No Fruit ...Mouse?

The chickens followed me down to see the fruit trees.

I wanted to check on the trees

and see how they were doing in the hot weather.

The trees look great

but there isn't any fruit that I can find.

This is an apple tree

that some years produces about 10 apples.

There is a cherry tree

but it doesn't have fruit either.

I suspect that it is my fault

for not taking proper care of the trees.

The trees just grow on their own.

So I think they are doing a rather marvelous job

staying alive and green.

Fruit would be a bonus but

I think the energy they would put into producing fruit

is needed just to stay healthy.

It's ok.

I just love the green trees.

Note:

Last night a noise woke me up!

At first I thought there was an animal on the porch

scratching at the window or door...

but when I got up to check

the noise was coming from the kitchen.

So I thought a mouse was under the sink scratching

around in the (empty) garbage pail.

No...

I finally found that the noise was coming from a wall!

Loud scratching and gnawing noises!

I pounded on the wall

and the noise would stop for a few seconds

and then start up again.

After pounding on the wall for a while

the critter stopped... went away?

I hope it doesn't come back.

The mouse? was scratching away

right around where there is a 220 outlet.

Did it zap itself?

I guess I can always cut a hole in the sheetrock

and take a look

and see what's going on...

If I'm going to start cutting up the wall

maybe I should get new cabinets... hmmmm?

Tomorrow I'll tell my Los Angeles

rat story.

1 egg today

~:>

Smiles

Vegetable Omelet

The makings of a veggie omelet made with one of our free range eggs.

There are frozen chopped bell peppers in the plastic bag behind the plate.

Beaten egg, chopped broccoli, spring onion, tomato, and garlic.

Fried potatoes on the left.

Sometimes I feel like standing over the skillet

and adding ingredients slowly and moving them around,

but not tonight.

So, I put some olive oil in the pan and let it warm up to simmer,

added the onions and garlic to cook a bit and

then added lemon juice and hot water.
Season to taste.

Then I put a handful of the frozen bell peppers in the middle

and dumped in everything else.
Put on a lid.

And let it cook while I read the news on the computer.

I checked the pan every 3 or 4 minutes

and added a bit more water if needed so the veggies

would steam and I didn't have to watch.

When the veggies were done
I poured the beaten egg over the top
and covered the pan till the egg on the bottom was set
then I flipped the omelet to finish cooking.

I usually put in some fresh chopped kale
but the kale looked really bad so I gave it to the chickens.
I cooked the potatoes earlier.

Since Morgan eats an egg a day

and so do I... the chickens really need to ramp up their egg laying.

I gave them watermelon with the kale today.

1 egg today

~:>

Smiles

PS
A suspect has been arrested,
who is suspected of starting the Robbers fire,
which cost California over 10 million dollars.
http://colfaxrecord.com/detail/213578.html
Very glad they caught him.
Makes you wonder how people can be so thoughtless.

This Clean Dog Is A Sad Dog

Ahhh... not again! Take the camera away!

Poor Morgan!

To wash or not to wash. 

I don't like the smell of stinky pooch. 

I can't stand the smell of that doggie shampoo either. 

It's a terrible thing to do to a dog... 

I forgot to ask them to skip the foofoo stuff. 

Morgan's time at the groomers 

is stress filled for her 

and she needs a day of sleep to recover. 

She is snoring away even as I type. 

Getting her photo taken was not going to help her relax 

but I needed a photo for the blog. 

Sorry! 

Morgan and I both lazed around today. 

I was going to pull the tarp off the top of the chicken coop 

but my back was hurting 

so

since my rule is if it hurts, stop and let it rest until it gets better, 

I didn't do much except cook dinner 

and play computer games 

and chat with Kristine. 

I'm on a vegetable omelet kick again. 

I make one for dinner for myself. 

I chop up bell peppers, tomatoes and spring onions and freeze them 

so all I have to do is add a handful to a pan with some simmering olive oil 

and cook for a bit and then add fresh chopped broccoli, garlic, and kale. 

Cook, add a little water, cover, cook, add beaten egg, cover. 

Cook, flip, cook. 

I also have some rosti or fried potatoes on the side. 

I guess I'll keep that up until I get sick of omelets 

or run out of eggs. 

Which will not be that long at the rate the hens are laying. 

I'll take some photos tomorrow. 

I'm always going to do that, but then I'm in a hurry cooking 

and I eat the omelet! 

1 egg today 

~:>

Smiles!

Hungry Chickens

The rest of the hens are hiding under the house where it's cool.

They are not really hungry.

The chickens have been eating all day, from the feeders

and out scratching up the forest.

And they had watermelon and grapes!

No, what happened is that they saw me walking

over by the feeders and they have all

run over to see if I'm going

to leave them some special treats.

Sorry chicks.

I was walking around trying to find something

to take a photo of that looked interesting.

I used up my kinda interesting photos in yesterday's post.

The Robbers fire is now 75% contained

and some people are being allowed back in their homes.

Otherwise, things are pretty quiet around here.

The only thing I have been doing is going through

my closet and getting rid of clothes

I don't wear... and for some reason have kept.

There is a lot of room in my closet now!

Some things I hung on to because I loved them,

but I don't wear them so they are bagged up and ready 

to go to goodwill.

I'm left with a good feeling

tinged with a tiny bit of remorse

that is getting smaller day by day.

I'm actually feeling rather proud of myself for getting rid

of the clothes.

1 egg today

Smiles!

~:>

Robbers Forest Fire And Other Updates

Name of card, "Bottom's Up"

Lucky me!
My very good, long time friend sent me a letter
written on one of her lovely cards.
She is an oil painter!
Susan Murray
http://www.susanmurrayart.com/
Animal, Western, Portrait, Landscape and Many More Paintings

Friends are precious!

~~~

Kristine took these photos of two of our neighbors before she left...

This little fellow was on top of the car!

Don't know what it is about the cover on the car 

that attracts animal life...

we have a chicken that likes to hop up there 

and leave her deposits.

Strange.

Really didn't want to take a photo of that! 

This baby jay looked lost... 1st flight out of the nest?

We were worried about this little one 

but then noticed that the parents were flying around 

watching the fledgling... 

he might have been out taking flying lessons?

~~~

Kristine
 is settled and has a bunch of wildlife to enjoy!

She actually made a post on her blog!

Hope she will post some more photos.
...I want to see a photo of Willie Wagtail!

Testing The Waters 

http://19chickens.blogspot.com/

~~~

Yes, I took a photo of Morgan making water.

But Look at what the chickens are doing!
The chickens have taken to running after Morgan
when I take her her for a walk and ...
It is a reciprocal thing...
she eats their droppings and they swig her piddle.

Honest, I usually cover it up
or take her out when the chickens are
not around.
But, soon Morgan will be out with the chickens
and then ?
Who knows what they eat...
I don't want to know.

I've been making Morgan's food

instead of using commercial dog food.

She gets, cottage cheese, cooked egg, cream of wheat or

sometimes chicken (not ours,) or/and

potato, veg. and other people food and pet tabs and oil.

I guess Morgan's piddle is full of good stuff?

~~~

Robbers Fire

We have been watching the progress of the

Robbers Fire

http://yubanet.com/nevada/Robbers.php

It is close but now 60% contained.

The fire has been moving away from our location. 

One home has been destroyed.

The firefighters are doing a wonderful 

job saving everything they can.

We are very thankful to them!

~~~

We are full and we don't want our picture taken!

I tried to get a photo of the hens eating but no joy.
I have started putting the feed out like this during the day
because Tom kept seeing the feeders
swinging when he went out to the coop.
Some critter was climbing on to the hanging feeders
and chowing down on the feed.
Crafty critter!

~~~

I have been taking it extra easy...

loafing really...

recovering from a fall I took on one of my paths.

I knew there was a rock in the middle of the path that 

I couldn't dig up... eventually it got me.
I should have moved the path 

and I finally did just that 

but it took skinned knees and hands 

to convince me to make the effort.

My old bones really didn't like getting shaken up.

Well, that was a lesson...

~~~

2 eggs
Kristine said I should have gotten chicks this year.
Our hens are getting old.
Or they are hiding their eggs?

Smiles!

~:>

More Dino-Bird Information

Update: 
July 10
Kristine has almost arrived at her destination!
I will get back to posting daily...
very soon...
honest!!!

Kristine is getting ready to head off for college
and I am not going to be doing much posting until she leaves.

I ran across this lecture that I enjoyed very much
and thought I would share.

4 eggs today

~:>
Smiles

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