March 23, 2008. Chevy Chase, Maryland Easter Day.

This weekend at the farm was wonderful. Ken walked for over two miles today, up hill and down dale. Gary and Diana Ditto came over to our farm to walk with us, and I think it was a good idea to distract Ken from the walking fatigue. During the walk we saw one deer and two hawks. Their dog Cobey came along for the walk, and in order to avoid the dog going into the pasture with the cattle and the calves we all had to go over the fence. Now the fence is an electric fence, so in order to get over we had to climb the stile., which we did...but with difficulty. I got a sliver which a part remains with me, and Diana came within a hair of touching a hot wire. She was not anxious because she thought it wasn't turned on!!! The man who made the stile had never heard of the term or the function, but we drew him a picture and explained the purpose and he seemed to understand. We were away for the construction. We expected to have a set of stairs, but instead we have a ladder, but it works just fine.

There a pair of wood ducks building a nest close to the pond.. They are the most beautiful ducks. Four mallards are in the pond and a pair of Canada Geese. This will be the fourth time a pair of geese have built a nest by the pond. They are quite a pair, strutting around as if they own the place. They work so hard every year, building the nest, laying the eggs, and incubating them. But something always happens and the goslings do not survive to grow up. The first two years the eggs were broken in the nest, so we figure that a raccoon or black snake ate them. Last year the eggs hatched and the goslings were swimming around the pond, but one day they were gone. And so were the geese. The books say that over 90% of goslings do not survive. We always feel badly for all the work those geese do for their offspring only to have them all die. Maybe this year will be a charm.

We have a pair of red tail hawks screaming at us when we walk in the woods. And we saw many many gold finch at the bird feeders. A flock of about 15 turkeys ate their way across our lower field Friday evening when we arrived. Best of all , we had a new calf this morning. Bryan came up this morning to make sure the right calves are to be registered. His daughter Kelley came with him. They were laughing when they arrived and related this story. On their way up to see us, they stopped to see the new calf. Now the calf was born about five o'clock. The calf was walking slowly away from the mother, followed by a very large white cat, followed by both Canada Geese followed by the Mother cow. All about two feet behind the other. The mother cow put up with this for about 20 feet, when she raced ahead and sent the geese flying. Bryan and Kelley said they wished they had a camera. I was sorry to have missed it.

This was a most unusual Easter Sunday. No sunrise service. No church with the family. No special dinner with the family. I did speak on the phone with both families to wish them Happy Easter. Although unusual, we had a very happy easter weekend. Next year we will try to be better grandparents.