they the ones Grandma used to call 'red' violets?

There were even white ones. Now I want to go back and dig some to transplant!

Clyde was ecstatic - someone new to make over and to be petted by. I wouldn't mind having some of these swinging chairs.

The chicks were just a good reason to go and visit Doug and Shelly. Doug has a new work vehicle I didn't know about. A Ford Taurus X, I believe. I wasn't even aware of these, a Crossover? SUV? Wagon? Whatever it is, I like it. And of course, I had to make him stand by it for a picture. Moms are like that.
Baby chicks and violets and family all part of a good spring afternoon visit.