We have had such warm sunny weather the last few days I have been quite busy outside...at least until it heats up too much. Then I have been lazy on the sofa! It got to 81 on Friday!!! That is just way too warm for this gal! Liam had a lot of fun in his sand box and even (unbeknownst to me) filled the lid of the sand box with water from a rain barrel and sat down in it with his clothes on. I got so upset with him..I remember in one of the LIttle House books how Pa would tell Laura she needs to think before she speaks...I need to heed that warning myself...I was hot, no excuse and slightly grumpy...no excuse and instead of seeing the humor and ingenuity of a three year old I saw a wet boy that I had not planned for. He gets a pool on pay day! On Friday evening he did the cutest thing. We were sitting on the sofa with daddy and all of a sudden he hugs both our arms and says 'I am going to keep you two guys'. I think we will keep him also!
Bocky is doing very well. I haven't managed to take a picture of the coop yet but will do that soon. He spends the day out roaming in the yard, comes inside to roost on a kitchen chair or the basket ball backstop then we put him in his coop after Liam goes to bed. He is none to happy about that...he really struggles to stay on my arm and off the roost! Tonight I stopped at my sisters to pick up a hen to see how things would go. If the hen discovered his wound (which is healed over but has no feathers) then we will know that it is too soon to go back to the flock. But that might have back fired on us. The first thing he did when he saw her was jump on her and show who was boss. She may not even attempt to check things out under that wing. I picked him up and gave him the 'be nice to family' speech and after that all seemed okay. She let me pick her up and put her in the coop on a roost...Bocky let me pick him up and then fought and struggled to not be put in the coop on a roost. He iis not convinced he is a chicken yet! I missed getting the picture but the other day Bocky was laying just inside the open sliding glass dooe on the rug and Fiona the cat was laying about two feet away soaking up the same sun beam. It was quite a scene!
Bocky is doing very well. I haven't managed to take a picture of the coop yet but will do that soon. He spends the day out roaming in the yard, comes inside to roost on a kitchen chair or the basket ball backstop then we put him in his coop after Liam goes to bed. He is none to happy about that...he really struggles to stay on my arm and off the roost! Tonight I stopped at my sisters to pick up a hen to see how things would go. If the hen discovered his wound (which is healed over but has no feathers) then we will know that it is too soon to go back to the flock. But that might have back fired on us. The first thing he did when he saw her was jump on her and show who was boss. She may not even attempt to check things out under that wing. I picked him up and gave him the 'be nice to family' speech and after that all seemed okay. She let me pick her up and put her in the coop on a roost...Bocky let me pick him up and then fought and struggled to not be put in the coop on a roost. He iis not convinced he is a chicken yet! I missed getting the picture but the other day Bocky was laying just inside the open sliding glass dooe on the rug and Fiona the cat was laying about two feet away soaking up the same sun beam. It was quite a scene!
Here is Fiona in the middle of an hourly bath. I entered the picture in a cat calendar contest a few years back and they turned it down...some people have no idea of cute! She was about two weeks old when she was brought to me. I bottle fed her and a brother and sister. My sister took her sister and she has since passed away as well as her brother who I kept. Fiona is going strong and will turn 15 this August 7th.... give or take a day or two.
My sister has been researching foraging a lot lately. This evening she showed me a large plastic bag full of what she had gathered. There were 5 different plants in it. Weeds that we would just pull up and toss into the yard debris bins. Not even realizing that they held a wealth of vitamins and live enzymes! One that she has growing abundantly at her place is Miners Lettuce.
My sister has been researching foraging a lot lately. This evening she showed me a large plastic bag full of what she had gathered. There were 5 different plants in it. Weeds that we would just pull up and toss into the yard debris bins. Not even realizing that they held a wealth of vitamins and live enzymes! One that she has growing abundantly at her place is Miners Lettuce.
A couple weeks ago I ate a bite or two while at her house. The flavor was very mild and pleasant. Then a few days later while on a walk I found a patch and Liam and I enjoyed a couple handfuls. He is game for anything! And I have told him over and over...never eat something unless I say it is okay! Anyway, I dug up one of the plants and brought it home. Bocky helped himself to some of it but I think it will pull through. I am hoping to get a patch going. Anyway...she made herself her usual huge salad and I was amazed that most of it ended up being these wild weeds. God not only provides in the wild for the birds and animals but even for us! And in the most unlikely and humble of plants! I have misplaced my foraging book so need to order another. But she sure peeked my interest...again.
My yard is almost ready to share in pictures. I am happy for that. I feel much better about things when things are cleaned up! I do worry about my tomatoes though. I planted my Olpaka and Pink Brandywine at the same time...the Brandy wine is a couple inches tall with some plants having more than four leaves...the Olpaka is still seedlings with only two leaves and no growth for a couple weeks! I hate the thought of having to buy my tomato plants but that just might be what happens. I may go back to the Amish Paste ones next year. Very discouraging when that happens. I am thankful I was not depending on these plants to be the difference between us eating this winter or not, though I do beleive we are appraoching a food crisis situation and have high hopes for me garden. Last year I harvested 409 pounds from it...this year I am hoping for much more!
So I think I have caught you all up. Have a wonderful Monday!
My yard is almost ready to share in pictures. I am happy for that. I feel much better about things when things are cleaned up! I do worry about my tomatoes though. I planted my Olpaka and Pink Brandywine at the same time...the Brandy wine is a couple inches tall with some plants having more than four leaves...the Olpaka is still seedlings with only two leaves and no growth for a couple weeks! I hate the thought of having to buy my tomato plants but that just might be what happens. I may go back to the Amish Paste ones next year. Very discouraging when that happens. I am thankful I was not depending on these plants to be the difference between us eating this winter or not, though I do beleive we are appraoching a food crisis situation and have high hopes for me garden. Last year I harvested 409 pounds from it...this year I am hoping for much more!
So I think I have caught you all up. Have a wonderful Monday!