Farm fresh food!

One of the reasons for moving to the country was to be able to get more self sufficient with our food. Tonight we had freshly butchered chicken with garden fresh broccoli.

Garden Fresh Broccoli and freshly butchered chicken

Last night we had pork chops (not our farm but we bought a freshly butchered pig not long ago). I dug up a hill of potatoes.  There were a couple medium sized and several small potatoes.  I had a treat of a small scoop of garden fresh potatoes cooked with garden fresh garlic and onions.

Pork steak and potatoes with onion and garlic

Coming soon will be the zucchini. Look at all of those blooms! Yes! Zucchini noodles for spaghetti, chopped in chunks for stir fry and sliced thin for pizza.

Zucchini

Baby Birds at the feeders

Watching at the end of June, I noticed that the baby orioles were old enough to fly.  They followed their parents to the feeder and waited to be fed.  

A majority of the time it is the father feeding the babies. If only the babies would cooperate and not change locations continually. 

The stages went from the babies flying near the feeder to onto the feeder and now for the most part, they feed themselves.

I am also surprised to see how they can pick up jelly and carry it like it is solid.

It is interesting to see how the babies are less fearful than the parents.  They will sit in the same spot for the longest time.

Eventually the parent returns with a mouth full of food.  I think this is a baby girl.

This would be a baby boy.  With over 12 parents and their offspring,  is there any wonder why we are going through about a pound of jelly a day?

Birds in Flight

I got lucky and these pictures were the result.  These are some of my favorite pictures so far.  I keep trying for better.  You know how it goes .... Good, better, best, never ever rest until your good gets better and your better gets best.

I had a some fun things typed between the pictures but the update didn't save. So instead of retyping everything,  I am just going to let you scroll through the pictures.  Enjoy!

Two orioles in flight

Coming in for a landing

Fly by

Heading out

Wheels down!

Going up anyone?

Dad's going for more food!

Happy 4th of July

After chores and before the dogs got up this morning, I shampooed the couch.  I fenced it off and put a fan on it.  Then I  loaded up the dogs in the van and headed to Jeannie ' s to pick up two lambs.

Clean and drying

The two 14 week old lambs are Creamer on the front left and Cocoa on the front right. Their mama is standing behind them. They are half Navajo and half Shetland.

Creamer and Cocoa, my new ewe lambs

I saw many beautiful flag displays today. But because I was driving I didn't get pictures.  Right before arriving home, I pulled over to get a picture. 

USA proud! Fly 'em high!

When I arrived home my whether and ram greeted the two young ewes. The ram is full blood Shetland so any babies will be 3/4 Shetland and 1/4 Navajo. 

All of my sheep

Every animal in the pasture greeted the two young ewes.  They weren't necessarily happy about that and the took off running circles in the pasture.  That is until they found a spot where they could escape.

HELLO!  can be overwhelming

They escaped on me twice before I plugged the escape route.  I left them grazing peacefully in the pasture.

Creamer and Cocoa grazing in the new pasture

When I got back into the house,  the couch was dry. I'm only 25% through everything that I hoped to get done today. I need one more day off.

Black and White and .... red all over?

Well, maybe not red all over but we have two kinds of birds at the feeders that are black and white with red patches.

The top picture are two of our red-headed woodpeckers. They are with us all year.  I think that these two are juveniles.

This next bird is called Grosbeak. There is a large variety of grosbeaks. They get their name because of the distinctive beak.

Periodically two grosbeaks come to the feeders at the same time. I'm not sure why but they have such a regal look to them. They are definitely eye catching.

Bird Watching

This looks a little more like people watching. I have taken some fun shots while bird-watching.  I've separated them into several groups: general bird watching, birds in flight, baby birds, and black and white birds.  I will be sharing the photos over several posts.

I'm watching you!

 Since this picture was taken, yet another shepherds hook was added.  We have another one being repaired.  With the variety and quantity of birds, that we have out here we have multiple feeders for each type of feed.

Bird feeders

 It surprised me when I looked up and the blue bird was flying from feeder to feeder checking out what is going on.  They normally eat bugs and worms from the yard.  I've never seen them check out the feeders in the window.  It actually tasted a little bit of the grape jelly.

An oriole and blue bird

 In the picture below, this female was checking everything out.  Her obvious curiosity was fun to watch.

What's that up there?

 The orioles love roosting on the tops of the shepherds hooks.  They will wait patiently before going to the feeder if another is feeding.

Oriole

 When they don't roost on the shepherds hook, I can see them roosting in the tree nearby.  I haven't seen any of their nests.  I would not be surprised if they aren't in the trees down by the river.

Oriole

 I think this is a young oriole.  Possibly a male.  The feather colors are somewhere between the dull female colors and the bright male colors.

Oriole

 I keep the top of the window pulled down a bit when I'm sitting by the window so that I can hear their beautiful song.  I'm not sure if they are singing thanks or if they are calling others to the food.  But they have a beautiful song.

Oriole singing to us

For many years watching fish swim was considered one of the most relaxing events.  If you've never had bird feeders out your window, you need to try it.  Watching the birds is also a very relaxing time.

Birdwatching

Oh ducklings ...

... what trouble you make! I would get angry if you didn't look so cute in the middle of the plant. These pictures are a bit fuzzy because I had to take them through a screen.

Hide my gal

If I  would have opened the door to the house, the ducks would have moved.  So I grabbed the camera and carefully stepped up to the window. As it was, the duck got up and moved positions.

you can't see me

Amazingly, the plant bounced back when the duck was gone. I am concerned that by the end of summer these ducks will have destroyed the gardens.