Saying Goodbye to January, 2019

Bye, Felicia. 

That's how I feel today. 

We really have nothing to complain about, we, in the mid-American part of 

the lower forty eight, while our northern and northeast cousins are in the throes of a 

terrible storm. 

This is the kind of weather that drove Keith (in the winter of 2013-14) to give up

on the country as he fell more ill.... and convince me it was time to move to 

"the big house", where we lived until he died. 

You can see the vestiges of our last snow were melting on Sunday, when I heard a sound on the deck and went to look out the window. 

I saw two naughty ewes on the deck, who had pulled the chain on the 

pasture gate (I had forgotten to loop and "lock" it), and made themselves at 

home in the yard. 

I let them stay for the afternoon, they actually grazed for several hours. 

Yes, in the cold. 

I have made a decision that no one will be eating or drinking on the deck in the summertime. 

I am tired of the constant mess, and I can put the water somewhere where it will stay cool all day. 

I am moving a finch feeder to a spot next to the side deck, where I can sit at the kitchen table and watch the finches feeding, and the mess will go down to the ground, where they can clean it up.  The finch feeder hanging now in a flower bed will come out, and will be unused and kept as backup. 

I am spending a fortune on wild bird seed, and it has to stop. 

She IS the queen of all she surveys. 

Unfortunately, the Queen had to have some blood drawn 

last week, as I monitor her pretty closely at this stage in her life.  

We are starting Tramadol daily now for her aches and pains. 

Thanks to Dr. Becker and Ashley, at Bethel Animal Hospital, where I have taken my 

pets for over 30 years. 

We were very lucky that for much of January, the hoses were able to be used, and flowed 

freely, or somewhat freely... they did spit ice cubes a few times.  Last year, all hoses 

were drained and hung by this time, but this year, I was able to use them more. 

I just realized that I did not get a picture of the truck and trailer, but on the 23rd, I had 

Casey from Reynolds Lawn and Leisure, in Shawnee, Ks., come and work on 

my John Deere tractor.  I was so glad to hear that it is in excellent condition at 

six years old (maybe seven!).... and good to go for another season.  He did a complete 

tune-up on site in the trailer that he pulled, and I was so glad to know it is in good shape.  

Chris, my oldest grandson, was here for two nights from Garnett, and got the barn 

straightened up, and the mower was moved in there until spring. 

Ooops... just realized this is a bit of a blurry picture, 

but the ancient shop lights were removed from the barn, and 

my nephew Brandon hung these new LED lights for me. 

He also re-wired all the circuits, and made sure I am good to go to 

get my seeds started in two weeks.  We had coped with 

dingy old shop lights since we bought the place in 2005, 

and Keith replaced very few of the bulbs in them.  It was depressing 

going in the shop/barn  and as you can see, it became a repository for things

stored. 

On the 13th, a business hauled away a huge pile of junk that my grandson had readied for them... and since I took this picture, Chris has gotten busy and done even more cleaning.  We stopped 

that day (the 23rd) because it was terribly cold. 

In a couple of weeks, we will work on it even more, donating some things and 

junking others.   The shoplights have to be hauled away, and all the bulbs that were in them. 

I hope to have a wide open space and be able to walk in, find what I need, and walk out. 

I have a LOT of gardening things in there, and am eager to start seeds this year. 

I also had them haul things from the Dierksen storage building, and it is in much 

better shape.  I am still going through the boxes and bins in this building.  

Chris cleaned it up, too. 

Yesterday was the first time the ducks did not want to get in water. 

It was four degrees below when I took this picture, 

with a "real feels" of twenty below.  They half-heartedly 

fished for their lettuce, and then went back under the 

porch where I had put straw for them.  No chickens were 

let out. 

The black bucket in the back froze clear across the top, for the first time. 

It was a miserable day, and in the afternoon, we had an 

unexpected snow squall that thankfully did not drop 

too much snow. 

I stopped at Orschelns and bought another bucket similar to the 

heated sheep bucket, which has never frozen.  It is a little 

taller than the one you see here, but was open this morning. 

Beautiful hoarfrost around it this morning!

It was seven above, and I had to go out three times to get all the chores done, coming in to 

warm my hands up. 

Beautiful frost and reflection in the other bucket, too. 

There was not even this much open yesterday morning, it was seven above this morning, and only eight below real feel. 

I have permanent farm hair (took this while I was 

photographing the buckets).  (gosh, pretty good scowl, too)

Jester has the right idea!

Friyay!

I just this moment realized I have not posted since Monday, it seems like the week 

flew by. 

Spring is springing even more. 

We have had a chain of lovely days this week, except for rain on Wednesday.  That was okay, because 

we need it. 

Tuesday afternoon, I got five Cinnamon Queens from a young man here in 

Leavenworth County.  They are 18 months old, but still laying, and in good shape. 

There is a sample of their eggs, from this morning.  Nice. 

My plan is to open the door of the feed room tonight, and let them mingle with the flock after 

I have shut the pophole door.  

Tomorrow, they can go out into the free world (and I'll pray I don't have to chase them around with a

net in the evening).  They came from a big pen, so the grass will flip them out. 

Tractor Supply is having a sale this week. 

I am stockpiling potting soil. 

I have two things to say about it.  At TSC I can literally pull up alongside the pile and 

load my bags.  I do not have to get a cart and lug that cart across a store.  

I am going back for 8 more tomorrow, while it's still on sale. 

See that large green planter to the right, you can just barely see it.  It takes two bags of potting soil, and part of a third to fill it. 

I have two more close to that size, and about 20 in smaller and medium sizes. 

So, Dennis Patton, the Johnson County Extension Agent, wrote a good article in the Kansas City Star last week, talking about the differences between potting mix and garden soil. 

I have always used garden soil in my pots... well... 98% of the time. 

Potting soil is lighter and formulated to provide nourishment for those plants 

in the pots that need good root systems to support them.  There IS a difference, 

and you see, I am now a believer. 

I have 13 bags, I am going to get at least 8 more tomorrow. 

Ferdie was a great help, as you can see. 

I'm working towards a long-term goal of having another hen house 

up and running next year... and having a bunch of brown leghorn powerhouse egg layers in it. 

I have a lot to do before then. 

Like this, only twice as much. 

In all the years we have been here, since 2005... this huge old 100 year old walnut has stood by the barn.  Its' base is shifting, causing the bark to come loose... and you see, its' arms are being truncated by the wind.  It is VERY tall.  There are no walnuts any more, and frankly, it is a danger.  So, this week, I had a tree company from Lawrence come to give me advice on it, the huge maple near the house,  three trees on the bank that have dangerous deadfall in them... and the many young trees that have grown up in the fenceline of the old henyard.  

The bid was surprisingly manageable, and lower than Keith and I had feared in the past, so... I am going to get it all done.  The company should be calling me to schedule soon... I'll take lots of pictures.  I'm leaving the chickens in their yard that day, because equipment will be going back and forth across the yard.  It is cheaper to get it all done at once, by the way. 

They will grind up everything, leaving me mulch, except for the two walnuts.  That is not good mulch. 

(the other walnut is on the bank by the road, and a dangerous limb is hanging from it.) 

This is a garage that sits near the shop/barn.  For years, we just backed the mower into it, and stuck gardening stuff in it.  You see it was full of trash.  

This is it after an hour's hard work this afternoon.  I am going to also get rid of the 

stuff you see sitting along the wall, minus a few partial bags of mulch.  See the lightbulb

hanging there in the back?  It did not come on when I pulled the string, however, I have NO idea if Keith ever replaced that bulb.  There is also a good plug next to the window at the back, that needs

screen put back in it.  

So... the east end is completely open, but the rest of the building is in good shape. 

Power is at the barn/shop right behind it.  

Remember, these two buildings went with the original house on the property, which sat just east of them.   I have already made arrangements to have them painted this spring. 

This building was used by us as a stable one winter, for Beau, our Shetland pony, and 

his little mini-mare companion, Lily. 

Why not a hen house?  The wall could be closed in....with a window for ventilation... the power restored.... a pen built out in front of it... less than putting up another building, or a radical overhaul on the old henhouse where the cats live. 

So, I'm thinking. 

I had Jester boy's portrait done this week, as I had Lilly's done two weeks ago. 

Gianna Alvarez is the artist, she is at #LittlePawPaints on Instagram.  She does a 

great job. 

I'm looking for two good frames to get these hung. 

Speaking of Jester, he has an infection right now, and has been in some 

discomfort this week.  We visited the vet today, and he is on a seven day regimen of 

antibiotics to get him all straightened out.  That will be good, as I have had to get up 

in the middle of the night, sometimes several times, to get him outside fast. 

Our beautiful moon last night. 

I caught this blue boy just right this afternoon!