Hotter Days

Summer is definitely in its prime stretch.  In fact, I think we have set records this year for the most continuous days of hot and dry.  The heat and the smoke made for more time indoors, except in the early morning and late evenings.  And a few times, at night, under a red moon.

Once in a while we are lucky enough to be visited by what we officially call, "The Tremendous Beetle."  We always scoot him to a safer spot than our walkway and he always yells at us.  It's actually extremely cool to be yelled at by a beetle.  

We are starting to get some delicious ripe tomatoes:

I went out to harvest some herbs and was delighted by how lovely my bouquet turned out. 

Floof bird on the fence:

We are adding some big pots to our front flower garden this year.  The plants we got into them survived the dry and heat much better than the rest of the garden:

One of the few showers made a gorgeous rainbow:

Another broody hen was very happy to hatch a couple chicks:

This poppy variety is huge and glorious, with a bloom about the same diameter as a softball:

Trail doggo:

The dogs love to swim in the creek:

A cool pair of shiny green beetles mating:

We only got a few cherries this year because it was too cold when they bloomed so the pollination rate was quite low.  But the cherries we got were delicious:

The dogs really love playing in the creek:

Mr. Pinchy, heading back into the water:

We are getting some really nice zucchini this year too:

Foxglove:

It looks like we are going to have a lot of apples.  Hopefully they ripen well!

Somehow Craig spotted this giant hornet nest, at least 100 feet up on a tree at the edge of the forest.  We are glad they took up residence where we won't run into their nest!

Green bean harvest:

Craig with a mantis.  We have been finding a lot of them this year.

Piper and Ember enjoying the cool floor and the warm air:

This sunflower volunteered near the barn.  It was very busy with bees until it was eaten by an alpaca.

Once again, the Tremendous Beetle paid us a visit (and chirped angrily at us when we moved it to a safer spot):

Summer's Start

Summer is here!  It's warm.  It's hot.  It's sunny.  It's dry.  The air is buzzing and all the critters are busy.

Piper helps give the chickens their water:

She takes this job very seriously and never misses an opportunity:

Ember also helps with the chickens and sometimes finds an egg:

Big yellow rose:

Garden greens of assorted lettuce, kale, and rainbow chard:

More veggies:

Lots of lettuce!

Lots of little frogs call the garden home:

Another garden resident:

We had a few days this summer without running water.  We had been having some water pressure issues, but then the well pretty much completely stopped working.  Here Craig is replacing the small pressure tank:

But the big problem was a failure of one of the pump control switches.  He went to the well store, got new parts, replaced the switch and the small pressure tank, and fixed it all.

He worked on the well late into the night:

And once he was done, we all celebrated having water again!

Piper dumped a bucket of water and made a muddy hole:

We are growing okra for the first time this year, and the flowers are so lovely:

Another garden frog among the beans:

Piper continues to occupy the watering trays whenever possible:

So much sweetness:

Flowers and a colorful striped beetle:

Mama Hen was broody and needed some peeps so we welcomed three peeps from a nearby farm to be her chicks.  The chicks and Mama Hen are delighted with each other:

Ladybug heading to get a drink of water:

Breakfast radish:

Mama Hen looking after her new peeps:

Hummingbird having a drink:

Hovering above the flowers:

Blooms and Warmer Days

Spring often starts slow, then bursts into bloom.  It was cold for a while and the pollinators didn't show up until a little late so we probably won't have much in the way of plums or cherries this year, but now that it is warmer we have flowers and bugs and spring is really here.

Peony in bloom:

Poppy:

Fluffy alpaca, nearing shearing time:

Rhododendron in orange:

Chewing bones in the sun:

Early crops of fresh green lettuce and kale:

Hello bee!

Evening Rose:

Craig giving scraps to the chickens by the senior housing coop while Piper steals some tasty morsels:

Zuchinni and other squashes all growing well:

Blue sky and sweet scent:

Swallowtail:

Red rose:

Shearing day!

First the best fleece is removed and bagged:

Then final hair and toenail trimming:

All smiles after shearing:

Friend Rooster showing his hen some food:

Good morning!

Heading out into the field for the morning walk and graze:

Bone chewing in the sun:

Piper loves carrying things around in her mouth:

Ember is so sweet and full of love: