A Picture-Heavy Post - Alica, don't look!

Yesterday afternoon, I opened the door to the big henhouse, and this is what I saw.  I almost stepped on him. 

He pulled back behind the door and waited for me to leave.  He was hunting mice, and believe me, he can stay well fed in there. 

I was not surprised the heat brought him out. 

I bet tomorrow night he heads for his hole again. 

Not this one, in the closet of the henhouse.  This is the reason we are going to pull the drywall out this year. 

Well, that and the mice. 

 Tomatoes, zinnias and balsam hardening off.  I have to start all over again after Thursday. 

They blew and blew and blew, so I put them on the east side of the house today. 

They blew, and blew and blew.  Again.

What is this, you say? 

It's a planter.  It's a Rubbermaid trough repurposed as a planter on the deck.  The empty bottles are taking up space in the bottom so I wouldn't have to use as much Miracle Gro in it. 

It is ready to plant, but of course, we're GOING DOWN TO 30 ON THURSDAY. 

It will hold oregano and basil. 

What we had for dinner tonight.  Keith and I have decided we will have healthier dinners, and not so many stew-type dinners for the spring and summer.  I found this suggested on Pinterest... and then adjusted it to suit us.  

It is spaghetti, and then a "sauce" made of tomatoes cooked in olive oil with minced garlic... then salted and peppered.  Just as I was almost finished cooking them, I threw in some Italian blend cheese and some cut up basil that I splurged on at the store.  The garlic had cooked long enough to soften, and did not taste overwhelming. 

Then I simply plated it by putting the tomato mixture over the spaghetti.  What you see is what we ate... we both had one smallish helping.  It was delicious! 

Soon, hopefully, we'll be eating from our garden. 

These guys will have to come back in on Thursday morning, maybe even tomorrow night.  It will just be TOO cold for them for at least two days. 

Then, by Saturday and Sunday, it should be back in the 50's. 

What's up, Biddy? 

This hen has "talked" to me every since she came here from my friend Jennette's.  She is the first one to greet me every morning in the henspa. 

I sat down to refill the top of the pool (I emptied it this morning) and she began chattering to me. 

The next thing I knew: 

As Keith said just now, not my most flattering photo.  I was trying to figure out how to take it as Biddy was chattering at me. 

She stayed up there three or four minutes, then jumped back down. 

I had cleaned the pool out at noon, but you see what the dabbling ducks do to it . Aflac didn't care, she jumped in and dabbled around in it, then sat still and watched everyone, as if she were paddling in a pond.  In fact, Fawni and Spice had gone underwater and made torpedos of their bodies, and swam around in the pool when I changed it.  I am so glad for them, because they could never get truly wet at their old home.  We even thought of getting a bigger pool for them, but they can get over the wall of this one easily, and the other would be deeper, but higher. 

Some of Rambo's hens in the pasture.  Part of it is very lush. 

Even Moe the rooster got out and worked on some of the new straw I put out. 

The Fluffy Bottom Brigade was cleaning themselves before going in for the night.  You can see from the blowing feathers that it was still blowing hard at 6:30 PM. 

Who knows what the next three days will bring, weatherwise? 

That's it for a sunny Tuesday from Calamity Acres.