From Dinosaurs To Birds

New study suggests that 

birds evolved from dinosaurs by reaching sexual maturity 

earlier and remaining juveniles which allowed 

them to retain juvenile characteristics. 

National Park Service

If your are interested 

click here 

to go to an article about the Harvard University study. 

I believe it! 

My very own idea about the whole thing 

is that some little dinosaur found a really good food source 

that allowed them to grow very quickly/reach sexual maturity 

and the food source even enabled them to survive when the dinosaurs didn't.

I'm just glad our little chicken/dinosaurs 

aren't any bigger.

 ~:>

Smiles

Astaire And Powell - National Tap Dance Day

In celebration of...

I still love the old movies the best!
Waiting for it to rain ...
good excuse to look at videos.

~:>

Smiles

Shadows, Morgan, Cat And Chickens In The Garden

Kristine brought a plant downstairs to put on the table to cast some shadows.
We didn't want to go outside and battle the mosquitos.
There were extra shadows, but no circles.
We had partial eclipse.

The chickens were confused and ran to their coop
This photo was taken in the morning.
They might want Morgan to come out
but I think they just want cabbage.

This is our new cat!
It's a toy.
Looks real though!

Chickens in the Garden 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smc1_jPsVAw 

When first I came down Yorkshire, 

Many years ago. 

I met with a little Yorkshire girl, 

And I'll have youse all to know, 

She was so blithe, so buxom, 

So beautiful and gay, 

Now listen while I tell you, 

What her Daddy used to say... chorus 

Chorus:

 "Oh treat me daughter decent, 

     Don't do her any harm. 

     And when I die I'll leave you both, 

     Me tiny little farm. 

     Me cow, me pigs, me sheep, me goats, 

     Me stock, me fields and barn. 

     And all the little chickens in the garden." 

When first I went to court the girl, 

She was so awful shy. 

She never said a blooming word, 

When other folks was by. 

But as soon as we were on our own, 

She made me name the day, 

Now listen while I tell you, 

What her Daddy used to say... chorus 

And so I wed the Yorkshire girl, 

So pleasing to me mind, 

And I always did prove true to her, 

And she proved true in kind. 

We have three bairns, they're grown up now. 

There's a granbairn on the way. 

And when I look into their eyes, 

I can hear their grandad say... chorus 


I was searching on YouTube 
for videos about chickens and gardens 
and found this song... 


I have always enjoyed folk songs. 


3 eggs today 


~:> 
Smiles 

Chickens Under Glass, Solar Eclipse Video, And Lots Of Other Stuff

Do you think she will give us any cabbage? 

Could be... let's stare at her... 

Well, the hens are behind glass if not exactly under it... 

I gave them cabbage and some kale. 

That Wyandotte was sleeping against the glass next to Morgan. 

She jumped up when I got close with the camera. 

These chickens are hard to sneak up on! 

This is an auspicious occasion! 

Morgan's first time getting vacuumed! 

I thought I was going to have to spend a lot of time acclimating her 

to the noise and feel of the suction 

but she enjoyed the experience and on her own turned from side to side 

to make sure I did a good job. 

I had the vacuum turned down to the lowest setting 

and plan to gradually turn it up a notch every few days or so. 

Kristine took this photo. 

I didn't want to document my error... 

I forgot to replace the vacuum bag... sigh... 

See the white rectangle filter under the little plastic circles? 

Works great! 

It trapped all the dust and dog hair inside the vacuum 

instead of blowing it all over the house. 

Night time... 

This little bird (Junco) kept flying into the window. 

Kristine and Tom thought it was a huge moth and went outside 

only to find out it was a very confused bird. 

Something chasing it? 

 A one day collection of oak tree pollen... 

All this pollen is responsible for Kristine's allergies, sore throat... 

Rain? Rain would be good. 

NASA

"Kristine, 

The new private resupply shuttle 

that was suppose to take off for the international space station 

was cancelled at the last moment," 

I called as I walked down the hall... 

Whoa! 

Listen to me... I grew up in the 1940's reading 

about Dick Tracy and his TV wristwatch 

and watching Flash Gordon shorts at the movies. 

And here I am talking nonchalantly about 

space shuttles and stations. 

Next... soon... ? 

makes you think...

This is a great video from NASA! 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBtZ54cKj3o&feature=plcp

Holly sent me info about the solar eclipse tomorrow. 

We are supposed to be able to see a partial eclipse in our location 

and should see the sun dwindling to a crescent. 

But I must admit I won't be out looking at the sun or lack of.

But I will try out looking at the shadows of trees and my crossed fingers.
I remember making a pinhole viewer in the 1940's.
I'll try to take a photo without looking through the viewer.
That should be interesting.

Hope you enjoy the eclipse!

~:> 

Smiles 

Stuff I Didn't Post

Here are a bunch of photos that I was going to post last week, 

but then I didn't because there wasn't that much to say 

and I haven't been doing much lately. 

Nothing interesting... 

 

More dead chickens? 

No! 

Kristine called my attention to the hens sunning themselves on the porch. 

They do look bad. 

Especially since I took the photo through the window. 

Fingernails! 

For awhile... until I break them... 

usually I don't have much in the way of nails. 

Really can't do any work around here without breakage. 

Evidence that I've been goofing off... 

No ring... lost that in the earthquake. 

Oh, phooey! iPhoto is acting up again. 

The cooktop is not really on the wall... 

Spring onions, broccoli, sweet peppers, tomatoes with scrambled egg. 

Yum! 

The new oak leaves! 

Yellow green... so pretty. 

The oak pollen is not so pretty to deal with... allergy time. 

Tails... 

4 wooden eggs and 1 real egg! 

Another photo through the window of Screamer... 

Crowing! 

Well, she is doing her best. 

The only constructive thing I have been doing is working 

on some old quilts that needed more quilting and watching lectures about mythology 

and some about ancient Rome while I try to make little stitches. 

I hold the quilt in my lap... no hoops for me. 

1 egg today 

~:> 

Smiles 

Super Moon 2012

The moon will be at Perigee tonight...? tomorrow... this week... soon...

It will appear 14% larger.

I love these old classic movies!
I used to watch them with delight in the 1940's
at the Saturday and Sunday matinees.

Strange things are supposed to happen...

I wonder if our chickens will start to lay?

It is so cloudy and rainy that I'm sure I won't be able to see the Super Moon.

But maybe the extra gravity pull will affect the chickens?

More eggs?

It's raining again.

I'm not good at taking photos in the rain...

I'm always worried my camera will get wet.

That limb is ready to crack and fall down.

It will smash the fence when it goes.

The chickens don't seem to mind the rain as long as it is not pouring.

4 eggs yesterday

~:>
Smiles

Sitting Pretty

This little Buff Orpington has picked the top of a hay bale as a 

favored place to lay her eggs. 

She seemed more puzzled than upset 

when I removed the three eggs she was sitting on.

I have seen an Australorp there laying eggs also.

I've been quilting and listening to 

Sherlock Holmes stories.

Really not much of anything going on so nothing to blog about.

I like my life nice and boring.

Suits me.

Earthquakes, mudslides and fires might make for interesting posts 

but are sure no fun living through.

Been there, done that. 

I'll stick with boring!

3 eggs

~:>

Smiles

May Day 2012

Happy May Day! 

Hope you enjoy this video as much as I do...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVRXg92Cg10

I could so live there!

Love the rooster...

Here are some of our chickens this May 1st morning.

I scatter a line of scratch for the hens instead of putting it in a pile.
The hens still squabble but less than if the feed was all in one spot.
The rest of the chickens didn't stop for the feed
they headed straight out to the woods.

Have a very happy day!
Enjoy!

2 eggs yesterday

~:>
Smiles