INDEPENDENCE DAY

Some of the weekend the boys spent playing with smoke balls and sparklers and generally things that go boom, crackle or make a lot of coloured smoke. They had fun and were really delightful to be around. Spent a time cleaning out the chicken coupe and generally getting it cleaned out and fitted with fresh straw in preparation to our trip to Australia....

Lots of preparations still ongoing. Hire cars hotels and buses to NYC not booked yet.....that is this weeks main tasks. But that being said.....we are fairly well prepared on the homefront and and knocking tasks off one at a time.... Brushhogged all around the berry bushes this weekend and knocked down some of the goldenrod to allow other things to grow. Found a Gooseberry bush way down the back and brought it up towards the house and replanted it where it can grow good and strong and provide us with more gooseberries as it gets larger.

Main task at hand this week is probably going through the boys winter clothes and packing in advance.... as they have grown out of some of their winter things.... not exactly unexpectedly....but since it is winter in Australia I need to be prepared. 21 sleeps to go.......

MY REDBUBBLE SHOP

REDREAMING EGGS

We bought another 5 mixed breed reds from the local Amish chicken farmer to add to our young flock. We figured that by adding some already producing girls we could reap the benefits of eggs and balance the age group of the clutch of chickens we were growing to producing age. The kids are into it....... this week we added metal sheeting to the roof and a gutter which collects the water into a rainwater tank for water on site for the chickens..... closing the input loop. More photos to come..... we did the last bit in the rain as we wanted to get the tank filled in the current few days of rain we are expecting...... Rain util next Tuesday...... so we will see how quickly we can fill the tank.

I am very pleased with our project so far it is giving us a lot of pleasure and of course.....EGGS! The quality of home grown eggs is far superior to those purchased in the supermarket.... no compariston.

Chickens Ducks and Eggs

One of the main projects this Spring has been the establishment of our own chicken house......complete with run right next to the vegetable garden...... beginning the building project....this is all recycled materials from when we demolished the old back porch roof

Filmore Glen In Spring

SPRING GARDEN AND THE GREAT PLANT MIGRATION

The Great Plant Migration refers to the fact that the seedlings are ready to put into the ground. Interestingly enough it happens to be Memorial Long Weekend so apart from the fact i will have more willing pairs of hands.... i will also be doing it at the time when there is now no chance of frost.... *apparently*.

Lets just hope all is good...in fact the weather has been a little warmer than usual the last couple of days so keeping an eye on the seedlings so they don't dry out for the first couple of weeks might actually be more the issue.

Today i direct planted marigolds in the kitchen garden between the leafy greens...the lettuce, arugula, spinich and basil. Curly parsley and radish.. lots more to do..... but going really well. The asparagus has sprouted... the onions are well on the way as is the coriander and dill and chives.

Potato stacks are ready for the second layer and that also needs to be done this weekend....so busy garden times. Of course there's always time to take a few photos..... the first Swallowtail photograph of the season.

SPRING IN SEMPRONIUS FINALLY SHOWS

SPRING AND TRILLIUMS

24 BABIES

Looks like we start the chicken house this weekend..........SO EXCITING!

ROCKS IN MY GARDEN

Working on an area of the garden that is adjacent to the barn.......the strip of soil between the stone barn and the cement pad becomes a real issue in summer attracting yellow jacket wasps by having the goldenrod too close to the barn and HUMAN activity. I am very allergic to the wasp so anything i can do to minimise contact is a good thing. Since i did not wish to build a retaining wall to equal the distance between the two heights i went for a covering of rocks around which i will grow thyme and other ground hugging herbs...... for now just cleaning out the area to put field rocks on was the challenge. I have found a lot of broken glass and rusty metal courtesy of previous home owners.......so one needs to rake then weed .....with gloves and great care.