New Day 59 – Spring! YAY!

It was in the 61 degrees today. Unbelievable! The snow is fast disappearing and much of the sunnier woods was bare today. It’s hard to believe we had 6 inches of snow a few days ago and it’s only been the last few days that I haven’t had the heat lamp on in the chicken coop.

Glory be! We headed outside to wander the yard with no coat on and Buddy’s old Frisbee in hand. Oliver loves the Frisbee but today he was just too excited exploring parts of the yard he hasn’t seen before, to play.

Finn came out and joined us.

A little nose to nose greeting.

The old cat netting has mostly come down and need repairing. I’ve removed much of it but left a good expanse just to keep predators out. Oliver appears to be a wanderer, so I will repair it just to deter him from taking off into the woods.

Exploring the old straw filled cat shelter.

What? Where are you going?

Any room for me?

Ha! I found a place where the dog doesn’t go!

Oliver thinks he’s a cat.

I’d completely forgotten I’d hung this out for the birds last spring. How nice to see it was used. And there’s plenty of wool left for this spring.

After a 360 degree tour of the yard, we were back where we started and it was time to go in. Guess who did not want to do that!

As I type this he’s whining, barking, and pulling on my sleeve. He wants to go back out there. So…before the sun heads below the horizon, I think we’ll head outside again.

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New Day 58 – Do I have To Head Outside?

This blog has been centered around outside activities. It’s amazing how many things there have been to write about that happen outside: chickens, croquet, cats, dogs, spiders, grandchildren, constructing outbuildings, snow, weeds – well, you get the idea. But the one requirement for the blog is that I open the back door and step outside.

Not something that has come easily this VERY cold winter.

After taking a long break from posting on this blog, I began it again a month ago the day I brought Oliver home. I was l all geared up for a new chapter in outside activities. Oliver’s first few days here were balmy with no snow on the ground, and we made a good start on heading outside. Since then we’ve had negative degree temperatures and lots of snow.

But…despite the cold, I have spent a lot of time heading outside with Oliver – just about every half hour during the day, and sometimes once or twice at night in my pajamas and slippers. But not for the great adventures I’d had in mind. House training a puppy is not exactly the greatest subject for blogging and photo taking.

I did try sending Oliver out on his own while I watched from the warmth of the house. But no dice.

“Are you coming out, or what?”

Here he is on the trail to the bird feeder.

After the next storm the trails were so deep I had to follow after him to make sure he was performing.

Though our trips outside have been brief, we have had some beautiful photo ops.

I transplanted this beautiful double balsam from the woods behind to this spot in my yard 7 or 8 years ago. It is a beauty!

Oliver’s first snow experience was hilarious. Where was the grass he needed? He raced around the yard trying to find a bit of green.

“What is this stuff?”

While he dashed about, I madly shoveled a spot for him down to the grass. Over time he transitioned to the snow as the appropriate place. Yesterday we had warm weather and masses of rain. When we headed outside for the usual, all his habitual places were down to grass again, but Oliver’s habits had changed. Now he didn’t like the grass – and wouldn’t put his feet on it. He tromped through the snow that was left, sinking in to his belly, nose down, searching for a familiar aroma.

A few days ago before the rain, we warmed up – not above freezing, but so much warmer than the days before that it felt like spring. So Oliver and I took our first decent walk in weeks – this time with harness, and leash.

There was clearly something of interest in that hole. On the way home he stuck his nose in the hole again.

Oliver absolutely loves to walk. He trots along at a good pace without pulling on the leash. That is until we turn and head home again. Then his pace picks up and he starts pulling me home. It makes me wonder if he was accustomed to running home before I had him, and that’s why he took off running like a mad doggie for home on that first trek (See: New Day 56 – New Puppy – Old Friend?)

We are back in another deep freeze, and my camera is refusing to behave in the cold. I keep getting the Canon E18 error, which I have had repaired once and am loath to do again. The camera does not like any moisture! Most annoying.

Perhaps I’ll have to start a new blog “Staying Inside”. Plenty of blogging fuel there too!

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New Day 57 – Happy Holidays Everyone!

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New Day 56 – New Puppy – Old Friend?

Introducing Oliver.

This is my new excuse to head outside for some exercise. Oliver is a four month old Morkie. So far he is a spectacular little dog. As long as I take him outside every half hour or so, he does not do things inappropriately in the house. He sleeps on the bed beside me in his little crate and sleeps through the night – no accidents! He loves to play and to walk which is an answer to my prayers. He fetches endlessly as Buddy used to do. He eats, sleeps, and plays. What else could you want in a dog?

I’ve had him now for four days. He’s been out for short walks down the road with me and follows along perfectly. The harness I bought is too big for him, so I made sure he was close enough to scoop up if a car approached – but no cars so far on our walks.

Today I made him a little coat and took him out on the trail across the road to see if he was up for the hour’s trek.

Here he is on my side of the road, just checking out the dead bracken.

We.re on the trail now, and he’s sticking very close behind me as we walk along. When I stop, he investigates the surroundings. There’s a lot for a new little puppy to discover.

I’m wondering what he’ll think about the water.

It’s frozen over and he stays safely on shore. (But for a moment I was afraid he was going to step out.)

Note to self: We need a harness and a leash.

We continue along the winding trail, me turning to be sure he’s with me every half minute or so. Every time I check he’s right there, only inches from my feet. I can’t hear him, so I need to keep checking.

But suddenly, when I turn to see if he’s there, he’s gone! I look back along the trail and he’s standing there, maybe 40 feet away, looking at me. I start running back to him, calling his name.

Either he no longer recognizes me, and I frighten him, or he’s fed up with the walk. He turns and runs as fast as he can back along the trail the way we came. I run like a mad woman, but I cannot catch up with him. Soon he’s completely out of sight. I say a few prayers as I’m terrified he’ll just dash across the road and get hurt. We live on a dead end with only three houses, but still – there are cars occasionally.

I’m praying he’s gone home, but I can’t really believe it can be possible. This is the first time we’ve gone left out of the driveway and down the road, and he’s never been on the trail before.

I exit the trail, rush panting up the hill and into the driveway. Then I hear him barking. He’s at the back door and want’s me to let him in. He seems confused when I appear behind him.

My conclusion is, he didn’t recognize me when I turned and ran back to get him. so he ran for safety – back to the home he has known for only a few days. How is that possible?

Reincarnation?

Now Here’s a Question? Do you think Dogs Reincarnate to be with a former person? This little dog reminds me so much of Buddy that I find myself wondering if it is possible that he is the reincarnation of Buddy’s soul.

In my search for a new best friend, I asked Spirit to let me know with some sort of sign, that the dog I found was meant to be my dog. When I went to meet this little puppy, he was living with a family of cat, dogs, child, and parents. I met the mom who was very warm and friendly. At one point while she was chatting about the dog, she said, “I don’t know why, but this is his favorite toy.” Then she reached into the laundry basket, pulled out a sock, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it for the puppy to retrieve. Which he did, bringing it back to my feet.

Now if you are a long time follower of this blog, you may remember that socks were Buddy’s favorite toys. Surely that was my sign that this was my dog.

Since then Oliver has displayed many behaviors that remind me so much of Buddy, that I find it hard not to ponder the reincarnation possibility. Also, my cat Abbey who knew Buddy, has been very affectionate from the first time she saw him – no hissing! Here she is greeting only minutes after his arrival.

Now, I do know that dogs have strong noses, and it’s not impossible that Oliver could have found his way home again. But still – where is home to him, here, or where he’s lived for the past 4 months? And how was he able to race back without putting his nose to ground?

Just wondering!

He’s a sweetheart!

And yes, don’t worry – lesson learned! NOT going out for a walk without a harness and leash again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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New Day – 51 The Fawn and Spring Beauty

What? That’s not a fawn, you say.

True.

Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me when I encountered the fawn yesterday. So instead of posting relevant photos while I tell the tale, I’m posting photos I’ve been taking since my last posting. We all like a photo or two, I know.

This fellow was around here for weeks. The females seemed unimpressed, but I bet they are busy sitting on eggs right now.

The girls are not frequent visitor just now. At least not many of them. Today one female arrived at the feeder with three males. The males kept shooing her away, so she, smart turkey, leapt up onto the feeder itself and helped herself from there.

Those are teen-aged guys (I think). Except for the striped bird – that’s one of my hens, chowing down with the turkeys.

So…yesterday I rounded the corner of my house and came upon a beautiful fawn at the end of the drive. She was eating the hostas which I have not yet covered. I immediately froze. She seemed not to be worried about me. She looked up, and then went back to ripping leaves off the plant. Okay, I muttered, I guess you’re going to eat my plants because I’m not going to shoo you off.

Then Bo, my little, deaf, poodle, wandered past me and into the garage, He was hoping I had not cleared away the old cat food he’d found days earlier in a garbage bag that was destined for the dump. When he realized it was gone, he turned and saw the fawn.

I was standing right on the other side of these flowers when I froze.

The Fawn became quite excited. Her ears perked up, her tail swished back and forth and around in half circles. Slowly she came toward us.

Bo stood watching. Then he looked over at me. I don’t know what he thought since I never stand still like that.

Suddenly the fawn started stamping her feet. Not pawing the ground the way a horse does, but pouncing on her front feet the way a dog does to invite play.

The Wanderer

Unfortunately, Bo didn’t pick up on the message. He’s old, and deaf, and not much into play.

The fawn wouldn’t give up. By now she was up nearly at the garage, and right in front of me, only ten feet away.

She circled the drive, and pranced her feet, then then snorted at Bo. I wanted to go and dance with her. But I didn’t dare move.

This went on for fifteen minutes. My legs were going numb.

The fawn gave up on Bo and went back down the drive and continued snacking on the hosta.

I cut my bridal veil down to the ground a few years ago – it was in such a sorry state. But it’s coming back.

Sadly, Bo wandered back to the cat door and disappeared inside. I stayed and watched the fawn until she too gave up and headed off through the woods.

This yellow spider was on the front of a the blossom when I arrived. He slowly crawled around to the back to hide.

Not a very exciting story to tell, but believe me, it was quite amazing to stand there and watch.

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New Day 50 – Comealong Cat

The weather was beautiful Sunday. So beautiful that my guilt over painting indoors with my dog snoring beside me, finally forced me put up the brushes and get my shoes on for a walk. As I headed outside with Bo, I made note of  where the cats were. Lately Finn, my granddaughter’s cat whose been living here while she is at college, has taken to following me around the yard. I was afraid he might try to follow us on our longer trek. I was not sure he wouldn’t wander off and get lost, or get stuck up a tree (which he has done several times). I saw he was safely indoors. Good, I thought.

We were half way down the driveway when Finn came bounding along. He’s free to go in and out the cat door as he pleases. I had wrongly assumed he was happy snoozing inside.

So, I decided to see how it went.

Finn is very much like Max, the neighborhood cat, who used to follow me, Buddy, and Bo, frequently on our walks. Max is featured in many of my past blogs. Max moved away, and I’ve missed his company. Of course I didn’t have to worry about Max – he was a roaming cat and not mine. But I was not keen to have to tell my granddaughter that I’d lost her cat.

How does he know the way?

Right away Finn took the lead.

Bo and Finn just rambling on toward the water.

 

The beaver dam across the road.

 

Stopping for a little scent exploration.

 

Sometimes Finn leads – sometimes he follows.

On high alert – ducks ahead!

 

Someone has made a path through the marsh. Hmmm?

 

No Finn – come back!

 

That’s not a great idea either. Remember how you got stuck up the tree all night?

 

Thank you!

Happy cat!

 

Taking the short cut back towards home. We went far enough for a first foray.

 

Back on the road.

 

Finn stops for a roll in the sand.

 

Heading back home. Finn knows the way. Why do I think he’s roamed farther than the yard before?

 

Home sweet home, safe and sound.

 

We’ll have to do that again!

(No apologies for all the cat pictures.)

Signing off.

 

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New Day 48 – First Sign of Spring

This morning when I went out to feed the chickens I heard the first red winged black bird of the season. This is a sure sign spring is here. I couldn’t catch sight of the newly arrived, but a few minutes later I saw her (or him) under the feeder – no doubt chowing down after a long journey.

I’m so happy to see her as last year I saw no red winged blackbirds at all. Usually they are plentiful. I feared my birds were some of those found dead on the roads down south.

Normally this time of year snow still covers the ground. Not so this year. In fact I have not had to take out the snow blower even once (knock on wood).

Along with the blackbird came a gloriously warm winter day – 75 degrees (f). I let the girls out of their penned area to enjoy the weather.

Here they are composting away.

Poor me…I had to choose between staying indoors and working on an oil painting that is near completion, or heading outside to enjoy the day. Of course I did both.

The pond across the way.

You can see we still have ice on the pond.

My old dog Bo came along for the walk. He’s still a trouper despite his old age.

Here’s a photo from yesterday. Another beautiful day it was. The sun was setting – but I cheated and put this on “fall” setting to bring out the light.

When we returned from our walk today, the girls had made their way to the feeder to clean up what was left after the birds, squirrels, and turkeys had had their fill.

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New Day 28 – A Walk and A New Walkway

Stopping at the water’s edge

Bo and I walked the trail today. It’s the first time we’ve done this since spring. The deer flies were so bad earlier that walking was not pleasant, even with my hat covered in ferns (old wives method for keeping deer flies away). Once the flies were pretty much gone, the garden consumed most of my time with dehydrating, freezing, and making soups with all the bounty.

Blurry photo, but this little frog is only half an inch long

 

I don’t know what this blue flower is, but when I tried to photograph it a white spider crawled out (see it at the edge?)

 

Anyway, today was a beautiful mild late summer’s day – perfect for a walk. I took my backpack, a plastic bag or two, and my camera. I had my mind on an oak tree on which I’d found a huge mushroom some years back. At the time I hadn’t identified it, but recently at a party, one of the women brought a huge mushroom which looked quite similar. Hers was a chicken mushroom, and very edible. She shredded and sautéed it – delicious. Anyway – I was hoping this might be the same species. We have had so little rain this summer that most mushrooms have been few and far between, so I wasn’t surprised when I got to the oak tree and found nothing. Actually, I was a little surprised that there wasn’t even a sign of the old one as it had been big enough to fill my arms, and seemed the sort that would go hard and hang on for a long time.

 

Coral mushroom – edible

Never mind – we ambled along the trail, and I took a few photos. Then, much to my surprise I came upon a patch of coral mushrooms. I’ve eaten these many times. Ideally one picks these when first up out of the ground and are still pure white, but these were still edible. I also found two puff-balls still at the edible stage.

 

Back at home

When we got home, I washed and dried the mushrooms in the sun, and then sautéed them in olive oil along with zucchini and yellow tomatoes from the garden. I am still in awe of Mother Nature who provides my summer meals in such abundant and delicious ways.

 

Lunch

She has also provided squashes and parsnip for the winter.

 

Look at these fabulous butternut squashes

 

and beautiful butternut blossom

 

Still making zucchini

 

Just about ready to harvest – I’ll be doing that next week

The afternoon was spent connecting the chicks’ A-frame to the netted tunnels through which the other hens and cats meander. I simply used the cat bridge I’d removed earlier as a connector between the two. Then I let Audrey and the chicks free to explore. They must have been watching me working away, because they ran down the ramp and over immediately to the connector.

 

Exploring the new connector

 

Greens again – though a little hard to reach

 

Running through the tunnel

 

Here comes the leader

 

What’s that shiny round thing?

 

Hi!

 

Room for the whole family

 

 

I’d blocked the tunnel at the bridge to keep the other chickens and cats from entering the chicks’ end of the tunnel. At some point I’ll open things up so they can all mix. But not until I’m confident the chicks can’t get out, and they are completely familiar with the territory. I’m not sure how Audrey would respond to one of the cats actually going all the way into her coop. I guess I’ll have to stand guard for a while. There’s not a lot of room in the tunnels for passing without rubbing shoulders.

 

Dead ended at the bridge

 

exploring the bath house

 

Excuse me – that’s our bath house!

The chicks and Audrey had a grand old time – not so sure about the ostracised hens.

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New Day 27 – Checking Out The Old Homestead

Audrey and the chicks hanging around while I cut up the fallen branches.

Having finally dispensed with the birch woodpile, and with winter looming, I cut a swath through the ferns on the hill to the one remaining stack of logs and began carting them down to the woodpile area for splitting. After 6 trips to the wood splitting area, I gave myself a break and began cutting up the top of a maple tree that had snapped and fallen right beside the log pile.  It was late afternoon and Audrey and the chicks were roaming about. Like bees to a gaudy flower, the chicks rushed up the hill to investigate – Mama clucking up the hill behind them. I upended a log and sat for a while watching them climb about in and out of the dead leaf branches.

 

Bo was there hanging about too.

 

Finally I went and got my camera. Work was abandoned as I followed them around the yard. I did not regret taking a break as it turned out to be another milestone day in the lives of the chicks.

Mama and chicks at the stump outside the playhouse.

 

Bottoms up!

 

When their wanderings drew them near the main coop, one of the chicks crossed the bridge over the netting tunnel into the coop area. Audrey followed and called the other chick.

Crossing the bridge to the big coop.

 

With head cocked, Audrey listened for the other hens, finally determining that the area was abandoned. Then she let the chicks scamper in through the door to the chicken pen.

 

One little chick immediately scampered up the ladder and stood in the coop doorway having a good look around. Audrey led the others around the enclosed area, showing them the water, and the favorite digging areas.

 

Audrey kept a watchful eye.

 

They discovered the roosting branch and sat on that for a while.

 

At one point the other hens began to return, but upon crossing the bridge, they discovered that there were visitors in their area. They backed away. I opened the front door to the coop to give another exit for the chicks if it was needed.  Audrey then led the chicks back out of the pen and around to the front door.

 

Alert! We have visitors! 

 

The chicks jumped up and Audrey took them in for a little snack.

 

Then they headed back over the bridge to their own coop.

I’ve been trying to figure out how the chicks will eventually migrate to the bigger coop. They aren’t old enough to be eating the adult food yet, but I’m guessing that if I make a tunnel from their A-frame to the other netted tunnel so they have access to the other pens, Mama will move them in when the time comes. I need to expand their outdoor pen area as they are now all well able to destroy my grassy areas.

Here are the two visiting cats, Max and Kitty. Notice the bald spots? Those are created in the wink of an eye by my composting hens.

 

Ever since the torrential rain we had a week or so ago, I’ve had to play sentry shooing the chickens away from my grassy back yard area. Yesterday, just after admiring the growth of the grass seeds I’d scattered in one of the large uprooted areas, Audrey and the chicks had it all dug up again while my back was turned. Keeping eleven chickens away from the grassy worm mecca  is nearly impossible. I find it very frustrating. I want them to be relatively free, but I also don’t want my yard looking like a pile of dirt. Relatively speaking, my hens have a luxury life as their pens and tunnels give them a huge area to roam. But now that they’ve tasted the free life, they want nothing less, and squawk at me to let them out. Sigh…I know when the snows come there will be no more digging for a while.

 

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New Day 23 – Bo and the Chicks Day Out

Loving those dandelion greens

This is a posting I started a week ago. The arrival of two little grandsons for a week put it on the back burner.

The A-frame is now devoid of greens. I toss in corn and grains for the chicks to forage, but today Audrey seemed to be clucking at me to let her and the chicks out into the yard again, so I did. I got my camera as settled into my chair. Audrey brought the chicks out in no time. Bo was delighted to have some new entertainment. For an hour or so, he followed along as Audrey led the chicks all around the yard. I kept expecting her to chase him away, but she didn’t. She seemed to know he meant no harm. The chicks ran from Bo initially, but eventually they too, ignored him. I ended up taking over 200 photos. The best are here. 

Curious Bo

At first the chicks ran from Bo

Creeping closer

Bo follows along everywhere

Audrey seems to know he means no harm

Heading for the Jerusalem Artichoke

 

Under the Jerusalem Artichoke

 

Searching for bugs

Got one

How exactly do I eat this?

Off to the side gardens we all go

Under the redwood tree

Lots to investigate under here

At Buddy’s grave

Under the oregano

In the oregano

Heading up the slope for home

Chessie and Mimi watching from afar

Abbey luxuriating on the driveway

The end

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