Lots of Pictures Post

I try to take treats to the hens daily. 

The red hens, for the most part, trust that I am not going to kill them when I feed and water... and you can see they are finally feathering in. 

I don't think, though, that they were really 18 months old... I get so few 

eggs from them.  Four or five on a given day is a lot for this bunch. 

The shady henyard is really helping them... when we first had chickens, we actually had to build a covered area for them to stay cool. Now it's so overgrown that it stays shady and cool.  The only hen panting in today's 98 degree heat was the silver Brahma on the left. I have a big fan running in the henhouse to keep them cool at night. 

Guess what?  I let him have one. 

This has been the year for squirrels...

And bunnies in the road. 

The Kansas City Star actually did an article over the weekend about the abundance of rabbits this year, attributed to the plentiful water and food.  I have seen scores on the road... like this one. 

It also gave suggestions on how to dispose of them.  My philosophy has always been live and let live, and plant enough for the bunnies and squirrels, too. 

As I drove home after church yesterday morning, I saw these guys hanging on a bale of hay. 

And these guys hanging on the barn next to them. 

And this guy coming in to join them with a big bird behind him... 

They had some friends waiting out in the pasture for them. 

But there were some other visitors in the pasture, too. 

Can you see them? 

Here are they are, a little closer. 

I think it's the two baby hawks from the big nest that I watched all during the spring! 

Remember, Mom and Dad feed them for up to a year, or perhaps longer. 

I suspect they were sitting there, waiting for lunch to be dropped down to them.  

I can't guarantee it was the juveniles, but it sure looked like them from a distance. 

I'll be keeping my eye out for them, now that I know they are moving around. 

The bales were all picked up today, so I'll be watching the fenceposts. 

This beautiful weed is not Marsh Fleabane (it's not in a marsh, Mary Ann) but 

Ironweed.  I love it, and hope to gather some of the seeds as soon as they set.
I'll plant them near my little pond in the side yard. 

Thank you, Anonymous commenter, because you set me straight on this plant, and I suspect 

it was you who identified the cotton rat in our side yard.  I appreciate it. 

This little woodpecker (girl) is loving the suet at the old house, and I'm loving taking their pictures again. 

Hot for the next day or so, and then we'll have some rain.  Jacob will be coming to help again tomorrow morning... thank heavens.  He's strong and young, just what we need!