Everyone helps out around here.

I feed the horses everyday, they help out by feeding the chickens. When I let the chickens out in the morning they head for the horse corral on a dead run, first one there gets the food.

Chantilly is always swinging her head around with a mouthful of oats.....

....the oats rain down on the chickens.....

....and they happily eat the scattered grain.

"Here chick, chick, chick!"

"Hey Chantilly, chew with your mouth closed!"

A Mother, maybe?

Yesterday morning the little red hen wanted to get in a cat carrier I made into a nest in the apartment, I’d blocked the entrance to it by turning it into the wall because that was where the egg eating was going on and  made them lay up in the nest boxes. I thought if she was ready to lay again, I’d open it up. Later I looked in but it’s so dark I couldn’t see so reached in and heard a “Screech!” There was Larry Jr.’s little bride, splayed out over several tiny eggs.

She is so little that she had been able to slip through the small opening between the edge of the carrier and the wall to lay her clutch of eggs.

I didn't have the heart to break up her nest although I wonder if her eggs are even fertilized. It takes 21 days to hatch, in about 10 days I can candle them to see if there are signs of development. If there isn't, I may get her a chick to raise. I moved her and the nest to the blue jay cage so no one can bother her. 

It just goes to show, where there is a will, there is a way when a mother is determined.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

We celebrated the 4th of July at Leo's Pond with family and friends, they ranged in age from 2 year old Lily...

....to our 92 year old church organist, Bernice.

And everyone in between.

There was enough food to feed an army, three crockpots of baked beans to choose from, oh the rumblings that were created later.

It was a perfectly gorgeous day, sunny, breezy enough to keep the mosquito's away and a perfect temperature.

We had a plethora of little girls, four from Sioux City, Arilynn, Jade, Miley and Ruthie, who kept their grandma Rosy busy teaching them how to cast a fishing line.

Ruthie is showing great form.

The girls are busy catching little snails that are floating by.

Grandma Joannie has her hands full with Lily and Brock William, the water is calling them....

....we brought out nets for them to try and catch creatures of the not so deep and watched that the kids didn't take a dunk in the pond inadvertently.

There were a few scuffles brought on after getting doused by a neighbor's water jug and minor injuries from stubbing toes on the cement but we didn't have to call 911.

Sara, Emily, Janet and Joannie deep in conversation about something.

The hardiest of us took off on a nature walk, one of Eddie's little girls said she would really like to take a car.

Eddie replied, "That would be a safari."

We lost her before we got 100 yards away when she returned to base camp.

They came upon an abandoned deer blind so we paused for a photo op.

Daddy's and their daughters, I love this picture of Brock and Lily....

.....and Eddie and Miley who commandeered this walking stick.

Ruthie is helping Lily through the tall grass after we all scaled a gate.

Back at base, Brock teaches Brock William the fine art of Badminton, BW wanted to swing his racket like a bat.

Bruce decided to challenge Brock for the championship....

...Brock hits one high....

....and Bruce shows fine form in returning the volley.

And Lily is still in motion, she had to be one tired little girl when they finally left.

Bruce had to go bale some hay about 4 so the party broke up soon after. I had lots of help to put everything away and was home by 5.

I loaded 6 bales while Bruce went to the neighbors to do his hay.....

....and took time to fully appreciate the beauty of our little corner of the world and to give thanks that we were lucky enough to be born here.

Failure to launch

Has anyone seen that movie, Failure to Launch, with Jennifer Aniston who is hired by a couple to get their son off their couch and out into the world? It happens in the chicken world also, ask the Little Red Hen.

Two of her babies are very industrious, exploring new things.....

......gathering berries off the currant bushes by themselves....

....soaring to new heights.....

And then there is the one who never wants to leave the basement.

"I'm scared, Mommy."

"Don't worry, I'll always take care of you."

M-o-o-o-o-o-ving cattle around

We have three bulls right now, baby bull 9100 is at Meriden with his small herd of heifers and today we separated Big Bull and Louie and gave them each their own herd of cows. Big Bull was seen often gazing east, toward the pasture, he knew the cows were there and the 4th of July was coming.

Bruce went to the pasture to bring the cows up and my job was to send both bulls to the barn and it wasn't easy. They were both bedded down and wasn't about to leave their comfy beds but my constant yelling and threatening posture finally got on their nerves won them over and they ambled up the lane to the barn.

As ever, my faithful herding dog, Mollie, with no stomach for the actual job, was at full attention - across the fence.

She was working alone today because Murphy was at the vets getting spayed so we wouldn't have any baby puppies inadvertently.

With all the cows and calves corralled, I'd peel off a few and sent them to Bruce, who's quick footwork, a dangerous job on wet, manure covered cement, sent them either out in the dirt yard or up the lane.

Until all we had left was a bunch of calves that I walked out to the dirt yard to their waiting mothers.

The last two cows came back into the yard, hoping for some silage but Bruce turned them away.

Then it was time to go to the barn and separate the bulls, Big Bull was going to the pasture with the majority of the herd and Louie was to stay with this group of five, 1st calf heifers, the ladies who bore his offspring this year.

Bruce peeled off Big Bull without Louie noticing and shuttled him out the door, the first stop he made was Louie's herd.

"Hello, sweet thing!"

Really, Big Bull, these are your Daughters for cripes sake, that's just kinky!

I opened the gate to the dirt yard where his herd had been, they were hot footing it back to the pasture, and Bruce headed him that way. Suddenly he caught on and trumpeted to his girls to get ready.

But first he had to stop and smell the earth then throw some dirt....

"I smell WOMEN!"

Then wrinkled up his nose to show the other bull that it didn't smell good at all.

"Yeah, yeah, move along Bud!"

And Bruce and Big Bull head off into the weeds of the lane leading to the pasture.

Meanwhile, back in the fat cattle lot, there is much excitement with all the comings and goings.

While waiting for Bruce to return, I let Louie out of the barn to check out his herd, he walked right past them and to the fence to gaze out to the big herd in the pasture.

"Hey, Louie, here's your herd of cows."

"Five doth not a HERD make! What am I, chopped liver??"

Louie can be a bit sarcastic, and I think he's been reading too much Shakespeare.

Finally Louie conceded he was not getting the big herd and came back to get re-acquainted with the girls.

And began the ritual licking of the head which this one seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

"I'll give you an hour to quit that."

When Bruce got back from the pasture, he opened the gate so they could get to know each other, if you know what I mean.

Tomorrow when the big herd is in the north end of the pasture, Bruce will close the gates and let Louie and his small band of women in the south end. So his job after moving the bulls around to check the electric fence separating the two herds to put a damper on any raiding party.

I got the call that Murphy could come home and went to get my puppy, a very, very subdued puppy. I set her crate back up in the house with her baby blanket, she crawled in and has been sleeping ever since.

Mollie is very anxious about the whole thing and has been carrying Murphy's squeaky toy around.

"Something's just not right."

The vet told us to enjoy the sedate Murphy tonight, tomorrow she will be back to normal.