Flowers on the Farm

The yard work and flowers around the farm have been a work in progress. This year is more about maintaining than anything else. With all the projects going on, we thought it was smarter to keep it that way! However, I couldn't resist the urge to buy a new color of an iris when I found one in the local garden center, for 60% off!

Here is a little bit of what is in bloom right now!

So many hosta's!

My favorite hosta.

I love my lilies!

 We have so many hollyhock. We never planted a single one, but in our weeding and cleaning up, we uncovered them from years ago! A lady that lived hear more than twenty years ago, remembers that the lady before her had hollyhocks! How cool is that?

 This is the newest mystery plant we have uncovered. We tore down a shed that was attached to the back of the house, and have since found about five of these growing. We both agreed that they did not look like a weed, so because of our curiosity we let them live! It looks like one is ready to bloom and I am so excited to see what it is! It is very much resembling a flower I know as "Moon Plant". 

What do you think it is?

Around the Farm

Our warm months seem to be passing by so quickly! Between the day job, taking care of normal life duties, now the garden, and the baby chicks, I have been seriously lacking in my blogging!! Please know that life is good! We are just busy busy, and enjoying some time outside! 

Our chicken coop is still a work in progress, but the chicks are loving it! They are growing so fast, they keep pushing us to the next step faster than we thought we would have to be there! Like the day I knew they needed to feel that green grass under their feet!  Truckin' Man roughed in a door opening for them, so that they can get some sunshine, bugs, and fresh green grass!

Some just liked to look without actually taking that step outside!

So much fun watching them. This picture is already a couple weeks old, and they have lost most of their fuzz, and have feathers growing in.

 Very few have names so far, but this lady does. This is Georgette!

This is one of the two Buff Cochin Bantams we have.

   We did have three Silver Laced Wyandottes. Two of them were for my parents, and they took them home to their coop yesterday.

 The chicks quickly out grew the little chicken run, and the low fence. So today, we had to put in the permanent fencing. That began with needing a gate.  I found an old tailgate to a wagon that was made out of 2 x 4's. I thought that was a perfect start! After looking at it, Truckin' Man agreed and cut up a couple old barn boards to fill in the gaps. Isn't it perfect?! I just LOVE it!

Do you have any baby chicks this year? I'd love to hear about them!

Around the farm

We have been so busy since the snow melted, it's amazing how full a day can be. Truckin' Man has been trying to divide his time between trucking, farming, and the "honey do" list. Poor guy...  So much work, so little time. We hired an amazingly ambitious 15 year old young man to help out around the farm, and it is soooo nice having his help. We are making a little headway.

First project up for this year was a new chicken coop.  

Truckin' Man didn't want to buy a pre-built one, all though he says next time he will!

My dad even stopped to supervise for a little while.

Instead of picking out chicks at the local farm supply store, this year we ordered them from a hatchery. They arrived in the mail on May 20th. Best mail I have ever received!

Here we are at about three weeks old.

 We have 14 little ones. A variety of breeds.

 I am so excited to see everyone of them grow!

Adios Old Man Winter

I haven't shared much around the farm this winter, because well.... it was hard to share. It's typically dark by the time I get home from work. On the days I didn't work, it was often so cold it really hurt my face! So, I certainly wasn't very inclined to be out taking many pictures. Plus, I am not sure how good the extreme cold is on camera's. I always mean to research that, yet never get it done.

Finally, spring and warmer temperatures are starting to show us teaser's of what is to come. I am so excited! We could see our driveway for the first time in months this weekend! Funny how such a simple thing can bring so much joy.... and mud! But, the mud will soon dry.

Two of the ladies wondered out over the weekend and braved stepping in the snow.

It's been months since we have seen their fluffy butts wandering around!

 Snowdrifts melting, showing more and more of the drive.

 We had so much snow, this is how far above my bird feeder I am when filling it!

I was SO happy to be outdoors over the weekend, but really there wasn't anything to do. So mucky you couldn't walk much of anywhere. To much snow left to start any spring projects. What else to do but build a snowman! 

Happy Melting!

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A Reminder of Warmer Days

In our ongoing days of unusually cold temperatures, I needed pictures to remind me of warmer days. 

Hope these can brighten your day, too.

Around the Farm - The Perfect Fall Day

So many days of the past week have been so cool.

The winds have been blustery. 

There have even been snow flakes spotted.

Today is perfect.

Sun is shining.

Winds are gone.

I love the look of the hillsides when harvest has begun.

One of my projects while the weather had been blustery, was sorting through recipe cards that my mom cleaned out of her recipe box. Many written up by her, and others in each of my grandma's hand writing.

My recent hauls from the orchards has me so inspired with apple recipes. 

Truckin' Man's all time favorite dessert is Apple Pie. I rarely make it, because apple pies are a challenge for me. But, yesterday, I was inspired. I had 3 recipes waiting for me.
I decided on this recipe (click here) from Joy, at Yesterfood. 

Look at this pie! It's gorgeous! 

I even made the crust from scratch!

If you want to see what's up next on the apple baking list, check out these two.

From Mandy at South Your Mouth, Mama's Apple Cider Pie
and

From Anne at From My Sweet Heart, Cinnamon Applesauce Tart

Have a great week and watch out for those goblins!

Around the Farm

It's been a quiet week around the farm. In battling this cold, I ended up loosing my voice. Makes for a long frustrating week, when I am such a chatty person. Work involved a lot of projects that normally take a back burner, but I am grateful that I was able to keep working through it all. Now just to get my voice back!

Onward to what's been going on around the farm. 

We bought my grandpa's tractor, and it made the trip to the farm this week. 

Good thing we can move the firewood, since the wood stove got fired up this week.

And, here is the last in our series of introductions.... Please meet Butterscotch.

Just a random shot of one of The Rosie's hanging around in the barn.

Have a great week!

Around the Farm

It's a busy time around the farm, and I am on my third week of fighting a cough and managed to lose my voice this weekend. Not exactly good timing, but when is there a good time to be sick.

I've spent most of my time on the couch, watching tv, drinking tea, drinking juice, 

drinking water, enjoying cough drop after cough drop.  

I walked a little bit today to see what it going on outside that I have been missing out on.

Harvest time has arrived.

Some of our chicken issues have been worked out, and we are finally enjoying eggs!

I love the assortment of sizes and colors our mixed flock is producing!

Another introduction for you this week. This is Sue. We had a lot of debate whether or not she was a rooster. Thanks to growing up listening to a LOT of Johnny Cash, I named her Sue..... just in case.

 We are under our first Frost Advisory tonight. Days of seeing pretty blooms will soon be ending.

 Hope ya'll have a great week!

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What'd You Do This Weekend?

Around the Farm

Welcome to the second week of "Around the Farm".  Last weekends premier of "Around the Farm" was well received, and I enjoyed sharing it.  My intentions are to try and make this a regular feature here on the blog. 

Today, I have 3 more of our pullets to introduce.  

This is Red.

Meet Cocoa.

And, this is Pepper. She hadn't cleaned up yet from her yogurt treat.

When I am with the girls, Hazel is always close by. 

She is always hopeful that she too, will get a treat.

The raspberries we planted last year did so much better than we could have hoped for this year.

Then of all surprises, we are getting a second round. 

I love surprises like this that keep summer around a little bit longer.

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What'd You Do This Weekend?

Around the Farm

We were supposed to be in Pierce, Nebraska for the big car auction this weekend. We cancelled. 

I don't think the ten thousand plus other attendee's missed us. Did you go? 

Since we stayed home, I will share a couple photo's from around the farm this week.

My three "Rosie's". They follow me everywhere!

This is Punky. He is a Porcelain d' Uccle, and is our first bantam.

Meet Harriet.

My beautiful Maximillian Sunflower. LOADED with blooms. And bee's.

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What'd You Do This Weekend?