Tommy the Tomatah

I have been watching this little guy growing in the garden for a while now. Jack and I got a few good laughs too.








We became quick friends and now we do everything together.








Tommy helped with harvesting some corn and making lunch.








Jack and Tommy having a few laughs at lunch.









Killer took to Tommy quickly too.








Welcoming the new egg to the family.









Oops...I guess she's not going to be hanging around for a while. Although she is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.









Tommy trying to not get too close to the heat.








" Dude...you okay?"

















"It was nice knowing you."








-********************BREAKING NEWS!!!********************

The grand kids came over and fell in love with Tommy the Tomatah.....it was NOT a happy ending.... Sorry Tommy.













Hazel...you are such a dork!



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

SOMEBODY LAYED AN EGG!!!

Just before noon Jack Jr. Comes into my office and asks "Did you put a fake egg into the nesting box to encourage the chickens?" I said " I put in a golf ball." He said " no, an egg."

We both dart out to the backyard and look into the nesting box and sure enough...a cute little brown egg. My guess is that one of the Rhode Island Reds layed it. One little problem is that someone pecked a hole in it so we won't be eating that one. But I can't wait to open it up and see what's inside.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Backyard Bugs

Jack and I have been working in the yard all day. I spent most of it digging in the dirt. I came across about a half-a-dozen of these ugly guys. It's called a Jerusalem Cricket and it's about 2 1/2 inches long. The chickens just love them...a tasty snack I guess. I had to be super brave to pick them up and bring them to the coop and I was wearing gloves.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

"What The Hawk!?!"

Sunday morning I slept in. Jack let the chickens out into the run. I wake up to the sound of commotion and loud "BAWK BAWKS". I go out and at first glance it looks like one of the chickens is out. I head toward the coop and what do I see? A beautiful brown and white hawk. It looks at me as if to challenge me, then flies up to the wire above my yard. My poor girls were traumatized. Several of them had bloodied beaks from trying to protect themselves. I guess that they are just too stupid to know that they were safe behind the hardware cloth. If you look closely, you can see blood running down Rocky's beak, poor girl. They are doing well now. I am now more aware of the skies when I let the girls,out to free range.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pumpkin Patch (Pumpkin Sex)

Here are photos of my pumpkin patch at the beginning if summer. Notice how lush the leaves look. So healthy and green. Notice the pretty yellow flowers. These are the male flowers. The female flowers are lower, under the foliage. My guess is that the grand design was to attract the bees with the longer stemmed male flower, then the bees will pollinate the female flowers, and what you get are beautiful pumpkins by the end of summer.


Past experience has taught me that sometime Mother Nature needs a little help. Hence, pumpkin sex. When I noticed the female flowers finally blooming, I would break off a male flower, tear off it's petals and swirl it around inside the female flower. And voila! Pumpkins

Starting to turn color.

Taken this morning. The leaves are dying but the pumpkins are almost ready to harvest and cure. Hopefully they can hang on till Halloween. I will cure them by cutting them from the vine about four inches from the pumpkin and put them in the green house for about ten days. This will cause the shell to harden and keep the fruit fresh for a longer time (4-6 months) if kept in a cool place not touching each other.











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad