What's up? Dang chicken Butts...

Husband loaned me his battery operated drill, and a less than pristine spade drill that I could use.  I had LOTS of daffodill bulbs, and he thought that it would make my planting a bit easier.

And it did!  I would bore a hole in the hill, drop in a bulb, and cover it with the dirt I had removed, hey, Bob's your Uncle, and on to the next.  I had most of the hill finished in a day.  (I don't know how many in total, but my friend gifted me with probably a hundred or more bulbs...)  I was so pleased.  Deer don't like daffodils, rodents don't eat them, as a rule, this should be slick, with no problems.

And, of course, I was completely wrong...

I went out a day or two later, I had added flower seed, and it had rained.  I wanted to see how the bulbs were doing...  Hmm.  Chickens on the hill... Hmm.  I walk closer.

They were busily digging out my bulbs, when they weren't gobbling down all the seed they could find...

I told Husband that I needed to put up a fence.  I bought deer netting, Husband bought me some TALL t-posts, and we decided, on a recent nice day, to put in the 'new' fence.  Just a quick one to two hour project, not a biggie...

I really, REALLY need to stop saying things like that. 

Husband had to put the t-posts up, because they go in with a device you hang on to, and pound them into the soil.  Well, with it in the air, I was too dang short to reach the pounder!  So, we laid out the deer fencing, put it up, and then Husband looked at the finished project.  

Or, I *thought* it was finished.  I was happy, it would allow people from the road to see the flowers, it wasn't a heavy fence, and it was-

"Invisible, the deer will tear it up in the dark.  We need to put fence panels behind it."  I wasn't wild about this idea, but walking back from it, he was annoyingly right, again...  And so we moved a few panels from the fence above, that we were going to take down anyway.  He pops them in, and realizes, there isn't enough.  

So he goes to the fencing he has stashed by the barn.  The fencing that already has blackberry brambles running through them.  He gets out the pruners, and snips away.  He goes to put away the pruners, and I hear a big clatter inside the Milk House.  Odd.  

He comes out, and tells me he will have to fix the pruners, the handles were so dry, they just came off the metal!  (At least it waited until he'd finished!) So, he took out the panels we were going to use, and he picks one up and trots off.

I pick one up, and try to trot off.  I think, wobble and wander like a drunk sailor might have been closer to my motion.  BUT, get it to the fence I did, and so he puts it up, and we then decide on the 'gate'.  He put it in such a way, I can come in on the side.

So, my "One or two hour, you can have your panels back, so I can keep the chickens out", wasn't.  Well, except for keeping the chickens out.  

One out of 3 ain't bad, I guess... SIIIIGGGGGH...

Psst. Am I home? Ah.

So, it's been MORE than a month since I blogged last.  I really haven't meant to be so tardy, I just had a very busy, on the go, more stuff than I realized month for a bit.  And when I wasn't on the go, I just stared at the computer.  Not with it ON, mind you, just stared at it, thinking, gee, I should write something.  Then zoning out, falling asleep, and not writing.  But, fortune has it, even though my family has commented on my busy-doings, no one is too worried about it.  ('Cept me, maybe.  Do I really need to be on the go ALL the week???)

To now catch up.  I ended up with 9 baby chicks, lost one.  And then we have been watching carefully, and I believe...

I have seven roosters.

(sigh)

So, life goes on.  I will get some pics of them now, this was of two of them when still fuzzy.  If you can believe it, they are now almost fully feathered! I will try and get some pictures of the little guys as not-so-little, soon.

Went to Seaside, did my normal photo of socks at the Lewis and Clark Monument.  I might have to put the photos I took of the monument on my blog sometime.  Oh, and the socks?  Yes, you are seeing aright, I am making "Crazy Quilt" socks of leftover yarn.  I don't have to knit two, I can mix 'n match any of the ones I make...  I can use up leftovers, and it will drive one of the gals at spinning completely bats when I wear them.  (The picture is of Lewis and Clark making salt. Thanks to Dad for holding up socks...)

Husband decided to kidnap me, because I hadn't been home to speak of in a bit, and we went for a drive along Highway 11.  There was this big patch of white flowers.  We couldn't figure out what they were at first, until we came close.  This is a plant known as Bunch Grass, or Bear Grass.  It probably has other names, but that's what I've heard it called around here.  The Mountain Deputy told me it's a pretty valuable item, as it is used both for weaving, and in floral arrangements.  I'd never seen it flower before, though.  

A little later, we found this little waterfall.  I just think it made a nice picture.

And, I figured out how to use the close up on my camera!!!

Sunday Supplement

Just a short blog.  I thought it was interesting, I did an inadvertent experiment.  I planted some wave petunias, all bought at the same place, at the same time, and the same type. 

Here is the one that I planted in a combination of coffee grounds and some soil.  (Mostly coffee grounds.)

 

This was planted in a mixture of horse poo compost and soil.

Don't know what to say about this, but I think I might try this again with other plants and see what happens.  I was really amused with the color difference in the two...

Sunday Supplement, Late Edition.

Ok, just back from a dinner, and when we returned, I had this.  (ONE slice, small, and the rest is in the freezer.  Now if I can just stay out of the freezer.  Or walk a whoooole bunch more...)




And the roses were given me on my birthday. They were from a rose bush from my Grandpa to my Mom.


(I had a rosebush from him, too, but a deer ATE IT. &%$#!!!!!)

Anyway, I received the Orchid today. Now comes the Darwin part. So, anyone wanna take bets on how long it takes me to figure out how to care for it?



Hope all of you are doing well, I will be getting the finish of my Petty-ness soon. 

Then I can go on to Virginia Loans, jumping cats, and decisions on socks, afghans, and possibly quilt blocks...

Thrill a minute, huh?

:)

Sunday Supplement, July 4 edition...

Yes, folks, still in the land of the living. 

I think...

Other than I came down with one H*LL of a cold, and while I haven't quite got the looks of Barry White, I may soon sound like him soon.  I can now honestly say I am rather sick of tea, and very sick of cough drops.  (And still haven't convinced PIL that I don't want to go to visiting BECAUSE I AM SICK.  This seems to be no big deal, except to me, and we would be visiting frail older folks and very young children.  Is it just me, or is this just so not a good idea?)

But enough of that.


For your Fourth of July pleasure, Fireworks!




(With Special Thanks to Friend of the Bear, who explained how to make Bloggers pictures actually DO what I am trying to MAKE them do...)

Anyway, some skyrockets bursting.

And some sparklers, for the little ones...

Red Rockets bursting! Boom, even!

Hell Fire rockets, with bright tails.

Star Bursts! OOOH, AHHHHHH!

Then, of course, is always the danger of your fireworks getting away from you and going off where you don't want them!!!

I have been walking, and trying to do house upkeep and cleaning, but that is about it.  My frain is bried for much in the blogging department at the moment.  (And I have been getting nasty looks when I am on the computer, although that hasn't slowed me down much...)  So, keep watching this space, I will have regular blogs back soon.  And perhaps Rudee, Tux and I can go walking up the hill again, too.  They sure miss that. 

Boo, hoo, I know, cry me a river.  Husband ran Rudee up the hill with the 4 wheeler, (Husband riding, Rudee running), and they were both happy.  I just worry too much.  I just have to get back in to my groove.

But no, my name isn't Stella...   And I am not an Emperor. 

Eh.

(And for my friends not celebrating American Independence Day, Happy Sunday, and watch out for crazy Americans with fireworks!)

Blasted deer at least missed these...

(I decided to write a couple ahead, so I didn't look like I had vanished off the face o' the earth.)

I truly HATE the deer around here sometimes...  They have eaten all my blue flowers.  What is it they like about the blasted blue flowers?  They normally destroy my tulips, but this year, it was all the blue stuff.  They did dine on the leaves of a lot of my tulips, but not the flowers...  So far.  (sigh)

They have left my "Ice Stick" tulips alone, for which I am heartily glad...

The group...

And a group of smiling faces!

So, more later, but at least these, and my daffodils seem to be un-munched...  The slugs seem less than excited about my flowers this year.  Diatomataous Earth seems to work!  That and in one spot, a dose of Sluggo. 

Ah, the joys of gardening...

I am still wondering how much deer tags are. Hmph.

Today's My Birfday!!!

(I have a little friend that says that sentence exactly that way. I think it's adorable...)

So, what did I do on my birTHday? Um....




I worked on getting some llama beans into my garden. The llamas don't seem to mind. They just wanted to see what was in the bucket, and gave me the oddest look when they figured out it wasn't food!

I dead headed some flowers, put them on a tray to dry for seed, knitted some more on my Harmonic Rainbow socks, (and yes, I did clean up after my bout with the beans...), and then went to dinner with family. Some of the family were people I'd not seen in some time, and I didn't realize Mom and Dad weren't familiar with them, so I felt a tad dorky when my Step Mom in Law did the introductions. That minor awkwardness aside, it went pretty well. Mom was getting a bit achy by the end, but it sort of worked out, because we could all gracefully exit.

I had a nice birthday, it actually started yesterday, Husband took me to the coast, (guess what dork forgot her camera??!?), and we had lunch. He also bought me another llama, and a camel! And a lion!! Uh, they were little plastic replicas, but it's the thought that counts, right? I received some towels from Step Mom in Law, and some funds from Mom and Dad, because Mom was sort of incapacitated, and couldn't get out to get anything for me.

I have a really neat family, and I am blessed. Even my llamas want to help!
Well, so do my cats, one on each foot as I weed, and Rudee sticks his head through the deer fence to wash my ear, if I am close enough.

I am happy!

And thank you to all who sent me birthday wishes, e or otherwise!

I am cheap. But quantity discounts do apply...

I had a goal yesterday. I was going to N.W. Local Mart to get some Elderberry bushes I had my eye on. I had two that I planted, one is doing ok, sort of, very small. The other, well, it was mowed.

Note to self, paint markers BRIGHT COLORS.

Anyway, I was looking around at the Elderberries, and then saw a whole shelf of plants, separate from the rest of the plants. I wondered about it, and looked. The plants were the last chance types, buy now, or they are chucked out.

So, I started nosing about.

Hmm. A post 4Th of July "Firecracker" bowl. Lots of color, and lovely when it started. So, what's wrong with this? Little peaked looking, but everything in it looks fair. Hmph, let's get that for the front porch. And it was 20 some when new, it was a tad over 8$. Seems good for me!

Hey, they have those little Dusty Miller things. They just need to water these... 25 CENTS? MINE!

And the Salvia, too? Into the cart...

Uh, no tag. But it has a blossom, pretty... and it's a quarter, also? Dang, it's coming home with me.

Oh, look at the Coreposis thingies? A whole flat for 3$? MINE, again!

So, I took the plants to the clerk, I had what would have been about 40$ or so at the beginning of the season, for about 14$. I was pleased. I took them home, trimmed a few dead leaves and spent flowers, watered, fertilized, then planted or put them in their new homes. It took a bit, (my shoulders STILL don't like me...), but the plants seemed to take right off, even within a hour, they seemed to have revived quite a bit.

It really livened up a couple bland areas in my garden.

But...

I never did get the Elderberries!

Note to self... Write Blog.

It is sooo pathetic when I have to write "write blog" on my "to do" list. That wasn't really the problem today, just didn't have much to write about. Summer of Socks sock? I have until July 5 to finish. I have a little over half a sock finished. Not an auspicious start...

I tried a new pattern. I don't really care for ONE LITTLE STITCH combo on this pattern... K3 tog. On the needles I have, knitting three together is nearly impossible. It takes patience, (which I don't have), and a chrochet hook, (which tends to snag the yarn). I wish I could figure out a different way to make the stitch, the socks will be great... If I can get them finished!

I am officially seeing flowers in my garden! I present (according to the Wildseed Farms Catalog):

Sweet Alyssum

Toadflax/Spurred Snapdragon

Shasta Daisy

And, Little Orange Cute Flower I don't know what is...

I figure if it's pretty, a flower, and it doesn't look like it's going to be a nuisance, I will just let the little whatsit grow. That's what I will call it, an Orange Whatsit! It goes well with the Elifino that I have in the other garden. How is the other garden?

Er.

It's a work in progress. Slow, glacial progress. I do, however have some orange lillies about to bloom... If you can find them with all the crapola that has come back with a vengance. (sigh)

In other news, I have a new best friend, when Rudee isn't around.

This is exactly how he spends almost all of his time around me. He loves to stand ON my feet, leaning against my legs. Makes weeding and walking, as well as watering a definite challenge. He isn't a tiny thing, either, so I really don't nudge him well, he just nudges back, and doesn't move. So, he is carried a lot...

He has earn the name Cat o' One Tail. I had him in my arms, opened the door, Husband was on other side of the door. Tuxedo was scared spitless, jumped, ran up my front, and launched off of my back... With four claw drive. I was rather thouroughtly scratched, Husband spent about 15 minutes or so just cleaning all the claw marks, and then another 15 or so putting Neosporin on them. G*d Bless Neosporin! I certainly need it enough...

But, I got him calmed down, (well, both men in my life, Husband was worried I would get an infection...), and got Tuxedo to understand I wasn't angry at him. (I screamed in pain when he launched off my back, and so I think he thought I was out for his hide...) He is now following me everywhere.

This is his "Assistant Chicken Feeder" look. Rudee will do this too, but it is the first time any of my cats will WILLINGLY go in with the chickens, they tend to attack tails, or toes. However, I suspect Tuxedo would return the favor, and they know it. So he finds a shady spot, and Voila, one relaxed cat.

So, back to knitting, and hopefully I will get the sock finished! If not, I will be burning the sock the midnight oil trying to get it finished, especially since that Lewis and Clark picture gave me an idea for my next sock!

Zoom, zoom, zoom!

I have a moment. Breathe... Blog... Ahhhh. Ok...

I don't know why everything has decided to happen at once. I was out doing stuff the last few days. Dad and I worked on a bike race, making sure those who left, and those who returned were the same number. (Thank goodness, they were...)

Then, later that day, Husband and I went to a... Well, for lack of a better term, a Memorial Wake. The body wasn't present, but the spirit was. So were spirits, for that matter, everyone was commenting on the deceased's penchant for brewing, and sampling brews, and more sampling, and MOOORE sampling, etc..

It was kind of funny, because most of the folks there know my husband, but didn't know me all that well. So I sat around, sort of bored, until I asked the bartender for a Shirley Temple. (I know, how can I drink the hard stuff like that, but we do what we must...) Just incidentally, he put it in a cocktail glass. People started talking to me! Isn't that odd?

Then we went to visit my Mom's cousin on Sunday. They had visited New Zealand, oh, the pictures! WOOOW! I really hadn't ever thought much about New Zealand, and that made me want to see what it would take to go! (But I still want to go to Alaska, first.) We had dinner together, and I found a new knitting friend, so all is well in the W. Valley.

I am working on a baby layette-y thing, will post pics later, it's a sweater, hat and shoes set, I knit for the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.

Went spinning, and have decided the spinning I am doing will not be for a shawl after all, it will be socks. Now I just have to wash and hang the yarn, so I will have it for said socks...

Kept the animals in water during the hot spell, it is amazing how fast we can all go through liquid when it's 90+. Especially when it was 60ish the day before. And now it's 60ish again. Mom Nature is having a nervous breakdown again... Or a hot flash. Or both...

I have some whatsits growing in the flower gardens. I am impatiently waiting to see what they are. They look like little green blobs right now. I have some that I do know, I planted Peacock Orchids (which is really strange, as it's NOT an orchid...), Daliahs, and Cosmos. Those, and in the front, I have a Hosta. I think I buried planted some phlox, too. Uh, there should be some Daylilies and... Er. Lily lillies? Anyway, I have a bunch of stuff in the ground, and the majority seem to have survived my ministrations on them. Oh, and some fir trees, a holly thingy, and I will be planting a Golden Chain tree or two. Am I a crazy plant woman, or what?

To that end, two funnies. A church sign. "May is God's apology for February." and a bumper sticker, "Another Gardener for Peas."

Peas to all...

Cleaning the flower beds...

Before...

After...


Except I didn't pull the flowers out. I am still cleaning there. But about 2/3 of the garden is clean for planting flowers. Since this is our "presentation" area, in front of our door, and where anyone can see, I want to make it look nice. I have a bench, and want to be able to sit out and watch birds.

To this end, I ordered from Wildseed Farms, (www.wildseedfarms.com) (Blogger isn't letting me put in links again. *Sigh*), and am going to get "Butterfly/Hummingbird Blend" and "Western Wildflower Mix". The Western Mix will go out in our front area by the Mailbox. I hope to make the place look... Bright and cheerful? Happy? Dunno, just want more color, I guess.

I had to quit work for a bit, however. Mama Cat has no fear of ANYTHING, if I am doing it. This is NOT a good quality. I was pulling out clumps of grass with a grubbing hoe, (it's the lightest one Dad could find, and it's still, oh, I am guessing, a couple pounds or more, at the head...), so I am digging at a particularly obnoxious weed (Dandelions are a b**** to get out completely), so I swung REAL hard. On the down stroke, Mama Cat wanders UNDER the blade. Panic! I twisted, HARD, and dropped the hoe mere inches from her tail. She nearly became a bobtail in one stroke. I nearly HAD a stroke. Twisted the ankle, too, darn it. But it wasn't severe, so I was able to get back to work. But after her wandering in and out of what I was doing, getting lumps of dirt dropped on her, and nearly stepping on her about 3 times, I gave up.

The garden can wait. (Either that, or I am locking her in a kitty carrier while I work!)

Finally!

I have been working for about the last HALF HOUR or so to get the Blogger system to first realize that, no, I do NOT have cookies on non accept, I don't have it on the new system, and finally, that I DO have a blog! I realize I don't write on it often, but come on... And really, I have to get in now, as Husband has found Craig's List. And now has to check it several times daily, on the off chance something new was put on since the time he checked it, oh, 10 minutes ago. And a website called "Fish Sniffer". I wasn't quite sure if Husband had gone 'round the bend, but it turns out it's about boating, and fishing, not someone with a very straaaaaaaange fetish... But with only one access to the internet, it gets interesting, so I will still be catch as catch can. I am beginning to think setting a clock for Midnight might be a good time...



This is the official first flower of spring at our house. It's a race between the crocus and some tulips called "Ice Stick". This year, Ice Stick was late out of the gate, and the crocus are crocussing alone. But when the Ice Stick gets "on the stick", so to speak, there are going to be a LOT of them! I think they tripled during the off season!

I have been knitting. I have been going to make a yarn swift, too. BUT, Husband decided HE wanted to make me a yarn swift. Lovely. Ok, fine, let him feel all warm and fuzzy because he made me something. But it's been about oh, 2 months now, and no swift. I have been relying on an organic swift right now, in fact. (Thanks, Mom...) So, news as events warrant, but I am not exactly holding my breath that the swift is going to be... swift in coming!!!



This is a new batch of yarn I had bought. Expensive (for me) yarn. I get snarls in yarn without a swift. THIS IS WHY I WANT A SWIFT. The snarl in the above picture doesn't look like much, I suppose, but if you realize it took me nearly three hours to get it unsnarled... And since my normal method of unsnarling consists of pulling out my Leatherman blade and cutting off the part that is causing me problems, (I am a true believer in Occam's razor, thank you...), you will probably figure out that I am not a very patient person. I was screaming and crying by the time I finished getting the snarls out and the ball wound. (No, Husband wasn't home, why do you ask?)

I have been knitting, hats and socks mostly. Dulaan stuff. I might knit myself a pair of socks, I have some really soft fire engine red wool, once upon a zillion years ago, it was going to be a felted hat. But, I decided that I want socks, and don't really care about the hat. Now I just have to find a nice sock pattern. Hmm. I will have to put up some pix later of it, but am feeling lazy and don't want to dig out the camera at the moment... Now that I actually have some material for blogging (I think, anyway), and Husband is going to be working for a couple days, maybe I can get in some pages. Hope springs eternal!

Late bloomers and teenagers.

All right, first off, here is the shawl I was trying to upload yesterday. The stars were all aligned correctly, and I was able to upload the picture. It is a pattern from http://www.knitting-and.com for a feather and fan comfort shawl. I am presently fringing it... Picture when finished.

If all the planets line up just right.

The yarn is Lion Brand Wool-Ease. Lots of it, I think I used on the bonus size that I have (8 oz. skeins), uh, 2 or 3 to get a 5 1/2 foot shawl. The fringe will probably nail another half skein or so.

I believe that Rhodedendrons in this area bloom about April. Well, as you can see, this one has no clue what season it is. I am reminded of someone saying something, and I need to give a response. I think of the perfect response...

When I get home.

Is this the flower version? It is pretty, tho. Sort of hidden, where it was planted, (was here before we bought the place), so it is going to do as it does without my help. I am not fond of Rhodies, but at least this one isn't some washed out color, it's a lovely red.

Annnnd, here are a few of my chickens. I finally got a picture of some of the 'teenagers', they are allowed to roam, (we call them the Bug Patrol). They are a Bantam of some sort. A Mom, an adoptive Dad, (he's a lover, not a fighter, and stays with the group, away from other roosters), and six kids.

One of the kids, I belive might be a rooster. He goes after the finches around the bird feeder and defends his turf, so to speak. The others, they eat and don't worry too much about who else is around, except for the dog, husband, and myself. They are very wild. We haven't made a lot of effort to tame them, they seem ok, so we have the benifit of less bugs, and they go pretty much where they please. Thankfully, they've not found my garden. Yet. The only ones who aren't fond of the situation is our cats. They sleep, the tail twitches, and all the chicks are on it, thinking that looks like the perfect after dinner worm! The cats are not amused.

This is Cher. She is one of the 'top' hens in the flock. She has attitude plus. She tried to knock the feed bucket out of my hand one time by standing on my foot and then jumping on the bucket. The bucket tipped over before I could catch it, and she ended up getting bonked in the face, tipped tush over teakettle, and lost out to the others on the food that dropped. She doesn't do that so much now, for some reason. She will still stand on my foot to get at the food, though.

My parents-in-law will be coming to stay with us for about a month, I have been converting my craft room back into a bedroom for them. It has been an interesting process, but we are pretty much ready for thier arrival. Not a moment too soon for us to be finished, they are leaving a day early. We shall see what transpires...