Thank You Sis

Sweet Pea my adopted sis (We adopted each other several years ago) sent me a beautiful birthday gift! Last year she gave me the Willow Tree sisters. This year she gave me the beautiful Willow Tree Angel of Hope. She is adorable holding her lantern. I love her Sis and love you too! No camera yet to take pictures but I promise a bunch of photos soon.

No baby piglets yet out of Ms. Scarlett but my money is on today before supper. Rhett is being typical male and frankly doesn't give a da**. Charlotte has learned the sound of my voice. When I call her name she comes running to the gate to get her treat. Whenever someone else calls her name she will look up at them but not move. I have spoiled the momma pig by giving her a apple or some lettuce a couple times during the day. Yesterday I heard Momma Hen going crazy and went out on the porch to see what was wrong. At first I thought another hen had gotten out and came down to her pen and they were fighting through the wire fence. When I took a second look it was a hawk! (yeah I know a perfect camera moment lost) The hawk was trying to get one of the baby chicks that had gotten out of the pen. It was hiding between the fence and a rock. I went out and the hawk flew up into a nearby tree until he saw I wasn't leaving then he flew away. I put the chick back with Momma Hen and she moved all her chicks to the other end of the lot that has a small roosting house and is keeping them close to her. This morning we found 2 of her baby chicks dead. I am thinking that maybe the hawk was trying to pull them through the chicken wire and injured them internally as there was no visible injuries on any of them yesterday. The 22 is now loaded and waiting for the next hawk visit. The other Momma Hen is doing well with her chicks. She sees Rusty coming and doesn't hurry to cover her babies. Think she realizes he won't bark if she lets him look.

Out of all the produce Gerda gave me I ended up with 12 quarts of tomatoes, 12 quarts of green beans, 12 pints of apple butter, 3 quart jars of dehydrated onions, 3 gallons of limeade, 2 gallons of orangeade, 2 loaves of strawberry bread, 1 pint of strawberry butter, 3 quarts of frozen strawberries, and still have 2 boxes of apples to make applesauce and apple pies. I also have a few zucchini to make into zucchini bread. We have had lots of fresh salads each day from all the lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, cukes, onions, etc. plus the animals are getting lots of veggies and veggie scraps each day. It sure was a blessing to get so much fruit and veggies the produce stand gave to her to make room for new delivery.

Eggplants, cukes, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, peas, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and herbs are growing like crazy since the rain we had Monday. Am going to be mulching the garden today so I won't be spending the summer hoeing weeds. Am also going to be pricing boxes of stuff I have stacked in the livingroom for a yardsale. We are going to have one with my friend Gerda. She is trying to declutter her home so we are going to join together and get rid of our junk and hopefully make it someone else treasures. The sun is shining and its suppose to get up in the mid 70's today with Friday being 85! Time to be outdoors getting that to do list marked off.
Have a blessed day!