Back Again

As I sit here this morning, I did not realize I had not blogged since January. 

Oh, for the days when I blogged every single night after supper! 

I just can't seem to do it anymore. 

We have left the frigid conditions of January and February, and we are now at the end of April, when things are looking decidedly springlike. 

There have been some surprises along the way, these last few months. 

Bob's life hung in the balance for ten days. 

On this day, I had actually taken him to be euthanized, as we had medicated and 

given ivs all week to no avail.  The doctor left the room... and the tech was kind enough to take what I thought were last pictures. 

Within a few minutes, the doctor was back with the news that part of his bloodwork had come back early, and the culprit was revealed... feline micoplasmosis.  As it happened, I already had a med at home that Coco had been on... I began it that day and within five days he was back to his normal self. 

Whew. 

All I can say is Bob, Bullseye and Wanda are expensive cats. 

A year ago in March, my son borrowed a 20 foot trailer from his brother in law and hauled some fencing panels for me.  The trailer sat at my house for a year, I mowed around it.  It was pulled out on Thursday of last week.  I am going to spread thickly.... pollinator flower seed in this space and water them in good! 

I have had to start mowing, but NE Kansas is far behind in rain.  We need some, and we may get some later today.  I would love for it to come as steady rain and not tornados, please. 

I thought this two year old Cochin hen was a goner, I kept finding her in odd places. 

What has actually happened is that she has gone broody. 

Oh, yes, I need to rake that hen house out and re-bed it. 

This Wyandotte DID go broody... she is barely a year old... and hatched out two tiny 

little chicks.  I suspect they are the product of Rocky, my tiny mille fleur rooster, but we shall see. 

We have had beautiful nights. 

And beautiful, beautiful days.  

I had to put the mother and babies in the brooder house with the four week old chicks (out of sight to the right).  See how she has pushed straw into the water fountain?  I have to go out there six times a day to make sure she has water, and .... woe betide the older chick who DARES to come near her babies.  My plan was to raise those 17 new chicks in the brooder house, and she has wrecked my plans.  I can't let her out... the chicks will be lost, I have never had luck with mamas raising their own. 

I had a very bad fall on Friday.  Nothing is broken, but I am very sore from it, and Chico and I have been spending time in the recliner under the heated blanket.  It is getting too warm for that, let me tell you. 

Guess what?  The mama eagle must be on her nest somewhere, because the male is the only one visiting! 

It's so hard to get a decent picture on a cloudy day. 

You know I love wildlife but man... I feel like I am feeding all of Leavenworth County sometimes. 

I pour a small pile out on the floor as I pick up the bowls in the evening. 

I actually had to move the big bin holding the cat food into the big hen house... it's a pain to carry it back and forth... because I could NOT for the life of me keep the raccoons out of it. 

That's Teeny the Meany, one of the three barn cats. 

The warming lights are all off now, it's 77 out there today (April 22). 

This beautiful dilute calico is Diamond Lil, named by Kitty Cat Connection, not me. 

She came here six years ago, I have never touched her.  

She came with Coco, who was called Coal at the time. 

Lil lives in Troy's barn next door... but... she eats in the garage on my property.  She has been greeting me every morning for a month or so now, so I take a two piece feeder and I give her wet food on one side, dry on the other, and then the big bowl of dry goes in there, too, you can see a pile from it, here. 

A bowl of water is always in there.  I start talking as I get close to the garage in the morning (I feed her first) and I hear her meowing to me as I get there. 

Twenty years ago here, I planted tulips.  There are a few that still come up.  Every fall I tell myself to plant more... and every fall I forget or put it off.  I enjoy the ones that lived! 

I hope everyone is well and I am sorry it was so long in between posts... life should be getting easier for me but it is getting a little harder to get everything done here.  I am hoping to stay here for a few more years. 

Thanks for reading! 

A Fast Post Tonight

Made up of bits and pieces, this will be fast.  I am tuckered out... three weeks of dragging has taken it's toll.  I'm pooped out tonight... and so is Keith, hay fever has worked a number on him. 

When we moved here, there were several large walnut trees in the yard.  One is a century tree, we think well over a hundred years old.  This year, it looks like this:

Yes, our grand old tree is dying. 

In contrast, there is another 50 feet from it, right next to the big henhouse:

If you click on this, you will see that there are hundreds if not thousands of walnuts that I'll soon be paying Nathan to pick up for me.  It's still in good health.

These are black walnuts, and gone are the days when the lumber companies would come to your yard and buy the trees.  Now you have to fell them and haul the to the mill to sell.

Now, for friend Jill, HERE is the rat I have been telling you about, eating along with the chickens tonight.  I say it's a muskrat, it does not have pointy ears like ratus ratus. 

As you can see, it's very calm with me in the henhouse.

Here is another picture of it's short tail:

I don't blame the hens for not wanting to lay in that box you see.

Before you all start shaking your heads, yes, we have a bad feeding regimen.  I feed in one regular chicken feeder, and the others are open bowls or fortexes for the chicks.  We also feed outside.  When we move to the new henhouse, all of this is STOPPING and the chickens will be working harder for their food so there is not as much waste.  They will have a feeder hanging from the rafters, and will have to work at getting their food.  Since Butch and his girls will be moving, the big henhouse flock will be out on pasture regularly again, and finding a lot of their own feed.  I am about to declare war on the mice and rats, though, and One Bite is going to be heavily laid where the chickens can't get to it, including down the larger ratholes in the pen.

We're also going to just the heated waterers for winter, so we only have two to fill at any given time, since our plan is to close off the little henhouse for the winter.  If we leave it open, the hens will begin laying in it (from the big henhouse) and I'll be crawling in and out of there all winter.

Then again, it's better than losing the eggs in the pasture.

Here is my little doll, tonight, sitting on the porch for a few minutes with me:

And lastly, the Teeny Babies... outside for the very first time today!

Stickin' with mama, but mighty happy about it, too!

That's a bantam cochin, so you can see how small they are! All three pullets, too... yipppeeee. 

Not Part Two of the Rooster Post!

I was going to finish my post about the roosters tonight, but something else happened today that I want to share.

This morning, I decided at the last minute to put Teeny and her babies down with the other birds. The three little pullets are about 8 weeks old, and the confines of the cage were just getting to be too much.  It was time for them to be down in the litter, scratching like regular chickens.  Keith had followed me out, so I asked him to nab them while I held the carrier.  Oh my goodness... if you had heard Teeny, you would have thought it was a hog being stuck. 

Here are the babies in the carrier, freaked out:

I put their waterer down in front of them, so they could see it.  It's actually holding the door open.  Note Teeny behind them, calling to them.

The Outside Sleepers, as I call them, all came barreling to see what was going on. Two of the little roosters attacked Teeny, who had to fight them off, all 12 ounces of her.

At that point, I ushered all the other birds outside, large and small.  It was a beautiful day, and I made sure there was enough food outside for them to eat, along with fresh water.  I shut both popholes to give Teeny and her girls time to get used to the henhouse.

When I got home, this is what I found.  Keith had already seen them, he had to leave for work just before noon and work late.  He opened one pophole, because we knew everyone had to learn to live together. The chicks were happily following their mama around looking for feed in the litter.

When I went out to lock up, I found one under Teeny, up on one of the roosts. As you can see, the good mama is still trying to keep it warm and safe.  I got worried for a second and wondered if a snake had heard the peeping and come in and gotten the other two.  (We have had that happen).  I turned around, and this is what I found:

Chickens are so remarkable.  These two little girls, who had never been out from under their mama at night, figured out where to roost.  That particular roost is about 2 feet off the ground, and an even closer jump up from the "ramp" that Keith built for them to jump up and walk out on.  The other is in the second (higher) pophole doorway.  I made sure the pophole was secure.  There are three bigger chickens roosting just above and in back of this little white pullet (on the higher roost), and Teeny and the third chick are directly across from them, about 4 feet high. 

Then I went outside to say good night to these goofballs:

WHEN ARE THEY GONNA COME IN?????

On a totally different subject, who is the leak in Brenda's squad room on "The Closer"????

I say Sanchez.  My friend Vickie, an avid watcher like myself, says Tau or Buzz. 

What do you say????

Tuesday Night

So tired last night I could not sit and post, and almost that tired tonight.  The heat is on, again.  We are expecting upper nineties the next two days, with heat indices in the triple digits.  So tiresome after a few weeks of good weather.  In fact, it's 8:05, almost dark, and I am going to go out and turn the hose on and soak my flowers, just in case.  I passed a friend on the way out of the office tonight, and she said "I didn't water this morning because it was supposed to rain"... and I said "I didn't water either!" .  Needless to say, we will both be, tonight.

Here are our swallow babies, looking down at us from their nest above the door.  There were only three, and they are all still alive!  They come back to the nest at night to sleep.

Taken this afternoon.

This is priceless enjoyment for us. The nest is built directly over the front door, and despite our comings and goings, and the dogs barking, etc. etc., the parents raised their clutch of three successfully!

The Real Reason there is never any feed in the frisbee.

As you can see, there is a feeder in the cage, but I was still putting some feed in the frisbee. How funny that I caught the little hooligans dust bathing in it!  I've wasted probably a 50 lb bag, which at prices today, is a shame.  Starting tomorrow, I'll put some dirt in the frisbee for them, and they can take a real bath.  Soon they will be out with their mama, but the fact is, something has tunneled under the little pen in the henyard, there is quite a large hole behind it.  There was a brown egg back there, and now it is gone.  Hmmmm.  Whatever got that egg could get those babies.

There is a large snake skin on top of the closet of the big henhouse, or I would let them stay in there with their mama.  Maybe they will just stay in the cage a while longer.

Gertie Lou, almost asleep while we watched "The Closer" last night.  Two more weeks to go.... who is the snitch in the squad room????  That is "Gertie's Pillow", by the way.

Four walls are up, and you can see one window partially framed.  The other is the open space to Keith's left, still to be framed.  He worked until dark in the humidity.  Next on (besides the top row of boards on which the roof supports will rest) will be the sheathing and siding.  Before he finished for the night, he put a bracing board between the two far walls (north and south) to brace the structure in case of wind.  It can be unscrewed easily, much as the two braces you see on the front, which is sheathed.  We are still planning on using it this winter.  In talking to Keith while he worked, I suggested we cover the yard with netting, and he had already thought of that.  This way it will keep out the little wildings, the starlings, the owls, and the other predators. 

Construction Supervisor Lilly Ann was out there guarding her Daddy from any possums that reared their heads.

A spider that caught a spider in it's web in the porch of the big henhouse.

Why there are so many baby grasshoppers around here!

Sunday Thoughts

At church this morning, our pastor apologized because he could not leave the altar as usual, since his lapel mike was broken. Instead, he was stationary at the altar, speaking at the podium that the lector normally uses.  He aplogized for the inconvenience, and in the course of the sermon, talked about someone who  had to use "email" instead of Twitter or Facebook to communicate something rapidly.  Hasn't our world changed?  I remember when there was no such thing on your desk as a "PC"... and not dreamed of by the normal person. Dating me, I guess, but there's still life in the old girl yet, and this proves it:

Here I am trying to get out the pophole of the little henhouse this afternoon. Keith was laughing and took the picture... and no, I don't ALWAYS wear that blue blouse for chores.  I'm pretty dirty, as you can see.

I had to go roust these three:

I am telling you, silkie and silkie crosses are the broodiest hens on earth!

Before gathering the eggs, I had been working on this:

Part of that is a straw bale left out to decompose, and part of it is from here:

This was taken before I started to excavate with the pitchfork. The llamas use the barn during the summer during rainfall, otherwise they are outside.  I filled the larger of our two yardcarts, and then pulled it across the yard to the new garden bed.  I also worked in the current garden bed, and cut down spent monarda flowers... they smelled so good as I chopped.  I am going to dig the monarda up as soon as I have prepared the new bed.  It got WAYYY too big for it's place in the current bed. 

While I was doing that, Keith was doing this:

Yes, as you can see, the walls are going up.  We were up very late after his daughter's wedding reception last night, (for us) and I don't know where we found the strength... oh, wait a sec... while waiting for pictures to load in this post, I FELL ASLEEP IN THE OFFICE CHAIR.  I'll be working on that garden bed all week!

After I worked for a while (and then sat and talked to Keith for a while as he worked), I went over to the chicken yards to do chores. 

Here is what we have decided about the chicken houses. 

The little henhouse on stilts is needing modification.  It does not have an easy way to get eggs... and as you saw from picture one, I have to crawl in there when I can't roust the hens out with the every-handy mop.  We want to open the sides and make nest boxes that can be added to it, and checked from the outside, thereby freeing me from having to crawl in unless there is an emergency.  Today I got "stuck" in there and it is NOT pleasant. I had to call Keith on my cell from my pocket to come and rescue me.  It is also hard to heat in winter, we have to run a line from the big henhouse to it, and prop it up to keep a heat lamp going.  Last winter we did not have a base waterer for the water fountain, because I got shocked the year before and I admit it, I'm scared.

So.... what we will do is this:

The flock from the little henhouse will move to the new henhouse INCLUDING the roosters, when it is ready.  For the time being, it will be a regular henhouse with hens and roosters, instead of the laying house I envisioned.  That will come.

Second step:  fix the big henhouse.  We adapted that building from a living quarters/babysitting nursery for the pickers who used to work on the strawberry farm.  The eaves have rotted and we are invaded every winter by starlings, who poop over everything, not to mention bringing disease into the henhouse. It needs re-wiring and a thorough cleaning.  The current flock will stay in there for the winter, or move to the little henhouse while we work on it, we aren't sure yet.  Anyway, we envision (and Keith admitted this) that we are going to have three henhouses in action.  The little henhouse will either end up a breeding yard, or be the rooster yard, we aren't sure yet.  I am going to be busy in my retirement.

I had fun finally, just sitting for a while and watching the birds.  The ninety degree heat turned to windy with clouds, and a few sprinkles, so it was nice to sit relax.  I realized I was way too tired to go back to the garden.  In fact, I still need to go out and get the loppers.

Here is one of the two golden cochin pullets... isn't she pretty?

Boots and Baldy, the little Mille Fleur pullet who was attacked by the three Brahma roosters in the spring. Her feathers have grown back in spottily on her head.

This is the lesser of the two Partridge Cochin roos that I ended up with in the spring hatch that I bought. The sturdier of the pair is in the other henyard.  He's still a very beautiful boy, and Rambo does not beat up on these little roosters, so I am content to leave them be.

While Keith was working, I came in to take a breather at one point.  As I looked out the door, I saw hummingbirds on the re-blooming butterfly bushes.  I moved the hummingbird feeder out to the garden after re-filling it.  I don't think they like this feeder, however, as I have never seen them use it this year.  I am going back to the old ones.  Along with the hummers, I saw many beautiful large butterflies.  Here is one that wandered over to the large henyard.

 I am not sure what it is, but it's GORGEOUS.

And last but not least, here is Teeny, with her babies who are getting huge!

And that, my friends, is a heckuva post for the beginning of a four day week for me.

Yee HA!

Quail

The quail were feeding and calling all evening while I was out doing chores.  Their musical call is wonderful to the ear.  I captured on the camera, but you won't see a quail in the picture.

And.... a picture of Teeny and her HUGE chicks:



Yayy for Teeny!

And the teeny, tiny babies!

Three of the four hatched, and appear to be healthy. Teeny is in her element.

Sunday Gratefulness

First off, it rained.  Thank you, Lord.

I sat on the porch at 6 AM (remember, I went to church yesterday afternoon so that I could SLEEP LATE) but was so happy to hear the thunder and see lightening, that I went out to watch. The yardlight was still on.  I filmed it, but of course... the video would not load.

At midmorning, I had a visit from these guys, bringing big brother 

 

Nathan home to Grandma's

As you see, the dogs ADORE them. And they love the dogs.  I'm so glad that two of my grands took after my heart!  Paiton is sitting on the steps Hannah uses to go up and down to the dog couch.

When they came, I was just getting ready to do this:

Yes, I cheat.  I was channeling Suzanne McMinn but as Keith said.... "Use the Packets, it's faster!"  Uh, you see, Keith made pickles last year using Mrs.Wages, and they were darn good.  We got seven pints of sweet pickles, and six of dill.  One of the sweets did not seal all the way, so it's going into the fridge.  Nathan took a pint of dills home when he went.

Next week (or one evening this week) I'll make bread and butter.

While I made pickles, Nathan did this:

He does not have cable or satellite in the little town where they live (at their house) so he takes advantage when he comes to our house. He also has hay fever (we suspect) and was headachy and suffering. 

Then I took Nathan home, and noted that it was 13 degrees cooler than yesterday!

When I got back, I told Keith I was going to do chores, then cut grass for a while, then fix us a good dinner.

When I went out to the henhouse, I saw something wonderful and ran back to the house to make Keith come out.

Folks, this hen is six years old, and a Japanese bantam cross, born here at Calamity Acres.  To my memory, she has never gone broody or hatched anything.  In front of her were two tiny puffballs, already dry, (one has gone back under her wing).  Neither made a sound.  There are two other tiny eggs under her, but I don't know that they will hatch.  In contrast, the dog dish I had her food in LOOMED over them.  I removed it, spread a little bit of her feed on the hay, and put the ubiquitous frisbee in the cage with plenty of chick feed in it, and then set the waterer (a chick waterer) down on the wire, off it's brick. 

Yayyyy Teeny!!!!

We could not get over the minute size of these babies, and both of us went back in several times to see them.  We pray they make it.

Here I am with my new PASTEL Homer bucket that Keith got me today!  Lovely chore clothes, too!

Admit it, you want these clothes!  Especially the shoes!

Super nifty new hose hookup that Keith did for me yesterday on the pump that we have NEVER used and only discovered in May was STILL WORKING. NO MORE HAULING 100 FEET OF HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY HOSE!   All I have to do is turn on the direction I want, lift the pump handle.... and the hoses are sitting RIGHT WHERE I NEED THEM. 

THANK YOU, HONEY!

It's 9:30 as I write this, and Keith is out closing up the shop after he worked on the new henhouse in the horrible heat yesterday, and for a while today.  We had hoped to lift the first wall tonight, but the he went in to rest as I cut grass, and fell asleep.  While I am typing, I am listening to intermittent thunder in the west... there is a severe thunderstorm warning the next county over.  We expect more extreme heat this week... Keith is prepared to stop as much as he can to do water...and I am grateful to him, and to our Lord who gave us a day of respite in the middle of the heat wave.