~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[gryeyes]

Although Angus is still living with the rest of the flock at the rental property, here are a few photos of him to show y'all how big and grown up he's gotten. Because he IS so big, I haven't gathered him up to take to the new house to join Kate. (He's only about 3 times larger than his prospective partner.) There wouldn't be any snuggling him in my lap against my chest as I drove, like when I first brought him home from the folks who sold him to me.

He's been playing in the mud by the kiddie pool, hence the muddy feet.

Angus from the rear.

Angus is standing next to Bartholomew, a Jersey Giant. I think Bart is done growing, but I know Angus isn't, yet....

As for New House/Property updates, there's aren't any. Well, I did hang the sheer panel drapes in the living room. Oh, and I bought some vines at a nursery for planting along the front fence: Thompson grape, honeysuckle, raspberry, two Cecile Brunner climbing roses, plus a pomegranate to put someplace as a showcase planting.

Gosh I hope the well pump guy gets me some running water soon!

 

[maclady]

Wishing you good luck with the well guy and running water. Love you pics of Angus.

 

[HHandbasket]

Another reason it'll be good when the water gets turned on is that apple tree in your front yard is getting FAT with apples! They're gonna shrivel up pretty soon without more water.

I can't wait for this to be done & for you and all your zoo to be up here for good.

Even though this has taken a while, it's just so worth it because it's all yours! And it's SO you. And nobody I know deserves it more.

 

[sfw2]

on the progress, slow though it may seem.

 

[Rollerman]

I came across your thread today and have spent several hours reading your adventures! How great that you have been able to do all this. Congrats and I will be a faithful follower!

 

[gryeyes]

Posting from my iPad, so no pictures until I am back at the rental house (where I have the real computer to upload 'em from the cell phone camera).

Yesterday the well pump guy called to tell me I was on the schedule for Tuesday or Wednesday.

I came up the hill in the morning (shortly after pump guy's call) with some garden fencing stuff, my microwave oven (ewwww! Needed to clean it!) and more k-cups for my Keurig coffeemaker. Oh, some other stuff, too. John the contractor met me with his latest bill and we discussed the next projects. (There was a penny in the envelope with the extremely well-documented invoice, receipts attached. The amount was $139.99, rounded up to $140.00.... The penny was change because he knows people like to write checks with nice, round numbers. Cracked me up!)

I have a regular customer at my hummingbird feeder, and he has staked it out as HIS territory. Scrappy little thing - actually sits on a twig-sized branch on the other side of the driveway on guard for interloping hummingbirds trying to use the feeder. So I put up a second feeder at the end of the veranda. Hmmmm, still within his territory, I discovered. Aerial warfare!

John put up my rooster weathervane and the "Chez Poulet" sign, on the front of the coop.

Yesterday I also put up a very temporary run fence with garden stakes and plastic "poultry" fencing. It will only be used when I am physically present, until I get the rest of the flock up here. This morning I opened the auto-door to the coop and I'm waiting to see how long it takes Kate and/or her minions to venture out of the coop.

Today is DirecTV installation!

While I was not here, the propane company filled the tank. Woo hoo! Cookin' with gas!!!

This time next week, I'll have water!

 

[Kudzu]

Have not read all the post but I will, just wanted to say something you probably know, it sure is nice having a handy man you can trust.

 

[gryeyes]

I'm sneaking this post in from work. Shhhh!

The pump guy said Wednesday is the day.

I gave a spare key to my contractor so he can let the pump crew into the house to replace the pressure tank; John will also be there digging a ditch to bury the grey water outflow pipe.

Another wildlife experience: Sunday I heard what sounded like a kitten mewling and when I tracked the location of the sound, I saw two woodpeckers on the trunk of the well-pecked cedar in prime viewing location from my veranda. Now, I have only heard woodpeckers before, never seen one, ever. This appeared to be a momma and a youngling, as they were next to each other and one was pecking at the trunk whilst the other made that mewling, distressed sound. The other would get a bug and reach over with it, the youngling snatched it, and then the pecking would continue. Eventually, the younger one "got" the idea and began to peck at the trunk. The "momma" moved further up the tree trunk. A third woodpecked joined but moved quite far up the trunk. Momma would come back now and then to check on the youngling. I was fascinated watching them I suppose I could get annoyed by the sound at some point, but right now it's nifty to SEE the birds at work.

Here's the Regular Customer at the hummingbird feeder.

DirecTV installers set me up on Sunday, too. Woo hoo!

Monday morning, John and I went over plans for a pergola, where I intend to plant some Thompson Seedless grape plants. He's been calling it a "grape holder."

None of the chicks or Kate the gosling got brave enough to use the pop door to exit the coop, Sunday or Monday. Farmer Lew put some water in the turtle sandbox for me, then picked up Kate and carried her outside to put her in it. She flapped out of it in a panic and then wandered around in the temporary pen for a bit. She could hear her minion chicks cheeping inside the coop and kept turning her head to figure out where they were by the sound. Eventually, Farmer Lew used a bead of sunlight reflection off his ring to catch her attention on the coop wall. She fixated on it, and he led her to the pop door with that spot of light. She entered the coop, finally.

Kate in the sunlight from a window. Minions are either utilizing the same sunny spot or eating....

By the time I closed the door around 5 p.m. because I had to head down the hill, nobody used that pop door. Some of the chicks would stand on the concrete paver step just below the door, and peer out, but that was it.

It's so cute (right now) to see little gladiator face-off sessions in the middle of the coop. Kate's packing peanut minions are 8 cockerel and 2 pullet chicks. The other 10 "gift chicks" stayed mostly in their kiddie pool in the corner of the coop. I am hoping there will be some integration by the time I am back on the property Wednesday evening.

I hung a large, galvanized feeder from one of the rafters and filled it with All Flock pellets. I also set up two PVC feeders on the walls, along with a PVC nipple waterer, for separate feeding stations at "chick height." The big, hanging feeder scared everybody and they avoided it like the plague. The smaller PVC feeders were a big hit, though.

Here's a shot of the weathervane installed on the front of the coop, along with the Chez Poulet sign.

 

[sfw2]

I LOVE this thread!!!!

So glad things are coming together. Your descriptions of Kate and her minions are priceless.

 

[gryeyes]

Well, here's the latest progress report: I dashed up the hill yesterday after an early work day, because the well pump folks had been working all day and "hoped" to be finished so I'd have water. However, the distance from the house to the well required a heavier duty electrical wire which the company didn't have in stock. So the well is PIPED to the house, but no power to the pump yet. Something about "#12 wire not being high enough amperes and #10 wire is being shipped overnight."

Lord, give me patience, and give it to me RIGHT NOW! Ah well.

As the You Got Water Horizon looms closer, I have been thinking really hard about the process of moving the goldfish and pond plants from the rental property, and how/where to store them during the New Build The Pond process up at the house in the foothills. I don't have to worry about that so much, any more.... A couple days ago I noticed the water lilies had been really nibbled on... and then more eaten..... so I blamed Angus for it, as the ducks have never gotten up on the retaining wall into the pond. I hoped to see him accomplish that task.

But this morning, I discovered the true culprits; my flock of ducks.

Poor Angus, being blamed and he can't even get into the pond to enjoy it!

4 Cayuga and 2 call ducks just enjoying the heck out that pond.

Why do I think this is so cute, when the lilies have been destroyed and the goldfish haven't survived the stirred up muck and duck poop?