Tuesday, January 29, 2013

A Swimming Saturday



I don't know about you all, but we got caught in downpours on Saturday!

It began raining overnight, this puddles was awaiting us Saturday morning when we began our day...

but then there seemed to be a break, so we headed out to run some errands.  Standing in line outside, it opened up on us and poured!  Then came the wind.  But we finished our chore there anyway.

We got home and worked on chores and making sure the animals had clean fresh water and that water hadn't gotten into their food.  Funny, the pen which seemed least likely to be a mess had gooey, soggy food. Luckily not much went to waste, and everything was put back to right before dark.


Doing one last walk around with Wyatt, I stopped to see how the little chickens were liking their newest house.  This is what I found- they all sleep in the same one.  Despite how quickly these light and buff Brahmas and Buckeyes are growing, they squeeze together into one house EVERY night.  Oh, well.  We tried.  THe other i there when they decide they want it.

Cloudy nights make for the most amazing sunsets!!! Honestly, you just can't compete with the desert Arizona sunsets anyhow.  The colors are so vibrant and alive.

 Tucson set a record for rainfall for the date on Saturday.  The airport logged in .71 inches, besting the previous record for the date of .69 inches.  We weren't close, with a half inch, but can't complain about more water in the buckets and water supply!
 Well, I hope your weekend was restorative and productive and positive, leaving you ready to take on the ups and downs and forward motion of another week!







Rainy Days!

Some of you have been following our sustainability project- our work to transition to move toward fully sustainable, community accessible farming.  So you will laugh alongside me at the water buckets I was using to harvest rainwater this past week.  Still, as we are working our way to a proper system, these are holding us over to collect and distribute the water needed for the winter veggies.  This was one of many buckets I used last Thursday and again Saturday and Monday!

During a break in the rain on Thursday, I prepared and planted two kinds of lettuce seed in this box.  Later this week, I would like to follow that with a staggered planting in the garden of the same seed, allowing for a staggered harvest.  As soon as I put that work in, the wind blew more of the leaves off the nearby mesquite tree, though!  That would be the green you see! Fun, though, the first planting from earlier last week has begun to come up.  I did accomplish a few things with the kids home sick, even though I couldn't make it to the market.

A beautiful sky as sunset was approaching last week!

The moon trying to peek out...

Thursday brought us about .3 inches.

Sunset toward the West...

The moon said goodnight!

Well, today is the first day in a while I have been able to get the blogger program to work.  I have more to post on it in a few minutes, but will start with this.  Have a great day!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

House Swap- Patriot's Dream Style

 With all of the moving and building going on around here lately, there weren't enough houses in all of the chicken pens to account for hens with cabin fever on a rainy day. Based upon the original forecasts, the rain wasn't due in until tomorrow. 


So when Wyatt woke up and wanted to move around during a lull in the rain, he helped me move a big house into the buck pen. Luckily, Obediah was glad to take this house and we moved his igloo house to the young chickens. Huey isn't ready to share, will have to go check there later!

Here is Obediah checking things out.  He is a sweet little buck, lots of fun to hang out with.  And- he comes running for a visit or treat when you call him!


He wasn't sure about us taking the other house, but much easier to move these into their pen, and a better fit for them than the chickens.


Wyatt made sure to put the door on just so, as it had fallen off and he felt that if the boys were compromising their houses for the chickens, it should be right.  So Obediah obliged him by looking over the door before going to the fence to see if the does had noticed his upgrade.


THe little chickens in the grow out space- Buckeyes and light and buff Brahmas, weren't too sure about us rearranging the furniture. THey gathered together right near where we were working and talked.  It seemed as though they were giving us stared and talking about our decorating capabilities, but maybe I was reading too much into it!


Once Huey decides to share his other house (they will still keep their favorite back-scratching push around house, of course!) the A-Pen will get one more.  Those hens are not so sure about sharing!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Sweet Boys

These are not my best pictures, but taken Sunday night while we were finishing up working outside for the day.  Bailey was working in the buck pen while they were playing or supervising.

Silly Huey, on the left, is in geriatric phase, At a little over nine years old, he still wanders around, sometimes jogging, enjoying the company of his son, Obediah on the right.  They are good buddies, and talk to the girls from their favorites spots at the fence, always the most social demanding ear and back scratches from anyone nearby.
In the mornings and evening, you can find sweet Obediah running laps or rearing up to play.  I stood to watch as Huey cocked his head and Obediah danced on his hind legs ready to head but him, silly grins on their faces.  Each time, Obediah came down a couple of inches short of his fathers head, then nudged him playfully as though he had actually head butted him.
I love how the animals need so little reminding of being more gentle with the younger or older ones.  That natural love and respect of the members of the herd.

It would be impossible not to love these goofballs.  They get community and family and remind us how to be good people, and how to accept those who are different.  Sure is nice having these sweet boys around!

Friday, January 4, 2013

Trip Down Memory Lane

Last night, I was up looking into the experience other folks have had with a predator prevention unit, when a friend posted these two photos on my facebook wall.  She had been looking around in albums at pygmy goats of a certain, unaccepted color that cannot be registered, and is causing a lot of issue with the group that registers pygmy goats and maintains the standard, and ran across photos of a young man she recognized-  my Wyatt Clay.

This was from back in 2009, when nationals were in Arizona, and we went.  Wyatt was able to show his buddy.  While Bailey's goat, Wyatt always liked the bucks, so she typically offers to let him show them if he would like.  In this photo, Wyatt was lined up for his first time ever in showmanship with his buddy Huey, and somehow his attitude and bond with the buck caught the attention of someone else.
Photo: This was just the cutest thing!!  This boy LOVED his buck and that buck LOVED this boy!!!

The only other little ones in showmanship were grandchildren of breeders, and Wyatt wasn't too sure what they were supposed to be doing.  Huey, on the other hand, was content to follow Wyatt around and get back scratches.
Photo: Michael judging the cute pair!!

That was three years ago- four in May.  Wow- it was such a fun trip down memory lane, Wyatt was so little then, and they had such fun at this show.  Thanks, Kate!  And thanks to the person who had these sweet photos of a fun time.

Have you had any of these unexpected trips down memory lane?  Share your joys of these as comments.  Have a great day!