I’m on vacation – okay, actually, I should be home by now (but I wrote this two weeks ago, so I have no idea what’s going on, but I am PLANNING to be home by now, how’s that?) – and I pre wrote and scheduled this post to give myself a few days of breathing room to recover from my vacation and get the house back into shape. See you Monday!
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Crooked Acres Friday.
We have so many squirrels out in the side yard these days. It’s a good thing they’re amusing, because they keep chewing up the bird feeders and dumping the seed all over the ground. Grrr! (Yes, I need squirrel-free feeders!)
Every Memorial Day, the hot air balloons from the… Jubilee? Jamboree? take off, and we see them go by. Some of them go over our property, and George and Gracie bark and bark and then are pleased that they scared them away.
My blueberry bush – located in the back yard – was very happy this Spring. Then the birds got all my blueberries. What, I ask you, is the point of putting the blueberry bush in the back yard if the cats aren’t going to do their job and scare the birds away?
Brandywine tomato. This thing took FOREVER to ripen, and finally I brought it inside and let it finish ripening on the counter so we wouldn’t lose it to birds or bugs. It was SO GOOD on a BLT.
Hydrangea in the front flower bed. SO pretty.
This crane (heron?) has taken to visiting our pond. Fred named him “Herbert”, which is utterly ridiculous, as clearly his name is Dave.
I got too close, and he took flight.
He looks like something you’d see in “Jurassic World,” doesn’t he?
Yes, well, why WOULD they go paddle around in the pond? There’s standing water near the water dishes to cool their feet in.
I apparently didn’t take a picture of this whole tomato plant, which is unfortunate because it’s HUGE. It’s a volunteer that popped up in a pot of soil. We usually let volunteer tomatoes do their thing, unless they’re in an inconvenient location. This plant is not only big, it has the thickest branches I’ve ever seen. It’s covered in cherry tomatoes that are taking forever to ripen. I hope they’re good!
Mayfly. I think these things are so cool.
Stefan stands guard (or snoozes) while the raccoon eats at the feeding station. We see this guy during the day a LOT. He seems to have figured out that the bowl is filled first thing in the morning.
Fred went out and left him a cookie (what?), which he appeared to appreciate.
Tomato plant on the compost heap. It’s covered in blooms and tiny tomatoes. I thought there would be too much nitrogen (there’s a lot of chicken poop on that compost heap), but it looks like it’s going to bear a lot of fruit.
Butternut squash.
Every blossom on the squash plants is always covered in bees.
Fred planted a row of sunflowers, which are one of my favorite flowers. The birds got most of the sunflower seeds he planted, but some of them were left behind, and so I’ve got a handful of sunflowers growing.
Cucumber blossom. We planted the cucumbers on the other side of the garden this year, and apparently they prefer that side of the garden, because we’re getting tons of perfect cucumbers. Fred keeps saying “They look like grocery store cucumbers.” Only tastier!
Wee cantaloupe.
Guess what? Bee butt!
Cucumber bug.
Squash bug. Grrr.
Garden on the squash side. Squash, peppers, tomatoes and corn.
Garden on the cantaloupe/watermelon side. This year, we bought a huge roll of kraft paper (no dyes), rolled it along the row, inserted landscaping pins, and now Fred is slowly covering the paper with grass clippings. It works really well to keep the weeds down, but it’s a LOT of work.
Squash side of the garden, from the other end. Sunflowers to the right, cucumbers straight ahead, and tomatoes to the left (and corn to the far left).
Chickens hoping for some gifts from the garden.
Dirt Mountain is turning into Weed Mountain.
Happy George.
Meredith Grey, who escapes the chicken yard every morning, wanders the property, and goes happily back into the chicken yard when we open the gate for her.
Our one remaining rooster.
Happy Gracie.
A Robin built this nest in the wood shed last year and raised a family there. I haven’t seen any baby birds in it this year, though.
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Stefan, looking emo.
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Previously
2014: WHICH WOULD SURELY NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, I say.
2013: Puff does not appreciate it, but she’s just doin’ her job, man!
2012: “Am busy ripping paper! You go ‘way!”
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: The kittens are 15 weeks old today
2007: Maxi, guardian of the garden.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.