Wait, Wasn't it just Sunday????

I swear to you it was just Sunday!  

My son came by to get the kids on Monday evening and laughed his head off when he 

saw all the pickles on my counter.  I am giving them away right and left, and 

luckily, the pickle vines are about out of steam. 

Monday was cool enough that we could get the dogs to the park. 

Jax jumped on this horse on the playground and was enveloped in wasps, but luckily, was not stung!  I took a picture of it, and sent it to Basehor City Hall to warn them it needed to be treated post-haste. 

Tuesday, I drove to Garnett to sit with Nathan and Chris's mom, Sherie, while she had 

gall bladder surgery.  I will forego showing you a picture, because she would kill me, but... she did great for her first (outpatient) surgery ever... and is recuperating now. 

Wednesday I visited my friends. 

I have been having a blast sitting on the deck in the evening watching the hummingbirds. 

One of my friends posted last night that they all seem to be fighting at her house.... they are here, too.... they literally fly into each other and body check each other, and their little chirps get quite strident. 

They aren't the only ones visiting. 

Last year, I saw a number of house finches with swollen eyes, and finally, ones that had died in the yard.  House finches suffer from a terrible disease that spreads from finch to finch. 

Happily, this year I have not seen any... however, after looking at this picture, I sure 

hope the sun was in his eyes. 

They look kind of neat at dusk, too. 

Let me tell you, I am VERY careful picking up the feeders to clean and refill them, 

and this would be one of the reasons why.  I don't know what it is, but it's beautiful. 

Here is one I don't want to mess with.  I guess if I put the bee guards back on it would help with these.... but... to tell you the truth, you know I don't regret letting them eat. 

I saw some beautiful creatures at the Ag Hall when I went to take care of the chickens this morning. 

How beautiful the world is around us! 

I can't help it, I adore little FEETZIEZZZZ!!!!!!

Little Things

This plane buzzed our house at least 12-15 times this morning. 

I don't know if he knew I was filming him, but he went round and round, way south 

over Basehor, and then back to us.  He turned around above our back yard.  Keith estimated he was maybe 150 feet off the ground. 

I tried to get a better picture with the Nikon... I still have not learned how to use it right. 

Closer, but not clearer!  

I'm learning, little by little. 

As I was standing waiting for him by the side of the house, I looked up to see 

a beautiful spider web. 

Thank heavens I looked before I grabbed the hummingbird feeder off the pole. 

This is the very first wasp I've seen this summer. 

I'm so glad I didn't grab the wasp. 

I left it to eat.. and I'll be very careful now. 

I have noticed in the last few days that not as many birds are eating as normal... I'm sure it's because they have abundant feed right now. 

While I was down there, I noticed that the caladiums and impatiens are finally losing their vitality... after all, it's the first day of fall! 

(from the web) 

And finally, if you can stand to watch... 

here's the plane on my little Canon coming at me... be sure to turn the sound up! 

(stick with it, the plane really DOES come into view!) 

And lastly... Keith is back in the hospital again for a couple of days... and we could sure use some extra prayers for him!  

Happy Fall! 

A Picture Says it All

Uh huh.  It's very hot.  That's a frozen bottle to Folly's right... the second of the day.  Two frozen bottles in the waterer I have to keep up there for them, because SHE WON'T COME DOWN. 

I'm pooped. 

This guy in the picture below is our hero. 

That's Zach from Smithereen Pest Control (formerly Arrow Pest Control).  He came to our rescue today, and treated the goat barn for the wasps.  He found three very large nests that we had missed, and told us that the heat and close proximity of the nests had made the wasps aggressive. 

He used a particularly strong hot shot on them, and forgot the bottle, so we are going to keep it, and order some more.  I checked about 30 minutes ago, and I did see one wasp... so I think there may be a nest between the metal outer cladding and the wood frame on the east side.  I'm going to consult with Keith and then we'll try to hot shot it tomorrow morning before Keith goes to work. Keith had to go to the doctor today, because his hand and arm were still so swollen.  He's on two prescriptions now. (And passed out from the medicine!) 

Zach did treat the whole roof area inside to prevent the wasps from re-starting their nests.  I have to get the manure fork and get the nests from the ground, so that the babies don't chew on them.  Ugh. 

These, became this: 

That's Tomato Chutney, or supposed to be.  I don't think I left it coarse enough, so frankly, I'm going to use it as a base for soup or sauce during the winter. 

I also made salsa... followed the recipe... put cilantro in it... and thought it tasted NASTY.  

It was fresh salsa, and was given to the birds.  I had not put jalapeno in it yet. 

Not a very good start to Canning 2013, and frankly, I'll stick with Mrs.Wages from here on out. 

This is Buffy, our only Polish hen.  She came here in 2008, so is 5 years old.  She still lays a nice white egg every other day.  Do you see her beak?  We have to trim it regularly, and it's due now.  This will probably be the fifth time this year already. 

You should regularly check your bird's beaks... and the rest of them... for things like this. 

Buffy can't eat easily when her beak is this long, so a simple snip with a guillotine dog nail trimmer takes it off and then she is able to chow down again.  This is one reason I sit and watch the birds for a few minutes every day. 

I am very surprised and glad that the birds are surviving well in this heat.  Last year we lost three to excessive heat, I would guesstimate that it was 10 degrees warmer at that point. 

This guy crept up on me from behind as I was filling the pond.  Look at the startled expression on Boot's face on the right!  However, most days, no one even gives a glance to these characters at all. 

He was on his way out to the pasture after lolling around in the water dish all day. 

Not fazed by the heat. 

Wanted to know what the strange guy was doing in HIS barn. 

Also not fazed by the heat one bit.  On Bug Patrol. 

Momma is keeping these guys INSIDE.  

Yes, they're going stir-crazy, but they can't take the heat. 

I'm going out to water in the evening hours... I can't get the hose to stay on "mist" now, so I am going to sit and hand water in sections, like I did last summer.  Yes, I'm hauling duck water, and have a wagon-full right now. 

A few hours ago today, Michaele (pronounded "Michelle") Oleson of Sprout"n"Wings farm made a short announcement that she is giving up blogging. 

Michaele, mother of five girls, has a farm in the country, and a city house, 40 miles away, where her daughters live to finish high school.  She must go back and forth daily.  

We are so very grateful to her and to her girls for Kody and Kaycee, and though we did not get to talk to them long, they are lovely ladies. 

She has hinted for the last six weeks that she may be giving up the blog, and I will tell you all something... we will have lost a wonderful member of Blogville.  I'm glad we got to have her on our sidebar again for the last few weeks or so, and I highly recommend their family business... Five Sisters Soaps and Lotions... for the wonderful body butters I have bought the last two years and gifted to friends. 

Goodbye, Michaele... good luck up there in Nebraska!