The Sun is Out

It's been awhile. Really, I should have blogged more. It has been rainy and cool for about a week, but now the sun is shining. I have been working on my rug-hooking, and I had some adventures in dyeing wool. It was lots of fun! It took a few tries to get the color I was looking for, but there are no mistakes. You just save the "wrong" color for another project, or "over-dye" it into another color, which is what I did with the day-glo orange color I created. I wanted a more antique color, so I over-dyed with a bronze, which gave it a greenish tint, therefore, deepening the orange color. Then I started hooking the pumpkin part of the rug. I really should take some pics of said rug. It's my first big project with hooking, and maybe I bit off more than I should have!

Yesterday was finally dry enough to garden. I planted out my leek transplants - hundreds!! I am still not done. I am out of space in the bed, so I will scatter some leeks around some rose bushes, I think. I put out tomatoes, but they look quite sickly - they need some sun and heat. Today I plan to put out peppers (sweet banana), do another planting of lettuce, seed some annual flowers throughout. I had to dig up some sedum from the per. border, and then planted in pots (thanks for the inspiration, Paula!). I also need to mow and rake, start cleaning out the future chicken pen and mulch, mulch, mulch.

Maddie has had play practice every night this week. I have enjoyed watching the practices. Pretty soon they will start rehearsals at the Fort. The kids are doing an amazing job. The whole play is choreographed and danced, so Maddie is on stage at all times, as are all the other members. It is a lot of work for them. JP and Claudia have had quality bonding time in the evenings. Last night they went to the parade for the "Three Rivers Festival", and then ate hotdogs.

Get this - tonight JP and I are going on a date!! We celebrated our 14th anniversary on Wednesday. He gave me beautiful earrings. Wow! I was not expecting that. But of course I had to go to the college for practice. Heather L. is having the girls spend the night tonight - it is not very often JP and I go out together. Its really difficult when my mom lives so far away. But I so appreciate it, Heather! We may even see a movie tonight! All this means that I have to get all my "dirty" work done and then cleaned up for the evening.

Okay, I have some pictures. For my sister Rachel, here is a photo of Grandma Sexton's ferns:

I honestly don't know why the photos don't go where I want them to. @@#$&%^$!!!

Sheep and wool festival was great fun. I have some pictures!! The weather was perfect for us - not too hot and very breezy. I purchased some dyes for my rug I am working on. I need an orange-y kind of rust color for my pumpkin. I am hoping to get it done so I can submit it at Jackson's Mill on Labor Day weekend. Anyway, we had good times at Paula and Joe's, and made it back safely.

Today is Saturday, and it is rainy and cool. I don't mind at all. I love the rain, and it is good for my seeds outside. I planted carrots, more lettuce and kale. The peas are getting about 8 inches tall. Strawberries have tiny green berries on them - need to get netting to protect them, and of course, STRAW!!!!! That really is all I want for Mother's Day. 3 bales of straw!!!

Ducks are growing like mad. I took them outside with me yesterday while I raked the HOLLY LEAVES (see previous posts). I did have to lock the dogs up. They are a little too interested in ducks. Misty duck-sat for me over last weekend, Thank you!! I've decided I will be upset if something eats my ducks. Even though they poop all the time, I do really like them.

JP had his lasik surgery, and all went well!! He can see! Aside from some minor irritation from the procedure, he is doing great.

Okay, I need to get some work done around here, but I am posting some various pics from last weekend and ducks and others.

Good News and Bad News

The good news is that I did get my chicken coop weeded and the roses planted. The bad news is that it is supposed to freeze tonight! Oh my goodness!! On the way to school this morning it was raining with snow mixed in. I told the kids to enjoy the flowers now, they might not be there in the morning. I guess I will have to protect my roses, but the peas should be okay, as well as the spinach and onions. I'm not sure about my strawberry plants. More good news, the grass is sure growing because of all the rain the past couple of days. Sheep are happy!

Bad news, Claudia has an ear infection, and a bad cough. Plus some itchy bumps all over in random places. I know the kids like to roll down the hill in the grass, so maybe that is the culprit. Anyway, I did send her to school today with some hard candy to soothe her cough,plus some cough meds and her antibiotic.

This weekend is the Sheep and Wool Festival in Maryland. I love this festival. So many things to see and eat. The sheep dog demos are really interesting, and the sheep are so cute. Even if it rains I suppose it will still be fun, at least it won't be so hot like it has in the past. I really must get my camera batteries for sure.

If my brother reads this, I need advice on a digital camera. I need one that has a considerable zoom, and good print qualities. I would love an SLR, but I think it is out of my price range. It is not urgent, of course, but I love experimenting with photos, and my current camera is pretty limited. I bought a tripod at a second-hand store, and it helps.

Temp. is 42 and rainy. Good duck weather. Too bad they are still in my bathtub.

Cheap Roses

My camera's batteries died, so I can't take pictures. I really meant to get those yesterday when I was at (bleh) Walmart. Forgot...but I did get some climbing roses for really cheap on clearance, so my dream of having a romantic chicken coop is becoming a reality. I just have to weed the area - ha!- and plant them. I also want to plant out carrots and leeks and maybe more lettuce today. But I feel so sleepy, or emotionally drained. But I need to re-charge because it is officially the weekend and let the fun begin.

My dilemma: I need to get 3 dogs and 3 cats to the rabies clinic all at the same time, and my girls, also. Last year I took just the dogs, and that was bad enough!! Capone almost bit the technician when she tried to lift his @#@** butt onto the table. He is getting so old. I noticed he limps for awhile after he gets up after a nap. That's a new thing. Clara, the youngest dog, insists on digging a
2 ft. hole to nap in. Any suggestions? And Homer, the co-dependent one just looks at me longingly all day. Ducks are good: eat,poop,eat,poop, etc.

Another beautiful day 80 and sunny. Put on your sunscreen and wear a hat!!

Quack

The ducks hatched!! They are so adorable (so far), and small and fuzzy. Maddie and Claudia just love to hold them and play with them. The dogs are VERY interested, maybe TOO interested! I have them in a plastic tub in the bathroom with a light on them, container of water and food. I lined the bottom with old towels and rags, to prevent slippage. It's very cozy.

I've been working outside this morning. Working some raised beds to plant beets and kale. The sheep are out grazing, and all I have going through my head is "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Bach?? Anyway, I'm trying to train Claradog not to chase them. She's been pretty good at listening to my voice, by she wants to run after them so badly, you can tell. I also weeded some in the border around the future chicken coop. Martha Stewart had/has roses growing around her chickens, and it looks so pretty. I want to copy that look, but in order to do that I must dig out all the weeds. I'm not sure what kind of weed it is, but it is like a rope with all these little plants on it, and the roots go on forever.

On a sad note, Maddie is getting a cavity filled today. We tried to get it done at the regular dentist, but she had a total panic attack. So we are trying it with happy drugs this time. I told her I will sit on her if I have to. She is a bear at the dentist, doctor, or anywhere where she in not in total control. Say a prayer for us both!!

It is heavenly outside: 65 and p/cloudy or p/sunny, depending on your mood!!

Here a Chick, There a Chick, Everywhere a Chick Chick

Well, we have finally lost it. For JP's birthday he wanted chickens. So I have just ordered 25 baby chicks. I have to say, I am very excited. I ordered all different varieties, Bantams and Large sizes. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them!! They will be delivered on June 16, so that gives me a little time to read up on how to not kill them. So - Happy Birthday to my husband of almost 14 years!!

Here are the pics of the baby goats. They really are cute. My friend Misty just got 2 baby goats, also, so I can't wait to see hers. I can't think of the name of the genetically small goats, dwarf? midget? little people goats? for goodness sake...anyway, that's the kind she got. I MIGHT consider a small breed. Maybe they'd be less likely to jump fences. Reminds me of another thing I MUST do. I have to call the lady to shear our sheep. They look so hot. It is 75 outside, and only April 9. I wouldn't want to wear a wool coat today, would you? I don't think I have mentioned the baby rabbits...long story, try to make it short. We had 3 bunnies originally. They grew up, and one died and two escaped. We were under the (mistaken) impression that they were males, but now we have babies in the barn. They are so cute, but I can't catch them. The girls are just out of their minds, they want to hold them so bad. If I could catch them we would put them in the cages again for another go. Then there are also the duck eggs, which are doing fine. They feel heavy, which I think is a good sign. I read that a couple days before they are scheduled to hatch you stop turning them. Maybe this really ticks them off and pushes them to peck out of the egg. Anyway, the due date is April 18, so I will definitely be very busy that day. Just standing. Looking. Waiting.....

I'm trying to finish laying the stone pathway. I'm running out of flat rocks. Need a round rock? We got 'em!! I've been scouring the creek bed and woods for suitable shapes. It doesn't even have to be really "flat". I noticed when I was outside that lots of flying things have hatched and are everywhere. My daughter Maddie will LOVE this. She is petrified of any buzzing sound. I'm always saying "It's only a fly". Well, the carpenter bees are out, and they are BIG. But the good news is that we love to hit them with badminton rackets.

I don't think I completely understand how to import photos to my blog. I'm sure Heather will help me with that....!!

This weekend is JP's birthday, you know what that means!! CLEAN HOUSE!! Yes, the in-laws are coming. I'll just leave it at that.