It's a Wild and Crazy Life
Finally I have some time (and the inclination) to sit and jot down the latest...
- As of last week I've officially dropped a 20lb box of kitty litter! :D
It seems like it's taken a reallllllly long time -16 weeks- but then I realized that still averages a little more than a pound a week, and that's not so bad. Only a billion more to go...
- Four short frames equals this much honey...
Which is A LOT! D: Pastor finally came to check on the hive last week and extracted four frames, but said he should've done a whole level (ten frames) as the hive is nearly honeybound. It's good to know that they're thriving though, especially since it was a wild swarm from last summer and they split-swarmed late this spring. They really love my lavender and sunflowers -but I'll get to that later. I donated one big jar back to the church, gave Grandma one, sent one to Roy, and am going to give one to the Perry's, but that leaves us with three huge jars -and I still have a jar from last year! It IS fabulous though, anyone want any?
- I built the goats another bridge...
Which they love. They do their routine all over it, even "diving boarding" off the tallest end. Hilarious stuff. But they always check you for treats...
(Cisco and Pancho)
- Mr. P has found a girlfriend! Meet Ms. P...
"Sweeeet, time to show her my moves..."
"How do I look? Is she looking?!"
Um, don't worry Mr. P, you'll grow into your looks...
"Are you serious? I was looking for a real man -not a turkey!"
They're getting along well, each night they are closer and closer on the perch. Mr. P does his dance for her a few times a day, and I even heard him attempt a real mating call the other day. He has a bit of growing to do before he looks and sounds like "real" peacock. Hopefully I can get them back in the goatyard pretty soon, just have to do some more fencing. :\
- Nutmeg and her chick are doing well...
It's growing so fast! She's been a great mama to it, and even started taking it out of the coop yesterday. Stick to your mama, little one, you're a tempting nugget size!
Feets and her adopties are also doing great. They're much bigger and stick together very well. I've pretty much decided to call the EE chicks Pepper and Penny (am I on a "P" kick, or what?), but I'll have to see what they look like once they get their true feathers -for now I can tell them apart, but it may be difficult later.
I gave Fifi an EE chick (white!) the other day and they've bonded as well. It looks like she might FINALLY get out of the nestboxes and go out and forage now. Here's hoping, anyway...
- And guess what Maggie surprised me with?
Seriously birds, you're supposed to do all this brooding and hatching in SPRING -in fact, you're not supposed to do it AT ALL according to your breed. ARGGGH. Whatever. Anyway, it's not too much of a surprise since I knew she disappeared to sit on some hidden eggs three weeks ago. I just had to hunt them down when I heard the peeping and move them into the duckhouse to keep them safe -and to start integrating them with the other ducks. And to add to it, Cissy took off about a week ago to sit on her very well-hidden eggs, so I have this to look forward to AGAIN in two weeks. *pulls out hair a little* That's nature for ya. But they are so dang cute. :3
- And finally the garden. Actually, because of the rather cool summer we've had (very cool nights, anyway) my veggies just aren't doing that much. The beets have been great; I've picked a FEW pattypan squash; the carrots are struggling; the Butternut squash, pumpkin, and cantaloupe are growing great vines with blossoms, but so far no fruit; and the tomatoes are budding but dropping -only the grape and cherry ones really seem to be developing; and my corn was a complete bust, I pulled it up and gave it to the goats; and it's August and I haven't had a ripe peach yet! D:< At least some of the flowers are doing well...
A barrel grouping in front of the chicken coop (I mainly wanted to get a pick of it before I finally paint it), A dwarf Fuji apple, a Geum and a calibrachoa, and a nice lavender...
The only garden bed that seems to be doing well; tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe, dwarf sunflowers, and two dahlias -and my chicken fences!
Sunflowers! I really, really love this variety (Autumn Beauty) for its multi-bloom stalk and color variety. The bees love it too because it's NOT a hybrid bred to be pollenless!
And the orchid Susan gave me for my birthday last year is blooming again! Glad I didn't kill it (apparently).
- I'm really fired up about sewing! :D I've been cruising Crafster a lot and getting very inspired. Plus I picked up The Art of Manipulating Fabric the other day and I'm just awed by all the possibilities. I managed to sew a knitting needle "roll" that holds most of my straight needles, and I have plans for some pajamas and other fun (and needed) stuff around the house. I'm also considering signing up for the next two-month round of Wardrobe Refashion because A: I love making things, B: I hate buying and trying on new clothes, and C: we're too much of a consumerist culture that plans wayyy too much obsolescence into our planned obsolescence -we can reuse and recreate with so much that's already in existence without having to make little slave kids sew cheap new clothes! So let's do it! >:D
- And lastly, from the "at least she always makes me feel better about myself" files...
Bellydancing is hard. Like, REALLY. It's all muscle isolations in areas that really don't get everyday use. It looks natural and sinuous, but just watch someone do the basic movements and then try them yourself. I've learned that I have pretty good muscle control in the hips and waist (though definitely stronger on my right side), and that I have pretty much NO natural coordination. And my arms? They may as well be chunks of wood -wood that throws off your whole rhythm when you try to incorporate them into a movement. But it's quite fun to do -with the shades down, or at 11:30 at night when you're waiting for your dog to finish her business. :B
And hey, how come nobody told me how awesome Flight of the Conchords are?! I totally have a fangirl crush on Jemaine! :B
- As of last week I've officially dropped a 20lb box of kitty litter! :D
It seems like it's taken a reallllllly long time -16 weeks- but then I realized that still averages a little more than a pound a week, and that's not so bad. Only a billion more to go...
- Four short frames equals this much honey...
Which is A LOT! D: Pastor finally came to check on the hive last week and extracted four frames, but said he should've done a whole level (ten frames) as the hive is nearly honeybound. It's good to know that they're thriving though, especially since it was a wild swarm from last summer and they split-swarmed late this spring. They really love my lavender and sunflowers -but I'll get to that later. I donated one big jar back to the church, gave Grandma one, sent one to Roy, and am going to give one to the Perry's, but that leaves us with three huge jars -and I still have a jar from last year! It IS fabulous though, anyone want any?
- I built the goats another bridge...
Which they love. They do their routine all over it, even "diving boarding" off the tallest end. Hilarious stuff. But they always check you for treats...
(Cisco and Pancho)
- Mr. P has found a girlfriend! Meet Ms. P...
"Sweeeet, time to show her my moves..."
"How do I look? Is she looking?!"
Um, don't worry Mr. P, you'll grow into your looks...
"Are you serious? I was looking for a real man -not a turkey!"
They're getting along well, each night they are closer and closer on the perch. Mr. P does his dance for her a few times a day, and I even heard him attempt a real mating call the other day. He has a bit of growing to do before he looks and sounds like "real" peacock. Hopefully I can get them back in the goatyard pretty soon, just have to do some more fencing. :\
- Nutmeg and her chick are doing well...
It's growing so fast! She's been a great mama to it, and even started taking it out of the coop yesterday. Stick to your mama, little one, you're a tempting nugget size!
Feets and her adopties are also doing great. They're much bigger and stick together very well. I've pretty much decided to call the EE chicks Pepper and Penny (am I on a "P" kick, or what?), but I'll have to see what they look like once they get their true feathers -for now I can tell them apart, but it may be difficult later.
I gave Fifi an EE chick (white!) the other day and they've bonded as well. It looks like she might FINALLY get out of the nestboxes and go out and forage now. Here's hoping, anyway...
- And guess what Maggie surprised me with?
Seriously birds, you're supposed to do all this brooding and hatching in SPRING -in fact, you're not supposed to do it AT ALL according to your breed. ARGGGH. Whatever. Anyway, it's not too much of a surprise since I knew she disappeared to sit on some hidden eggs three weeks ago. I just had to hunt them down when I heard the peeping and move them into the duckhouse to keep them safe -and to start integrating them with the other ducks. And to add to it, Cissy took off about a week ago to sit on her very well-hidden eggs, so I have this to look forward to AGAIN in two weeks. *pulls out hair a little* That's nature for ya. But they are so dang cute. :3
- And finally the garden. Actually, because of the rather cool summer we've had (very cool nights, anyway) my veggies just aren't doing that much. The beets have been great; I've picked a FEW pattypan squash; the carrots are struggling; the Butternut squash, pumpkin, and cantaloupe are growing great vines with blossoms, but so far no fruit; and the tomatoes are budding but dropping -only the grape and cherry ones really seem to be developing; and my corn was a complete bust, I pulled it up and gave it to the goats; and it's August and I haven't had a ripe peach yet! D:< At least some of the flowers are doing well...
A barrel grouping in front of the chicken coop (I mainly wanted to get a pick of it before I finally paint it), A dwarf Fuji apple, a Geum and a calibrachoa, and a nice lavender...
The only garden bed that seems to be doing well; tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe, dwarf sunflowers, and two dahlias -and my chicken fences!
Sunflowers! I really, really love this variety (Autumn Beauty) for its multi-bloom stalk and color variety. The bees love it too because it's NOT a hybrid bred to be pollenless!
And the orchid Susan gave me for my birthday last year is blooming again! Glad I didn't kill it (apparently).
- I'm really fired up about sewing! :D I've been cruising Crafster a lot and getting very inspired. Plus I picked up The Art of Manipulating Fabric the other day and I'm just awed by all the possibilities. I managed to sew a knitting needle "roll" that holds most of my straight needles, and I have plans for some pajamas and other fun (and needed) stuff around the house. I'm also considering signing up for the next two-month round of Wardrobe Refashion because A: I love making things, B: I hate buying and trying on new clothes, and C: we're too much of a consumerist culture that plans wayyy too much obsolescence into our planned obsolescence -we can reuse and recreate with so much that's already in existence without having to make little slave kids sew cheap new clothes! So let's do it! >:D
- And lastly, from the "at least she always makes me feel better about myself" files...
Bellydancing is hard. Like, REALLY. It's all muscle isolations in areas that really don't get everyday use. It looks natural and sinuous, but just watch someone do the basic movements and then try them yourself. I've learned that I have pretty good muscle control in the hips and waist (though definitely stronger on my right side), and that I have pretty much NO natural coordination. And my arms? They may as well be chunks of wood -wood that throws off your whole rhythm when you try to incorporate them into a movement. But it's quite fun to do -with the shades down, or at 11:30 at night when you're waiting for your dog to finish her business. :B
And hey, how come nobody told me how awesome Flight of the Conchords are?! I totally have a fangirl crush on Jemaine! :B