Bits and Pieces...

In just a few more days, our friend Linda will be turning 60. As a twist on birthday celebration, she gave presents away! And, BONUS, I'm a winner! I won Linda's Christmas in June (actually, it was May at the time) gift box. And what a box it is!

She included everything!

Not just place mats, napkins and cute little dessert dishes, she also sent two place settings of silverware!

And this cookie cookbook has me planning some goodies for my near future! See the pretty little cross stitch ornament?

Snowman napkins, paper plates, a little statue, a tea towel, and the stacked salt, pepper and toothpicks snowman on the right are going to be wonderful additions to my Christmas supplies! Is that all?

NO WAY! You know she had to include this fabulous chicken mug! I love it all!

Thank you so much Linda! Make sure you visit her blog...

ALA CARTE!

Tell her I sent you!

Last night, I went over to Mary's to get photos of that ugly little peacock I showed you earlier this week. Turns out, nobody was home. But I was not alone! These guys were my escort!

Actually, the black goat grabbed me on my way out...literally! My shirt looked like it would taste really good! The other guys walked me to the chicken coop and showed off their feathered friends.

Mary has a little bit of everything in her yard!

That cute baby bunny posed a little for me. See the ears of his brothers and sisters behind him?

As I was headed out, Mary came home. A quick trip in the house, and I had the shot I was looking for!

Remember that pitiful looking peacock I showed you last week? He had just hatched.

This is the same guy three days later! He's still not looking much like a peacock!

And, this is my favorite bloom at the moment. This hydrangea is as big as my head!

Springtime Brings...

BABIES!

Just because my house is lacking little ones doesn't mean my neighbors don't have any!

Neighbor Terri has 12 new baby chicks. They came in the mail last Thursday. Since there was so much extra space in the box, the chicken company worries that the babies will get cold. So what's a chicken company to do? Toss in a bunch of basic boys to keep the others warm!

The gray ones were paid for and the yellow ones are body heat!

The breed I have are cochins. These cuties are silkies.

When they grow up, they'll look like this!

Here's a close up of a freebie! Anybody want a pile of damn-cute roosters?

Yesterday, Neighbor Mary called for help getting a duck and her babies out of the well house. She had nested in a pile of insulation with a butt-load of eggs. All but two hatched!

Looking down on the crew, it doesn't look like too many.

But get Mama out of the picture and you see 19 babies! Are they not the cutest things!

They were relocated to the chicken tractor. Mama had to be coaxed off the roof of Mary's house....twice!

But once she was caught and back with the babies, they all seemed to be happy! I wonder how much trouble I would be in if I brought home a few baby ducks?

I know the answer...A WHOLE DAMN LOT!!

Daisy the Goat has her own house. She can't decide if this is better than her spot in the garage and only goes in her house when put there by Farmer Mary!

These baby bunnies are just 6 days old. Their eyes aren't open yet, but those babies can hop! I had to hold on so tight, I thought I might squish them!

Yep, I miss Melvin, but with all the babies in the 'hood, I will get my snuggle fix!

Flowers, Goats, and Pollen, Oh My!

Here in North Carolina, we always know spring is here when our loblolly pines release their pollen. The world takes on a yellow haze. It usually takes a good rain to wash it away. Then, we have to hose or blow off the porches, garages, cars, etc. to officially remove it all.

This hand print is on the hood of my car. Who needs finger print powder when the pollen is out. I suggest all bad guys stay away from my house!

I need to schedule a trip to the car wash!

I accidentally uploaded this photo, so thought I would show you what I posted on craigslist today. It is a beautiful entry table. Unfortunately, the base has water damage and it needs some repairs. It's been on my list of things to do for a while and I'm trying to slim that list WAAAAY down!

My May Apples have really popped out this week. They grow wild in the woods behind my house. They are one of my favorites. They are dusted in pollen. It was 90 degrees yesterday, so I wonder if that will lengthen or shorten their season. Cough, cough, sniff!


This is my small leaf periwinkle. It is slowly covering the ground in the island out front. More pollen! AAACHHHHOOO!

I hadn't even noticed my cherry tree was blooming until I was out walking around with my camera. The color is a little off, but I like it. The actually blooms are a pale pink.

Look who came to visit. Neighbor Mary has a new goat. Her name is Daisy. She is adorable. She walks on a leash and every now and then throws in a jump and leap. Very cute!

Daisy waited with us for the big yellow bus! No school for baby goats. She did go to church for Easter and passed for a baby lamb. City kids are easily fooled!

In Pursuit of Photographs

Yesterday, I typed up the previous post and thought I would run across the street to take photos and feed the roosters in the chicken tractor. I grabbed a bag of rubbery carrots to share with the critters in the pasture.

The Escape Goat met me at the gate. I tossed him a carrot. This kept him busy while I opened the gate and let myself in. Unfortunately, it also alerted all of the other animals in the pasture that I was there and carrying food. Within 10 steps, I was surrounded. I tried to pass out carrots, but patience is NOT a virtue for livestock. I decided I would just empty the bag of carrots on the ground, leaving the critters to scrap for them, and head on over to feed the chickens and get my photos.

The carrots were a distraction for about 8 seconds. I found myself flanked by a huge black llama to the left, Nelson the Pony to the right, an emu leaning over my right shoulder, the Escape Goat and a few friends climbing up the front of me, and chickens sitting on the fence, thinking about jumping on my head! All I could think of is please don't let them trample me here and what an embarrassing way to die! With the bucket of chicken food held high over my head, the llama and emu still managed to get a couple of corn kernels.

Thinking fast, I flung half of the food out of the bucket and ran for the chicken tractor. I considered climbing in with them, but figured I had really pissed them off the night before and they might want to peck my eyes out! Instead, I opened the door, dumped the remainder of their food inside, and turned to escape. Again, I was surrounded. This time, I had nothing. No carrots, no corn kernels, no chicken food. One of the goats started chewing on my shirttail. Nelston the Pony started chewing on my plastic bucket. The emus kept looking me in the eye (being pecked by the chickens didn't seem to be so bad any more)! The llamas and goats kept shoving their heads in the bucket with hopes of traces of food.

I finally made it back to the gate, but had multiple animals wanting to leave with me. Guess who got out. That Escape Goat! I enticed him back to me by holding out my empty plastic bucket and he came running. He isn't the brightest bulb in the pasture! I grabbed him by one of his horns, picked him up, opened the gate, held all of the others back, and deposited him on the pasture side of the gate.

With hoof prints on the front of me, more crap on my shoes, and bite marks on my shirt tail, I rushed home to my well behaved dog and 4 chickens. From now on, I know which side of the fence I belong on!