Time To Be On Guard

It's been a year and a half to two years since I had a coyote problem. I'm thinking I need to nip this in the bud. This was taken off my camera where I put out feed every night for the deer. The last time I had a problem with coyotes eating my chickens, I would walk through the woods and leave my scent. Sometimes I would put sweaty old gloves and then I started spraying a cheap perfume around and got rid of them. I had better start again.

First Buttercup

My first buttercup for the year. It is going to be in the seventies again today. It has been since Sunday.

I've got a lot more that are close to blooming.

My lime tree is budding out again. Yea!  That dead leaves is the back is my Jew that didn't make it. I forgot to put the heat on in the greenhouse when it got really cold.

A little of the rye grass is coming up behind the barn. Severe storms are expected tonight. I hope I have my barn sealed up to avoid flooding; Sealed up until I can get a permanent fix.

Lucky, Lucky Chicken

 One night last week something almost got this chicken. It is my sisters chicken. Her house is a little in front of my barn and her chickens are always out and about there.

Anyway, I don't know why her chicken wasn't put up that night, but it almost didn't make it. The skin was ripped from her left chest to the right side. My sister heard it yelling in the night and went running out and saved it.

The next day when she showed me we doctored it. We put an antibiotic spray on it then used duck tape to hold the skin back in place. We put gauze on some areas before the duck tape.  She appears to be doing alright. She keeps to herself because the others were picking on her

Time For More Hay Out

I went down to the barn to put a little more hay out on my dirt work. (Wonder what happens to it?)

You guessed it. Might as well put out extra, although I had already put a couple of this year hay out for them. They ate it while I was doing other work.

This is last years hay that I'm putting out now; must still taste pretty good. There is a chance of rain everyday through Tuesday. It is only a slight chance till Monday or Tuesday. Doesn't straw and mud make bricks? Maybe the hay and mud will eventally firm up.

"Oh look Poppet, I think this is better down here."

Molly's bored since I want let her pick on Suki.

Poor Boots has a hurt leg so she just sits down to nibble on grass. It is better today so hopefully she will be well in a few days.

Enjoying Nature Day

This morning Molly and went for a walk. First, up the road to my brothers. Then we cut across the pasture and by the pond. It looks late because it was cloudy and COLD. Not minus fifty degrees cold; only about forty degrees. Then Molly and I kept walking and then went home for lunch. I was only gone one hour no matter how long it sounds.

Then late this afternoon, after feeding the horses, we went to feed the deer and then a stroll through the woods. Chili was for it today. Molly found an armadillo hole, cool, so Chili had to check it out.

And I mean, check it out. Molly said "I didn't smell anything in there."

"No, nothing there."

"Let me check again."

Okay, stroll some more. That little white dot is Chili's face. "Are you coming?"

Molly probably covered at least three times the ground that Chili and I did. That's good, she needs to.

She is getting her a little drink of water in the stream.

Soaking Up Rays

We are really enjoying the sunshine these past few days. Thursday, first day of sunshine, I zipped up to town and had my car washed. And everyday we are storing up the sunshine. Chili is sunning on the porch while I'm in the swing sunning and working a crossword puzzle.

It is hard to see them, but that is the horses laying down taking them a little nap. They must have had a busy night.

And remember the Sweet Olive leaves that had ice hanging off them last Monday; The buds made it through that and now are going to bloom. It is going to smell so good.

Fighting the Cold

The little birds have really been munching at the feeders this last couple of days. Gotta eat up to fight off the cold. What they knock off on the ground the chickens get. Plus when the chickens are not around, some of the little birds get on the ground. No waste.

It wasn't too cold for the fish to eat. I put out some feed and it is almost gone now. Of course they mostly waited for water run off to push it down.

Here We Go

Yesterday I took pictures of my Camilla bush. Pretty huh?

Might be a good thing I got a picture, although I don't think thirty or thirty-one degrees will wipe out the buds.

But this is what we have today. This morning when I got up at six thirty it was thirty-four degrees. When I got home about eleven, it was thirty-two; it did warm up later to thirty-three. It's hard to believe it will drop only to thirty-one, but that is what they say.

Floods Again

 

As you can see, Chili is feeling better. As first she kept trying to pick up the Frisbee but couldn't get a good grip on it; so just wallow on it. This was yesterday and play didn't last long. At least she is eating a little better.

Yesterday I also went down to the barn and worked on a little drainage on the south side. After Poppet ate her hay I had put out for them, she then went to eat the old hay I had out for the runoff.

As you can see, it didn't work well. But in my defense, I don't think much would have worked. We got three inches in under twelve hours. The majority of the rain in a shorter period of time. Fiddle! I guess we will dry out one day. The back of the barn is doing pretty good though.   

Out and About

First of all, I can't tell you how excited I am about this blog today. I got it to download straight from my phone. (you would think I would learn to read instructions first). This morning I came out and the top of my red bud tree was broken off. It wasn't doing well at the end of summer.

Molly really enjoying being out of the house. She's watching the horses. She wanted to run chase them, but I ask that she not do that. You know that she always minds.

"Yes, please keep her over there."

This afternoon after going and feeding the deer, Molly and I went walking through the woods. The streams were still moving pretty swiftly, although it had been at least five hours since the rain stopped.

We did enjoy getting a little exercise. Molly definitely needed it. Chili didn't want to go. She has been sick all week. In fact she had to go to the vet. We got a few pills and nothing serious I guess.

Rain Problems

A couple of days ago, I had some dirt work done behind my barn because of flooding. Right outside the back of the barn was a huge hole (actually, the barn kind of sits in a hole)and the back of the barn would flood. It sits in a hole because of a hundred years of animals. Well, after the work, then I planted rye grass seed and then put hay on top to help with the run off. Sorry, I didn't think to take before pictures. Right after I planted the seed, here come the chickens; then after I put the hay out, here come the horses. I had given them hay before I started this to keep them out of the way. Well, I see I still have a problem at Poppet's stall. It's is falling off the roof and hitting the bottom beam and falling inside the stall. At least I think I have the back better. It's getting a MAJOR test. It started raining yesterday evening and will rain every day for a week except Friday. We are extremely wet. This blog is so wacky jawed because I can't work this thing anymore. I wish I could get rid of goole+ and go back to just goole.

Close Call

Saturday afternoon a stray dog tried to take out my chickens. It was a large collie looking dog and with it was a small poodle. The little poodle was not in on the chicken killing. He was just cold and looking for a warm spot. This is the chicken he almost killed. I had to run the big dog off to keep from having to kill him. The little poodle is at a boarders until they can find his home. I hope this ends my problem with the stay dog. My hen, Boa, has still got a small limp but she appears to be okay. She is still laying eggs. They are all scared of stray dogs now, which is a good thing.

Skylar

My poor little Skylar passed away Friday, December 28. We sure do miss her.

I'll have to post more and catch up soon.