Dixie Chicks

[hennible]

To get Sam her chocolate

 

[vehve]

And there might be a tomato there, waiting to say "Come on, ketchup!"

 

[chickwhispers]

@chickwhispers what do you do that has you working at night?

and anyone New Welcome feel free to jump right in!

I take care of adult clients with developmental and sometimes physical disabilities in their home.

`wow we have something major in comman! I hadnt really thought about it but I kinda figured it was weird my gardening and all that to heal from my moms passing...and we are both revamping a property gone to pot..pretty kewl..so what would you say is the worse part of revamping the property so far?? for me it's been the ivy.gawd I hate ivy I might even hate them slightly more then blackberries...

My mom wasn't a gardener my dad was and my grandparents were awesome gardeners. I loved going to their house as a kid. The yard was impeccable. My grandfather kept the edges all neat just like a botanical garden place does.
We are totally redoing this place too. The location is cool but the house sat empty for 4 years before we got and we didn't move in for 2 years. The house is built into a hill and has a walk out garage and sun room both of which are likely last on the list of improvements. The house had so many hidden things wrong and we knew the landscaping would take time, but due to having to put more into the house remodel than expected, the landscape is 2 steps forward and then 1 step back. There were so many overgrown shrubs and small trees in front of the house very close to the foundation that you couldn't see the house from the road. The mosquitoes especially loved the arborvitae and junipers setting so close to the deck. We took down seven in the first two years before moving in. Weed trees abound here. For every one I manage to cut down two or three more grow. We have sycamore trees all around and I love them except for two that are way too close to the house. Off the deck and to the west of the sunroom is a rock retaining wall I am making into a rock garden. It's about 3/4's' finished. In front of that is a small water garden and just in front of the sun room on the south at ground level is a hosta garden. In a back corner there is an apple tree and a wild cherry tree that has taken over.
There was english ivy and virginia creeper growing everywhere around the house and up the trees. There is still ivy, not as bad, but I didn't get to it last spring and it took off with a vengeance last summer. There are plenty of wild roses everywhere, with tons of natural wild flowers all around the pond-wanna-be. Species of wild daisies, angelica, golden rod, joe pye weed and a few others that get so over grown if I don't cut them early they make a great harbor for more mosquitos.There are wild raspberries in several places. The property butts up to a creek and in the fall, winter and spring it's really kind of neat, with lily of the vally growing on the ridge and none of the wild raspberries and wild roses or the poison ivy leafed out you can actually walk down to the creek with no issues.Every summer I look out for the poison ivy and try to get rid of what I find but there is on patch that refuses to die off. It's so high in the tree I can't reach the leaves. This spring on a sunny very warm day I am going out with a saw and long sleeves,long pants and gloves and cut it back and cut pieces out of the stem and inject round up into it!
In the summers I had been trying to tackle one specific area but the last two summers were spent helping with my mom and building the chicken run. All I was able to accomplish in the rest of the yard was minimal maintenance. I hope this summer to make 2 steps forward- Period! The hens love free ranging all over there is so much good cover for them so as I take out I will need to replace the coverage for them with some better choice plantings than what is/was here. The place had a rustic look when we bought it but can go from rustic to wild in a month. I'd like to keep a little rustic aire about it, but want some order to it as well. Little by little I hope to tame the wild.

 

[chickwhispers]

Chocolate did someone say chocolate?

 

[vehve]

I did, I said it! Sam might have some waiting for her in her mailbox right now, but she doesn't want to go check...

 

[Amberjem]

woke up n been fussing in the garden both indoor and out and found a surprise


@vehve that is an amazingly beautiful shot truely it was breathtaking to open up and see

 

[Amberjem]

Amberjem -
The best thing I've found to deal with blackberries is goats. Just set a fence around them and they'll chew them down to the ground. I had pygmy goats that took out HUGE 7-foot high berms of them. Much better than having to go to County Ag and get registered for special specific herbicides, etc...which didn't work well at all.

just used good old fashioned elbow grease and a sharp machete

 

[Amberjem]

2°F here this morning. House was at 62° cause the wood stove didn't burn to hot last night. BRRRR! Woke up, froze to death picking up duck eggs and getting fire a little hotter.

@Amberjem When things get to busy I just like to sit down and watch the chickens and horses out running around. Watching them relieves any and all stress!

Good morning Everyone!
The SUN is shining.
Our temp got down to 6 degrees last night. Not fun. Worried about one of my Buff English Roos. His comb has been burned I am certain.

Did anyone check out my family recipe for Colonial Williamsburg Orange Cake? Golden raisins soaked all night in gold Rum. A full bottle of it! This morning I make the cake for tonights special birthday party. The 45 minutes at 350* destroys the alcohol but the rum essense is still there and quite lovely. No I am not tempted to have a taste this morning..... Actually during the night I very quietly removed several plump and juicy with rum raisins from the old fruit jar. WOW, I had to clear my throat, slight fire. Went to chew them but felt a weird cough and whezz coming on...so I had to quickly swallow them. Gee me up here in the Moonshine Capital of the World. Maybe why I slept in this morning. Slept beautifully also. Well it is a very busy morning. Hope everyone is well and doing fine.

musta missed it also?

I'll never tell, Sam.

Look at his hard work, nice job @Sharps Big 50

good!

LOL I crack mine into a clear dish each time. I have no idea why, I know they are ALL fertile. It's just cool.

Yikes. We are at 6 today.

slight fire? Nope missed the recipe sounds good though.

cuz it's fun I dunno lol hopefully todays egg will be fertile also and I will crack open one from the other day but in a bowl first lol

 

[chickwhispers]

I did, I said it! Sam might have some waiting for her in her mailbox right now, but she doesn't want to go check...

@hennible too cold outside? (Don't tell her but ..

If she's not going to I may have to take the the jet and get it.

)

 

[Amberjem]

I take care of adult clients with developmental and sometimes physical disabilities in their home.
My mom wasn't a gardener my dad was and my grandparents were awesome gardeners. I loved going to their house as a kid. The yard was impeccable. My grandfather kept the edges all neat just like a botanical garden place does.
We are totally redoing this place too. The location is cool but the house sat empty for 4 years before we got and we didn't move in for 2 years. The house is built into a hill and has a walk out garage and sun room both of which are likely last on the list of improvements. The house had so many hidden things wrong and we knew the landscaping would take time, but due to having to put more into the house remodel than expected, the landscape is 2 steps forward and then 1 step back. There were so many overgrown shrubs and small trees in front of the house very close to the foundation that you couldn't see the house from the road. The mosquitoes especially loved the arborvitae and junipers setting so close to the deck. We took down seven in the first two years before moving in. Weed trees abound here. For every one I manage to cut down two or three more grow. We have sycamore trees all around and I love them except for two that are way too close to the house. Off the deck and to the west of the sunroom is a rock retaining wall I am making into a rock garden. It's about 3/4's' finished. In front of that is a small water garden and just in front of the sun room on the south at ground level is a hosta garden. In a back corner there is an apple tree and a wild cherry tree that has taken over.
There was english ivy and virginia creeper growing everywhere around the house and up the trees. There is still ivy, not as bad, but I didn't get to it last spring and it took off with a vengeance last summer. There are plenty of wild roses everywhere, with tons of natural wild flowers all around the pond-wanna-be. Species of wild daisies, angelica, golden rod, joe pye weed and a few others that get so over grown if I don't cut them early they make a great harbor for more mosquitos.There are wild raspberries in several places. The property butts up to a creek and in the fall, winter and spring it's really kind of neat, with lily of the vally growing on the ridge and none of the wild raspberries and wild roses or the poison ivy leafed out you can actually walk down to the creek with no issues.Every summer I look out for the poison ivy and try to get rid of what I find but there is on patch that refuses to die off. It's so high in the tree I can't reach the leaves. This spring on a sunny very warm day I am going out with a saw and long sleeves,long pants and gloves and cut it back and cut pieces out of the stem and inject round up into it!
In the summers I had been trying to tackle one specific area but the last two summers were spent helping with my mom and building the chicken run. All I was able to accomplish in the rest of the yard was minimal maintenance. I hope this summer to make 2 steps forward- Period! The hens love free ranging all over there is so much good cover for them so as I take out I will need to replace the coverage for them with some better choice plantings than what is/was here. The place had a rustic look when we bought it but can go from rustic to wild in a month. I'd like to keep a little rustic aire about it, but want some order to it as well. Little by little I hope to tame the wild.

awesome would love to see some pictures I have a hard time too I tend to like the wild rustic look but then formal gardens appeal also just not so much the work involved...I am working towards more of a sustainable type edible landscaping here........I'm not getting younger physically issues will progress so I dont want high maintenance stuff....



ohh btw does anyone know is cat grass ok for chickens?