The Last of the Beans

You can read a "thank heavens" behind that line. 

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Yes, there ARE bean plants in this picture.  We are on the "green side".... yellow beans are planted on the east side of these beds.... and the weeds in back are growing amongst the melons, so I can't cut into them for fear of tearing the melon vines up.  The problem in this picture is that the entire middle of this bed has grown up with bristly greenbrier, which HURTS when you grab it accidentally.  Try as I did to dig it all out in the spring, it has all grown back up.  We are going to take the supports out, and dig the whole bed up to remove it.  We... I mean, I am going to. 

The poor pumpkins.  That's what the heat and yesterday's blowing wind did to them.  They got three buckets of water.  Then the other three went on the melons on the other end. 

Can you see the melons peeking out?  These are the muskmelons from Baker Creek I planted... "Collective Farm Woman", and the melon, "Kansas".   Both are doing very well, considering they were planted one on top of the other.  

While I was changing out frozen water bottles in the henspa, I checked the nest boxes.  Lest you think we are buried in eggs... these under Reddy were IT. 

This actually alarmed me, and really, still does. 

The box next to it had a lot of feathers in it, too.  I did a quick look around. 

Here are the three girls who have been setting forever, and they seem to be okay.  I've noticed that we are going into the moult VERY early.  The Farmer's Almanac people announced this week that we are expecting a VERY COLD winter.  Could this be why feathers are dropping already?  Can you see little Bitty in the back of this corner? She has pressed herself up against the wall and is laying her daily egg.  She has also been broody for weeks. 

I did not see little brown Fluffernut, so I am going to look for her tonight. She has also been setting. 

Watch out for the brier, Kody!!!

Everyone appreciates a cool drink at midday, and these waterers will all be changed out again at 5. 

Kelly got tired of waiting for the green beans, and laid down to chew his cud for a while. 

These guys are my granddogs, Shiner and Jester.  I stopped to see my son Jim this morning, as he has become laid up for the next six weeks with a broken ankle.  

Ouch! 

Here he is this morning, still in his soft cast.  Jim works out every day of his life... and drives a truck for a living, so he is going slowly crazy from boredom and lack of activity.  He was trying to show me something on his phone and I was just.not.getting.it. 

The soft cast will be replaced, he thinks, by a hard cast on Friday. 

And finally, 

here are Kelly and Kody five minutes ago at the door. Kelly had been laying there right on the doorstep, but heard me come up. 

And this was the scene on the inside: 

Aunt Abby, who could tell her little friends were out there, was listening for them! 

Everyone try to stay as cool as you can!