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Monday, June 27, 2016

It was...hot.

All I can say about the weekend was...it was hot.  And, sorry to say, dry.  Farmers all around were busy getting hay baled.  I was busy shoveling llama manure mountains, cleaning up around the perimeters, taking breaks for copious amounts of liquids, and praying that my well won't dry up.
 
Feeding my feral charges at the farm.
I've been leaving water as well as food at the farm house for the cats (there are two - the photo is not great, but you can see Pixie's tail on the porch and Fraidy is peering out from under the ramp.  Pixie actually came up and sniffed my shoe on Saturday morning.  She sits about six feet away from me, blinking and purring.  Fraidy just looks terrified.

Wrens!
Wrens have made a nest in the gourd house in my dead birch.  What a glorious thing it is to be serenaded by those rich, voluptuous trills.  I think there are hatchlings because there has been a lot of activity from sun up to sun down the past few days.  you can see some of the nest twigs poking out of the hole.

What's with the weird neck?
The only way I can work outside in this extreme (for me) heat is with the application of my frozen neckerchiefs.  And what is with that weird, wrinkly neck?  Egads.  But it came in very handy for manure shoveling and hay stacking (OMG, so happy!)
 
Even the peonies are droopy.
I was reasonably happy with the amount of work that got done this weekend - not satisfied, but I never am - the metal has arrived for my roof, the roofer has been chosen and even made a quick trip up to inspect the material to make sure they didn't rip me off (much appreciated) and now I need to order screws (20+ lbs), the 'boots' for the chimney and furnace pipes and the vent pipes, and get 80 12-foot boards (battons, furing strips or whatever they are called).  I put in a call to my handyman and literally begged him to build another duck house before the holiday.  I am toting the Middles (Cayugas) back and forth from their inside pen to their outside pen every day and the time has come for them to be OUT.  My little Kentucky ducklings are growing in leaps and bounds.  I ended up with six - three Blue Swedish, one Cayuga and two Cayuga/Swedish crosses.  They are not as hysterical as the Middles (Cayugas) and are very curious and vocal in their needs.

In their trug while I cleaned their brooder.
There are a few things that must get done this week - I am having a Fourth of July BBQ for twelve people and need to make sure the deck is cleaned off and the house is presentable.  (Insert hysterical laughter).



12 comments:

Fiona said...

I had an email from email from dear friends who want to come and stay a week, that is wonderful but...AKKKKKKKK. The painting is not done, the guest room had a wall paper border that was painted over that makes it need more work than just paint...no lawn furniture and the living room is our seed sorting starting catch all...plus we have the House Chicken! He has decided he like dust bathing in the shredded paper from Ralph's office!

Oh and we have crickets coming in from somewhere! Thank goodness for Fluffy Pants!

Toting ducks sounds like an adventure...Ralph was bucketing poults to their day pen and that was interesting. I have to admit your adventures make me appreciate our sedentary in comparison life!

Sue said...

Oh sweet Mother......those are so cute. Is there ANYTHING cuter than a baby duck??? No. No there isn't.
Dinner for 12?
Are you crazy????

jaz@octoberfarm said...

i have those neck coolers that are filled with beads that swell when you soak them in cold water....life savers! i am doing all the cooking and decorating for my son's 4th of july party and i don't have to go...my best idea for a party!

Gail said...

If I were closer, I would shovel some of that manure for getting to take some home with me!

Hot here too but we finally got rain, wonderful rain.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I love it when wrens take up home in my tree bird houses. I love their song. I had to laugh at the end of your post. I'd be in real big trouble if I had to entertain anyone at this house. The kids are somewhat good at helping, but two work and go to school.

Susan said...

Wait...your sedentary life? Surely you jest! :) Hugs to you both (and LLFP)

Susan said...

Sue - You understand! NO, there is nothing whatsoever cuter than a baby duck. That is the problem. Yes, most likely certifiable.

Susan said...

Jaz - I will have to look for those. I do sort of wish I could just get everything ready and then take the dogs for a long walk.

Susan said...

Gail - it is black gold! It's knowing that that huge mountain of llama beans will soon be swaddling plant roots that keeps me from whining about having to shovel it.

Susan said...

Kristina - It sounded like such a good idea and - as with the ducklings - the list kept growing! Luckily, most are family and a few sturdy friends.

Sandy Livesay said...

Susan,

I see you're busy at it this weekend, getting all kinds of work accomplished. Good to hear you have a roofer who wants to make sure you weren't ripped off. Finding good people are hard to come by.

Cute baby ducks, gotta love them :-)

Have fun with your visitors for dinner.

Casa Mariposa said...

I have wrens, too, and love it when they chose a house to raise their family in. Happy fourth!