Friday, August 10, 2018

A Short Hiatus

I did not mean for there to be a short hiatus, but we have had one!

Life just gets too busy around here, even though I am retired now 
for six years. 


Here is the beautiful celosia cristata that I planted 
on the deck.... I waited for 3 months for it to bloom.  Gorgeous, 
huh? 

Less than an hour after I took this picture today, some 
naughty sheep tip-toed up onto the deck and ATE almost all 
of it. 

Including that beautiful flowerhead.  

I will have to plant new seed all over, as this won't set seed now. 


I had not planted snaps in several years (snapdragons).  I will definitely 
be planting many next year. 

Pink snaps. 


Dark red and white snaps, which are a little hard to see in this picture, 
but I love the colors. 


The original color scheme was purple and green (laugh) but 
that did not hold for long. 


This was a huge mistake.  I did not read the package, 
obviously, and it was far too large a marigold to plant in a pot. 
Never again. 

In fact, it may not get planted in the garden, it's just not 
full of oomph. 


Likewise, these zinnias, who laid over early on, and were less than spectacular. 

Sometimes you discover there is no place for a flower in your garden. 
Live and learn. 


Here is a blurry picture of me taken yesterday. 
I had just done THIS. 


I took Thunder to the feed store and bought 
four heavy, big bales of brome for the sheep. 

In order to get up into the bed, I have to climb a ladder, 
I am short and let's face it, I will be 68 in two weeks. 

I throw the bale down and manhandle it 
over to the hay shed. 


I finally got them in and piled right. 

I give the sheep a few flakes at night to keep 
them happy after dinner. 

Straw is stacked on the left. 

I have a large pallet given to me by my son, 
and I am going to have a different feed store deliver six 
more bales next week, and tarp them.  Hay will be in 
demand here, we did not get more than one or two cuttings this year, 
in fact, most got one. 

The owner of the sheep has bought some large round bales of 
last year's hay to tide them over. 

I am thinking of buying two of the ewes, I'll take a picture 
of them and show you. 


Yesterday's eggs.  I was able to take ten dozen to the shelter 
this week.  The moult is starting, though, and I suspect 
that won't be the same for a while. 


We have had pop up storms the last two days. 
Behold the baby raccoon prints in the mud in the henyard. 


You know, THOSE babies. 

However, I no longer lock the ducks up at night, they are allowed the 
free roaming of the two acre yard (which is fenced around all the perimeter) 
and can go in and out of the hen yard at will.  Their pools are now on the outside 
of the pen fence. 

I hurry in the evening to leave food out for the two feral cats that eat on this side, 
and some ferals are still eating in the pasture. 
The two cats that come on this side, come before dark now, 
get their food, and then mouse for a while. 

It's coming!


Irreverent, but true. 
(Tractor Supply) 


I sight I never thought I would see here, but am so glad I do. 

The two white ones will be mine, if I decide to do it. 
I love all of them... but practically, two that do not 
need to be sheered make more sense. 

I'll end here, though I have another hundred pictures or so (laugh). 

I promise to try to post more often, really... it has just been a 
very, very busy summer. 


PS,  I just noticed that several of my pictures are blurry.  I used to carry a little Sony camera 
in my pocket to take pictures for the blog all day long, now I carry my phone.  I think 
I am so sweaty and tired half the time, I am jiggling the camera around. 

I'll try to work on that this week!  












6 comments:

  1. Those pale pink snapdragons are so pretty! Adding that to my list for next year.

    RH and I laugh sometimes about what we used to think retirement would be like. We can't figure out where all the time went that we thought we'd have!

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  2. Those pale pink snapdragons are so pretty! Adding that to my list for next year.

    RH and I laugh sometimes about what we used to think retirement would be like. We can't figure out where all the time went that we thought we'd have!

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  3. Hari om
    Never apologise for being busy...but am glad to see a report! Non-shearing sheep? Grand idea! YAM xx

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  4. It has been a very busy and hot summer for you and it was nice to see your post. Lifting bales of hay around is way beyond me ... you are lucky to still be able to do all you do and enjoy it all. Having sheep around might be good to keep the grass down but not so good for your flowers. They don't seem to be particular about what they eat. Ha !

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  5. What breed are the sheep that don't need shearing?

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  6. you might have to put some baby gates up to keep the sheep off your deck :)

    those bales are way too heavy to be hefting around
    please be careful Mary Ann

    Good to see a post from you

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