We're Back!

I can't believe it has been since Thursday that we have posted! 

I don't know where the days go. 

Catching up on the straw bale garden: 

The bales are on Day Five, and they are starting to SMELL, 

which is a good thing.  That means urea is working inside them, 

and they are beginning to turn into compost inside. 

They are pretty saturated, but I put out a half cup of fertilizer on 

each tonight, and went ahead and put two gallons of water on them. 

I should mention that it rained last night, our first rain in a 

while, and they got pretty wet already. 

I am also following the directions in Straw Bale Gardens by 

Joel Karsten, and the wonderful Straw Bale Garden and Straw 

Bale Miracle Garden groups on Facebook, who will 

answer any questions for you. 

I also discovered another wonderful Facebook group, 

and here let me make a comment about Facebook. 

I don't think any young people still use it... but man, 

I have made so many contacts through it, and found so much help. 

I discovered "Kansas Birding", and did it ever open up a door to me! 

The people who post pictures in it also give the date and the place

where the pictures were taken, and many are right around here, so a 

whole new area of birding has opened up to me. 

Having said that, I will be at the Ag Hall (National Agricultural Center 

and Hall of Fame) this week almost everyday, as we are getting ready 

for our opening on Saturday "Barnyard Babies", the first of our four 

big "Days" this year.  

Look at this: 

Darn, I didn't realize I got in the wrong angle to show you her beautiful face. 

This wonderful Harvest Queen mural has been hidden behind another mural for many years, 

and never on display. 

The former gift shop has been remodeled into a gallery and she has the 

pride of place. 

We actually have several original paintings on display, too. 

I am so glad she was brought out.  I took this with my phone today, 

but will get a better picture with the camera.  The "official opening" of the 

gallery is on Thursday evening this week. 

Gratuitous picture of Jester.  We are still struggling with the infection in 

his left eye, the right on this picture.  

Hopefully we will get it all cleared up quickly. 

I so enjoy taking pictures of the ducks on the little pond, like these blue-winged teal. 

And look who is back in the Little Pond Pasture!  

Remember I took so many pictures of the little Angus herd last summer, and 

there was one white cow which I realize now was actually pale brown and white. 

Last year, she had a white calf. 

I think that cute little brown and white calf is hers now. 

I did not get out of the car to take pictures, because their Big Daddy was 

close to the fenceline! 

It is getting warm enough some days for bathing to have started.  You see how 

low the little pond is.  

This was a bigger group in a different pond the next day, and I thought it was interesting, there were far more drakes than hens in this group. 

This little guy sat up at just the right time on my way home from church that night! 

How I love squirrels, and miss having them here.  

There are no large trees in this 3 street subdivision we call home. 

Big Mama is still hunkered down on her eggs... and I hope so, because we had 

steady rain last night, with more in the forecast. 

Back to gardening for a minute: 

These are the only two tomato volunteers left inside... the mice got three.  Hence, they 

are now on my Halloween Chair in the window, with no supplemental light. 

(Which I think is incredible!) 

I despaired of the lower one, because it was all bent around and looked as if it were 

dying... it has revived! 

I have no idea if these are large or cherry... I am going to look at my pictures of 

the seedlings I started under light last year to see if I can tell. 

I think I also caught sight of one outside tonight when I was doing chores... I'll check 

tomorrow. 

Yes, these are balloons, probably from someone's birthday party. 

Folks, don't do this. 

When they finally deflate or pop, they are 

huge hazards to wildlife.  Many birds have died 

from ingesting balloons.  

Turkey season here opened on the 15th. 

I have been seeing this big girl in the yard of a house where 

no one lives, but someone cuts right around it.  You see there is a

creek that flows along there. 

She's a beauty, isn't she? 

The heron was back in the Big Ditch. 

Everyone thinks the Big Ditch is a creek. 

It's a big .... ditch .... . 

I leave you with this picture I took coming up our street tonight... 

this is a setup in one of our neighbor's driveways.  This man 

walks every morning in the neighborhood, so I am going to look for 

him tomorrow and talk to him about it.  It's... NIFTY!