Chickens – Head in the Clouds

Tulips & Iris

Hello!!
Quite a slow unproductive start to the day. I had heaps of blood extracted (all sorts of updated tests) I had to fast, so no brekkie. Jeff popped back into the dentist but couldn’t get in until 11am – not worth going home. We looked for a few soap making bits and bobs in op shops then dropped in to see Ruby and Margie and drop off some hay – and I also put the newly collected coffee grounds into her compost.
Ruby was having a very tired day – she was dressed up to go to the bank but didn’t have a lot of energy 🙁 Still… she always perks up to chat to us and catch up which is lovely.
I finally got home at midday for my breakfast! Was getting a bit titchy by then haha.

My original plan was to finish weeding the garden patch and bung in the tulip bulbs. (Then do more fence weaving)
But.
I’ve been watching that gardening show and it wasn’t enough.

First things first… the frost didn’t do much for this tomato plant… instead of bringing in the green tomatoes to ripen inside, I just pulled the whole plant up and hung it in the hothouse. I have done this before and often I get ripe tomatoes off them later.

All my iris need to be dug up and replanted. They’ve been swamped by everything else in the gardens so I made an unscheduled start on them to help fill the space. I also thought since I had so much success selling my garlic via a local facebook page, maybe I should try with the iris as I will have way too many.
It was a challenge getting them up as they are tangled in themselves and everything else… and under everything else which meant me crawling in under bushes and trees to dig them out!

I had Pip out for a while. He enjoyed himself… and ate a lot of grass so I assume I will be presented with cat-vomit somewhere inconvenient soon.

Little Moo also kept me company… although its his fault I had to have a second shower today… he reached over the fence when I wasn’t paying attention and slobbered all over my hair!! Niiiiice!!
Sigh. (Country living at its finest)

Anyway, thought I would plant the iris in clumps according to their colours.
I think I knew where the different colours were.
I have a rusty brown with yellow throat… that beautiful mauve/purple with the yellow throat and white with a yellow throat. All quite stunning.

Going against my usual ‘chuck ’em in’ nature I have placed them all out first. (Gardening show haha)
I have three clumps of the rusty brown, two of the white and the purple down the middle. Then arranged the tulips into circles.

Fingers crossed it looks good in spring. Now have to think what to grow around it all… Alysium? A mix of stuff?? I am not really good at knowing much about flowers. I think I need other stuff to fill the gaps once the flowers are done.

I did want to go and add to the Huggle-Monster fence, but by the time I finished mucking about with the iris and everything, it was four o’clock and getting chilly. I had a few other things to do and Jeff wanted a soup for dinner because of his tooth. (Damn, I was all about leftovers tonight not cooking!)

I made the chooks a warm mash/muesli mix… they were pretty happy about that.

Eventually I got to sit down for a nice hot chocolate – interrupted briefly by noticing that the sky was doing pretty things!
Hope you had a great day too (without the blood tests or dentists)
Cheers!

Gone Potty?

Hi There!
Stampeding up to another weekend!
Was a bit overcast today but the threatening rain never happened. It wasn’t too cold though, so it was quite nice being outside.
I made a couple of mixes of my mushroom compost with the potting mix to get all the seeds planted.

I dragged one of my market stall tables into the hothouse, covered it in some plastic and started filling it up!
I now have three more types of tomatoes planted – Yellow, Beefsteak and a rainbow cherry mix. (The child in me thought that would be fun.)
Also: Cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, butternut pumpkin (new lot), regular pumpkin, melon and watermelon (because I am optimistic), basil, marjoram, cumin, land cress, capsicum (different variety to what I planted before)
I think thats all I can remember.
I also potted up the broccoli that Ruby dug up for me as well as a lot of strawberries!

Hoping these will be sold on the stall when I get it up and going again.
By then I needed a little stroll, so I jumped the back fence and took a few feed bags into the paddock to collect some kindling and pine cones.

oooo – check this out!

Potato!!! Yay!

Munching on fresh asparagus!!

This naughty chook!! She has worked out how to avoid Ugly Fort Knox and flies over the fence to strut around the yard. Three times I went back and opened the gate for her to go back where she was meant to be! (Love the way she knows she is up to no good and cluck clucks her way back in as pert as you please!!)
The final time I saw her, I grabbed the scissors, caught her and gave her a wing clipping!!
One down, 10 to go!!
Cheers!

Potato Day

Seems we have one day off and one day on! I bet my parents wished the sea was this tranquil last night! Apparently the trip home was a bit rough! But they made it alright and I am sure sleeping soundly tonight!

We didn’t rush this morning, but decided on a hike around the bay to start things off.

The beach was beautiful but the hills were a bit of a challenge today!

After lunch we settled on getting the potatoes in and burning off a few more branches.

I dug in some blood and bone and started planting while Jeff finished off the last corner of weeding for me.

Managed to get about 100 in the ground (I cut the bigger ones in half)

We had to sacrifice a corner of the plot, as one of the branches was embedded so far in the ground, even after Jeff dug down that far – that it wouldn’t budge a millimetre!

Figured I would just plant some marigolds in that corner.

So happy to have that job done!!
A couple of the chooks are still getting in somehow… I think they just fly up and over so I suspect some wing clipping will be coming up in the near future!

Compost is steaming!!!

Cos lettuce and snow peas going well. Yet to see any sign of the celery, capsicum or pumpkin.
Still getting a lovely lot of daily eggs!

Time to take my tired little legs off to bed!
Hope your weekend was amazing!

Chooks Thwarted?

Friday! Another week gone and the last full day my parents are here. They had a lovely sunny day and went to visit friends a bit further west and took a gorgeous drive through the Tarkine Forest… something Jeff and I need to do!
One of my ‘gunna’ tasks (you know… all those things you’re gunna do) was to chook-proof the veggie garden.
There is a little gang of them that just march on in, up and over the fallen timber to wreck havoc in there!
They’ve kicked the seaweed out about 4 foot onto the lawn!! (And eaten all the parsley)
Thats pretty industrious!!

I snipped all the wire off the fallen steel dropper that is pinned under the timber and reattached that length of fence to a new dropper, as well as just randomly adding wire up and over wherever I thought the marauders could squeeze their way in!

I had to clear a lot of stuff out, saw bits off, but I think it might work for now. I need to be able to get the potatoes in and really start working on this garden!

My cabbage is looking a bit confetti – like!
I just took the easy way out and sprinkled some snail bait around!
The cabbages are looking pretty good tho! Time for another stir fry!

I also moved one of my rhubarbs. I was going to move both, but because I didn’t know what I was doing, I just did the one and hope I didn’t do the completely wrong thing.

I dug up the smaller one and my goodness!!! What a root system! I am afraid I was a bit brutal.
I also cut it into three bits and planted them in the duck yard garden behind the gate

I filled the holes with my new compost to give them a nice boost… I suppose time will tell (or someone will tell me in the comments that I have muffed it haha)

Still… there is one in the main patch thats a monster… I’d like to move it but perhaps I should google a ‘how to’ first before disturbing it.
Hope your weekend is wonderful!
Cheers

Pumpkin and Potatoes

Hello!
Here we are in Monday again!
Yesterday it rained a bit and I did a bit of a catchup on the house work which I didn’t bother blogging about.
You’re welcome 🙂

I did pop in to see Ruby yesterday to have a lovely chat and a cuppa. We made garden plans mostly!!
I hadn’t realised she had run out of pumpkin! I knew she had gone through all her potato and was planning to drop some off, but decided to also cut into one of my big pumpkins.
Wow – I know why I want to concentrate on growing butternut pumpkins this season… they don’t fight you as much. Honestly… its a hospital trip waiting to happen!!

I finally got it cut in half, scooped out and saved the seeds before peeling and cutting it into manageable pieces!

A bag went into our freezer but most of it got delivered to Ruby and another friend, Shirley. I still have plenty of pumpkin out there – this way its much easier for the ladies of advancing age to cope with!!

I also got out into the shed and knocked the sprouts of lots of potatoes to deliver to the ladies too! (and brought more into the house for us)
I do suspect I will be using lots of these to fill that huge patch in the garden!

Ruby also requested some runner bean seeds as she had failed to save any. Easily done. They are still hanging on the fence in their pods!

Off into town with my bag of veggies!

Ruby’s magnolia tree is looking magnificent!
She is so proud of it and reckons its the best its ever been!!

Poor dear was having a rest when she saw me arrive… then of course lets me drag her out for photos under the tree!!

She will be 102 in a couple of weeks!!

She is still a terror! She told me she was going to plant the Christmas peas early September. Right. No worries. I plan to get in there and put up the trellis … Nope. She’s planted them already!!!! Now I will have to wait until they sprout so I can see where to put all the climbing frames haha.
She planted a row of potatoes too today, but said she got pooped and had to stop and sit

She was a bit indignant as she pointed out the chair that she sat in – which was full of water!! So I said “So you wet your pants huh?” She chuckled and said well if she had of it would have served her right but getting a wet bottom from the chair was a bit unfair!!
She cracks me up.

We’ve been transplanting her daffy bulbs into this unused patch and its quite the picture right now! Very spring and cheerful!

Back into town I went and managed to get into a local coffee shop and ask for the coffee grounds! I have been meaning to get onto this for an eon and never remember. The girl at the shop kindly said I could put my own bigger bin out the back and they can empty the daily grounds into it for me so I don’t have to come in each time! That will go well in the compost!

I also picked up my seed potatoes!
(Really feels like the new season is happening!)
I also grabbed some cheap potting mix which I will mix with some of the leftover mushroom compost to start some seeds in soon.

Back home it was cabbage harvest time as I had planned a stirfry tonight.
Of course the girls got the outside leaves.

Most of them were getting into it enthusiastically, but one girl seemed more amused by picking up leaves and tossing them!!! Was so funny. I didn’t get great snaps, but you’ll get the drift

Chooks!! Never a dull moment with them!

Hope everybody’s week starts fantastically!
Cheers

Room Ready!

Hello there!
I am still fussing about doing this and that in preparation for the girls arriving.
We managed to get the room finished with the extra bed made up (I think I mentioned before that we got an extra student because one of the host families fell through)

I think there is still plenty of room for them to spread out with their stuff even though we put an extra bed in!

I cleared out some of the shelves so they can put things there if they need to.
Our Japanese boys ignored this completely and had an impressive spread of stuff all over the room!!! 😀

I have spare blankets, hot water bottles and a collection of extra scarves and beanies for them to use as necessary.

Back out to the fallen tree!
Jeff got out the chainsaw and made a fabulous dint in the cleanup process

I’ll eventually work my way through the smaller pieces to clean up and put aside as kindling – which will last us for the next millennia!

My garden is slowly being unearthed!

Apparently the macrocarpa burns long and hot! It will take about 6 months in the drying process, but it will be great to have.

One of our new young hens lays a perfect little brown egg daily! I used a couple tonight and the yolks are lovely, big and yellow!

Well… thats midweek done and dusted!!
Raining a LOT at the moment!
Time to snuggle into bed with a book!
Cheers

Pouring Rain = Craft Day

Large quantities of water have been sloshing out of the sky today. By mutual agreement, Pip and I kept the fire going and indulged in a bit of craftwork.
(Ok, Pip mostly ate and napped.)

I found a pattern for a string bag, so gave that a go.

I finished it off after I took this last photo. Might take it into town for a test drive tomorrow

I started on my other glove – then:

So moving on to other things because I didn’t have the heart to disturb him!

I needed a place for all my free-ranging recipes.
Jeff eats a ridiculous amount of cereal, so no probs finding a spare box.
I collect a ridiculous amount of craft stuff for someone who rarely gets around to doing any…

The dark day and artificial light do nothing to show how pretty these papers really are!

I might have to do some more. Next step is to actually put the recipes in there! (Don’t want to over do and rush this rash attempt at organisation though)

Still waiting for Pip to release my yarn, so I did the dishes and whizzed up a whole lot of scraps for the chooks. There is bread, herbs, carrot & potato peelings, a couple of apples and what-not.

They were pretty happy to have an afternoon snack.
The white girls wouldn’t come out of the coop so I gave them a share in there. (Sensible really)

Tonight the wind and rain has been howling in sideways! Have had to sort a couple of leaks that only appear when things really get wild!
Right now its eased off, but the next two days promise more of the same.
Good chance of getting my glove finished AND my blanket!

Cheers from Saturated Tasmania.

Varied Day – Getting Better!

I can tell I am on the mend. Apart from my appetite returning and lots more energy… I also snapped off about 60 photos of various things that were happening today. Iron clad proof that I am getting better!

Like our sapphires? Jeff was let into a secret spot to do some gemstone fossicking! I didn’t go because I classed it under ‘Possibly Overdoing It’ but Jeff brought me home some sand to pan and it was great! Found a couple of the above sapphires.

The creek is full of zircon and hematite – although some have looked at the photos and also suggested garnet but will have to look into that.

There are all just tiny scraps but so pretty!

Then I started on a long long long overdue job – turning Ruby’s old fence palings into kindling!

Out with the saw horses and power tools!
Also a mallet and splitter

I did a good number without going mad and split quite a few

Our kindling box was looking a bit grim

Much better – just have to get back out there more regularly to work through those palings and get them out of the way. They looks so rubbishy hanging around!

Pip whinged for ages about coming outside. So I opened the door – and he walked away. I closed the door, he returned and looked sad. I opened the door… he walked off… If you own a cat, you’ll get this!! Eye Roll.
Eventually I just grabbed him and suited him up in his harness and took him for a walk

I thought it was time to introduce him to our new chooks
There was initial shock as they all stood stock still, necks stretched up watching our every move!

Then they sought safety in numbers with the older girls

Curiosity got the better of a couple of braver ones who returned for a closer look…

Then, for no reason, they thought something was going to eat them so all six sprinted up the other side of the yard! (Chickens are hilarious when they are running flat out)

Meanwhile the older girls are like ‘meh’

Clearly the show was over the other side, and soon everyone was together to stare at Pip

Pip stared back

One of the young birds did a lot of walking back and forth a lot closer… she was curious but didn’t come all the way over.

Pip eventually gave me that ‘look’ which probably meant it was time to get back to the comfort of a couch and fire

I finished up by snapping a few shots of the autumn leaves as the colours are so deep and pretty – even if they are past their best!

Cheers!

Still Here

Hello…
Been a bit scarce lately… Thought I came good the other day then dived back into crook – think its more than a cold as that part has about gone.
Anyway, seems hard to get out of my own way lately!! (or eat or drink!)

We did take delivery of 6 new baby Barnevelder chooks! They are so lovely. They kind of honk too.

Forced us into finally cleaning out the coop – even though the new girls are sleeping in a separate spot I am sure the old chooks are pleased.

They have such pretty markings.
We were down there with them for a while yesterday introducing them to a few different scrap foods and hoping they will get used to us.
They all settled in for a dust bath in the same spot which was kind of cute to watch!

Our old girls have noticed them but not really taking a great interest. Hopefully will be able to put them together sooner rather than later.
Just waiting for the babies to get a bit more confident!

Anyway, I am going to follow Pips example and head back to bed.
If this keeps up I’ll have to actually go to the doc!!!

Cheers!

Chook-Chasing, Cooking & Abandoned Tracks

I am going to HAVE to spend some time spying on Screecher tomorrow to see where she is squeezing out from.
I looked all over the yard this afternoon only to find her trampling my carrots and scoffing the self seeded silverbeet growing in there!

You can really tell that she just doesn’t care even when Jeff was giving her a telling-off!

I think we put her back 4-5 times a day!!

Despite bad behaviour… I cooked them a cake.

I also cooked us a big pot of pasta sauce which was lovely over spiral noodles for dinner tonight.

I really need to get in and chop up those chillies tomorrow. Got a lot that need attention now.

I tied these tomatoes up in a tree – they were the green ones on the Black Russian tomato plants that I pulled out. They are ripening up nicely.

This afternoon we went for a short walk down the abandoned railway line that cuts through Wynyard.
I need a photo of ‘tracks’ for my photo challenge and thought that would do. (I did have grander plans of finding some wombat tracks but I am a little time poor at the moment!)

Above is the back of the milk processing factory – a side I hadn’t seen before