Chicken Little and the Trip to See the King

Well, this is the kind of chicken I would have raised if I were raising chickens. It is a Buff Orpinton but I will only see it in photographs. After much reading and even more thought, we have made the decision that raising chickens where we live would be just putting them out for bait for some wild animal. We thought about how we could secure the chicken house and then we read about how raccoons and foxes love to raid the coop. Then we thought about putting in wire, electric fencing and this project was getting more and more complicated by the hour. Then we thought that we would need to hire a chicken sitter when we took a trip and all of a sudden, the desire to simplify our lives was becoming a farce. So....instead of raising our own chickens, we will continue to have it as a fantasy. Maybe when I'm a very old woman, I will have chickens. Or maybe not. But at least we have gone through the exercise of considering it very seriously before making our decision. I think we'll stick to raising vegetables and our one dog.

Early Morning Garden Walk

One of my favorite things to do is to take an early morning walk in the garden. I like to see what has come up over night and how much the plants have grown from day to day. It is like a little miracle every time the sun comes up. This is one of our sycamore trees standing tall in the spotlight of the morning sun.
As I stood here taking this picture, peering through the honeysuckle at the rose that grows behind it, I was scolded by the birds who were ready for the first meal of the day.
Our Mexican Talavera turtle shows off the new mulch spread this week on all the garden paths.
When I was in third grade, we read in a book called, "Through the Garden Gate". I've loved garden gates ever since. We now have Bluebird babies, Great Crested Flycatcher babies, and Carolina Wren babies. The hummingbirds are doing their mating dance, flying in great arcs in the space over the garden, and the cardinals are very, very busy. Everything and everybody is bringing forth new life. This is my favorite time of year.

Today In The Garden

I thought it would be fun to chronicle the vegetable garden each week or so. This week, I thinned out the seedlings which hurt me more than it hurt them, I'm sure. It was way past time because some of the plants had begun to grow sideways to make room for everybody. The bed in the photograph above is the lettuce and basil bed.
This bed is the bean, tomato, and eggplant bed. The beans are by far the fastest growing and the most exciting to watch.
This bed holds a great mystery. It is the daylily bed but I noticed this morning on my garden walk that there are shoots of an unknown plant coming forth. Now, I could very well have planted something last year that I have forgotten but I usually recognize plants. I don't know this one. However, I think it is beautiful in the way that it unfurls itself.

Finally, this coop plan is to indulge a fantasy that has been running around in my mind for almost sixty years. I have been fascinated by chickens since I was about eight years old and have always wanted to raise them. Once we saw the chickens during our North Carolina vacation, the thought would not let us go. And so, today, we laid out the location of our chicken coop and plan to build a structure much like the one in this photo. I don't know when we will begin building or when we will buy our chickens. But someday soon, we will begin the project and show our progress on the blog. I have already decided that one of the chickens will be named Gladys. Our hens will be for laying, not for eating. They live for about 7 years and are wonderful entertainment. I can't wait.

Square Foot Gardening

In the seven years we have lived in Ocala, we have never been able to successfully grow vegetables. One reason is that we have many large and small marauders on our property such as bunnies, squirrels, raccoons, and possums. These little wild things love to eat new shoots, immature plants of every kind, and sometimes make a mess just by digging everything up. The other reason we have not been able to grow anything is that our soil is filled with clay and does not allow the water to drain through.
However, this year, Janet discovered a book entitled All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew and we are off and running. The premise of square foot gardening is to build a bed that is 4x4, allowing for 16 sq feet of gardening space. The bed is divided into square foot sections and the plants are planted in each square according to their size at maturity. For example, one tomato or one eggplant is planted in a square; but nine bush beans are planted in another square of the same size. Four zinnia plants can also fit into another square; or four basil plants. Janet built cages in order to keep out the curiosity seekers and to protect the plants from start to finish.
As you can see, the beans are thriving after only five days and next week I will thin out the plants by clipping the smaller ones with scissors. Even though this garden looks very industrial, we anticipate great success. Stay tuned. We will continue to show you our progress.

My Spring Vacation

Hey, Cocoa here. Am I excited! I just returned from my spring vacation at Barkwell's in North Carolina. It is the coolest place. The picture above shows me playing a game my Aunt Shannon taught me. It's called "Butts Up" and you put your butt up in the air for somebody to hit it with a ball. When my Aunt LeeAnn played this game, she broke her nose because she hit her face on an outdoor faucet. 
Here I am with the Barkwell chickens. I have never seen chickens before but I think I'm in for a treat because my Moms have been talking about getting some chickens. I wish they would let me at them but I don't think that's allowed. Barkwell rules, you know. 
Here I am in a very trashed state. I'm almost embarrassed for you to see this because I'm so very tired and I don't look my best when I'm sleeping. However, there was so very much to do that I was very tired at the end of the day. There's a pond to play in, hills to run up and down, squirrels and voles, and lots and lots of birds. My new friends are a Tibetan Terrier, a Portuguese Water Dog, and a Giant Schnauzer. I think they are on Twitter so I'll keep in touch with them. You just can't go wrong at Barkwell's. 

How Do the Trees Put on Their Robes of Green?

It is that time of year that causes me to push to finish outdoor projects before oppressive heat keeps me practically housebound. It is that time when daily patrols of the yard find me checking each of our special trees --- which one has buds, which one looks close to popping, which will wait some weeks more to show itself? This year the flush of spring came suddenly, from freeze to 80+ in a week. The red buds and dogwood were showing off their blooms in still frosty air when sudden  warmth threatened  to spoil the show with early leafing out. But blossoms held and still delight.  Nest building and flagrant courting goes on apace, as hundreds of birds sing, twitter, and squeak. Sitting on the porch, one imagines being in a giant aviary. The sound is truly amazing. Bluebirds squabble with chickadees over a new nest box. Flying squirrels have usurped an old nest box. Goldfinches turn from green to screaming yellow as their breeding time grows close. If only I could capture the birds on film!

Purple plum trees are resplendent with bloom this year, nearly every inch of branch and twig covered with a froth of pale pink clusters of flowers.

The river birch has donned its springtime filigreen. Just days ago the green appeared, changing the barren branches to a skycloth of lace. 

Heidi the tortoise has emerged from her long winter's nap. Though I have not seen her yet, she has been busily sweeping her front porch while I was not looking. All the winter leaves and detritus that littered the entrance to her den have been tossed away, and clean sand now makes a fan shaped doormat. 

The young, but stately tulip poplar, one of the last to leaf out, is yet to unfold its huge leaves. The ripening buds, turgid with promise, grow fatter by the day. And I watch and wait for the first burst of leaflets, for assurance that green is on its way, welcome shade will be there for the looooooong  Florida summer.

All around the perimeter of our little paradise the oaks are in their spring transition. Raining yellow leaves, they bare vistas briefly seen. Though never fully leafless, for just a week or so their tracery of branches allows a scarlet sunset view, or sight line to a distant pasture, but just as quickly the chartreuse hint of greening paints the boundaries, and we are once again enclosed.

Feathered Excitement

There was great activity in the garden today. All things avian are posturing for nesting sites. This watering can was a great find for a Carolina Wren family last year and I expect it will be this year also.
This honeysuckle vine is the favorite of everyone in the garden. The cardinals, chickadees, wrens, finches and bluebirds use it as a hiding place or ancillary perch just before hopping to the feeders. The hummingbirds use the flowers as a nectar choice and yes, the hummers are here!!
There was great competition for this bluebird nesting house this afternoon, even thought there are four others in the yard. The titmice, chickadees, and bluebirds were all vying for the honor. However, the male and female bluebirds were the winners after a great deal of double-teaming. You may ask why we have so much to time to be observing all of this bird behavior. Actually, most of it took place while we were working on the new garden beds. Our birds don't pay any attention to us when nesting season is upon them. There are too many more important things to think about like worms, nesting materials, and setting up housekeeping. No mortgage foreclosures in the bird world here at our house!!