How Can May be Almost Over?

Happier Times, for the most part. 

I'm glad for that! 

I was putting new oranges on the orange feeder the other evening, and looked down through the plants... there were two eggs in the garden bed! 

(see the spilled jelly?) 

Chickens! 

I didn't know when they had been laid, but the raccoons found them that night and left shells. 

I was not feeling very kindly towards them the next night.  You see, last Sunday I planted all these planters and lick tubs.  I am trying to save some money this year, and I planted seeds I already had... plus some packets I got at the feed store.  I love wildflowers so planted two tubs of them.  We had rain on Monday and the seeds germinated right away. 

Three days later, I unthinkingly let the hens in the yard, and while I was in watching the five PM news, the hens scratched out most of the tubs.  I could have strangled them. 

I have replanted, but they are now captive on their own side of the yard until the flowers are up and blooming. 

Plants are so expensive this year, so I bought exactly one hanging basket and then bought some petunias and divided them and planted three baskets I saved from last year. 

My iris have come and gone already, the whites are still blooming a little. 

I had many more in the past, and my goal is to re-do this bed and plant a bunch in the fall. 

These two took up residence in the big hen house for a week... there are two heads there, one is on the left.   They are gone now, it got cool again... but I am watching for them. 

The four cochin babies are in a secure pen, but I was worried they would get Pip, the little silkie hen. 

The cochin babies are looking GREAT.  I changed their open bowl of water out for a conventional water fountain about an hour ago, and they fled to the other end of the pen in fright.  I'm going out in a few minutes to check and make sure they understand they can drink still.  That open bowl got too dirty, too fast.   My gosh, they are good looking babies, there is a cockerel and three pullets. 

My next goal is to get them outside in a secure pen during the day, and I'm going to be talking to Ben about that this week. 

About a month ago, some good friends gave me a gift certificate to a farm store I had not used recently. 

I stopped in there because they carry Kalmbach feed.  

My gosh, folks.  I got a bag of Kalmbach layer feed, and I have to tell you, all joking aside... the eggs I am getting have great shells and I am getting six to nine eggs a day out of my aged hens.  I am stunned at the size and quality of the eggs.  I am ready to get another bag, and am going to go over tomorrow and get it.  I am so happy with it. 

You will have to enlarge this and squint... there is a raccoon running on the ground... and one on the moveable platform Ben made for me last summer, cleaning up the bird seed.  I will say that I am not being invaded as I was before by thirteen or fourteen a night, but they are still around. 

It does not help that my yard light is not working about half the nights, and it is pitch black outside once night falls.  I called about it once, and am going to call again on Monday. 

The hanging finch feeders are just in front of the camera hanging on the porch rail. 

I have NO clue why the camera took rosy pictures for an entire day, but here I am doing what I will be doing all summer long... cutting the grass.  I am alternating between north and south sides of the yard, tomorrow is the south again.  

This makes Cat Number Four in the shop. 

However, Mama has disappeared again.  She was gone about three weeks ago for five days... I have not seen her now since last weekend. 

This guy, whom I call Bruce Wayne, has been in the shop several mornings, including this morning, when I went in to feed. 

UH HUH. 

I sent that to a rescue friend and titled it "The Camel has come into the Tent". 

My boy Bob does not like him.  At night I sometimes hear cats fighting, and I know who it is. 

Bob is neutered, and I can't get near enough to Bruce to see if he is. 

My little Teenie the Meanie is still in the barn... she is so small but does not like ANYONE.  

She likes me, and she liked Mama okay, but Cleo lives in the barn, too, and Teenie does not like her. 

I have not been seeing any skunks in the barn in the last three weeks... but this long-legged raccoon has been in there multiple nights, and two possums, one small, one large.  

The warming light is off for the summer, though the Kuranda bed is still in there. 

Bruce likes the Kuranda. 

 

The ewe on the right was born here, Nugget... though that is not what she is called now.  

Her dam is here too, Fluffy, though that is not her next to Nugget.  Neither Nugget or her mom have ear tags. 

Flicka, the Dorper sheep that had been mine, died during the past winter. 

I am enjoying watching the sheep again.  I am keeping their trough full and the plastic pool I keep under the walnut tree for them.  The ram was brought over this week... he's BIG and I am careful around him. 

The pasture needs to be mowed, the grass is too high for them, and I think it's beyond my mower now. 

I'm going to talk to Ben tomorrow about several things and I'll mention that. 

I can tell you there is no barn at their own home, and it just tickles me that they go in and out of the barn all day long here.  I love to see Nugget laying in the doorway, chewing her cud. 

I am going to have a ton of hollyhocks, very soon. 

My peonies smelled heavenly, I brought enough in for two vases, but they have all shattered in yesterday's rain.  There is little Wanda in the background.  

The Baltimore Orioles only stay here about a month, and I took my first pictures on April 20.  These guys, though, stay all year.  If they really are our loved ones visiting us, I have many.  I like to think so. 

Thank you all for your wonderful comments about Buddy.  The house seems so empty now, and Jester is alone.  Zoey and Buddy were wonderful dogs, and I was privileged to have them for a while... but I think Jes and I are going to take a break for a while. 

A Big Calamity at Calamity Acres

I can't believe it. 

You know I try never to take the Lord's name in vain, 

but I came OH SO NEAR tonight. 

I just can't believe it. 

Several times over the past two weeks I have sent pictures to my 

lawn service for the farm, asking that they cut the weeds in two beds to the ground. 

One of these beds was the potato bed in the past, and I am not going to 

ever plant potatoes again.  My plan was to pull the borders out 

around these two beds over the winter, and plant grass to the fence. 

This is how we built these beds, using the "lasagna" method, 

taking the sod off... putting newspaper in layers down. 

Then good planting dirt and manure.... then a layer of straw. 

(We later went to mulch)

Expensive, and labor intensive. 

Here is the north bed, coming to life. 

This is the south bed, the summer we made it. 

The wood border is not on it, yet. 

You see that behind the fence, there is no bed yet.  We later made one there, 

but Keith was getting sick at that point, so it was never really planted.  THAT WAS THE BED 

I ASKED TO BE CUT.  That, and the corresponding bed on the other side of the arbor, on that side of the fence. 

The view as I got out of the car tonight.  I could see all the way to the henspa. 

All gone. 

Yes, I had to clean them all

 out, I had already started.  

I was going to dig them up, one by one.  Remake the beds. 

At least he left the buddleia, he also left TREES. 

In the corner, by the arbor, was a big patch of rudbeckia, still blooming. 

All my expensive iris.  

I am just so .... MAD. 

My plan was to dig it out little by little, and replenish the bed, pulling out the weeds. 

Now I am going to have trouble telling the weeds from the perennials. 

Can you see the sedum on the side, on the left?  I had a huge stand that was just getting ready to bloom.  The iris were butchered down to the ground. 

This was one of the two beds I am taking out, that WAS to have been cut. 

Good gosh. 

I couldn't have been any clearer, since I sent pictures.  The two beds on the SIDE OF THE HENHOUSE.  

Yes, I'm angry, but I'm also trying hard to see the good here. 

At least the big weeds are down, and I can start digging, if I ever get over this cold. 

I can't tell where the poison ivy is, so I am going to have to glove up and wear long sleeves. 

I messaged the owner of the company immediately, but he has not answered me. 

I'm sure he knows I'm upset.  I don't know how I can be with a high school kid in his last week of summer, who just wants to be done with it and go back to football, or whatever. 

I'm just so disappointed, and the cost of all this... we had several thousand (that's right) dollars invested in these beds. 

The guy has not come back yet to replace my water line, and it's a soupy mess.  (On top of everything else).  

As I was getting ready to leave, a lone coyote sounded from the bottom of the pasture.  

I was glad to have the Beacon of the Farm to light the way.  

I'm sure by morning I will have calmed down and see it in perspective.  

I feel like crying. 

My Garden, Spring 2017

Well, it's kinda overgrown: 

My plant markers for the iris are gone. 

That does not make them less beautiful. 

Old fashioned small yellow 

And blue 

These are in another bed. 

My peonies are not opened yet, or rather... I should say ONE is, just one 

blossom.  The others are about to open, I have two established plants. 

You see that things are still overgrown. 

The grass was mowed this morning, and I have found 

someone who will haul my big mower out for me. 

Once I move (which will not be until July) then I will have Brandon, the young 

man cutting grass, trim everything with his weed eater. 

Love the flowers in the evening. 

And the birds!  I am going to have so much fun watching the birds. 

See the planting bed behind the bird feeder? 

The rose in the planting bed? 

The rose bush is blooming! 

I took this this morning, just before a strong storm. 

These are larger blue iris, and gorgeous.  I will work 

slowly on the beds, a little at a time, digging out all the weeds. 

There is the only peony open, from across the yard. 

I'm trying not to put a TON of feed out there until I move, 

because I am already feeding three raccoons.  

This red wing chattered at me while I took my pictures, he was 

waiting to fly down to the feeder and start eating. 

Once I am moved, and the chickens are there, all cat food 

will be taken up at night, so that the raccoons and the possums will 

leave the deck alone.  I also think Lilly's presence will dissuade them. 

I'm keeping Jes away from them, one of the raccoons is huge. 

The little abandoned cat, half-grown, is still coming to the deck to eat and 

it hurts me to see him/her groom himself/herself and lay there, 

like she/he thinks her owners are still there.  What she must think 

about the raccoons! 

This morning, before the storm, I was cutting and pulling vines from the old henhouse (I forgot to take a picture).  In the middle of all the Virginia Creeper, was a poison ivy vine! 

Luckily, I saw it in time and did not get near it.  It's the one thing I have no compunction about 

spraying... UGH!  

The huge old walnut is being enveloped with grape vine, so I am going to start working on it.  Instead of a green goddess swaying in the wind, I am going to have an old tree with dead brown vines all over it, but ... what the hey! 

Here is the tree in April, before the vines leafed out.  Trying to find one of the 

vine covered tree now. 

And there she is, just a few days ago.  I walked over to 

make sure I wasn't looking at a poison ivy tree, and was 

glad to see it was (mostly) grapevine.  I'll start their 

removal tomorrow. 

Pulling a Post Together

At the Ag Hall all day today, and did not 

get pictures taken. 

We had 60 kids touring, and about 15 teachers/parents with them. 

Only two other visitors, but from Germany. 

We had sun most of the day until 2:30 or so, and then clouds came over. 

The thunderstorms we were supposed to have turned into a short-lived rainshower. 

Last year, my son and daughter in law gave me a bunch of small 

iris (Dutch, I think) from the side of their house.  They are all blooming now! 

I have so much to do in the garden, and can't seem to get caught up.  That bag you see

next to these is intended to be put on a new extension of this bed.  I am 

going to try to get to it next week.  I also need to trim all the bushes. 

This little guy was at the park yesterday morning when we 

got there.  We didn't get a walk today, it was raining when I got home. 

You know I love watching the birds in our yard. 

And this is a reminder for everyone.  I hung this hummingbird feeder out on 

Tuesday.  In the humidity, mold began to grow in one day. 

This mold can cause a hummer's tongue to swell, and he will not be able to eat anything, and die. 

I'm going to be much, much more careful now.   See how it built up on the edges, too? 

Tomorrow, I am going to "Wings over Weston"  in Weston Bend State Park (Missouri), 

about 30 minutes from us.  I hope to get some good bird pictures, it's Global Big Day, the bird count day. 

I'll share, of course! 

Monday

Let me tell you, being a tour guide for grade schoolers at the Ag Hall is no 

picnic.  We have one volunteer who has helped there for years... Charles... 

he does them very frequently, and I don't know how he does it!  

These four groups today of 25 each with teachers and 

parents asked the best questions. 

We did chores, and the kids learn how to wash clothes 

with a washboard and wash tubs.  

It made an impression on one little girl, and she 

asked me what they did about diapers. I told her they 

used cloth diapers, and then washed them out after 

using them. 

Her reply?

"And USED THEM AGAIN????"

"Noooooooooo" 

Everyone thought the chamber pots were water holders

for during the night. 

Well, they are, sort of. 

Yesterday, we had rains off and on all afternoon, in our area we got 3/4 of an inch of 

rain. 

The pasture pond is filling nicely. 

More storms are expected for tonight. 

These cows had the right idea, it was 77 degrees but the 

humidity was climbing. 

I should have taken pictures of the calves, you could just 

see their little faces in the grass, now that the grass is growing taller.

Two of the ponds I watched are now out of sight in their pastures, because

the hay is growing. 

I did not take pictures at the park, but there was a lot of 

standing water from the rain yesterday. 

Something happened that made me stop and think. 

You know that we had four pugs before Jester. 

Three had physical problems, and the fourth, seemingly healthy, 

dropped dead just after turning 3 of what the vet said was 

either a heart aneurysm or a stroke. 

They were brachycephalic dogs, with short, short noses and 

heavy breathing. 

I did not walk them, and did not really let them out on hot days. 

I forget Jester ALSO is a flat-nose.  Today... he gamely 

followed, but I noticed he was walking slower and slower. 

Then, he went to a big puddle, drank, and did something 

he NEVER does.  He pawed at the water, took two steps, 

and plopped his whole body down in it. 

I let him lay there for a minute... and then we went straight to the car. 

No more walking for Jes unless we do it early in the morning, or the humidity is 

low. 

Very clearly three. 

At the last, I thought I saw a fourth draped over the side of the nest, like a body hanging. 

See why I thought there were four?  I think the hawklet on the left 

has his wing draped over the edge of the nest.  

This sight made me so happy this morning! 

You see, I had lots and lots of iris at the old house. 

I did not have any here. 

This is the first to bloom, yayyy!  It is not a transplant, I got 

it from Cherokee Acres last fall.  You can see their beautiful iris 

on their website. 

Here are the baby geraniums in their barrel.  You know I will 

have to transplant them all, but I want to see the colors this summer. 

A dollar a plant!  Wow. 

These are three of the mums from the Ag Hall that I made a donation for last fall.  We had used them for decorations.  I know one is a bronze, I am not sure of the other two, and I 

can't wait to see.  That's cat mint to the right. 

These look like sunflower seedlings to me... I'll know in a day or two. 

If they are, they are going. 

Million Bells... callibrachoa... I love all their colors. 

Yesterday's rainfall.  

I know they are hard to see, but when I went out this morning to spread birdseed 

I checked the bales.  There were hundreds of mushrooms blooming.  When I got home 

tonight, they had all died or bent over.  The gray stuff is mushroom. 

Mushrooms are a good sign! 

Even though she was small, I used the shovel on this 

alligator snapper.  I don't want to be caught on a country road with the dogs in the car and have a snapper hanging off my hand.  

As we came back by the park this afternoon, there was one of the 

great blue herons, poised to get his dinner.