Sunday was a gorgeous day though and while Bookman was indoors flat on his back and resting, I was out in the garden with the Dashwoods. I was weeding and picking beans. The Dashwoods were “helping” me by eagerly diving in for bugs when I pulled a weed, pecking me when I got in their way or didn’t move fast enough for their liking, and happily clucking and scratching dirt up into my face. Good times!
Today has turned into being a very rainy day. I let the Dashwoods out into the garden early this morning before the rain moved in. I figured when it did start raining they would go into the run where it was dry. Nope. They’ve been wandering around in the rain all day and are pretty soaked. Perhaps they are confused and think they are ducks? Wet chickens look pretty pathetic.
During a break in the rain I went out and tried to get them into the run but they were having none of it. And as it began to rain again, I threw up my hands, told them, fine! Get pneumonia see if I care! And went in the house. Every now and then I see them scratching in the mud or they come up to the glass door to look in and see if a treat might be on offer.
Silly chickens!
Last week the weather was hot and humid and I came home after work one day to find the tall hyssop playing host to a couple of female goldfinches. The hyssop has been hosting bees and butterflies since it began blooming in July. Now that it is done, the finches have found its seeds to be tasty. This is the third year we have had the tall white hyssop and I don’t recall the goldfinches being especially interested in it so this has been a lovely surprise.
The garden is winding down and I am expecting to get my order of garlic for planting in the next couple of weeks. I have decided already where it will go and I hope it ends up being a good location. As everything starts to come to the end of its lifecycle, it is time to assess and begin to think of next year. Will I grow this again? Where will I plant it? Why didn’t this do very well? How can I do better next time? What new thing might I try next year?
My allergies will be relieved when the season is over. I’m not quite ready to be done yet. Good thing there are still a few plants and chores to tend to!
That’s funny your chickens don’t mind the rain. I wonder if they will take shelter if the rain was colder? Wanted to ask- have you noticed a significant reduction of insect pests in your garden since you have chickens. Do they eat the japanese beetles?
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Jeane, I hope they would take shelter if it were colder! I will no doubt find out as the seasons change. I had noticeably fewer grasshoppers this year. The Japanese beetles were out of control through. They can’t reach them on the plants so I’d go out every day and pick off two dozen + into a dish and then feed them to the chickens. I used the same dish every time and when they saw it they would get so excited. Eventually they just started following me around and I would drop the beetles on the ground in front of them 🙂
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a special dish to serve japanese beetles in- that’s cute!
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Heh, yes I guess I new have an official bug dish 🙂
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They are silly chickens! I was so excited a few weeks ago when I saw a goldfinch fly across the vacant land behind us and land in our neighbor’s garden. They have sunflowers, so maybe that was the attraction. I don’t think I’d seen a goldfinch in Philly before.
I hope Bookman’s back is better. That sounds quite painful. Jack has been having back and shoulder problems, despite P/T. He often lies on the floor while we’re watching TV. Count our blessings!
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Joan, how wonderful you saw the goldfinch! I love these little birds. They ate all the seeds out of our sunflowers before I could save any! But I don’t mind so much if the finches get the seeds. I much prefer they get them rather than the squirrels breaking down the stalk and chewing off the entire flowerhead.
Bookman’s back is slowly getting better, thanks! Count our blessings is right!
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The weather has been really weird, hasn’t it? We have had the same or similar weather and I know I should be enjoying these last sunny warm days, but I am looking forward to just a *tad* bit cooler weather where I am not totally confused as to what to put on in the morning! How long have you had the Dashwoods now? Has it been more than a year? Shouldn’t you all be celebrating an anniversary soon, or did I miss it? Poor Bookman-that does seem pretty extreme to get out of cooking! 😉 I hope he is feeling better–having back issues is pretty unpleasant–you don’t realize just how important those muscles are! Do you have any fall harvest? Or is it almost clean up time? Too bad the apple tree is not giving you a bounty of apples–they have been really good locally this year (and I have been partaking quite a lot!). Hope all is well–sorry I have been a little absent online and in the mail lately!
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Danielle, yes, summer has been dragging on! The Dashwoods’ “egg day” was March 30th 2016 so they are almost a year and half old now! It feels both like we have had them forever and like they are still new. Bookman is feeling much better, up to 80% now. Such a relief. As for the garden we have pumpkin and cabbage to look forward to and there are still carrots, Swiss chard and kale. We are very sad about the apples. We will get a small harvest off our green cooking apple tree but not the large harvest that spring had promised. Oh well. There is always next year!
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Ive started to look at catalogues too ready for next year. How much I will be able to do in the garden in next few months is questionable though because of my poor broken arm. I can do one handed pruning ok but digging might be a step too far
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BookerTalk, oh no! I missed that you had a broken arm! Poor you! I hope there are no other injuries along with it you are healing from. Gardening with one hand would be hard going. I hope you are better soon. In the meantime, enjoy the catalog browsing!
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I managed to mow the lawn today one handed even. Amazing…..
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Look at all the new and useful skills you are acquiring! 😀
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Hope Bookman is feeling better! The Dashwoods seem to have a propensity for being …well living on the wild side! LOL! Hope they enjoyed, ‘dancing’ in the rain!
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cirtnecce, thank you! Bookman is feeling much better, still sore and using a cane to help him get up from a chair, but he is mostly mobile and cooking again! The Dashwoods are willful girls! Thankfully they didn’t catch their death in the rain.
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I hope Bookman is better!
I saw goldfinches in our yard this summer and it made me so happy – they were enjoying our echinacea flowers apparently. They’re lovely birds, so bright and cheerful. I really do need to investigate hyssop.
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Laila, thanks! It took all week for full mobility to return and he is still a bit sore, but he’s bake to doing all the things he usually does which is a relief!
Yes! Goldfinches like coneflowers very much! There is tall white hyssop and there is a shorter purple hyssop. I have both. They are pollinator magnets!
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A very wet Elinor is still so cute, Stefanie! 😀 ❤
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Deepika, she looked so funny compared to her usually dry and fluffy self, but yes, still cute! 🙂
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Is Bookman better now?
It seems almost most of areas were filled by rain water. it was a continuous rain for 2 days. But you experience is real and amazed. Keep up the good work.
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Zara, yes, thanks! Bookman is nearly 100% again. Still a bit sore but back to all the usual activities.
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What funny chickens. There’s no way I’d choose the rain over a snug Barton Cottage that’s for sure. I did like the pic of Elinor though.
Sorry about Bookman’s back. What a shame for him (and you having to do all THAT work!) but how awful for him too. That sort of backpain is not fun. I hope he has completely recovered by now.
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Whisperinggums, they are silly birds, that’s for sure. I suppose like the rest of us if they can be out and about they want to be. No doubt they suspect the seasons are changing. Bookman is feeling much better, thanks! He’s cooking again much to both our relief. Still a bit sore, but a few more days will see him back to 100% 🙂
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Haha love that he’s cooking to both your relief. Anyhow, glad to hear it.
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