If you guessed Peafowl you were correct. Pat yourself on the back. We are guessing it is a Peacock with trailing feathers trimmed. A tended group lives about 2 1/2 miles due east of us. He got away from his enclosure in the storms that have been causing some high anxiety for birds, beasts and beings ...
Yesterday, as Sadie and I were taking one of our morning walks the first fawn of the season was sighted in the middle of the pasture to the right..JPG)
The doe sipping at the puddle has been hanging around the yard. I can only speculate it is the same one that was watching me mow last year when I found a young fawn - posted on June 11,2007, in "Bambi Alert!"
The turkey was having a fantastic time playing in the mud. Jumping in and out like a little kid, scratching to see what it could find. Seeing and hearing at least one close by daily has been a change. The population expanding they may become more and more visible.
It has been 16 years since we moved here on June 12th. With each passing year it seems as though we are be assimilated into the wilderness surroundings - the wild life coming closer, to call it their home as well...
The weather had improved giving us some rain free days. Decided it was a perfect time to see about getting the Troybuilt out of the shed. Once Hubby did some spring time spiff ups I was on my way. I am the turner of the soil facilitated by the 8-HP Troybuilt Horse model. Love the way it works the soil for planting beds. The dirt between my toes. I start off with shoes and socks on, but if the day is warm I am not satisfied with walking on the tilled surface with shoes or flip-flops on.
Wanted to mix up the little garden to start getting some of my plants into the ground.
Planted 6 - "Burpee's Big Mama" sauce tomatoes, 2- of an antique variety called "Brandywine" that seems to be making a come back,6 -"Burpee's Big Boy", and 4- patio tomato(only they got put into the garden with the "BIG" tomatoes).
Got 10 - "Burpee's Carousel Peppers" and 4 - eggplant put into the ground.
They are very small so I might end up replacing them if the rain that is coming is extremely heavy.
The sweet potatoes and basil will be the next to put into the ground.
Not going to plant things real close this year. It hasn't been tilled or weeded for a couple of years so will need to leave room for the tiller to help out in the weeding direction.
Because the garden sits on a incline I leave most of the soil unsmoothed so the water won't run it all down hill. Leaving some pockets to hold the water, at least until we get alot of rains. Then it has to be stirred up again.
With prices going up in the store I needed to get my freezer stocked with tomatoes and peppers, to start with anyway. Progress reports to come.
Here are some other bloggers you might like to read getting ready for the produce planting part of Spring. Jody at The Hunter's Wife has a really great little garden she is sharing with all of us.
Then check out Windyridge over in New York. She has had some challenges with the weather click here and here. I am quite sure she will be ready for the weather to finally be ready for gardening.
I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for more gardening updates from these two gals. Looks like fun in my book !!! ;)
This is only a section of the 25X50 garden that has been worked first at my house.
Sadie's first night home gave us some entertainment and little sleep. Not being familiar with each other, she found places to "Den", peeking out to observe the situation. As the evening went on she would sneak out from behind the chair and pick up one toy at a time. The first piece of furniture to become initiated by her tiny, SHARP teeth.
Electric and computer cords have seemed to become automatic chew toys for her. This puppy has one absolutely challenging habit at this age. Chew! Chew!! Chewing!!! Oh YES, Did I say C-H-E-W-I-N-G?!? Diverting her attention has been one thing. Holding her little mouth closed and telling her "NO" firmly, short time outs in the kennel, have been other methods of getting her attention. Another suggestion I have also read about is to place a bitter-taste on the focus of the teeth puncture wounds or ripping. Patience and being consistent will bring positive results. The first full day of being home,with trips outside every two hours, there weren't any potty problems...Soon to change in the next couple of days. I am getting to see what her cues are for us to be getting on our way out the door.
Particular noises around the house are becoming less of an anxiety trigger as we reach almost a week together come tomorrow evening.
At 9 weeks of age she is most definitely a sniffer ; catching the scents in the neighborhood.
1.Going up and down three deck steps on her own. 2.Learning her name in a very short amount of time. 3.A free foot warmer while sitting at the computer.
Sadie found a stick on one of our early morning excursions,on her second day home,and carried it very proudly like any "Retriever" would...
just a beautiful location overlooking the West Branch of the Des Moines River. The headwaters of one of our major rivers here in the State of Iowa.
The arrangement was made to meet Dorothy Sanborn at the Pilot Travel Center off N. Cliff. Ave.,in Sioux Falls, SD. , since she had a trip into town that day making my leg of the trip a little bit shorter. Our transfer concluded,I was back on the road with Sadie by 12:33P.M., reaching home about 5:15 P.M.. Almost a 12 hour day for the total trip.
So begins the continuing story of"Lady's Timber Life Sadie"...
Hubby suggested I put it on Sadie - which is not a bad idea. They do make diapers for dogs. One brand I have found PetPeepers.
Then to my amazement I found a website offering all kinds of aids for elderly or impaired pets.
It is great to know at whatever stage of life we have convenient aids to assist in pet care. Hmmm, how did we live without them in the past????
You know what I have on my mind these days. No, Sadie hasn't come home yet, but it is only a day away. Hubby thought this would be a good way to keep track of all her milestones, her baby book if you will. Finding sticks and rocks to chew...teething on the rocking chair. Oh yes, and her first pheasant retrieval in the field. Everything that comes with bringing up a 4-legged little girl. I will probably have some grandchildren to entertain this coming weekend after our puppy finds herself apart of her "forever home". That is what I want though, for Sadie to know who the important people are, and for the grandchildren to have no fear of her...
I was over the marsh Friday evening when the starter ring gear separated from the flywheel. The prop caught the bell housing parts as they flew off.
I immediately shut down the engine and glided to the field just north of the runway. Ended up about a quarter mile away in the corn stubble. Normal engine out landing. No problem. Took the truck and pulled it home with Dianna and the neighbor's help.
Took it apart Saturday. Only other damage not evident in the photo's is it chipped the rear main seal housing. I have another one.
This happened because I was using the wrong flywheel. It couldn't absorb the harmonic resonance of the engine. I will try and find a replacement in a junk yard and have it balanced. The prop will be expensive. Don't know how much for the bell housing. I'm waiting for a response from the supplier.
Obviously will not be flying to Columbia.Don't know about Gardner.Should be fixed by Oshkosh.
C!
Wife's Point of View : Oh Honey ! Are you alright?!? So, you were able to walk away from the plane...
As a wife with a guy who will do what he wants to do. There could be some bumps, bruises, and broken bones along the way, as I've learned from a past experience.
Hubby is working on getting the bugs out of the system. We are glad he was in the neighborhood when the parts decided to fly. Instead of on his way to one of the upcoming events...
The kicker, he had only 48 more minutes until he would have been able to leave the 25 mile radius restriction. With changes to the plane he may have to start over at another 40 hours - to be determined after contacting the local FAA office to get their opinion. Sitting on pins and needles working on trying to get things all in order to be off into the wild blue yonder in the shortest amount of time possible once again...
The Orioles have made the return back to Timber Life.
The male orioles don't seem to have a huge problem with sharing the oak trees as they feed.
Sharing the feeder seems to be more territorial.
In my observation I notice that a pair, male and female, will sit in the little tree close by. The female goes to eat and the male becomes the target of another male that comes swooping in to chase him away...
