Healing

You don't heal from the loss because time passes, you heal because of what you do with the time." - Carol Crandall My mom passed away early last Tuesday. Once she made the decision not to fight anymore, Hospice was called in. Although they were only there for a short time, they were amazing. It is not a job I would be able to handle, but I have a ton of admiration for those special people who can.

Even though I know this is what Mom wanted and I don't blame her for wanting it, I was still devastated. Greedy selfish me wanted more time with her. Being an extremely independent and no nonesense person she would not want us sitting around crying and would consider it a waste of time.

So yesterday I went to visit a friend and picked a bunch of her rhubarb to freeze. When I came home I finally went out to view the garden. I decided I better not to let the last garden we planned together get lost in the weeds. #2 Nephew and I weeded around the cucumbers and beans. Then we picked some black raspberries and currants that had ripened without us being aware of it.

Today #2 daughter and I went back to walking. After the walk we laid down paper and mulch around the cuc's. We weeded around the broccoli and papered/mulched that. As I was cutting a path with the riding lawn mower, for #2 daughter to follow I drove by the mulberry and it was loaded. I grabbed a coffee can and started picking. In a couple of days when more ripen, we will lay tarps down and shake the tree. Mom and I have never gotten enough to make jam but I will this year. I walked across the field and the other tree which has more shade is no where near ripe so I will freeze the mulberries along with bags of currants and raspberries until I have enough to start making this years jam and jellies.

I wasn't sure I was going to can this year as I wasn't looking forward to doing it alone but #1 daughter said she would help. My mother would love knowing the skills and recipes she taught me will continue. And I am sure she will be there in spirit fanning us as we stir one hot pot after another of goodies.

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." ~ Helen Keller

State of the Garden

I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died. ~ Richard Diran

They probably drown just like everything else in my garden. We have had rain approximately 25 out of the last 28 days. Saturday's high temp was 62....my garden is hating it. It resembles my garden in late April - early May of last year. The 4th of July is coming and my corn is only ankle high!!! Of course I may just be growing the wrong thing. If I was growing mushrooms I could become rich. My yard is littered with them!
During a rare dry day I tried to fill in the empty spots in the bean patch. I also planted more zucchini seed, more LI cheese squash and brussel sprouts. I have been on the hunt for some red cabbage, seed or plants. Saturday, I was successful in finding some plants. Hopefully I will be able to get them in today as the sun has actually made an appearance. The weatherman says that the temperature is going to go up into the 80's this week. If we hold there and the rains stay away for a couple of days the garden will hopefully explode. So with that old "make hay while the sun shines" thing, I am going to go out into the garden now. If I don't post soon, I might have sunk in up to my knees and can't get out...send help!

Cock fights

"Rooster today, feather duster tomorrow" ~ Russian Proverb

Friday on the way to the pig pen our rooster decided to get cocky and attack the man. The man was carrying buckets of water and was not in a very good position to defend himself. Plus it was so unexpected. He has never displayed this behavior before but now he is a dad to three little chicks.The rooster's spur caught him on the inside of his right knee. He proceeded to dump a bucket of water on him and kick the rooster out of his way. When he got in the house he noticed there was blood on his pants leg. He rolled it up and there was a perfect puncture wound. He took a shower, ate dinner and we went to visit my mother in the hospital. Most of the ride is interstate but when he came off the ramp he found it hard to use his leg. He hobbled up to my mother's room but it got worse while visiting. The pain was running up his leg to his hip. I told him to go to the ER. #2 daughter went with him as I visited with my mom.

After visiting hours I went to sit in the ER waiting room. #2 daughter came out and said the nurses walked him to the car. When I got there, he explained that the rooster's spur had split the tendon. They had given him a tetanus shot and a prescription for Keflex. They informed him it was their first "chicken talon" attack! He told them to at least write rooster so it didn't sound so humiliating!

Living on a farm is never a dull moment.

Future

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.~Dr. Seuss#2 daughter graduated from middle school yesterday. Today #1's bf, Sir T, graduates from college. Both are scared of the future. #2 is afraid of going to big scary high school and Sir T has to find a job in today's economy. I don't envy either one of them.

Oddly through all of yesterday's hoopla of the awards ceremony, the thing that stuck out most was how few people put their hand to their heart or recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Some parents raised their hands to their chest but didn't say anything and other's didn't even make the effort to do that. I guess it was so ingrained in me since I was born after 1942 when it was recognized as the official national pledge and after the "under God" phrase was added in 1954.....but then so were almost all the other parents. I hope things go better at Sir T's ceremony.So the kids are out of school and I have extra garden helpers. The #2 son started by mowing mom's grass when he got home. It is not easy to get him to motivate but add an engine and wheels and he is more inclined to do the deed. Of course he mows like he is driving on the NASCAR track. The result is not the best but at least it was done in the small window of sunshine we had. Today he weedwacks (think golf)...yeah scary! #2 daughter just cooked me breakfast...I think she is buttering me up so she doesn't have to hand pick bugs today!

Dancing in the Rain

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."


That quote was on the bottom of an email I received right before I went out into the garden the other day. I immediately thought that it described my mother.

My mom has been battling stage 4 cancer for almost three years. They found it in her one kidney (which they removed) but it had metastasized into the liver, lung and spine. There was no waiting for the storm to pass as this was not curable.

She worked full time until last year when the side affects of the chemo made it impossible. She is not one to let someone else carry part of her load and when she thought she wasn't pulling her share, she retired.

She has been in the hospital a couple of times due to dehydration and lastly it was congestive heart failure from the water building up in her as her one kidney was not able to keep up. Each time she exited the hospital raring to go again.


The last time she came home with oxygen on 24/7. She has almost pulled her ears off going further than the oxygen hose allows then takes it off to finish the task at hand. She will never be nominated for the best patient award!

Early this week she was admitted again and they started emergency dialysis. Once they get her stabilized she will be going 3 days a week for 3 hours each time.

Through it all we have maintained a fairly large garden and processed it all. This is the first year she has not been right beside me, bent over planting or weeding. She is the queen of the hoe, which I hate. Luckily my sister moved home and took the hoe in hand to help get the garden planted!


Mom has walked out to critique what my sister and I have done. So far we have received her stamp of approval for our efforts. The real stamp will come with the harvest.

So with Mom in the hospital and me in the garden alone I was thinking about what Mom has gone through over the past few years. She truly has learned to dance in the rain as she has met every obstacle head on. This should not have been a surprise since she did the same when my father died unexpectedly when she was 35, leaving her with his aging mother, three kids and a working dairy farm.

So I forgot how much I hate hoeing and hoed up 75% of the garden. Hopefully I will finish it tomorrow and get some paper and straw laid down. She will be home from the hospital soon can't let her think I dropped the ball.

Going to find Peace in the Garden

Climb the mountains, get their good tidings

Nature's peace will flow into you like sunshine flowing into trees.

The winds will blow their own freshness unto you

And the storms their energy

While cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

There will be no mountain climbing until the cool weather as I have no need to literally go"into the viper's den". We had enough snakes come down off the mountain and into the yard last year. However I do find peace in the garden or sitting at the barn with the animals.

The winds were blowing the scent of the flowers from the locust tree. Now we have switched to the perfume of the multi flora rose. In and around the garden the peonies are starting to add their perfume. Being out in the yard Monday evening, inhaling all the spring goodness, was the calm before the storm.

We had thunderstorms Monday night. I loved laying in bed listening to the rain and thunder while the lightning gave me quick peeks up into the woods. Tuesday morning was a continuation of the same. The power flickered off three times but quickly came back on.

In the afternoon we had severe thunderstorm/tornado warnings. Luckily the storms went around us. They said the storms were loaded with hail so the garden was saved from a thrashing.

And today I intend to immerse myself in that garden. While the plants were setting their roots and the seeds working their way through the soil, the weeds didn't care if it was hot/cold or wet/dry. They took off and today need to be beaten into submission. And undisturbed in the garden is the greatest place to think and work through life's ups and downs.

Getting Things Done

Besides the noble art of getting things done,there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials. ~Lin Yutang Oh I like that...leaving things undone is a noble art!!! Of course, I would never say it is wisdom that makes me eliminate non-essentials...more like laziness or time limitations. Usually things roll along pretty smoothly but sometimes I feel like life has me going like this walking onion...contorted and moving in more than one direction. I would love to be able to do it all! Who wouldn't?

For some unknown reason, planets aligning, Jupiter in Mars, whatever, things have ironed out and I don't feel as pressured and we have been slowly getting things done.

Lets start with Friday...the shawl for #2 daughters formal was finished with time to spare. #2 son and daughter had a great time. #2 son even let #1 daughter cut his hair! All of his ringlet curls are gone but I can see his eyes again and his friends even approved the change.

On Saturday the man had to work 1/2 a day. #2 daughter joined me for a walk and then we went to visit a friend. #2 had the girls come over to play. The man kept#2 son busy stacking firewood. I seeded in beans and cucumbers. Sis and a friend hoed rows and planted over 200 feet of potatoes. Normally we have them planted much earlier but an old farmer told me to wait until June 1. Yeah I know I was early, I just hope that they do well and we have enough. There are no more seed potatoes left in the store otherwise I would probably buy more as there is space left.

On Sunday, my sister left to go to my brothers in MD. In a "while the cat's a way the mice will play" moment, I snuck 9 more tomatoes in the large garden and 5 in the greenhouse garden. I blame it all on Cyndy as she gave me some that I didn't have and I HAD to plant them so I would have seed. She also gave me some pepper plants that HAD to go in. I seeded in Fordhook zucchini, Iroquois melon. LI cheese squash and I actually found room to squeeze in 11 more cabbage! I walked both gardens and did my final (?) garden drawing so next year I know what & where everything was planted. And after the man finished mowing the barn area he put the new belt on the mower I mowed the back field.

Monday, Mom had a Drs. appointment which did not take as much time as expected! We did some shopping, banking and picking up prescriptions and we were home by noon. I seeded sunflowers and birdhouse gourds into the large garden. I raked out the rest of the new potato patch that didn't get used and seeded in acorn squash, spaghetti squash and pumpkin. I gave everything a good dose of water as the weatherman keeps postponing the rain.

I was a little more alert as a bear was in my yard when I came home from mom's doctor's appointment. I came up the driveway and it had it's front paws on the trunk of #2 son's car and was looking over at the ducks and chickens. I drove toward him and he went behind the blackberry patch and into the woods. It was about hip high which I am told is a small bear. I went reading and found this is their mating season. The cubs stay with their mom for 17 months. Right before she is ready to mate in late May to July, they force their cubs to stop traveling with them. Hopefully it was just trying to find it's way alone in life and will not be stopping in anytime soon for a chicken dinner.

Today #1 daughter and I papered and mulched most of the greenhouse garden. I have a small area that I could plant but yesterday I received a package in the mail. It was 50 crowns of strawberries that my son bought me. So that small area will be where the compost bins go and a path to what will be the new section of the garden! The man is so happy to know this garden is enlarging also!

And wait that is not all that got done! I am knitting away on the smock coat. It is going very slowly because it is seed stitch.

I decided I needed something to move alittle bit faster so I started the Fancy Baby Socks from KnitPicks. I am doing them to match the coat. The first pair looked very small so I used a bigger needle and made a second pair. And I washed another fleece. I don't know how long this productive mode will last but I am going to enjoy it while it is here.

Digging Dirt

To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.~Mahandas K. Gandhi

I tend to forget everything while digging in the dirt and that is what I did for a couple of hours today. The man finished tilling the garden about 7 pm Monday night. This morning I was up at 5 washing windows as the nose prints from three dogs made it hard for light to get through. By 7 everyone was gone and I was in the garden. Heaven is.My sister and I raked an area for corn and planted 4 - 30 foot rows. She took mom for a Dr appointment while I continued to plant. I had raked out an area for tomatoes, made holes, filled them with water and was planting them when #1 daughter came along.

After the tomatoes, we planted cabbage and after that broccoli. All the plants that had been in the greenhouse were planted so we called it a day. We had planted 94 tomatoes, 76 cabbage and 34 broccoli. I did have some extra cabbage plants (of which I kept a few to see if I can fit them some where) and then gave the rest to a neighbor.

The rains have come and it is giving all our plants a good start. We still have to seed in cucumbers, beans, LI cheese squash, zucchini and sunflowers and plant the potatoes. The radishes and beets we planted Friday are coming up. The peas, carrots and lettuce we planted at the same time should be up soon with this rain.

In fiber news I finished the shrug and went to work knitting the baby smock coat. I dusted off the triloom and started weaving a shawl for #2 daughter to wear to her formal on Friday. My sister and #1 daughter made her dress, all I had to do was buy her shoes and weave her shawl...I got off easy! I will get pictures after I am done recharging my batteries that #2 son took from my camera to use in the Xbox 360 handsets.

In other fiber news I washed two more fleece. The spinning group had recently had a discussion on washing in cold water so I tried it. Of course the rain is good for the garden but not drying fleece.

And so tonight as I sit here (in pain) I am very happy. Today was the topping on a long weekend filled with work, night fishing off the pontoon boat for the guys and getting reaquainted with friends we had not seen in years. What more can one ask for?

I gave in

Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired. ~ Erik H. Erikson

And so it is with the frost and the garden. Earlier in the week they were talking about frost and freezes. Luckily we missed them but not by much. I am hoping we are done with them because I was sick of waiting. Last week I wanted to plant but I was told to wait and then the rains came. We had lightning hit so close to the house that my brother called to see if we were okay. We walked up into the woods the next day to try to see where it hit but couldn't find anything.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore so Tuesday and today, I spent planting the greenhouse garden. It has plants for 2 different types of squash, seeds for watermelon, lettuce, osaka purple mustard, 12 tomato plants, 21 pepper plants, 10 ground cherry plants, dill plants, basil plants, seeds for soup peas, celery plants and carrots. Now I just have to mow the grass so I can mulch the garden. We will not discuss the large garden as it will only make me cry because it is not even rototilled yet. The tiller worked fine to till the greenhouse garden but now it won't start.

Walking continues. We see strange things, like this maple growing a pine cone. Genetically modified or just stuck there?I can't say I notice any physical difference from the walking, except I go to bed a lot earlier. I have also fallen into the habit of getting up earlier and earlier. Today it was 5:15. I let the dogs out, put food out for them and the cats. Then I get my coffee and go sit to spin or knit or just listen to the birds. Very enjoyable but I don't want to be waking up any earlier than 5 as I do still need alot of beauty sleep.

The KnitPicks catalog came Tuesday and I fell hard for the red smock coat by Debbie Bliss. My mom has the book (where it is done in black and is no where near as pretty) so tomorrow we go to buy the yarn for it. I frogged the shrug, decreased one pattern repeat and I am reknitting it with larger needles-almost done. I finished one bobbin of the heathered blue and plyed it back on it's self and then have 1/2 of another bobbin done.

My sister is teaching #1 daughter how to sew. They are making #2 a dress for her formal. As practice my sister had #1 make this reversible apron. Pretty darn good and it is purple (her fav color) so she is happy. They are talking about learning to quilt....anybody want to discourage them? No? You enablers are awful. But then again I would love a quilt. Hint Hint Hint.

The roasters are getting big and annoying, The 6 " teenage" chicks got into my garden and ate the lettuce right before I was ready to transplant it. The baby chicks are almost fully feathered as are the turkeys. The turkeys do much more foraging and are a blast to watch when hot on the trail of a flying bug! The pigs are pigging out. They love the biweekly produce we get for them. The sheep and goat are out in the pastures enjoying all the green grass. Life on the farm may not be laid back but it sure is interesting.

Last Frost Date?

FROST...A deposit of minute ice crystals formed when water vapor condenses at a temperature below freezing.

We have been having frost warnings for days now. I run around closing the greenhouse and covering plants that I have outside hardening off - and nothing happens. So yesterday I ignored the warning, thinking it was the little boy who called wolf. Then during the night as I was sleeping with the windows open, I had to reach for another blanket. Of course it did not dawn on me that there might be frost. I looked out the livingroom windows this morning and no frost. I leave to go for my morning walk and as I am walking in front of the garden what do I see?... Frost! It seems to have only hit the dips in the yard and only where the grass was freshly mowed. The car windows, greenhouse etc had nothing. Boy was I lucky!

And the man was lucky. He got the rototiller working this weekend and didn't have to take it in to the shop. Last night the ground was dry enough to till so he did the greenhouse garden. I did find time to sneak into the greenhouse and transplant 32 more tomatoes, 25 cabbage and some squash. Hopefully today I will start to get things into the ground, like the broccoli and cabbage which won't mind the frost so much if we do get more.

On Monday, #1 daughter and I moved the baby chicks outside to a coop with a small run. They quickly started exploring their new world with gusto. Some even flew up on the little roosts we put in there for them. Last night I bet they were off the roosts and cuddled up under the light.

In knitting news I finished the baby raglan. I started this shrug for #1 daughter to wear to her bf's college graduation. She found a beautiful strapless dress and just wanted a little something to wear. Very easy pattern to remember but I may rip it out and go one less repeat and use a bigger needle.

But right now I am off to plant.

Looking forward to the Weekend

Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason. ~Author Unknown

And it seems like this is the case with our local township. Last night we grabbed mom and went to a debate, however, only two of six (I knew of 5) bothered to show. Two of the four no shows, were participating in a charitable race. The reason the other two didn't show up is any body's guess "but it is not because they don't care and don't want your vote." Well honestly if they wanted my vote they could have at least called with an explanation.

Political parties aside, of the six I knew for certain of two that I wouldn't cast my vote for if they were the only people running. One has driven me off the road a couple of times and the other I know more about his character than I want to. And to him, I send this quote.... "If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."~Abraham Lincoln

So I went basically to hear what two candidates were going to say. Only one showed up. He is very qualified and very articulate. Is he the best candidate? I still wish I could hear from the other. Some questions had to do with communities inside the township which doesn't concern me so I zoned out because the view was magnificent! Oh come on who can blame me....

Mom started getting tired and the seats were not the most comfortable so we left before the debate finished. She wasn't even interested in the gorgeous moon, all she wanted to do was get home into her recliner and watch her Mets. She has bad taste in baseball teams but we still love her.

This morning I debated going for my walk since my sister is in Jersey. But I didn't feel like hearing her so I walked. I took the farm route and then back up the river. I walk a much slower pace than my sister (who is a good 6 inches taller than I). I figure if I am out there I should be admiring the beauty too.

So, I have the man and kids gone, one load of laundry done, the baby raglan got 6 rows and the animals have all been fed, watered and let out for the day. In other words..."it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day in the neighborhood..." bet you sung it....my little brainworm to you for the weekend! Your welcome!!! And to all you mom's, Happy Mother's Day, but seriously, we deserve a week.

Natures Broadcast

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. ~George Washington CarverI am extremely lucky to live right next to the woods. While I am on the computer or sitting spinning/knitting or washing dishes at the kitchen sink, I get a birds eye view of all the forest natives doings. Most days it is deer going back and forth between the river and the woods. Some days the turkeys roost in the trees behind the house and you see them fly up for the night or down to start their day looking for food. And then Spring comes. It puts up a green veil between them and I. No longer can I see the antics of the squirrels. To them I must be a peeping tom but I miss being able to see them in their natural habitat and unafraid.

Of course the green veil hides from my view less pleasant things also. Last year a bobcat ran out of the woods and grabbed one of my chickens in broad daylight with me only yards away. The year before that, I lost some roasters to a fox who just ran around and killed them. By the time I got outside he had killed 9 in one afternoon. I don't mind loosing one because of their hunger but hate loosing them for a foxes amusement.

Before I got dogs, one coyote use to be standing outside when the kids left to walk to the bus. He would scamper away and then go rub up against my hickory tree. So far this year I have lost one duck which I think is to a fox. We heard him the other night. When he started calling in the pitch black it gave my sister quite a scare. Click here to listen to an audio clip of what she heard. I know there is a fox den on my neighbors property as my brother found it while fishing. Of course I do let my ducks, chickens and turkeys free range during the day which I guess makes the forest animals think it is a smorgasboard. But the birds do a fantastic job of keeping down the ticks and bugs around the garden so I would hate to have to fence them in.

And speaking of gardens....we are picking rhubarb finally. We got about 5 pounds so far and with strawberries on sale we whipped up 8 1/2 pints of strawberry/rhubarb jam and a rhubarb cake for dessert tonight.

After dessert, I finished another pair of socks. These are the two pairs that #1 daughter wanted. The purple/brown/green pair has a different cuff. At spinning Audrey had showed us this cuff and I stuck in in the back of the gray matter for future use. I like it and will probably use it again. I now started working on a baby raglan sweater. I will finish it while listening to the birds singing and the peepers because until fall nature will be broadcasting more in audio then video. The present audio clip is the sound of rain falling...bad thing is that it is making me sleepy.

Morning walks

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment."- Ellis Peters

My sister has decided I should join her on a walk each morning. I resisted for a while but eventually caved in. The first day I drank a cup of coffee before the walk...I don't recommend it. Subsequent walks are sans coffee until we return.

Although I hate to admit my sister is right (some old rivalries still run deep!) the walk, along with being beneficial to my physical health is also very pleasing to the eye.

We start our walk passing the flowers and currants. Soon we end up along the river where the sounds of the water and birds is pleasing to the ear. The dogwoods are just starting to open. The apples and pears are blooming. I guess somebody decided the sites were good enough for the skull too as they propped it up there to have a look. The woods are slowly turning the complete spectrum of green making it harder to see the natives. One native that we don't want to see on our walks is the bear. These pics were taken by a friend who works for NPS. The bear was dumpster diving at the park. Eventually we wind up back home where the animals are all begging to be fed. We added to the menagerie this weekend by picking up four pigs,four white broad breasted turkeys and two spanish black turkeys. Hopefully they are male and female and will lay eggs next year so I don't have to continue to buy turkey chicks.

So far 103 tomatoes have been transplanted into larger pots. The manure finally made it to the larger garden and today we will plant the peas, beets and carrots.

Of course these early morning walks cut into the knitting/spinning time but I have finished one pair of socks and I am on the second sock of another pair. I have to sneak in a couple of stitches here and there as regardless of how hard we try, the to do list continues to grow. At 9:30 last night, we all looked like this-dog tired! But it is so worth it.

Spring or Summer?

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;

To-day the glint of green is there;

Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;

I know no thing so wondrous fair,

No miracle so strangely rare.

I wonder what will next be there!~L.H. Bailey

We have been having above normal temperatures which has Spring unfurling forward at an amazing pace. And while my sister finally took off her winter jacket, I have not been enjoying these temps quite as much. To temper my midday washouts I have been getting up earlier and earlier to enjoy the coolness of the morning in peace and quite...well at least human peace and quite as the birds make alot of noise!

I am too cheap to put the air conditioning on this early but I did borrow the mans chain saw to shave my legs! That was my one concession to passing Spring and heading full steam into Summer.

Each day something new is blooming or coming up in the green house. I still need to transplant my tomatoes and they are suffering from phosphorus deficiency. Taking them out from under the grow lights and putting them in the unheated greenhouse seems to have caused it. The low temperatures stop the plant from absorbing the phosphorus which gives the leaves a purple tint. Unfortunately it has only happened to the Amish Paste, both new seed and saved. Now that I have diagnosed it, you know what I will be doing today. When I did chores I grabbed some of this for dinner. Yum!!! It's not much but hopefully there will me lots more to come.

I finally finished my sisters "first" pair of socks and quickly started on a pair #1 daughter requested. I thought they looked too big so put them down until she came home to judge for herself.

I finished going thru the 10-12 bags (which ended up being 17) of fleece from Farmer Dave. I gave more to a friend, tossed more and started picking and washing the rest. The hot weather might make me shrivel up but it dries the fleece pretty fast.

On Sunday, in the afternoon heat, the man and I took refuge in the basement. We got alot of work done re-organizing and tossing things. Then I found out the man had alterative motives for cleaning the basement, as once there was a little room he rolled his motorcycle in so he could wax it "in the shade". #2 daughter and her friends took the spare kids pond, I had in case the ducks broke theirs, filled it with cold well water and sat in it to cool off.

The roaster chicks are getting big, and like me are not enjoying the quick rise in the mercury. But the new layer chicks are going without the light in these temps...buff orps, light brahma's, I think these are the Golden Campines, the Araucana's and the Rose Comb Leghorns. And this is the freebie bird which is either a Buff Laced or White Polish.

Supposedly the temps are only going to stay like this until Wednesday when we will be back to our normal 60-70's. I can't wait. Although I have enjoyed this burst of growth, I find I can wait on the heat.