If we were having coffee ... Thank you

This type of blog post is for when I have a lot of little things I want to share, or when I feel the need to catch up. 

So, grab your coffee/beverage of your choice and join me. 

If we were having coffee ... I would say thank you. After my last blog post, writing about the predator attack, so many reached out to me and offered their sympathies.  Thank you. It's not my first predator attack. After the first one I sort of fell apart afterwards and was determined to wage war against all the predators.  I eventually calmed down. 

I'm still in awe that the one chicken lost it's life so close to the front of the house, and I never saw anything. 

The incident reminded me of something that happened to The Chicken Chick a few years back.  She was out in the yard, filming and taking a video of her birds.  A predator snuck in and snatched a hen that was within feet of her.  The rooster went after them, but was too late.  So them rotten buggers are daring enough to come within reaching distance of humans. 

Meanwhile, the chickens have been "in quarantine" since the attack.  I've kept Feffer in there, too, for good measure.  He's not too happy about it.  He's a free and wild bun, what happened? Don't I love him anymore? 

Yes, I do Feffer.  That's why you are in there. 

I'd rather they all be safe, for now. 

"Girl!  Look at you, keeping us safe!"

Roo says "I could have kept them safe.  I just prefer to leave them wanting more." 

So yesterday, or the day before (the days all blend together now) I was prepping for supper and looked out the window.  I spotted something that puzzled me at first.  I could tell something was back by the coop, but it had the coloring of a golden retriever or something.  I could only see the top of it's back. 

Then it popped up all the way and walked closer to the coop. 

I couldn't believe my eyes!  I called for my son and he came to see.  I grabbed my phone, for the camera. 

And then, just as quick as can be, it was gone. It went trotting down the trail that is to the left of the coop. 

Now I know who the enemy is. It's another fox. Again. 

After the last attack, however many years ago it was, I was lucky enough to see the fox laying on the road a few days later.  So I didn't have to worry about it coming back. This time I doubt I will be that lucky.  Time to do some research. 

In the meantime, my birds will stay in the coop.  Lucky for them, the coop is huge. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd mention that Shadow had her babies. I can't even remember which day last week she had them.  My son was looking her over one evening and said she looked like she was ready to give birth.  We brought her into the house that night.  The next morning we had babies!  

Maybe it was Thursday she had them. ... In any case, I forgot how quickly they grow. 

They still feel like velveteen. It's hard to get a clear photo because they still don't have full control of their limbs, so they bounce around a lot. 

So stinking precious!

Shadow is in uber protective mamma mode.  She's also as hungry as a bear that just woke up from hibernation. 


If we were having coffee ... The chicks we decided to keep are doing well. They are starting to look even more like awkward teenagers. 

They also look like they are shooting lasers out of their eyes. 

Oh, but the feathers on some of their feet.  It's fabulous!

If we were having coffee ... I'd tell you about Thor and Loki.  Loki is constantly hiding, so I rarely see her now.  She'll come out for scritches once in a while, if you have treats.  Thor is wondering when they can go back and dig in the garden. They are good buns. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd give a quick update on the garden stuff. 

Seedlings I started back on March 22.  I'm staring to worry (obsess) that they aren't growing fast enough.  Are they?  The first set of leaves are starting to pop out on these seedlings.  These are mostly hot pepper plants. 

Plants I started back in February.  

Lots of tomato plants.  They could probably be up-potted now.  All of them have their first sets of leaves and are getting the second set. 

Lettuces and some broccoli. 

I'm still learning a lot from starting these seeds.  I have a better idea of when I should be starting them indoors and transitioning them to outside.  It's still just a bit too cold for any of the older plants to be outside overnight, even if they are in my greenhouse. 

Speaking of starting seeds ... 

Yesterday I started seeds for cabbage, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce.  I'm going to keep these ones outside in the shelf greenhouse but bring them in overnight, rather than start them on a heat mat. Another experiment.  

I also threw some seeds in the ground. I turned the soil by shovel and shoved the seeds in to the ground. 

A small patch of spinach. 

About 10 feet of sugar snap peas.  Peas how I missed you!

I laid down some T5 posts so the seeds don't accidentally get rototilled up, when the time comes. 

It feels good to get something in the ground. It's another experiment.  The seed packets said to sow as early as possible.  Fingers crossed. If they don't come up, I still have seeds to plant. I wonder if I should have some frost fabric, or whatever it's called. 

If we were having coffee ... I'd tell you that no knitting of crafting has happened. My brain is too all over the place to sit down to knit.  I had just picked up to start knitting one of the arms of my February Lady Sweater when the predator attack happened.  My heart hasn't been in the knitting just yet. 

If we were having coffee ...  I'd mention that I did start reading a little book of knitting essays that I got as a Christmas gift years ago from my mother-in-law. It's called "Beyond Stitch and Bitch: Reflections on Knitting and Life." 

It's a nice little book. I pick it up every other year or so.  I'm reminded of how "simple" and tame the knitting community used to be. Well, at least that's how it seemed when I first taught myself to knit.  

If we were having coffee ... I sort of lost track on the daily photo challenge. I allowed myself some time to go off kilter what happened with the birds last week.  I'll be getting back to it and posting the photos.  I'll need to do a mass photo share. Honestly, things have gone catty wampus these last several days. Odd things have happened, like random people showing up at my house, and sad family news.

But ... I do have something bright and happy going on. Look what started this morning. 

This one passed out like a little rock star in the chicken dad's hands this evening. 

Thank you for visiting with me today. Stay healthy!