I recovered from strep throat to immediately fall victim to a nasty cold, and Jake and Michael and my dad joined in on the fun. My mom is the sole survivor of this illness so far. We’ve been lying low at home, trying to regain health. It’s given us the chance to work on some spring projects we’ve wanted to do for a while, though progress is slow.

For the first weekend in a while, we’ve had clear skies and bright sun, though there’s still a chill to the air. The spring fever has hit all of us, and there’s much to be done to prepare the garden for all we want to do.

Jake began building the fence for our front garden, citing that the fresh air and exercise would help him kick his cold. Given we’re still hacking our lungs out, I don’t think it worked. We all seemed to regress in illness after our weekend in the fresh air, but it’s still nice to see the progress. I’m looking forward to having a contained outdoor space for Michael to explore. He has a tendency to go as far and as fast as he can if left to his own devices outdoors. I’m glad he has such an adventurous spirit, but I’ll feel better when I can garden for a few minutes without being worried about him.

I built two of my four raised beds, and filled and planted in one of them. I have drooping seedlings waiting to be planted in the others, and plans for many other vegetables and herbs. Given this is my first solo attempt at a robust kitchen garden, I’m trying not to aim too high — but I’m excited to plant and cultivate as much as I reasonably can.

My dad finished building the larger chicken coop and we shifted our current hens over to their new home. Too bad we didn’t have anyone getting video footage of that process: my mom and I chasing and catching very unwilling hens was quite a sight.

Michael loves the hens and isn’t afraid of them in the slightest even though they’re half his size. He calls them “bawk bawks” and loves opening and shutting the coop door. They are not his biggest fans.

The hens have settled into their new place quite nicely. We also have a handful of new baby chicks to be introduced to the flock when they mature. They’ll bring our chicken count up to sixteen.

As the days grow lighter, the hens have started laying eggs more frequently. There’s nothing better than fresh eggs: the yolks are so golden and vibrant. My favorite treat right now is a yolky latte: I put a fresh yolk, cream, and honey in a mason jar, shake it up until it’s foamy, and pour it into my morning coffee. I also enjoy doing the same with matcha instead of coffee. It’s a great energy boost that doesn’t leave me feeling jittery.

We installed a baby gate on our side porch, cleaned it off, and organized the various items stored on it, thereby extending Michael’s playing space. He loves having an outdoor space to kick his ball or throw things over the gate with a cheerful “uh oh!”.

The porch was important to us when we chose the design for our home. We wanted a place sheltered from the heat of the day, where we could sit and listen to the birds and watch the owls swoop over the trees at sundown.

While the majority of the porch space is focused on being a play space for Michael, I’d had a vision in mind for the corner ever since I saw it. I wanted a peaceful space to knit and drink coffee in the early mornings, or sit with a cocktail and talk with my husband or friends on summer evenings. It’s nice to see that vision becoming a reality.

My mother bought Michael a water table for the porch as well, and he adores it. We haven’t actually put water in it yet, given the temperature has been in the low 60s, but it’ll be perfect for when the warmer weather rolls in. I’m grateful he has a nice outdoor space to safely play in right now — while we’re all sick, we’ve had more screen time than I prefer and this is a much better alternative. Parenting while sick is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m very ready for all of us to be healthy again.

So please pray for us, dear friends. Lent has taken its toll on us, and the exhaustion is heavy. Holy Week services are coming up for us Orthodox Christians, which will require both energy and health (something we are all currently lacking). I usually look forward to these services, but I find myself wondering how we’ll make it through this year. Pray for a swift recovery so we can throw ourselves back into the choir and service preparations!

To all my Catholic and Protestant friends: may you have a blessed Holy Week and Easter! To my Orthodox friends, press on! Palm Sunday is near, and so is Pascha.