A Break from the Steambath

And boy, did we ever need a break from the steambath!

The girls were hiding anywhere they could hide to get out of the sun. 

Asclepias Incarnata began to bloom, and was covered with 

flying insects and several different kinds of bumblebees. 

This is how dry we have been.  Horrid. 

Jester found the only sun puddle to sit in one day. 

This little girl was trapped one morning in the sheep pen, she could not get through the livestock fence.  She had to have come in under the gate.... but I picked her up and pointed her downhill towards the ponds. 

Granddog Shiner had to go to the vet because he 

pulled a nail out.  Ouch.  He is on pain pills for a while, plus 

antibiotics. 

As I posted on Instagram, my ducks were in a row for about two minutes, 

and yes, we had storms that day.  See the sky? 

These are the hugest Pekins I have ever had, but sadly, all are drakes. 

They sass me constantly. 

This is raccoon poop in the unused little wood henhouse at The National Agricultural Center. I discovered it on Tuesday, and prayed it was from the period when there were no birds there. 

I was wrong. 

We lost two of the new birds, gruesomely. 

ARGGGHHHH. 

The crazy thing is, for two years, we had sizeable flocks there with no losses. 

You see, the coop there has a pophole, but no door on it, because there is no one there in the evening to lock the birds up.  Hardware cloth surrounds the bottom of the coop, and is buried.  Poultry wire covers the top.  The first flock this year began to be decimated, the raccoons were coming down through the top.  That was sealed. 

These, this week, went through the side.  

I can see where they have been climbing the sides of the coop, which sits inside a utility barn. 

For now, our summer intern is closing when she goes home at 4, on four days a week.  I am 

going the other three days, which makes two trips a day for me while I try to think what is best to do. 

Today, Sunday, as I write this, we are expecting severe storms in the late afternoon.  I 

took care of the birds this morning and then left them locked in so I don't have to drive through 

bad weather to lock them up.  Hate to do it to them, leaving them locked in all day. 

The pen has been repaired, but I could see where the raccoons tried to get through again, and, as one of the male volunteers said "Once they have broken through, they will keep trying."  He is right. 

Someone suggested a solar door to me, but... if a hen fails to go in, she is dead. 

I have gone from getting 20 eggs a day to only 8 or 9.  Very frustrating. 

I marked it down to the heat, but I think I know what has been happening. 

Biddy appeared out of nowhere on Thursday, after I thought she was long dead. 

She had two new chicks in tow. 

Wherever she has been hiding, I fear I will find fifty eggs in the nest.  So far, I have not found them! 

I have decided to let her raise those two herself, and we will just let Nature take its' course. 

My innocent Lilly grabbed one of those chicks in her mouth and hobbled off with it, 

I had to chase her.  I don't think she is quite ready to cross the Bridge yet. 

Try as I might, I just can't get good pictures of the hummers on my porch.  I was able to get 

better pictures at the big house, through the patio doors.  

Found this big black rat snake skin on my mulch pile on Friday. 

And this juvenile rat snake was in the coop at the Ag Saturday. 

Our intern freaked out. 

The little stinker struck at me, too. 

(non-venomous). 

I have no clue what Ferdy was doing yesterday, 

but he made a pretty picture.  He is such a gentle rooster... to me. 

Fat little Brownie, grazing in the yard yesterday. 

I have a huge volunteer pumpkin growing just off the mulch pile. 

I swear it doubled in size since I took this yesterday. 

As I was leaving the Ag this morning, I saw the baby rat snake's big brother. 

After storms today and tomorrow, we are to be back in the steam bath for the next ten days or so, 

and I'll be back to constant watering.  I will try to post as I can.