What? Monday already?

Even with an extra day off on Friday (unexpected), the weekend rocketed by.  We have been going through high summer weather again, with no rain.  This is stressful for everyone and everything.  My well is very deep (500 ft) but it accesses limited water.  That means that every drop counts.  This also means that I wasn't thinking deeply - if at all - when I added ducks to the mix.  I now have three thirsty sheep, a thirsty llama, a large flock of thirsty hens, a small clutch of thirsty chicklets, three thirsty dogs, two thirsty cats and 16 thirsty ducklings.  Oh - and there's the garden.  I have been relying heavily on my rain barrel for the sheep/llama/garden and as back-up for the ducks.  I am very, very careful with using my well.  If push comes to shove, I trot down to my dairy farmer's and fill up two five-gallon totes to supplement the ducks. 

My youngest sis was with me over Saturday night and into Sunday morning, and was a huge help in tackling a few projects - we repotted the fig tree and she cleared out a half-acre of weeds.  The garden is finally popping up in all the beds - except for the dratted carrots, which take forever - but the kale is making an appearance and the Romaine has finally got a root-hold.  I have to make a note to cut garlic scapes this week - I need to replenish my garlic scape pesto!

Over the weekend, neighbors (to whom I refer as my second set of parents) threw a BBQ for our family and a neighbor, and it was nice to be able to walk there.  After all the commuting, not having to get in the car - again - is such a delight.  I got feed, moved the sheep fence and rotated them around, vacuumed, cleaned the cat room, swept, cleaned bathrooms, cleaned waterers, cleaned the duck house, cleaned the middle ducks brooder, the little ducks brooder, and got the middies outside in a pen for some sunshine and green grass time.  I also put a slightly frantic call into my missing handyman, as it looks like Duck House #2 will need to be built sooner than expected.

The metal for my roof will arrive this week and I will begin to amass all the pieces/parts necessary for the roofing job.  I have the roofer I'd like to use - if I can afford him - all I need to do is to get everything needed and then figure out how to squeeze him into the budget.  It's times like these when I am very glad I worked on forging friendships with neighbors.  My dairy farmer neighbor deals with a fellow on a regular basis and was able to get the metal at a very good price.  He is also picking it up for me and delivering it (tonight).  My goal is to get it on before winter.  So I have lots of time, right?

Yesterday, I made Amish Mustard Eggs (thank you, Jaz!) and what has to be the best quiche I have ever made.  It was based on a Farmers Almanac recipe for Mexican quiche - I say based, as I had only a few of the ingredients listed and had to wing it.  OMG.  I had it for dinner last night and lunch today, and will have it for lunch tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  And I won't mind a bit.  I apologize for no pics, but will try to get a few to share tomorrow.

There is a very slight chance of rain tonight - but I am going to go home and water everything again.  Because I hope it's like Murphy's Law - spending hours watering your garden is a sure-fire way to make the rain fall.  Crossing toes, fingers, ankles and eyes.