Back to Work

A dog's life is sure hard. 

I didn't even get the pillowcase on it. 

All I have to do is say I'm going to bed, and Jester beats me 

to it every night. 

I had to run up to Fort Leavenworth to pick up prescriptions yesterday morning, 

and this arrangement was on the receptioin desk.  The lady manning the desk... it seems like 

they change every time I am there... told me that a former employee comes in regularly with seasonal decorations.  I thought these two (there was another) were nice. 

So, I ran to Leavenworth this morning to Home Depot to get mulch.  It's only the start. 

This was 15 bags. 

Mulch should really be applied at least two inches thick.  

I started parceling it on, and then I realized I was 

going to have to pour.  

Fifteen 2 cubic foot bags bearly covered 2/3 of the bed.  I still have some gaps to 

fill in, and at the back, by the bushes, I am going to put a heavy layer of straw. 

I need to save some money somewhere. 

I am going to have to dig out the bed behind this, just like I did the south beds last week. 

There is just too much mint in that bed behind this. 

There used to be at least six mum plants in this bed... and I thought this was all that is left... it is a red one. 

Then this morning, I found one tiny little plant in back of a daylilly.  

It is also going to bloom, but I can't tell what color.  I am actually going

to transplant this little one to this house. 

My assistants got VERY hot, it was 86 degrees. 

This one, too. 

I thought this was an apple on the patio.  It was huge.  

It was a walnut!

I hope you can see the thorns on this stuff.  I do not know WHAT it is, and thank 

heavens I was paying attention, because those thorns were wicked.  I dug it up and carried it by the root.  It is going into a bag and into the trash can, I don't want it around. 

I had other helpers, too. 

There were probably 15 bumblebees on the caryopteris bush next to this, and I leaned over 

by them digging and pulling weeds out... numerous times.  Not one bee bothered me, they 

went about their business. 

The plan for the rest of the day is to go back to Leavenworth to buy some 

more mulch and take it out tomorrow afternoon.  Jacob will be helping me on Saturday, which will speed things along, but I want the mulch bought before then so that I don't have to deal with the Saturday crowds.  

More pictures tomorrow. 

A Cold Cold Day

Okay, it's not as cold as some of you have been having, still... it's been very cold after temps in the 40s and 50s these last two weeks.  We had a reminder that it's STILL winter, and still capable of getting very cold.

17 degrees this morning (fahrenheit) and blowing like a son of a gun when I went out to do chores at 6:30.  Our sump pump in the well house had spilled water all over the driveway in front of the cars already, and it had frozen into a sheet... so I skirted that carefully.  I do NOT rush in the mornings, I don't need to fall in the dark and lay there and freeze and wait for Keith to come out and go to work and find me frozen stiff. I also don't want to take a chance and break something, laying me up for months and having to listen to "Why aren't you more careful?" over and over.

Keith made it home before me, and found something that made us angry.  You see, we have gone through 200 lbs. of pellets this week... yes, that's right... 200 lbs.  The starlings eat everything I put out, and then go in the big henhouse and literally eat EVERYTHING and drink EVERY DROP OF WATER every single day.  Last night, we locked six of them in there because the stupid birds couldn't find their way out.  Of course, all water in the outside fortexes and every bit of feed put out was gone.  The little henhouse birds, though, still had viable water and plenty of pellets.  Here, again, as a reminder, is the little henhouse.

Taken tonight, we got only a smattering of snow here.

As you can see, this henhouse is on stilts, so the birds can go underneath in the summer and get out of the sun.  You see it is like an old fashioned henhouse, and the eaves in the front come out over the body of the henhouse, slanting back towards the back.  Inside are two roosts, one on either side, and there is a pophole in the front, and two doors in the back for cleanout and egg fishing and feeding.

There is chicken wire in the two windows in the front, and plastic over them for winter.  In the back, there is a window with chicken wire and plastic.  Normally we run a line to this henhouse and put a red bulb in there for heat.  As a matter of fact, the bulb is there and ready to turn on, we are running the line VERY late this year... this weekend. 

Back to my point.  Somehow the CRAFTY STARLINGS found a way to GET UNDER the EAVES and get INTO the little henhouse which they NEVER do, and the poor birds were trapped with them today.  I did not open the little or big popholes... it was 17 degrees this morning but it was blowing gusts up to 30 miles an hour, and I did not want the birds to blow away! The starlings ate every bit of food, pooped all over (as usual) and drank every bit of water in the little henhouse, and the poor birds were trapped.  You see, we thought we had outsmarted them... we did not let the birds out on purpose, and also on purpose, we did NOT put any water in the outside fortexes, or any feed outside.

HUGE mistake. The little henhouse flock went without water all day, and it took Keith literally an hour tonight to thaw everything out.... clean up the feeder and waterers... carry feed and water... and then go in the big henhouse and find the feed room waterers (for Butch, Reddy, and the porcelains frozen solid.  The heater under the waterer in the coop side was still warm, of course, and with only six starlings in there, everyone had a chance at water at least for a while today.

ARRGHHHHHH!

In the spring things will change, so I keep repeating that as a mantra.  The girls will all move to the new henhouse, and possibly the little flock roosters, too.  We will make some necessary repairs to the little henhouse, and close off the eaves.  It's just so aggravating, though, not to be able to outsmart the darn starlings.  Keith is going to put some wire up on the eaves this weekend, but my guess is they'll learn to fly in the pophole.  Is NOTHING SACRED????

Here is good old Ranger at the front door tonight, finishing his dinner.  The dogs, of course, are inside in this bitter cold, and only got to go out long enough to eat without being pestered by the pugs, and go to the bathroom.  Then it was back in to the warm living room for both Ranger and Lilly.

He likes to eat laying down.

Here are some animals that are not minding the cold too much, but we noticed that last night in the blowing wind, they hunkered down on the south end of the pasture, where they could tuck themselves down in and avoid a lot of the wind.  This morning in the dark I couldn't see them anywhere... and called them to come and eat... Tony came cantering up out of the darkness, followed by Azzie, and then Inca, whom you can hardly see without light.  I put hay just inside the barn front, and the girls like to lay there and pick at it with the barn keeping the wind off their backs.  You see tough Tony eating out of the Hay Buffet.

We have a night of 12 degree temps predicted, and then by Saturday, it will start going up again.  After the last two brutal winters, I am okay with a lighter one.  Next winter I will be home to take care of everything during the day, and Keith won't have to hurry and try to stop for lunch and do chores, too.

Hannah is doing much better, by the way, and laying here at my feet snoring away.  The swelling around the eye area that was so big last week has subsided, and now the stitches are bristly and probably bother her a little when she sleeps on that side.  They'll either be absorbed or removed soon, when we go back to see Dr. Tom again.  Her appetite is good, and other bodily functions are working great, so I am overjoyed that she is doing so well. 

The Day Before the Day Before

I was off work today, and though Keith had to work, he felt like the rest of the state was NOT!  He did get some work done in his recently relocated office, where he is still putting together panels and straightening things out.  He did his entire move himself!

Today was a good day to get the last minute things done.  I returned something to KMart that did not work right... I had long wanted a rooster-topped Country Living paper towel holder, and finally treated myself to one last Friday.  It did not hold a roll of towels, it was too short!  Of course, since I was IN KMart again, I wandered around, and found some shirts that I had admired off and on for the last two months on huge sale, so bought two!  Then I wandered over to the Christmas area, and found another Santa ornament on 50% sale... well, you know how my trip went now.

Then on to Tractor Supply.  I love TSC.  I love to go in and look at everything, and I love their inexpensive white-packaged bird mix sold in 35 pound packages.  I mix it with Gamebird mix from our mill, and it is good for the wildings.  I also got another niger seed feeder, since the one I bought in November had holes that were so big that the seed was flying out.  I have noticed in the last two weeks that the purple and gold finches are eating constantly during the day now.  We are also beginning to go through a cake of suet in two days, so I may learn to make our own.  I picked up the latest Grit in TSC, and I have spent the evening reading it on the couch between the pugs.  Now I am trying to get caught up on some of your blogs, and get this post done.  It is 9:41, Hannah is at my feet, and Gertie, Abby, and Keith are already sound asleep.

I have been remiss in reading other blogs for these last few weeks, but hope to get caught up next week... I am off work.  Though it is cold outside tonight, we are not expecting the snow we got the last two years, and for that, Keith and I are truly grateful.  Tomorrow I will cook most of the day, and then on Sunday, we'll go to church at 9, then drive over to see my son Jeff in Independence, taking him some stew, some good rolls, and lots of goodies to eat.  Christmas Day is the only day of the year that the grocery chain for which he works actually closes their stores.  Jeff's roommate Josh will share in the largess... and we are taking enough for two hungry men.

When I went into the big henhouse at mid-morning, I saw this:

That's Reddy, who lived in the pasture all summer with Eagle the Ameracauna (whom the hawk got) and Butch.  She is free to walk across the rafters and go outside with the other birds, but she chooses to stay on the feed room side with Butch, and every day for two weeks I have found a huge brown egg in the feed fortex on top of the nursing cage!

The nasty starlings have invaded us already.. usually they wait until the ground is snow-covered and feed is hard to find.  They are drinking and fouling the water daily in the big henhouse. 

You can see the wetness in the pasture... from the rain earlier this week.  I had to go down to check the far corner, because last night Keith found a dog in the pasture.  We had seen this brindle boxer frequently in the last week, usually in our neighbor's yard.  I texted Troy yesterday to ask if it was his when Keith called me to tell me he could see it in there as he got home.  The dog could not figure out how to get out, so Keith put him in the pen that Butch used, and fed and watered him.  He subsequently got loose again when Keith went to check on him, but the llamas oddly enough did not bother him.  Then, when Keith went out to check on him at 7... our neighbors came out and told Keith he belonged to the Spehars.  Kathy and Keith got him over the fence again, and we have not seen him all day.  We assume the Spehars shut him up in a pen.  We figured the llamas knew him, as they did not exhibit the threatening behaviour that they do with strange dogs.  I walked down to make sure the walk-gate in the southeast corner was still bungee corded shut, and not only was it, but blackberry brambles have grown thickly around and through it.  We are going to have to get someone with a tractor to come in and brush hog the pasture next spring to get some of the blackberries cut back.

This shows you all just what a bum I was the rest of the afternoon before chores and before fixing dinner... I sat on the couch amongst the little girls, reading magazines, drinking water, and snoozing sitting straight up.  Tomorrow is a baking day (again) when I crockpot the stew for Jeff, and make a bunch of goodies to take to him on Christmas morning. 

We're on the downhill run!

Back to Normal Business

Whew.  Party day is over, for another year!  We still have to go see my son Jeff next weekend, and my sister, but the big event is over.  I went to church this morning and came home and put the house pretty much to rights, washing dishes and putting things away.  Keith ran Brandon back up to Iowa, and then came home to put heavy plastic on the big henhouse, since we think a storm will be hitting us by Tuesday.  The day dawned sunny and bright, but by 2 PM or so, plenty of clouds had come overhead.

Why is it that having company can make you so tired?

I hope to get caught up with all my blogging friend's adventures tonight and tomorrow night.  I have a four day work week, and am then off for a whole week!  This is my last Christmas to work, and I want to take cookies to our guards who have helped me all year, and to several other departments who help us throughout the year, and then, folks, I'm done baking for a while!

I'm sorry I haven't commented much in the last two weeks... it seems like time is moving so very quickly, lately.

Today was a good day for the llamas:

Here is Tony snatching a treat when I went out to feed.  He does the "Happy Llama Dance" most days when we get ready to pour his grain out, jumping and kicking.  I'm always careful to stand just outside his reach.

Mama Inca is growing in a good winter coat.  I am hoping that now that she is weaning Aztec, she will gain some weight.  She is the thinnest of the three.  I have not seen Azzie nurse now in over ten days.

As you see, Azzies eye is healing up nicely.  She has the most beautiful wool .

Those pictures were taken today, after the clouds came in. 

The chickens are doing well, and the porcelain hen, April, has begun laying finally.  I am praying that in the spring, I'll be able to have a friend hatch some porcelain eggs for me. 

Here are some of the little henyard birds enjoying leftovers yesterday.  That's Brutus the Welsummer rooster, Rocky was in the henhouse.  Note Bitty, the mixed silkie blue hen in front. 

This hen , who has matured to almost look like a young cockerel, is the only surviving chick of the 22 who were born in the spring.  She has the same kind of head as Bitty, the blue hen with the black head, including the same kind of comb.  She is a pretty color, and I am almost sure she is a daughter of Ratchett, who was rehomed last month.  That's one of the nesting boxes that Keith built last month next to these girls, and though they will go in it, not one has laid an egg in it.  In fact, they have all taken to crowding into this corner, and I see an egg amongst their legs.  I did collect 7 today.

Of the three roosters left in this henyard, Rocky, Brutus and Handsome the partridge cochin, none is fighting with the other.  In fact, Keith is stunned that the two bigger birds don't fight each other, but Brutus kowtows to Rocky.

Here was the big henyard side, with Rambo in control.  The tiny brassy back rooster, Speedy, is still with us, and very pretty.  You can also see Boots the Mille Fleur by the ramp, and the hens all look happy.  The three elderly roosters, One, Two and Three, are staying out of Rambo's reach these days.

The two Ameracauna pullets and the two cochin pullets do not seem to be laying yet, so I'm a little disappointed in them as they are past nine months old.   

I am dumping the water fortexes each night so I don't have to break ice in the morning.  So far, the outside pump has been a blessing to us.  Keith says he thinks it will run most of the winter except for the bitter cold nights.

I filled this tonight, just before darkness fell... poured out last week's and put fresh water in.  Aztec has a bad habit of picking things up and moving them, and she pulled the heater out one day this week.  I am scared she'll get shocked and we'll come home and find her.

I filled it full enough to immerse the heating element.  I used to obsess about the cleanliness of this trough, and emptied it several times a week, and thus created about twice the work (if not more,  for us).  The llamas don't even go through a trough a week, but so far, I have emptied it each Sunday and refilled it with clean, good water.  Right now, while still working, I am very grateful that we are not carrying water from the house for the animals, as we did for six years.

I did not write about it yet, but two weeks ago, I received the 2012 Landreth Seed catalog.  I have been so busy I have not had a chance to sit and go through it.  I'll do that one evening this week.  It's so much fun to dream of the perfect garden when snow is on the ground!

Yesterday, I put a jar of red goodness in the basket for Keith's mom and dad... tomato preserves.  You might remember that this was the first year I made them, and I used the last of our tomatoes from the garden for it.  I hope they enjoy them as much as we did (and will!).