Tadpoles and Tree Frogs

We had a birthday party for the oldest last weekend. He decided to have a few friends over and camp out then the next day we had family over for a cookout. It was really nice.

The kids had fun collecting bullfrog tadpoles and swimming.

Little Tree Frog

Kevin's dad (Hi Mike!) found this little guy, actually heard him first, sitting here on this leaf.

I did not realize that geese are mountian climbers. Whatever possesed them to climb to the top of this little hill?

As you can see, they are not very good climbers.

I'm back to work after being layed off for for most of five months. If only they had called me back after canning season. The garden is coming along great- corn, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, beets and beans are really growing good. Cucumbers, not so good, hopefully they'll come around.

Til next time,

Beth

Our Dock, Vegetable Garden and Flower Garden Fix-up

Amy (my sister) and her husband Tom came over Sunday and helped us get a few things done. It's so much more fun when some one's here to help. Tom is a major motivator so we got a lot more done that we planned.

Amy and I went and bought some mulch, I really like the dark mulch better. Everything looks so much brighter against the dark.

Here's my butterfly bushes trying to come back, also some moonflowers.

Here's my row of beans in the garden. We are going to put a row of fence down the middle.

I have three pumpkins. Here's one of them.

I snuck some morning glories into the corner. I'm so glad they came up-the seeds are from last year. My husband only wanted to grow edible items and only practical ones at that. I can't wait to make pickled beets but he's more worried about tomatoes, beans and corn

Cauliflower and broccoli.

The first row is lettuce, the second carrots. He plowed rows so that the whole thing has raised beds. There are low spots here and this way nothing will get drowned. We also mulched everything heavily with some old hay that was given to us.




Corn that needs to be thinned. It will kill me to pull them out. I should have planted thinner and put in another row. All the seeds sprouted it looks like.

Maybe tomorrow I will do it. I think I have to thin to eight to ten inches? Anybody ever leave it closed than that? Hmmmmmmm?

Here's the potato planter almost exactly one month ago.

They are really filling it up. We need to add dirt.

Wow, look at them grow!

And here is the dock waiting for paint.

The front part.

It's getting paint now, paint sprayers are the best!

Front done but not dry.

Everything for the dock we had here, it's all leftovers from other projects or we had free stuff so it didn't cost us anything.


This is some stain we had left over from our deck. We weren't crazy about the color but it was free! It was all gloppy and had some big chunks of dried stuff in it that would have clogged up the sprayer. I needed to figure out some kind of filter.

So I found some screen and an old coffee can. Made some clips with electric fence wires and it worked pretty good.

I had to change the screen after every batch.

See how much it darkens up when dry? Blended the different kinds of wood pretty good.

Top done too.

Installed, the kids are loving it and it is pretty fun to sit at the end and watch the fish.

Til next time,

Beth

Garden is In!

First came the planning, layout, design. Always good on paper but when we started to plant things it took on a life of it's own. We actually have lots of space left but I plan to take care of that soon.

Our very nice neighbor tilled our garden for us. This the first year for the garden in this spot so we are hoping, with a little tender loving care, it will grow.


We decided to get an early start on potatoes so we asked at the local tire shop if they had any old tractor tires that they wanted to get rid of and they did. This one was giant. Kevin shoveled about 100 (not really but his back thought so) scoops of dirt into it. He planted a bunch of potatoes and they are already coming up.


We will continue adding dirt as they grow. The black tire warms the dirt and holds the moisture really well. They are growing really fast.


I was walking around nearby and all of a sudden this guy slithers by very quickly, I hollered for Kevin to come quick! He very carefully found his head (cause we could have poisonous snakes here) scooped him up so I could take pictures and figure out what it was. It was definitely not your regular old garter snake.


The pattern was so beautiful but it's tail was rattling... creeped me out. At first the only snake I could find that looked like it was a Massasauga, a poisonous rattle snake but the head and eyes weren't right. I finally found the correct one, it is a Milk Snake. Made me very happy.
Later in the day they found a baby snake of the same variety next door so I guess there are a bunch of them around to scare the crap out of me when I'm gardening.

Kevin and the neighbor checking out the snake.

Our blackberries are doing pretty well, we will even have berries this year. They didn't suffer too bad for being transplanted.


No matter where I go this is always right behind or right next to me. Before we planted our garden the first thing we did was to put up a fence. To keep away deer, bunnies, groundhogs but mostly to keep away him. He and Buddie got into our plants and scruffed up a bunch of them. I'm glad they didn't like how they tasted or we would have none left. My girlfriend had just told me how her sheep had eaten two flats of her cabbage and then the next day our geese ate ours. You would think I would have been a little smarter.




He must have gotten under the tractor or something. He's got a grease Mohawk.


The Snow-in-Summer is one of my favorites. It will climb all over the rocks. That is if I can keep the wild morning glories off of it!



Kitchen update. Windows in, lights up and the bar is mostly done.


Tile is laid, it has been grouted but I don't have a picture. We used a darker tannish grout. This tile will go all around the oven too.


Here is the front of the bar. I have to do a lot of finish work but that is all on hold until we get some rainy days. The house really suffers when we garden all day for days on end.



I put up these tarps to keep the weather off of the lean-to for the chickens. I was looking around the other day, pulled back the tarp and found out where the missing eggs are.

She was sitting on about 50 eggs. Nice huh?

Til next time..

(We build a dock!)

Beth

Finally, My Computer is Fixed!

I had a bunch of bad, bad viruses. All fixed now. I will be posting soon. I have lots of new pictures of remodeling, farm and happenings. My turkey eggs have hatched and all is well.

Be posting soon!

Beth

Woodpeckers at our Suet Feeder

Look who's visiting my suet feeder!

We have three types of woodpeckers living near our house and two different types visit our feeder.

This one is a Red Headed Woodpecker. I this he is the prettiest.

Look at the color of his head!

Behind him you can see the "pain in the rear" sparrow. They have invaded my chicken house, eating lots of feed and have taken over the bluebird houses.

This is the second type of woodpecker that visits us. Not a very good picture but I think it is a Downey Woodpecker. Another one visits that looks just like this one but it has red on it's head. Maybe male/female... not sure.

Here is a not very big chart of woodpeckers. I was hoping the pictures would get bigger if you clicked on them but it's not working.

Legend: 1. Red-cockaded 2. Hairy 3. Downy 4. Pileated 5. Red-bellied 6. Red-headed 7. Sapsucker 8. Flicker 9. Ivorybill (extinct)

I wanted a good picture of a Pileated Woodpecker because it is the third type of woodpecker that we have at our farm but I could not get a picture of it myself even if I tried. It's nest (hole in the pole) too far away and way to high up for my camera.

These pictures are not that good but you get the idea. We have a nesting pair that lives in the high tension power pole near the front of our house. They live really, really high up in the pole and raise babies every year.

Here is Mr. Bluebird, waiting for a chance at the bluebird house near the feeder that the sparrow has taken over. Mr. Bluebird and the sparrows have had many fights over this house with the sparrows always winning.


Here is Mrs. Bluebird, waiting too.




Kevin has removed the sparrow nest at least two or three times. Finally she tries to move in.


They worked at it for awhile but we haven't seen them for a couple days. Not sure if they found another spot for their nest or what.


Kitchen remodel Update:

This weekend we installed the new window in the kitchen, a continuation of the kitchen remodel.

Hope it's over soon. I can't wait to get all the tools, wood, air compressor and construction supplies out of my living space so calmness and cleanliness can reappear.

Til next time,

Beth

A Really Good Video, A Really Funny Video

If you've ever watched any of the talent shows on TV and you'd like to see a really amazing singer then click on this link and watch, you won't be sorry! These two videos are from the show "Britain's Got Talent".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY&feature=related

Now, if you'd like to see a really funny one then click on this link. Hopefully you've seen Michael Flatly (The Irish Dancer) from the "Lord of the Dance" show. It may not be as funny if you're not familiar with him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gHvATmUsSg&feature=related

I would have embeded them so you could watch it right here but it's disabled.
Enjoy!

Goose Nest

This is the nest that Buddie "built" when she first started laying eggs. I put the word built in quotes because she only had a few pieces of mulch and a few sticks that she was able to break off of the butterfly bush.

It made for very muddy eggs that she would roll around and around trying to hide them. Plus her nest was right next to the steps which would cause a mad dash, trying to get by her and up the steps without being attacked. Geese don't want you anywhere near their nests.

We moved this dog house next to the steps hoping she would move into it and lay her eggs there and feel safer, instead she moved over on the other side of the butterfly bush, again making a muddy nest.

I finally got a few bales of hay so I offered a couple of flakes to her and in about fifteen minutes she had this nest built. It's a beautiful thing. If you were walking near any pond and there were nests there you would never see them. Every time she leaves she covers her eggs completely. Perfectly camouflaged.

See what's in there.

I'm not letting her hatch any though. Two squawking, hissing geese are enough for me. Flipper is the worst. He won't bite me but most any one else is fair game. If you act scared and turn away he will chase you and try to pinch the back of your leg.

Most of the time he will only get your pant leg or boot but if he gets a hold of you he will leave a quarter sized bruise. If you act like you're not afraid he more or less will leave you alone. Kinda.

This is our tom turkey, a beauty huh? He is a little like Flipper too. He would like nothing better than to peck the hell outta you. Mostly me though. He follows me constantly, watching, waiting to get that one chance to get me. He and I go at it most every day.

I gave him the smack down last week. Grabbed him by the head and wrestled with him til I got a hold of him and picked him up. They say that if you "embarrass" a tom turkey they will stay away from you. Didn't work, he came right back for me.

The other day I was bent over trying to get eggs out of a dog house like the one in this picture. We have two of these. The other one is in the chicken paddock.

It's much bigger and we figured that the turkeys would lay their eggs in it rather that on the ground. Well, it worked but they always lay them clear in the back of the thing.

See...all the way in the back.

Consequently, I have to put one knee on the ground and crawl inside of the thing to retrieve them. Yuck, you can imaging what I have to kneel in.

Plus, it puts me at a real disadvantage when my adversary is constantly on guard, watching, waiting for his chance to teach me a lesson.

After I took the pictures of these eggs, gathered them up and maneuvered my way back out of the thing (I actually had to crawl into it) this is what I saw right behind me.

If you are familiar with turkey behavior this look means that "I am going to attack"! The down side of this was that I was on one knee at his level. Much worse knowing that he could spur my face rather than my ankles. That was scary. After that close call I got all smart and figured that I can reach the eggs if I just tilt the house up and reach down.

(But you noticed that I did take my chances and pause long enough to take a picture)

(Check out the cute little hen eying me right next to the vicious tom. A story about her follows.)

Please meet my newest favorite chicken. This is Mrs. Two Toes.

We got her last fall when my friend brought over his old hens to butcher (broke my heart) and I promptly rescued her and traded him a meat bird for her. I'm so lucky I picked her (actually she kinda is). She has more personality than any other chicken I've had before.

As you can see from the next photo she has only two toes on her foot. Her foot had been damaged in the ride over here from my friends house and her toe was broken... bent up at an odd angle and after a month, much to my surprise (horror), it fell off all together.

(Kinda gross, sorry.)

When I first got her she would just run up to me and try to peck me, no fear at all. It took about a month of picking her up and petting her to get her to stop.

She is very brave and smart, she follows me everywhere and stands at my feet constantly, wanting to be picked up but I have to watch though because if I'm not paying attention she will still peck me. I guess it's a love/hate thing.

Why do I always end up at the barn with my one pair of good shoes on?

I had to go to a meeting at the elementary school for one of the kids that morning so I spent 15 minutes at the sink trying to scrub the stains and clumps of dried yuck off of my shoes from the last time I impulsively went to the barn with them on.

I had just gotten home from the meeting, grabbed my camera and decided to run out and check for eggs. Then I remembered my shoes, crap! Did I go back in and change them ? Heck no! I just tried to tiptoe around and not step in any squishy spots.

Plus, I got to try out my brand new boot cleaner. It works great!

I just had to add a few pictures of my beautiful narris in the barn laying eggs. Look how good she blends in, she's hoping I can't see her.

I will start hatching eggs soon...almost ready!

(I guess saying "hatching" is like counting your eggs before they hatch, the proper term would of been "incubating", the hatching will hopefully follow.)

Til next time,

Beth