Good Morgan!

Here is a photo of Morgan at the back fence. Today she has been barking and then tearing off for the fence lines.

I always wonder if she is chasing  squirrels or a fox. When she runs to the fence I think it is perhaps a fox or other predator. I would love to see a California Native Red Fox.

When she runs to a tree, then I think she is herding squirrels from tree to tree. (or following the squirrels) The squirrels are very high up and hop from tree to tree. Morgan (or I) hardly ever see a squirrel on the ground.

While I was back by the fence I noticed a tree that had fallen and was hung up in neighboring tree branches. I don't want to walk under that tree.

On the way back to the house I stopped and watered the little green garden. It is so nice to have a little patch of green among all the dried up litter on the forest floor.

Later, when leaving the garden, I heard some clucking and turned to find I was being followed by the girls. The hens want to find out if I have treats. Sorry, chickies... no treats now.

I gave them cabbage later. I think some of the chickens might have figured out how to fly into the garden, because some of the rose bushes are eaten back.

I spent the day painting. Hard to believe it took me most of the day to get  the first coat of paint on the island.

I didn't have a coat of primer down first, so the paint didn't cover well and the sheet rock sucked the paint up. Tomorrow, the second coat of paint should go on much faster.

Tom's Mom fell and so far the hospital doesn't think she broke or fractured anything. There will be more tests tomorrow.

I'm so sleepy.
I'm having trouble staying awake and alert enough to type this post.

Peek at the Past

(July 20, 2009)

[3 eggs today]

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Smiles

Treasure For Some

For a short time we lived quietly.

But this could not last.

White men had found gold in the mountains...

~ Chief Joseph

I am grateful for the mountains.

Took this photo from my favorite lookout spot on the way home from the dentist. The rain seems to be passing us by headed east somewhere. I love these mountains and yes there is gold out there. I often think about the Indian tribes who lived here and who lost their homes. It looks so peaceful now and there was so much sorrow. I don't think people would have bothered the Indians so soon if not for the gold. But they would have come for the timber eventually. Well, then there were new diseases, the bigoted, and the religious who came to save them and ended up wiping them out. The Indians didn't have much of a chance.

I tried to train a climbing rose to cover the ladder, but I don't think there is enough sun and the rose is barely growing leaves. So, I'm going to cut the rose bush back, clean off the ladder and train the ivy to cover the ladder. At least I know the ivy can grow there under the huge pine tree. I'm glad the ivy is covering the top of the fence. I want a green wall. The oak leaves are finally getting some color.

Chickens in the woods.

Two Light Brahmas, two Australorps, an Orpington

and I think that is a Wyandotte back there

or it could be another Australorp.

PS ~ I have no idea how many people read this bog or if they ever look on the sidebar and check out the blogs I read. But, there is a blogger (Chickens In The Road) who could use some votes to get a job she really wants and needs. Here's why. It would only take a click to help make her dream come true. Click Vote here to go to the page to vote.

[3 eggs today]

Low on chicken feed. No corn.

Smiles

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My Treasures

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

~ Thornton Wilder

This month I'm going to think of things I am grateful for and list one on the blog everyday.

Living in the forest is a treasure.

Today I walked around trying to find some November photos, but things haven't changed very much from October. More leaves have fallen and we got some rain, but things look much the same. I love the crisp cool air. I really enjoy Autumn.

This photo is for my brother and Sandy to show them how much the ivy has grown and covered the fence here in the front and pretty much all the way around the side. You planted a great ivy!

This is the broody Wyandotte. Sheesh! I wish she would give up her efforts to hatch eggs. Today when I checked under her I found two wooden eggs. I moved one over to the right for the photo where it belongs. She had moved it. Poor hen. No chicks.

This is the smaller planter box.

I took the day off and didn't work in the garden.

The bigger planter box.

I checked online for information about putting chicken wire down to keep out the gophers before I put in the dirt. That seems to be a good idea. While I was searching around I found a lot of information about squirrels tearing up planter boxes, either burying nuts and/or eating the vegetables. Some blame the squirrels interest on the type of soil put in the box because it is easy to dig holes in so the squirrels attack. I may have to build some kind of chicken wire cage if the squirrels become a problem. Kristine says not to worry. Let's just see what happens. Sounds good to me. But, I think I will line the bottom with small chicken wire.

Talked to Kathleen today! She said this is going to be a weekly call. How great is that!

And she said she is going to send me some photos

of Tristan, Rhiannon and Jaidan

in their Halloween costumes!

So I can post them.

[2 eggs today]

Now two Light Brahmas are molting!

Smiles

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Help! I'm Surrounded By Lumber!

Looking at all this lumber I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Yikes! What have I got myself into. Maybe I should have started making a small planter box instead of this big thing. Well, one step at a time will hopefully get me there. That's what I tell myself anyway. First I measured and cut the corner posts. Then I measured and cut the rest of the wood.

Big box cut and ready to assemble.

All cut except for the corner posts for the small box.

Then I took a break and went to see where the chickens were and found them digging holes looking for good things to eat. When I started to take this photo the Wyandotte was scratching around in the hole to the left, but when she saw the Orpington eating something she scurried over to share in the goodness. Opportunist!

I did try to finish the box before I ran out of daylight, but I finally had to call it quits. Just two more boards on this side and then I can start putting the other box together. I should know and plan for everything taking longer than I think it will. I think I will cut some wood to cover the corner posts and I need to remember to find the level. I wonder if I should level the box or leave it on the slope. I'll have to measure and see what the difference looks like.

Kristine came home and told me to quit. Of course I did what she said. She even made dinner. When I came in, she had hot dogs and the fixings all ready. How 'bout that! Such a deal! She's a treasure! Called my brother and Sandy and wished them a Happy Birthday! Then I tried to talk them into making a blog. I'm so bad. They could make some awesome posts about life in the desert with some terrific photos. And Sandy could make wonderful posts about her stained glass work and her great recipes. She is a great cook!

[3 eggs today]

One in the morning for breakfast.

The other two were in time for dinner.

Smiles

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Tricky Chickens

Spent most of the day looking for and carrying wood. The wood I moved the other day and stacked under the tree turned out to be mostly too short. I finally found enough pieces to put together some boxes. By the time I got all the lumber assembled I decided to wait until tomorrow to do the measuring and cutting. I'll look around some more tomorrow and see if I can find anymore long boards. I'd like the sides to be higher. And I'll need the miter saw. I don't know how long my saber saw will hold out cutting this thick wood.

Ah ha! Those chickens were being sneaky and eating out the pumpkin from the back side. Every time I came to check I only saw the front and the little holes I made. This is a funny face. A one eyed smiley pumpkin. Silly chickens. They tricked me!

[3 eggs today]

Smiles

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Brick Puzzle

Setting the bricks is like putting together a big puzzle. To lay bricks correctly you are supposed to use builder sand and compact and level the surface, etc. I'm not going for perfect. This is an old place and I'm going for an old weathered uneven look. After the bricks are down, I shoveled some dirt on top and worked it into the spaces between the bricks by hand and with the broom. I would use sand if I had any. I found a break in the chicken wire in the corner and fixed it so the critter that ate my rose bushes can't get in that way again.

All done. I will need to repeat this dirt step several times after it rains until the cracks fill up. I moved that white brick around to mark where the sunshine stops. The sun is higher in the summer so I think the sun will shine on all the area in the box. The sun has to make its way through and past a lot of trees. Some of this area gets morning sun when the sun gets high enough to shine over the roof. The rest of the time it is shining through trees.

One planter box seems like a good idea, so why not two?

I dug up the green stuff and moved it to places that were bare. Tomorrow I can start the fun part and get out my power tools and start cutting wood. I enjoyed moving the bricks around.

[1 egg today]

The chickens haven't eaten hardly any of the pumpkin.

Kristine and I are going to get our hair cut tomorrow.

Smiles

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Saddle's Still On!

Orp Roo got duct taped again this morning and she was not at all happy about the experience. I was surprised that there were no pin feathers growing on her back. That look she is giving me says go away! Henny Penny's saddle was loose because she is growing feathers, but not coming off, so I didn't mess with her. Putting duct tape on chickens is not my favorite thing to do. I'm glad Henny Penny is growing feathers, but Orp Roo's back is still bare. At least it is not sunburned anymore. Hopefully, when she molts this year she will grow new feathers. Kristine said she would suspect mites, but the other chickens are Ok and Henny Penny's feathers are growing back so the feather loss must be from something else.

The broody Golden Lace Wyandotte is very happy in all her new straw where she has burrowed down and made herself very comfortable. She doesn't roost and sleeps in the nest box and is always here except when I pick her up and set her down in the pen so she will go eat and drink. Kristine and I keep talking about getting a chick from the feed store and sticking it under her just to see what she would do. But we really don't want anymore chickens. Poor broody hen. No chicks.

Although, there are times I would like a Light Brahma rooster that didn't crow or jump on the hens and make them miserable. Too bad roosters don't come that way. I do miss our big Light Brahma rooster, Brutus, that the coyote got. He was so gentle. My neighbor called us that day and said that a fox had one of our chickens, but Kristine and Tom said it was a coyote.

Morgan wasn't out with the chickens that day because for some reason we were keeping her inside and then someone let the chickens out. Kristine says she sees coyotes come through the yard early in the morning before we let Morgan outside. So, the coyotes do keep checking and hope to get lucky and find the chickens unprotected.

There is the little round plant that Kristine brought home yesterday. I mixed half a bag of potting soil with the dirt I dug out of the hole and used that mixture under and around the plant.I hope it will be happy in that spot and do well. I don't have a green thumb and I rely on plants that are basically survivors. Native plants are my favorites. Weeds do well also.

[13 eggs today]

I think the hens like the new straw!

Smiles

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Found Plants

Today I wandered around the property looking for plants I could transplant to my little green garden. I think the plants I found are all native plants. But who knows? This area was all gone over many times by gold miners, then settled and abandoned and found again. Except for the poison oak and the California Rose here I don't know what these plants are. The first plants I found were a large crop of poison oak. Lovely green stuff. But, no. Next I found a little round leafed plant. So I dug this up.

Then I found this little ferny plant next to some poison oak. Dug it up.

Not the poison oak.

Next I found this little wild california rose. The ground is very dry and hard and the root is hard to get out. Didn't get much of a root on any of these plants, so I don't have too much hope of them taking root. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Then I found this little plant with pointy tip leaves.

It was hard to dig up.

Doesn't look like much. The little plants are all planted in among the myrtle and ivy and some other volunteers. Morgan is eating grass. There are only a few grass plants, but she found them. Now all I have to do is remember to water this spot every day and twice on very hot days. I still want to get some flowers. I'll see if I ever get to the store. Tom does the shopping. He is not interested in buying flowers. Maybe I'll ask Kristine. Maybe we can go shopping?

[9 eggs today]

Smiles

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Green Garden

Even though this hen is dark against the background she still has a way of blending in with the straw on the ground, especially the area around her head. The hens can practically disappear in the woods when they hold still. However, holding still is not something they do very often. I like this Dark Brahma for her hennyness. I just made that word up, but she does look to me like what a hen should be. And she is calm, sweet, and fluffy. And lays eggs!
This is my little green garden from the driveway and that is Morgan wondering why I shut the gate and didn't let her out when I left. See, ivy does well in the shade, summer and winter.
And here is the garden from the inside. Yes, I had Morgan sit so she would be in the photo. I haven't been to the store to get any plants. I think tomorrow I will walk around the property and see if I can find any volunteers growing. Maybe some natives? Most of the plants in this garden are myrtle or ivy. I'll see what I can find. I know there is a lot of poison oak out there. Poison oak is a lovely plant and very hardy, but I don't want to plant any in this space.

[9 eggs today]

Smiles

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