Alas, poor Martha

After talking with a prof at the University Extension Service, I decided to euthanize the hen. She had a virus for which we have no convenient cure, and she was obviously suffering. Hannah wrote a hyperbolic eulogy, and Beka helped me dig the hole out on the island in the driveway. We marked the spot with some Iris bulbs a neighbor gave us. So now we're down to the chicks and the geese. Speaking of the geese. One of the females has taken up bodyguard over the male, who is doing the sitting. She is ferocious, and highly resented that we made an area for the chicks in the coop on Saturday. I finally put up a piece of nursery cloth so they couldn't see each other. I sure hope a couple of those eggs hatch—I'm looking forward to a nice tender goose come Christmas. The four adult birds are no longer tender, they tell me. On Sunday one of the relatives who has a Big Pickup delivered the Reinike's camper. It's an 8×32 mobile home thing that they plan to use for a bedroom this summer during construction. Then we'll sell it. It'll be perfect for a hunting lodge for someone. It's in pretty good shape. Construction news: I started wiring the new shed. We decided I need to dig the peninsula back another foot or so. Right now the edge is about ten feet from the edge of the addition, and we want to be able to drive a vehicle into the back yard when necessary. Ten feet is a tight enough fit that it'll make most people nervous. Tonight we got the hard-line drawings of the addition, and I'll send in approval tonight or tomorrow morning. I want to figure out how to post them so everyone can see what we're in for. Actual construction can begin as early as the end of the month.