Wet Weather???

Here is another photo that I took yesterday showing the clouds headed up to Tahoe. They are having some terrific thunderstorms. The weather here is hot and muggy. Something like a steam bath outside. It is 10:15 pm and it is 80 degrees in the house. I'm whining. Sorry. I wish we could get some of the rain. I really, really do.

I guess it is too hot for some of the hens to roost sitting down. I have never seen the hens roost standing up before. Poor hot girls. Some of the hens have started to sleep on the ground where it is a little bit cooler.

I don't know if the hens knocked all the corn out of the feeder or if we have a messy mouse raiding the corn. It is almost dark in this photo and some of the chickens are still eating or maybe it is too hot to go to bed. I feel dumb making this post because as Kristine says, "You're doing a repeat?" Well, it is hot and I haven't done anything today, and this is what is happening with the chickens and and they are new photos and my brain is melting.

I brought the feeders inside because when I was taking the above photo I was feeling tiny drops of water and even though I don't think we are going to get any of the Tahoe rain I don't want to take any chances of the feed getting wet. I wish there were large drops of water!

On my last check through the nest I did find three eggs. That was a surprise. I picked up eight eggs earlier, but I fooled myself by bringing in a wooden egg. Well, it looked like a real egg and my brain is melting. The broody Wyandotte had moved over to a new spot in the middle nest box and was sitting on two eggs she had appropriated. I felt guilty taking them away. Guilt and heat are not a good combination.

Tom brought home meat loaf and french bread for dinner. I was going to make a salad to go with, but we were all too hot, so no dinner. He also bought some grapes from the farmers market and those we did eat.

Morgan is sleeping downstairs tonight because she is just too hot upstairs. Kristine has a fan, but that doesn't help Morgan much at all. She has finally stopped panting and is sleeping. It is silent outside. No noise. I guess it is too hot for any critters to be up and about.

I am not complaining about the heat. I just get twitchy because of the heat and the fire danger.

[10 eggs today]

Smiles

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Nite Nite or Egg Egg?

It was starting to get dark so I went to fill the chicken feeder so they have lots to eat when they rise and shine in the morning, do a last check for eggs, and count the hens. 18 chickens and I can lock the door. When I went to counting I was one hen short, and I found her here in the top nest box. So, is she getting set to sleep here for the night instead of roosting or is she still bent on laying an egg? I had to use the flash to get a decent shot of this Buff Brahma. Hope she is not egg bound. I don't know what it is with having animals, but I'm always worried about the problems they can have.  

Kristine filled the bird feeder when she got home. She said that if we put corn out the squirrels would go after that and leave the bird feed alone. Hmmm... maybe? Last year I had a squirrel take apart another feeder I have so he could get to the feed. He figured out that if he chewed off the rope and knot it was hanging by then he could raise the panels to get to the feed. Smart little critter! They have lots of acorns. The bird feed must be like candy or something. I have lots of little bird houses. I'll have to do a post about them.
I have been neglecting my flower garden. Not one flower in it! I tried to get a photo of the bird feeder from inside the house. You can barely see it hanging there in the ivy near the inside of the gate. So, I had to go out and brave the mosquitos to get the photo above. The things I do for this blog. That was a very fast trip in and out of the house to take the photo. Darn mosquitos!

Kit gave me this bird feeder. She was going to throw it away because the plug in the bottom was lost. I asked her to throw it my way. First I tried to find a cork that would fit, but couldn't. So, I took some trusty duct tape and taped up the bottom. That worked to hold the bird feed in and it hasn't failed yet. Duct tape is sure great to have around for a lot of fixes.

And here is one of those invisible things that doesn't get mentioned much if ever because it is taken for granted. This is how I most often cook vegetables. I steam them altogether, no salt, just their lovely selves steamed to a little past crunchy, but way before smushy. No salt needed, with fresh organic vegetables especially the flavor comes through. Soooo good. I used to cook with spices, sauces, oils, etc., but I have come to appreciate the vegetable for what it is and the yummy flavor they have without any additions.

[12 eggs today]

Well, there were really 13. The goofy chicken laid her egg in the sun next to the feeder on the blue plastic. And I didn't check there until tonight. Bad me. So I had to toss it. I think it probably got cooked in the sun. I didn't see any wet spots, so no broken eaten eggs today. Maybe it was a fluke and it won't happen again. Hope is a wonderful thing.

Smiles

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