98 Degrees

Yep, we're at 98 degrees outside today, so I thought it would be 

interesting to look back one year and see what was happening in 

the July heat of 2013. 

I was carrying frozen jugs of water to all the animals, every few hours. 

Folly and Fancy were coping up on top of the nest box... and I put a quart bottle up there for them. 

The beans were not doing so hot.  They got planted late last year, and I didn't get much of a yield from them. 

Here was the orange asclepias that disappeared over the winter... it was a beautiful plant.  The yellow, on it's left... survived. 

The birds in the old henyard were hunkered down in the cool shady dirt. 

Neighbor Troy was finishing cutting our pasture. 

These beautiful little guys were still alive... and so loved. 

And so was our Little Doll.... whose head popped down onto my foot whenever I sat for a minute.  

How we miss our lost pets. 

This evening, I'm going to the second-to-last tee ball game for little Jax.  Tomorrow morning, 

the contractor who will be putting our house back together again will be here at 9, to show me 

what they will be doing.  We hope they can get the work done this week. 

The big fans and humidifiers went out of here at noon today, to the home of a family 

who came home from a weekend trip to find their home flooded.  

It's so quiet!  Just like I like it! 

Severe thunderstorms possible tonight, so I'll take pictures!

The Greenhouse becomes Real

We expected a delivery today between 1 and 5.  

Keith hurried to get things done this morning so he could be here. 

At 11:30, look what pulled up, and nary a dog (all inside) barked. 

My phone rang, and I was told "I'm at your gate". 

I alerted Keith. 

A huge box, 428 pounds... was manhandled off the truck and into our pickup by a pallet jack, and the driver and Keith.  

I was told to stay away and be quiet, and for once, I took his advice!  :-) 

Within ten minutes, he was at the site in the garden, and unloading everything. 

He had to open the box and unload all the pieces. 

(Biggify and note buds on maple tree branches in picture!) 

I went out to take pictures and set the treat bucket down for a minute... those are the panels leaning against the side of the henspa. 

Someone was trying to get to the bread. 

This gives you some idea of the waffle weave of the polycarbonate panels. 

In the background are some 4 x 4  pieces laying on the ground... Keith says now that the greenhouse will be 8 x 17 feet, instead of 10 x 18.  There is a reason for this... and we will also site it a little bit closer to the garden beds, instead of right next to the henspa.  There is a reason for THAT, too... I'll find out what they are and report on them. 

It's getting real!  Unfortunately, except for Sunday, we are to have very cold weather next week, with a 70% chance of snow on Wednesday, so we will put off construction for a week. 

Folly says:  "What are you putting next to us, Mama?" 

That's it for today from Calamity Acres! 

Bird-Dog

BIRD

DOG

Alica asked last night how many birds we have.  We have 14 roosters on the old henhouse side, of them, 7 are last year's hatch, and 2 are two years old.  1 is four, and the others are five.  TOO MANY. 

On that side are 7 girls from last year's hatch... and four older hens who lay once in a while, meaning I may get two eggs a week from them.  The others, about six small birds and about four standards, are no longer laying.  

On the new henspa side are four roosters, only ONE of whom I intended to be there. 

There are 28 hens, large and small, meaning standard and bantam.  Of these, most are laying, but some only lay twice a week, as they are older.  All in all, I am getting from 16 to 24 eggs a day from both henhouses in the middle of winter.  

This week we have used about 7 eggs for our own use, and I broke a few.  

Today I found several eggs soaked with yolk, so I think one broke in the nest.  I have extra calcium grit in the henspa, as they have their yard, but no pasture to roam in for grit.  I have been taking anywhere from 7 to 9 dozen eggs a week to our food pantry, and they need every one! 

And actually... we are probably going to have to get a small college-sized refrigerator, and use it for egg storage, as I am taking up so much space in the kitchen fridge! 

I hope to replace the non-layers with between 8-10 new pullets in the spring.