Sunday, August 19, 2007

Rain Rain & More Rain

Sorry for the lack of updates, kids. It's been Trek World this week so we've been keeping odd hours. More news as we resurface from the 14+ hour days.

In a quick recap of farm goings on, last Friday I had to get a hawk out of the chicken run. Thanks to Gracie barking at the hawk and me waving at him, we got him to fly out of the hole in the net he used to come in. We decided that the chickens didn' need that part of the run anyway so it's off limits for the chickies.

The girls (hens) are going great; producing lots of eggs. As far as I can tell, they LOVE grapes, and LOVE cantaloupe and love tomatoes. They will eat grapes over mangoes and don't seem to like green pepper. So much for chickens eating "anything."

During the last week it was hard to catch any down time so every morning, I took some fruit to the chickens, sat on the chicken observation bench with my cup of coffee and watched the "Chicken Show." I love the chickens. I don't have a favorite per se, but I do like Marsala and Pot Pie, the oranged chickens. The others tend to pick on Marsala and give her sharp pecks with their beaks at the feeding thingie so I started giving her her own pile of chicken feed so she can eat in peace.

Lisa and I have a contest going to see who can pick up one of the chickens first. I'm as far as getting them to eat out of the grain scoop as I lean in to drop the feed in the feeder.

So I mentioned rain; it's been raining for 2 days straight, on top of the 3 days of rain last week. The grass is starting to look more like Stella D'Oro day lillies. I'm going to need a tractor to mow it. And more rain to come.

Well, that's the news this week from La Bella Vita.
becx

5 comments:

Lady Barbara said...

NOW you're beginning to "get" the chicken thing - and why I had NO trouble dispatching them for local dinner tables. They don't call it a "pecking order" for nothing, and its funny how they will gang up on the sweetest ones, or your favorite...until they don't have feathers left on their butts. It made me so mad. So when ladies called the farm where I worked and ordered a however-many-pound chicken, I made sure the mean ones looked about that size TO ME! Nobody ever complained. I never thought to name the suckers!~ I could have written on the bag: We'll miss you, Parmesan. So long, Chow Mein. See you in the next life, Tandoori. Never forgotten, A-la-king. I'm blue for you, Cordon Bleu. March on, General Tso. RIP, Soup. Why didnt you just name your orange chickens L'orange?
OK, I'll stop. They're practically family, after all. But I'll send you a diagram and directions when you're ready. I'd do it for ya but I think I've lost my touch. Ha ha ha!
Want to borrow my canoe for your basement?
Welcome to farm life. I envy you!

Mooneybat said...

Yeah, what's with the rain, man? The horses are growing mildew on their backs at my place. I can't remember the last time I saw them dry. Perhaps tonight, I'll sprinkle them with some Tinactin powder.

That's sweet about the chickens. Watching a flock or a herd can be very preaceful and satisfying, can't it? I loaned our goats out to my boss who was having a hard time with a weedy hillside at his place (Sara fattens goats for free) and he and his family are now just crazy about sitting around and watching them interact. They are going to be sad to see them go. Mike and I will sometimes hang around the barn until dark watching the sheep doing sheep things - thinking sheep thoughts.

We miss you, Bek. We're glad your life will be settling down soon. Any chance you'll have a free moment to spare, give us a call. I'm free Monday and Tuesday of nexdt week as well as this weekend. Also: Fighting Bobfest is the weekend after Labor Day. We are planning on going on Saturday to practice our leftieschmooze and to jam out with Piper Road Spring Band. Perhaps you can venture this far from the farm, no?

Mooneybat said...

Also: WTF is your mailing address??

Anonymous said...

Yo sister and Lady B!
I'm at the tail end of this moving thing...got some stuff done last night but not enough. Will be at the old house today doing the frantic move and finish-the-backsplash thing. oi.

Yes, chicken watching is good. I have a hillside that needs eating...can I borrow a goat?

Next Monday or Tuesday could be a play day..it'll be post-trek world and post-move. And, I'll have had the weekend to regroup.

Would love to see you!!!

Lady Barbara said...

OK - now that you ask THAT way, I'm COMIN'!
You just stop the rain and borrow some sheep. Sheep are fuzzy. better than pigs. Goats are a riot! But I feel you really need a whole field full of ponies.
Spotted ones, and black ones with big white faces, and mini palominos, and bays....
Awwwwwwwwww. I wish I could celebrate all those good things with ya. You just hug miss Sara for me, and Lisa too. Tip a cold goblet of Chablis in my name and take a load off. I swear I never saw anyone work so hard!
Miss you so much