Scorching July

Just a quick post for an early Sunday evening.  

We have just been through five days of intense heat here in Northeast Kansas. (as has half the nation!) 

This poor little hen, one of my brown Leghorns, is suffering in the heat. 

She had been trying to pass an egg for 24 hours, and I did not realize it until....

I brought her in the house and put her in the sink to try to get some electrolytes into her. 

I went outside to do something and when I came back in, I saw this. 

(she then jumped up on the counter). 

When I picked her up, I realized she had a mess outside of her oviduct.  I cut it all off with scissors, but really, I am not sure she will make it.  I did eventually turn her out on to the porch, and she looked decent today. 

I found this poor girl in the big hen house this morning.... I am sure from the heat. 

She looked like she had dropped straight out of the rafters. 

In the old hen house (I am going to post pictures of all of them this week) 

there were only two hens (a brown and a blue Polish)  and Singleton, the white rooster.  The ducks 

are sleeping in there.  The other eight hens are at the Ag Hall until September or so. 

On Thursday,  I saw the brown hen going back and forth across the pasture, numerous times, even in the heat. 

Friday and Saturday, I did not see her all day.  I left the back pophole open as long as I could, long after the ducks were "in bed".... but she never came in, and I believe she is lost, possibly to a predator.  They are suffering in the heat, too. 

This one isn't.  

I bought fifty bales of brome this week, and am going to buy another twenty from the same farmer. 

It is stacked in my little hay barn and the garage. 

Here I need to explain a little. 

Since December, I have been dealing with a torn Achilles tendon in my right foot. 

It has been terribly painful, and wearing the boot for six weeks not only did not help it at all, 

but threw my back into the worst sciatica I have ever, ever had.  I did not sleep, I was in terrible pain, and walking back and forth across the yard was almost impossible.  

Three weeks ago, I spent the weekend with my foot up as much as I could, icing.... 

but somehow, miraculously, that Monday I woke up NOT in pain for the first time in months. 

I had been to the chiroprachter about ten times at that point, and had tried medication that did not agree with me.  I had been to my own primary doctor, and had appointments for an orthopedic surgeon and a pain clinic, for a shot to help my back. I had actually approached people about taking all of my animals but Jester. 

I had almost despaired, I did not think I could stay here where I have been so happy.  I did a lot of praying and trying to accept that I might have to have surgery on that foot and be out of commission for months. 

And then, I woke up, and I could walk.  I did see both the doctors that week... the orthopedist told me to keep doing what I am doing... no twenty mile hikes!  And the pain doctor gave me steroids for a week and told me to come back if it hurts. 

I am not saying there is no pain, I have therapy tomorrow and there IS still pain, and no, the tendon did not knit itself back together, but it is much better, and I can get around again. 

That hay represents my faith that I can make it through the coming winter on my foot. 

It was a leap of faith. 

Here is Jester, early this morning, on his Boston Dottie blankie... 

made by Dottie's Mom, Dale.  It is his favorite to lay on, and he may start the night out near me, but ends up on the blankie. 

(please check out the sassy Boston Dottie on Instagram!) 

I stopped at this point and ran outside, the rain has come again, but there are still numerous birds out, and I will have to put rain gear on to go lock them up.  I DID lock the sheep up early, though, because they had headed for their barn. 

There's Cookie and Mama Flicka out early this morning, they 

have been spending most of their days in the barn, out of the sun, and today was a good day to graze. 

Niblet and her Mom, Fluffy, were under the tree. 

This summer wasn't all about pain, though. 

I was able to take Jax to Baseball Camp in June (my son will never know the 

terrible pain I was in that three days!).... and we have gone to the 

pool and to lunch several times.  Jax is going to be "hired" to help with some 

yardwork this week. 

We were at the pool on Friday with their cousins Hailey and Hannah in this terrible heat, but that's what summer is all about. 

And this is still going on.... that's Jax patting Appy, his sister's mount, 

at the barn today.  My son Jim, Paiton's and Jax's dad, took them, and Jax is getting more comfortable around the horses.  In fact, I was stunned when this picture appeared on my phone!  

I'm so proud of Paiton, it has been about thirteen months since she began riding, and she still loves going. 

There goes Ole Thunder out the gate yesterday morning, sold to a wonderful family for a teenage boy, who is going to use him as his project truck in shop class this fall.  I told him I could not wait to see him driving up and down my road when he is all fixed up!  

It was impractical for me to have a big truck... I never felt like I had full command of it, 

it was just too much truck for me.  This young man will get far more use of it than I did, and it is out of the way in my parking area!

My poor gardens are horribly overgrown, I just could not get out there to work in them, 

so I am going to buy pickling cucumber this week and put up some pickles. 

I do have a lot of tomatoes coming on, and have hopes of making some salsa. 

The flowers still look good, and I bought another of the huge planters at Sam's, and am going to buy a fourth.  I love them, and it was fun planting them this spring. 

I just looked out and the ducks are heading for their house in the rain, so I had better go out and lock them up!

Have a good week, everyone!