RhinebeckFarm.com

Sarah had soccer games both Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday she squared off against the Minisink Jaguars (pictured) at Baptist Field in Rhinebeck, while on Sunday she played an away game against the Carmel Cyclones, in the hamlet of Patterson, New York.  Both the Jaguars and the Cyclones were large, and in charge, and the Rhinebeck Fireballs did not prevail.  However, they scored in each game — their motto is Fireballs Never Give Up.  Daisy attended the Cyclones game and was a comfort to any Fireball whose spirit flagged.

During the brief period we spent at the farm, we saw this beautiful Oriole.

Sarah rejoined the Rhinebeck soccer team this weekend, and is now a Rhinebeck Fireball.

She had a very promising practice on Saturday, in which she scored the above-pictured goal, before taking on Cornwall on Sunday at the Baptist Home field in Rhinebeck.  The Fireballs did not prevail, but they take on the Carmel Jaguars next weekend.

Back at home, we had several visits from the herons, which seem to be occupying a number of nests in the swamp.

Daisy got plenty of exercise.

Although Spring is upon us, Sarah, remembering the long winter, stuck to her knitting as Daisy recharged.

Outside, the daffodils are blooming, but it’s still early days for lilacs and most other spring flowers.

The Ring-necked Ducks are on the pond, signaling that our seemingly endless winter is in fact behind us — although there remains a bit of snow on the ground next to the barn.  Other reliable signs of the coming season include the Spring Peepers in the swamp, the Herons in their nests, and the Daisy in her pond.  All is right in the world.

Daisy, fresh from her victory Saturday evening over a cheese plate, took on a stinkbug today in a fireside bout.  The bug, just above Daisy’s right paw, battled to a draw.

Because the Northeast is now more or less inhabitable during winter, we mostly stayed indoors this weekend.  Jen worked on a puzzle, while Sarah rehearsed for the tryouts tomorrow for the school play: Willie Wonka.   She is hoping to be Veruca Salt.

While packing the car, I spotted this Pileated Woodpecker.  Actually, I heard him before I saw him.  He sounded like a door knocker.

Presidents’ Day weekend was frightfully chilly.  Even Daisy thought it was cold.  We stayed indoors and made soup, baked, and watched movies: The Pink Panther, funny, but perhaps not as good as some of its sequels; the completely delightful Sabrina; the still hilarious eighties time capsule Ghostbusters; and the much creepier than I remembered Escape to Witch Mountain.

Sarah and her friend Michaela braved the low-twenties temperature to go sledding on our hill.

Daisy waited patiently for them to return.

With apologies to my tiny public, here’s all I could get from the PondCam.  We’re in New York, getting ready for a blizzard for Sarah’s 11th birthday.

The sun finally peeked out this afternoon at the end of a sleety MLK weekend.

We made lots of soup: White Bean on Saturday and French Onion today.  Daisy was the happy beneficiary of two bones.