Vermont Wildlife

We don't have any domestic animals on our farm (until the horse and pony get here) but we have plenty of wild animals! These three fluffy baby birds lived in a nest in the barn until a few days ago when they got big enough to fly away. The kids went out several times a day to "check" on them, which may have hastened their departure.

We also seem to be on a migration route or something for these beautiful yellow zebra-stripe butterflies. There are usually at least one or two resting in the barn window. They don't seem to be afraid of people so we can get really close to them.

Our other favorite pastime is catching frogs and toads in the long grass by the brooks. I haven't managed to get any pictures because Lucy usually lets them go by the time I get out there with the camera. She has a soft heart for frogs. Austin takes the kids down to the river to fish -- a neighbor caught a 2lb. brown trout a few weeks ago in our fishing hole -- but they seem perfectly content to fish with just a bobber (no hooks) so we are unlikely to get any pictures with fish.

The flowers are totally out of control -- this peony is as big as a dinner plate. (Gavin calls these the "whipped-cream flowers".) I don't know who planted all the perennials but I LOVE them!

This is what makes the looooooooong Vermont winter worth it!