My World in April

Only a few days left before we see whether or not or diligence has paid off and we are blessed with new chicks.  The process hasn't really been that bad, but has been a little inconvenient having to turn the eggs three times a day. 

Wouldn't you know it, one of our hens has gone back to brooding (sitting) on her eggs.  It would have been nice if she had decided to do this 20 days ago.  Anyway, that means I will be doing without her eggs for a few weeks, but I have two more hens that have started laying regularly.

Plan on getting some tomatoes and pepper plants in this weekend in between yard selling and visiting with my grandchildren.  My potaoes are growing profusely and the beets, beans, squash, and lettuce are all showing their little heads and the rain scheduled for tomorrow will not only provided relief from the pollen, but also give these little guys a much needed drink.  After the weekend I will put the okra in as the ground will not only be moist but warm enough for the temperamental okra seeds to sprout.  I do believe those little okra seeds have a thermometer stuck in them and they refuse to take action until it reaches the ideal temperature - maybe I should put them in the incubator.

My hostas and canna lillies have started poking their beautiful green foliage through the ground and I am anxious to see how well they multiplied in their first year.  I will dig them up and separate in the fall, but I usually let them rest in the first year.  I do believe I managed to kill my asparagus fern by dividing this spring.  Usually, an asparagus fern needs to be divided each spring by removing from the pot and cutting into four equal pie shaped and then replanting in fresh potting soil.  I noticed when I divided my two pots, the roots were extremely spongy so I was unsure whether they would make it or not.  I should have seen some new growth by now as it has been almost two weeks since I divided and re-potted.  I may need to start over with the ferns.

In all my 50 years in dealing with plants, I have never been able to grow Aloe.  I know, everyone says it is the easiest thing in the world to grow, but up until this year I could kill it by thinking about it.  My dear sister gave me several plants when I requested some droppings from her Chandelier cactus (fern).  A story in itself as to how she came about having this unusual, but beautiful plant, but I seemed to have left mine exposed during an early cold snap year before and wanted to start some more.  Not only did sis bless me with many baby cactus, but gifted me with many, many Aloe. 

I tried something different and am well pleased with the results.  I took a couple of fish bowls, poured sand in the bottom to about 2 inches, adding 3-4 inches of potting soil, then watering until the potting soil is damp (not wet) once a week.  The aloe has flourished in these bowls and they make a beautiful centerpiece.  The fronds lift out of the bowl and spread.  I added a few small animals to the bowls which has become a favorite topic of conversation. 

Time for me to get a move on it.  I am making some pretty halter tops and vests to go in my online shop (http://www.clairescollections.etsy.com/), but that will have to wait until after my yard sale this weekend.  Keep your eyes open I may have something just for you listed soon.  I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping in!

Happy reading!
Belle

Yeah! It's Friday

I admit I must be a little touched, but I love the smell of animals.  I guess it comes from being raised on a dairy farm, but nothing smells better than a field of cows on a warm summer day.  Goats, well, they are a different story.  The smelliest of all animals - emus. 

A couple of weeks ago we went to the auction barn and on exiting the truck and overwhelming odor blasted us.  There were over 200 hundred goats at the barn that evening and I could not believe the stench.  Know I realize that the lover of goats probably think there is no better smell, as does the pig farmer, but really, there is nothing warm and cozy feeling about either.

Tonight means another trip to the auction barn and hopefully all the goat trading has taken place and we can move right on to the chickens, ducks and geese.  I love the beautiful silkies and would buy one for a pet, but every farm animal I have ever made a pet of, ended up in the frying pan.  I just don't think I could face that again.  Poor Blackie, my pet calf who grew to be an enormous cow, was really good eating once I got past the memories of her letting me lay against her belly while I read.  She became meat for the freezer when an even larger cow dumped her upside down in the feed trough.  We didn't try CPR as it took an hour or so just to haul her out of the trough via the tractor and a winch.  How would you do CPR on a cow?  Not sure, but such is life, but I don't think silkies are grown for eating.

It is suppose to be warm, warm, warm today and I might just get my feet in some dirt.  It is starting to look like an outside day already!  Have lots to do so I better get to it.  Thanks for visiting with me and drop in again soon.

Happy reading!
Belle

Update on Belles Farm

I stepped out on the porch this morning and was met with a cool fresh feeling on my skin. The autumn is slowly moving on us, bringing the cool mornings and hot days. I don't know that I am ready as winter is not my favorite season. There is never enough green in the winter - the dead season. That is probably why I love my cedars - they provide the green of life and growing in the bleak cold days of winter.

I am getting the ground ready to plant my late summer garden. I am ready for the greens and I am replanting the squash. My tomatoes are looking spiny as they always do at season's end. I have pruned them and will give them a good drink with fertilizer today. I have taken several cuttings from these tomatoes and started the upside down baskets with them. The plant are a beautiful dark green with loads of blooms and several small tomatoes growing. I look forward to having tomatoes a little longer this year.

Today is shrub moving day. I have several shrubs that need to be moved and I want to do it now rather than waiting until spring so the roots can recover during the winter dormant season. I have moved my lamb's ear and tried to gather all the errant seedlings into one nice spot. Lamb's ear spreads like wild fire with all the little seeds scattered throughout the yard and small ears poking up everywhere. Hopefully I have contained most of them at least until the next breeze scatters more seeds.

My Althea has bloomed more this year than any time in memory. The violet seems to be competing with the rose colored bush and the race is neck in neck, but I do believe the rose is winning. My sunflowers are beautiful. The heads large and ready to open in the next week. I only have a few plants as I seem to be feeding all the foul in the county with every seed that goes in the ground.

My pear trees have not produced this year as well as in the past, but the fruit is still large, sweet and juicy. The squirrels love the blooms in late winter. Climbing high in the trees, they sit and crunch the center of the blooms leaving a blanket of white under the trees. I plan to have a large pot of squirrel dumplings this winter. They have ravaged my fruit trees, tomatoes, bird feeders and chicken feed. I have some expensive squirrels in my yard that will make for good eating.

I am getting an egg a day from one of my little hens. I hope that all three will be laying soon, but cooler temperatures are coming and will be lucky to continue with the one a day. The neighbors chicken has hatched two biddies, but only one lived. The tiny thing chases her around the yard, hiding in the tall grass at the edge of the wood when I go out for feeding. They are so fun to watch and the old red rooster is as protective as the mother hen. My own rooster started crowing this weekend and he sounds so funny. Rather high pitched for the first few days, he now has a strong tone. So far his clock is set right - the other starts crowing at 2:30 in the morning.

The writing is coming along, but I have been busy for a couple of weeks and not able to attend as I need. Keep me in your prayers.

Belle