Various Updates.....

Keri is a stinker.  She was all set up in the barn nice and comfy with her babies.  She keeps moving them around.  I went to check on them and could not find them anywhere. One kitty is having a problem with her foot and I need to get her checked out.  I had a small panic attack, imagining Keri moving the babies to the woods and getting eaten  by coyotes.  Or, abandoning them and slowly starving to death.  Aren't I just a bowl of sunshine and optimism?  

Then, I saw her but not her babies.  She seemed unconcerned that she was not with them.  I stuck around for a long time, trying to see if she would lead me to them but she just sat down and sneered at me.  

Finally, this morning while I was feeding the goats and chickens, I found them.  She had moved them under a pallet of hay.  Well covered and protected.  Good Mommy kitty.  She is not a failure after all. 

The divas are growing big and healthy.  I  have 5 roosters.  There is too much testosterone in the barn.  This little guy is going to be the first one in the roasting pan.  He is just plain mean.  He pecks at my hands when I am feeding him or at my feet when I walk in the coop.  I *know* he is protecting his hens, but he is making my blood boil.  Mean little ingrate...

Second batch of...... Rhode Island Reds?

My baby chicks are about a week old now.  I can not shake the feeling that the feed store messed up my order.  These do not look like Rhode Island Reds to me.  They look like Golden Comets or something else.  These are so much lighter in color at the same age as my other ones.  What do you think??

First batch of RIR..

What is left of my Americana chicks are doing really well.  They are getting big and growing their true feathers.  Soon, I can put them in the barn with the rest of the flock.  I will have to put up a protective  "door" in the corner of the coop so they can escape from the bigger ones if they need to.  The pecking order will be re-established a few times, so I need to make the transition as smooth as I can.  

Don't even think about it Kujo.

I stacked 3 billion pieces of wood and found 1 slug, 2 walking sticks, 50 spiders, several beetles and some unknown flying insect that attacked my lips.  I felt violated.  I can still feel its legs on my lips.  

   Shudder.......

My flower garden is pretty sparse this year, as I have focused mainly on my vegetable garden and fruit orchard.  I did plant some of my favorites just to make us feel more at home. There have been certain flowers I plant year after year.  They give me the warm fuzzies.

 Above is Delphinium.  This reminds me of my home in Alaska.  I had a 6 ft delphinium.  It was beautiful.  I do not think this will grow as tall here, as they like the cold.  I am happy to have it anyway. This is my 6ft beauty in Alaska.  I hope the new people are enjoying my hard work and pretty flowers.  

Hibiscus is something I have never grown before.  I really like this plant.  You can train it into a tree or a topiary or just let it get bushy.  They are so pretty and put new blooms out every day.

I love these Wave Petunias.  They cascade down my front porch stairs.

This is another new one for me, Confederate Jasmine.  It is really pretty but is not as fragrant as the yellow jasmine.  I don't know the name of this one.  The commissary sells flowers and plants and sometimes does not put the name of the plant on the pot.  Kind of annoying, but they sell them at a fraction of the price of the box stores or nurseries.  So, I'm okay with that.  I'll figure it out.

Lee is just the most thoughtful and talented person.  He made me this planter out of a stump for me.  With his chain saw.  He even cut a diamond shape in the middle.  He is the next Ghiberti.

Zinnias.

The veggie garden looks pretty full from here.  All it needs is a scarecrow.