Sitting with a cup of coffee. (coffee lovers)

[vehve]

My dad always says it reminds him of Norway.

Never been, but as Lapland stretches through Norway, Sweden and Finland I'd agree with him. Norway has some nice fjords though, those we don't have.

 

[JW12]

Alaskan-[COLOR=333333]Awe! So, why did you have to move? Different job, needed something smaller? I fantasize about having everything that I currently have, plus a bunch more land, and lots more heat.[/COLOR]

Yep.  I was a whole lot younger and a single mom at the time.  I loved my farm and so did my daughter, my male vole, not so much , but a great job opportunity for me and wonderful Christian School opportunity for the voles came up at the same time and it was just too good (especially for the voles) to pass up.  When you are a mom, you got to do what you got to do.
It all worked because eventually I met my wonderful Godly hubby but he had to be a city boy, really???   It was a long process but he's a country boy now!   
Just not enough years left to turn him into a farmer    How well, got the lots more land part anyway

Awesome story. Just from that story we have a lot a parallels in our life. I met my "city wife" at a Christian school. She was from Ohio of all places and now she loves the country life. Our middle DD and Son love the farm but the youngest DD only likes it a little.... On a good day lol.

 

[TeaChick]

Got my rain!!!

A nice hard, straight down rain that gave everything a good soaking. Had a bit of lightening but could have used a few more to release a bit more nitrogen to help things green up a bit more. It was really cute afterwards to watch all the critters come out to play in the puddles

Yay!!!

Critters playing in puddles. =D My chooks don't wait until after the rain, they run right out and scratch dance in the rain.

@TeaChick

Since when is this over ordering?

My incubator is COMPLETELY CLEAN, EMPTY AND TURNED OFF!!!

@chickisoup

So happy you had some good rain.

@ronott1

Oooh, more eggies!

Oh, I stand corrected.
Order away!!!!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Photos, photos, I want to see more photos of your quails, chicks, coops, critters, etc. I will try to post some too. I love reading all these posts but I want to see too...

I like pics. Here, let me post something...


Eddie Lacy: my best free range rooster flapping.
This one's from a few months ago; I'll have to get my more recent stuff off my phone.

Voles at work

Yay for working voles!!!
I have minions, but I don't have pics of them working....Hmmm

"Ba-woowooowoooo." Biskit puppy says, "It's time to get up everybody. We are burning daylight!"
3months, 30 pounds. She's going to be a BIG dog. I really need to work on 'Come'. Carrying her in at 6am is getting awkward. "But it's early and I'm tired. can you carrrry meeeee?"

This adorableness is completely ruining my intentions.

'..but she's so cute, she can sit in my lap on the couch for just a little bit...just up on the bed this once...."

...and that is my husband talking!

politos, I like them voles!

I'm no dog expert, but as soon as puppies are starting to eat proper food (even before they're weaned), I start teaching them their names and sit and come. Beyond that, I'm lost, but I start early and just praise when they do it right, no negative reinforcement here. Somehow that works better on puppies than it does on minions....I hate negative reinforcement!

When we moved in together with my girlfriend almost 10 years ago, she had a dachshund that became our dachshund. Two months later, we had two dachshunds. They always slept in their basket. A few months later, I went to do my year of military service. A few weeks in while home on leave, I noticed that apparently we now have dogs that sleep in the bed. Ok. Two dachshunds don't take up that much space. A few years later, we got our first labrador. She was not allowed in the couch, even though the dachshunds where. That worked just fine. Until 2 years later when we got the second labrador. At this time the older dachshund moved to my better half's parents to keep their dachshund company. Now, at first, both labs stayed on the floor at all times. But at some point I noticed, that they where joining us up there when we were watching TV. Well, that's ok. We all fit there nicely. No problem. At least they were still sleeping in their cages in our bedroom (they weren't locked or anything, both just had their own cage for when they were left alone, and they were their own nests. When we moved out here where we now live, we decided that the cages look sort of ugly, so they can just have these dog beds to sleep in. Great plan. Tonight, again, the whole side of my bed was invaded by a big black furry thing. If I tried to push it, it just made sounds of discomfort. I have to almost kick the dog to get any space for myself. The older one at least sticks to the foot end, but this one needs to have her head on my pillow.

I'm very afraid since we also got the chickens this spring. I think at some point I'll be moving into their coop, after they are allowed in bed too. What I'm saying, is that you should make up the rules early for the dogs, and see through it that they are not bent. Otherwise you can say goodbye to sleeping comfortably.

x2 (or whatever number we may be on???)

They are good and easy to make. Yeah, even I can make them! =) I can just run up to the Whistle Stop Cafe in Juliette, GA and get some. For future reference, this counts as bragging and causes this face to appear on Tea Chick:

That is the cafe that was in the movie. Yes, I've seen the movie several times and I really like it (and Steel Magnolias, and....IDK why, but I like movies set in the South.)

I have heard of the toothbrush method. It may be too late this year but it is a good thing to remember next spring. It can get those early tomato blossoms pollinated.

If I buy an electric toothbrush, I'll never get to use it for my tomato plants b/c DS will think it's for him. IDK why they put "Arm & Hammer Spin-brush" commercials on during kids' programming, but imagine if you can (anyone who's had kids will have an easy time of imagining this)...imagine a five-year-old standing in front of you earnestly explaining how much he needs the AHS-b and all it's amazing benefits and how important good dental hygiene is and how the AHS-b is the only good toothbrush and exactly how many dentists recommend it and......

and

and then

again.

 

[TeaChick]

How about using a fan in a greenhouse? Before they start to bloom the shaking would probably strengthen the plant, and when it's in bloom, the shaking would release pollen and the breeze transfer it around. Just a theory, I don't have any practical experience. We did have a kid at school who used fans on his little questionably legal indoor greenhouse that he kept in his closet to strengthen the plants though.

The woman I heard about using the toothbrush method had a fan at each end of her greenhouse and used them when she used the toothbrush.
My sinuses would hate me if I pulled something like that!!! Aaaaa-chooooo!

Awe! So, why did you have to move? Different job, needed something smaller? I fantasize about having everything that I currently have, plus a bunch more land, and lots more heat.

@pollitos2013

So nice to see working voles!

@ronott1

Ooh! Didn't realize the eggs were so iffy!

you must have a good candler to be able to see the yolks that well.


Pictures? You wanted pictures?

I decided I would keep these, not sell them, and eat them in November.


My chicken yard


One of my new Rose Comb Dark Brown Leghorn roosters. I think he looks good.


A bunch of my Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, bantams. Mostly the roosters in this shot.


The church I go to, a 6 minute walk. Orthodox. Can you see the Sandhill Cranes at the bottom of the picture?


Boys # 2 and 3 butchering the very first quail. # 4 is the one taking pictures. Dang that quail was small! They are standing directly in front of the house. We have done no mowing this year. The snow shoes on the right side are on the wall of the house, to the left of the front door.


Gorgeous roses in bloom last week, on my walk to church.

I like all the pics!!!

Nice pictures!

I have a Brinsea high intensity ova view. I need it to see into Dark Penedesenca eggs. It is powerful, has a dedicate not removeable bulb and is the correct color for seeing into eggs. I can see a lot of things in the eggs! Have you seen my candling videos?

I want one!!!

If I saw that much movement in an egg, I'd put it back in the bator and do the Happy chicken momma dance. Are you saying you consider that to be an iffy egg?

The candler is hand held so I usually candle from the top. It is an LED so there is not a lot of heat either.

Now I really want one!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Looks like someone misplaced their 'i' and 'o' buttons...

Wow! What did I type up above, that got xed out?


Anyway...

Two pictures from my house, looking a bot right and a bit left, both South.

Notice the cloud bank that has rolled in and covered the Bay.

LOL @ your type-o

Oooo, and Ahhh @ your views!!! I like the purple of the flowers (at least the version of it that shows up on my screen).

 

[ronott1]

Quote: The Picture was to show how much I can see in an egg with the candler. I should candle the shipped eggs from yesterday with it and let you see the condition of the yolk.

I will work on that tonight!

 

[Alaskan]

@TeaChick

That picture of the flapping rooster is marvelous!

 

[ronott1]

I am uploading a video to vimeo of a hatching egg that has yolk damage.

 

[vehve]

@TeaChick Negative reinforcement has it's uses too though. I think you just need a good balance.

For candling, I used a Ledlenser P7 CREE-LED flashlight, that really showed details in the eggs too. It's freaky when you see the heart beating.