Foul play

4.30.14

Last week we acquired a new addition to our little mini homestead. These critters will be traveling with us to Alabama in a few weeks and I can't wait to see them on our pond up there.

I am absolutely shocked at how fast they grow. In the first 5 days the littlest one has doubled in size and the largest one has lost almost all its baby fluff. Gone are the pristine peepers and now I have muddy looking porcupines in their places. 

We had our first swim this week - and getting dried was interesting. 

They are not comfortable around us. I want to keep it that way. These ducklings will need to fend for themselves very soon.

They are a beautiful bird as they mature and I hope in the future to show you how fast that happens. I also hope to get to share their first ducklings with you as well. 

To help keep them safe on the pond we are building a floating duck house that will be anchored in the lake. It makes it nearly impossible for coyote attack and lowers the risk of raccoon attack as much as possible. Once they are 3-4 months old they will be large enough that bird of prey will think twice about them as well. The oldest is just about a month old now. I'm sure this journey will go very quickly. Good thing too- these suckers are DIRTY! Whew!

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 4.28.14

It's Monday again! Welcome back. :-)

I know it's sporadic around here but there is a LOT happening right now. The blueberry plants are producing well and I'm gathering close to a half pound a day now. I'm in h.e.a.v.e.n! We love blueberries around here. They are the best part of our day. Only problem is every other day I only get a small handful because the birds get to them first. I'm willing to share some things (mulberries for instance - take them ALL!) but I'm possessive of the blues. These babies are the best!

Well- I went to place the pictures here and they are all messed up. I don't know why but apparently I can't save files anymore. This is going to be interesting.

We've been having a lot of tea parties in our house as of late.

The girls really enjoy this and they are begging for them every day. Many a  friend has joined us and the parents are astounded I can get them to drink tea. It's hibiscus and passionfruit tea. Delicious absolutely delicious and so good for you, too... helps that it's pink for those girls that want pink everything. ;-)

The irises are in bloom again. I do love the blooms so much. I divided all of my iris plants this year and gave a bunch away. I really wanted to replant them, but I love my garden friends and have gotten so much from them that this was only a hitch in my step. I'll divide again next yer and replant throughout my walkway.  

I still have the fortnight lilies as well even though I completely destroyed 2 plants because the tubers were so large they were wedge under the sidewalk and impossible to remove. I only kept 1 or 2 divisions of those because they are so aggressive in this space.

So things are happening. I'm gathering strawberries, blue berries and purple pole beans for now. There are some green tomatoes out there teasing me and the bush beans are flowering now, too. Things are beginning to look up now!

See you soon!

Barbie~

Harvest Monday 4.22.14

I also pulled the rest of the cabbage for our use. There are 3 more heads out there but I am growing those out for the hens. They love it and I am sick of it. Lol.

That's it. Back to enjoy the last day here.


See you soon!
BarbieIt's the day after Easter and all is quiet here. This is my last day off before I return to work full time tomorrow. That stinks. I still have been unable to accomplish what I wanted, no needed to get done both inside the house and in the gardens.

But that being said my healing was more important and I am so greatful I was able to stay home as long as I did. I've missed the opportunity to work in the yard and I can't wait until I am strong enough to get back to digging and planting like before. Meanwhile I go out for 10 or 15 minutes at a time time twice a day and so my harvests as well as a couple smaller chores. Slowly but surely things are coming back around. The main garden is 1/3 planted and the other 2/3 is ready now to be planted. This was a major accomplishment in and of itself. The raises beds are easier to work with and were reseeded over the last 2 weeks.

It's so nice to look forward to going out again and not be in such upheaval now.

Each day I am bringing in about a quarter pound of blueberries. Only half the plants produces for me because I cut the others back as suggested for the second year in a row. Those plants should produce more prolifically next year for it and i sure hope so because I have a berry obsession. :-)

I am also bringing a half pound of peas each week Along with a few other odds and ends. My sweet potato patch from last year is completely gone now and the new slips are starting to go in.

Ouch

Only good news is I am going to a garden party tomorrow and my lovely little planters will undoubtedly be filled with lots of goodies.
I am bringing agapanthus, African Lillys and African irises as well as dwarf birds of paradise. All extra tubers that have exploded around here.

I can't wait!!!!

See you soon.

Barbie~Obviously I am back into the garden. Unfortunately I think it's really mad at me and has decided to fight back.