Michigan

[Juise]

Those photos make up for the 7 YO today on tour who was afraid of every little thing on the trail. The poor kid was terrified of any kind of bug, fly, beetle, dragonfly and even butterflies.

Oh, one of the kids' cousins is like that, it is always (and the only,) source of issues between them, she is just a bit younger than Kai. While she is terrified / screams / runs away / wants to kill every type of insect / tiny critter / spider she sees, Kaia is... well, the complete opposite. I think I told you guys of her love of picking up / petting bees.

Her cousin's desire to kill every "bug" she sees, for absolutely no other reason than it exists, terrifies Kaia, and they get into fights about it about every time we get together. Her Mom openly and proudly proclaims that the little lady's extreme and irrational fear of bugs (her own words,) comes from her, and obviously does not see an issue. Bah.

I try to do my best to smooth things over and educate when I can, and the little miss always loves to learn about them and will get very excited and happily leave them alone when she knows that they don't want to, or will not, harm her, and understands their roles in the world. My little talks with her will never trump her mother's fear, though.

I can think of nothing more beautiful than a happy child playing.

Well, those eggs are pretty neat.

look out broken arm will come next

love the pics I spent half my child hood in trees, still love to climb trees, (if it is an easy climb)...took my grand son on a field trip (5th grade) there were trees that were climbable and non of those boys new how to climb a tree,,,,, the dad's laughed and were up the trees in a blink

Me too! Although my brothers and I never broke anything as kids, luckily. When I think back to what we spent our days doing, I find that almost unfathomable. Actually, sometimes I can't believe we are still alive.

I think making napalm in the kitchen while our parents weren't home probably tops the charts for us...

I read an article that said there was essential bacteria in the soil that we need to be in contact with.

Yeah, I heard about that, too. They even sell dirt pills!!!

 

[Juise]

Oh yeah, and how did the caterpillar die? Was it beginning to pupate? Were there any little strings off it?

 

[taprock]

I'm assuming that your caterpillar was feeding on milkweed.
My first question would be where that milkweed came from.

If you collected the milkweed from the roadside, chances are good that the DOT or someone had sprayed pesticides. I'd need more details if you have them.

Oh yeah, and how did the caterpillar die? Was it beginning to pupate? Were there any little strings off it?

The milkweed was from the middle of my garden so hopefully nothing to bad, I don't spray anything. He didn't get as large as others have in past years. Did the hanging/web thing and I figured by the next day he would be in his chrysalis. Instead the next day he looked like he sprang a leak and all his insides drained out - still in caterpillar form. He wasn't close enough to have touched anything. We have had other failures in the past but usually when they fell or touched something while changing to the chrysalis. We also lost a lot of small caterpillars during the last hard rain... poor little things.

 

[Opa]

Every year I have nesting turtles come into my yard. Occasionally one will be a snapping turtle, but the most common are painted turtles. This year I have seen at least a half dozen and late afternoon when I was checking the birds I found one half buried in the sand laying her clutch of eggs. There is something reassuring about witnessing this year after year. Just one more proof of the wonderful cycle of life.

 

[chicken grandma]

Opa - neat eggs! Thanks for the link!

Juise - Is there a rooster in the tree with Kaia?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Probably going to jinx myself by telling, but i had an interesting showdown in the coop tonight between one of the broody wanna-be's and the ex broody with the 2 weekers. Lacy (wanna-be) is starting to want to spend nights in the box, and has been terrible to the babies. Seems jealous. Somehow i came back to the coop to find momma and her babies, happily snuggled on the eggs instead. Poor lacy tried to bide her time, but once she figured out momma wasn't just in there laying an egg, feathers flew. I ended up having to lock momma and the babies back in the big kennel, and threw in a few golf balls to make her happy.

Perhaps it wasn't the weather stopping the broodie wanna be's after all. Is this normal at all?

Also, i was wondering today if a hen has a natural instinct on picking out her guy? My little gal seems to prefer the early "naughty" crower, though he has yet to try anything with her. He is the biggest of the 3 roos, with the biggest comb. Not little bean, who she seemed glued to growing up. Thinking back on my roo failures, it seems that the hens had a natural adversion to them and given choice always went for my current boy.. ..... is there a connection, or are the hens as unlucky in love as us?

 

[swampducks]

I have loved those since I first saw an article on them in a National Geographic many, many years ago. Good gosh, we're talking decades! Always wanted to try it sometime. Oddly, since getting chickens I never thought of it again till now.

Today's mail brought two bantam eggs that through the art of pysanky they were transformed by Glambka in works of art. Absolutely beautiful.

Aw cool! Bob has one of those 1 man people movers?!!

Bob, I enjoy your posts and your segways.

OOO, I heard one of my 12 10 week old cockerels crow today! Of course, he stopped when I got close enough to see which one it might be! Was so nice, haven't had a rooster in a year since the fox got mine last year.

 

[NovaAman]

About dirt... I think kids should be rolled in a big pile of dirt at least once a month. LOL. My kids love to dig, go adventuring. That tree, Juise, those are the type of trees I wish we had here at my house. BUT NO! Have to have the long trunked maples and cherrys.

Put a new roost up. I just got a big thick stick for now. They seem to be happy with it. Got a few pics too.

First is my Hawk's eye... She keeps holding this eye closed, and I am not sure if she's injured it, or from a fight with one of the other girls... Like Skatter...

There is no runniness, just this, and the other is fine. Other than this, she's fine...

Buffy's little lady...

Didn't she turn out just beautiful! Her foot feathering is amazing...
Her sister Belle Mai
She is getting black dots in her neck feathers and her feet. SO cute!
Look at the lacing on this girl! She's Fav x GLW
Sorry it is fuzzy, I have to zoom in on them... or they take off.

My colorful egg basket. Got 12 eggs today.

Edited to fix Hawk's name... Oops... Its not Fia, its Hawk.

 

[RBahmer]

If anybody is interested I have 4 young Cuckoo Marsans cockerals that are looking for homes. If anybody is interested I can bring them to CS. They will be a month old on CS day. They are free. Just pm me if you are interested.

 

[Mish]

Glambka did a beautiful job of transforming this eggs.

I thought I'd post a link to her etsy site so you can see more of her beautiful work.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/goldeneggpysanky

She's very nice too. I've been giving her eggs since I saw her post about wanting bantam eggs and found out she's only a few miles away. I believe she is looking for turkey eggs because she says those work best. I'll be at CS so if anyone happens to bring some I can transport them back.