Mid summer blues

In loving Memory of Bolt, Dina and KG

We will be saying good bye to the sole survivor of our flock of chickens.  She has lost her sisters in the past days and months to raccoons and skunk attacks.  This photo is from this past spring, I remember that back then we were starting to let the goats and the chickens out into the garden.  Where ever the goats went, the chickens followed and so would we.  I could spend hours looking at the goats and the chickens and try to determine their personality patterns, emotions and feelings.  They seemed to be pretty content back then and that is how we would like to remember them.  They loved being outside of their pen.  They would jump on top of Asa or Che Che's back and jump over the electric fence.  While in the garden, they would scratch all the mulch from the paths into the beds or up root a new or small vegetable. They use to have a dust bath under the apple tree.  I recall having a lot of patience with them and in the fall they were always around the garden and the forest.  It was really special to see them in the forest, not to far from home and making noise among the fallen leaves.  No one knows what they ate out there, but I am sure it was a delicacy for them.  Overall, they were the sweetest chickens I have ever had and I am going to miss their joyful yet simple presence in the yard.  We hope that we can place Negra with others of her kind and in a safe place. 

No pain, no gain

Just when I thought that we were the only ones benefiting from the garden,  I came home one afternoon to find our beet greens chewed, as well as; our apple tree, beans, peas and the only sunflower I had in the garden.  I can only blame one creature: deer.  They are very smart and came to visit the garden while we were away.  Come to think about it, there is always something to sacrifice before you can get what you want.  The missing greens and a hike to summit Camel's Hump are examples of how being flexible and adapting to different situations can be rewarding.  

In weather terms

Being outside in this unusual weather makes every day special.  There is never a dull day in paradise. Activities vary with the weather. When it is sunny and hot, there is haying, swimming and lots of weeding to do. When it is cold and rainy, there is mulching, green house work, planting and less watering of the garden. Either way, the weather and the time of year determines the types of projects around the garden. For the past two weeks a lot of things have been happening around the garden. The rows among the beds have almost all being redone. I decided to dig out the paths and put that soil with the old wood chips onto the beds and then spread the new wood chips.  This way, I saved myself from some extra weeding.