So Much to Say...

Broccoli. Since I've had a camera, I've really enjoyed taking pictures of droplets on the veggies. Don't know why...just looks neat to me, I guess. This one is for my good friend Cheryl. That is what it looks like, good buddy!!

BAD DOG

This is Mary. She's looking at a cat...

Rhubarb. I made my very first ever strawberry rhubarb pie this year and it was GOOD!!

The big chickens. They love this time of year. So many weeds and vegetable scraps. I think these two are in charge and the red one is no joke. I know I'm a lot bigger than that chicken, but she still intimidates the pants off of me!!

Some garlic that my dad gave me a couple of years ago from a very nice lady in Tullahoma. It is scaping. That is why it looks funny. It is making it's flower full of little bitty baby garlic bulbs. If you want the plant for the garlic, you are supposed to snip the stem and not let it flower, but I want it to establish itself so I'm letting it flower away.

Sweet Violet. She follows me everywhere I go and finds a nice shady spot to watch me toil in the sun. When I'm not around she defaults to Adam...

We need a home! Look how cute we are... we defy all laws of nature and stay this cute all of our lives... :)

Turnips...

Adam ate this very turnip yesterday for lunch. Creamed turnips. I can take a few bites and that is enough for me, but he'll eat a whole bowl of them.

Scary chicken. She really has the evil eye down.

BAD DOG

Here's my sweet husband hard at work again while I take pictures of vegetables. He's diggin' us up some lunch. MMmmmmm tatoes.... Aren't the clouds so pretty?

My spring is now complete. I have lillies....

Enjoy this beautiful day, folks.

Much Love,

Malinda

They Share...

The first thing people ever say when they walk into our backyard and notice all the animals is, "Do they all just get along? Dogs, Cats, and Chickens??" Then they shake their heads and stare. Adam and I are used to it and do our best to assure people that the chickens are not food or sport for the four legged critters. The cats grew up patroling the coop (for a couple of weeks, the birds are enjoying some yard time and we're all ok with that - we had a lone chicken that needed reintegrating anyway). Occaisionally one of the dogs will remember that they are INDEED a dog and that dogs should chase chickens, but we do our best to reinforce to the dogs that if they eat (ahem, PLAY WITH) the chickens, then there will be no chicken eggs to find and eat. Ever heard the phrase "egg suckin' dog"? They love eggs - it is the weirdest thing. They share... we didn't teach them to - they just did it. Chickens love cat food. Who knew? What I do know is that a bag of cat food is a LOT more expensive than a bag of chicken food. (Note to Husband: we gotta do somethin' about the chickens, baby. I'll help. Really...)

Also, note violet down there by the *pond*. This is a big deal for poor, delicate V. You do not know how much courage that dog has summoned to be sitting where she is. She is not quite the brave country dog. More like a fragile broken thing that is finally recovering and becoming her true self. Good for you, V. (I know that I am talking to a dog on the computer. I know that she can't hear me or even if she could, she wouldn't completely understand, ok? Just cut me a little slack here...)

See, the chickens need a new coop and run*. Their old one is ok, but we have the materials to make them a better one that I can get into to feed/water/health check/collect eggs and not hurt myself (my back ain't so hot). Adam does most of the coop and pen work with the birds because of that right now, but I'd really like to dote on (spoil) them myself.

It has been too cold and muddy to build one or fix the run they escaped from, so right now we have chicken au naturale. We like it when they free range, but then they eat our garden (and our not so cheap garlic fertilizer -I'm not completely over that yet and it happened last year). We settle for feeding them all of the garden scraps (tomatoes - they LOVE tomatoes) we can.

** a run is where the chickens hang outside during the day - the bigger the better the happier the chicken - and we like happy chickens around here)**

Sometimes though, I wonder. Am I going to wake up one day to a big pile of fur and feathers in my backyard??

I think sometimes they wonder the same thing...

Happy New Year!