Smithsonian Fine Art Museum

Yesterday we decided to go to the Smithsonian Fine Art Museum.

The older part of the Museum was very interesting,  both with the use of the building materials and that Pres Lincoln walked these halls.

Walls, ceilings,,, everything quite unique.

DH reading up on a painting.

Beautiful Stained glass windows.

DS enjoying the museum too.
There were a few old patient pieces that were very cool, not as many as I was expecting to see.
Only able to see half of the museum, as we ran out of time.Do plan on going back some time in the future.


It wasn't a bad museum, but , to us anyway, we like the National Gallery better.

Expanded Maggie's Paddock ~

Maggie has been very sick, she has Cushings, is IR

 and has foundered.
I put her in a very restricted area to keep her off anything green.She will never be allow on green grass again.

Expanded Maggie's Paddock today.

Now is 48'+ by 20' wide... a lot more area for her to walk.

I originally wanted to do the whole sheep pasture for her, 

and tried, 

as you can see in the photos... 

but the grass and clover keep fighting back in areas.

So I will expand in stages.

Using the round pen panels (hate loosing the round pen but needs must), to make Maggie's larger paddock.

Along the outer fencing line, of the sheep pasture, I am growing some Rugsa Roses, will be future wind breaks.

Ayer Pear Tree~

Is safe to say, I think we will have a few pears from this tree this year.

Going to have to thin them down a bit before the fruit

pulls down the branches any more than they are.

Wheaten Ameraucana Chicks have hatched~

I had 9 of the large Wheaten Ameraucana chicks hatch so far... only 8 are alive right now.

Kat sent me 14 eggs. So not a bad hatch so far.

Maran hen kept loosing track of the chicks, so I just brought them into the house.

Not that I really have room with all the bantams, brooding in the house already...

Really did not want to take a chance loosing any more.

The SS hen, still has some eggs under her, and if more chicks hatch, will bring them into the house too.

Maybe when I am better set up, will try to have the broody hens raise them.

They are as big as the bantams that hatched in May, so they should do ok.

Have them in their own little box for a couple of days, then I will move them in with the bantams

These will be Blue egg layers when the grow up.

Sid the goat and an Ameraucana Bantam ~

Thought this was a peaceful looking scene, so I took at photo.
This is Sid the miniature goat and one of the 

Ameraucana Bantam

 hens, before I sold them.

Behold, More chicks ~~

Behold... more chicks. LOL

The tiny grey and yellow fluff balls are the Ameraucana bantams..

Had ordered just the Lavender Ameraucana's,

but the hatch rate at the breeders isn't very good this year.
So I gave the go ahead to add the white Ameraucana bantams to make up the order.

The lavenders have a wonderful gentle temperament, I hope the white ones do too.

Should get some light blue eggs by this coming Autumn.

French Crab Apple tree ~

As you know, the Cherry tree DH planted in this area, died last year due to the hail storm with the fist sized hail.

This is the free replacement tree I ended up with.

Supposed to be a very hardy Crab Apple tree,  

Is called the, French Everest.

Should be pretty, in the future provide shade for the hen house yard and treats for the chickens.

The Hills in VA ~

Click on the photos to see a larger version.

We decided to take a break yesterday and drive up to the Hills...

Got up to 3,600ft if I remember correctly.

Was really nice to be up in some hills...

Even saw some stone and rocks! 

...Even if the trees look really weird. LOL 

Felt like I was in an Anne McCaffery novel.

Another panoramic view... 

think this is the best way to show the scale...

Not very many flowers here, but DH took a photo of one.

Tons of bugs... and they all liked me. :P

Only two picnic areas in this stretch.... 

which kind'a surprised me..

Used to the Pacific NW,, where there are tons of nice areas for picnics.
And, not so many people.

d'Anver Chicks ~

Slowly adding to the latest 

Belgian d'Anver, batch of chicks.

In Lavender, Quail, Blue Quail... 

...and I am not sure what this one is supposed to be.. n

ever seen a Quail color in yellow.

The Yellow one hatched out about 10am this morning and not quite fluffed up yet.

Did get the first batch moved out to the Bantam shed,  and they are really happy with all the free room. LOL   

Chick party anyone!

Will get photos of the ones in the bantam shed in the next day or two.

Going to need another Hen house soon.

More Bantam Chick photos ~

More cute chick photos ! 

The older ones, have full wing feathers,, the slightly younger ones are getting there.

And the can fly.... makes it real fun when I clean their brooder out.

As soon as their body feathers come in, they will be moved out to the Bantam shed.

They love Meal-worm treats. You scream, I scream, we all scream for...... meal-worms. LOL

Dust Bath ~

More Chick photos ~

Baby chicks are growing fast!

 I got the chicks moved over to Nari's side of the house, using a double carrier arrangement.

Nari will have to live in the garage but it will only be for a couple of weeks. 

Not to worried about Nari and the heat, since she has been outside most of the days lately.

Doubled the chicks living space. 

Put a window screen over the top to keep them from 

popping out.

My lavenders and a d'Anver Millie Fleur.

Another d'Anver Millie Fleur, 2 Quail d'Anvers and

 one of my Lavenders.

Lavenders and one Quail.

Well, are you going to feed me or not?

This is the last of this batch of chicks to hatch out.
Is a Ameraucana chick, only one to hatch.

Has a couple of weeks of wing growth before it catches up with the earlier chicks.

Dog Wood~

DH's  Dog Wood tree is doing really well.  

Best set of blooms since we planted it.

As it gets taller, will make a nice back drop to the 

hen house and hen house yard.

Rose Bushes ~

Two of the Roses made it though the bitter winter winds.

One is on its own set of Roots.... and the other is snuggled against the house, later was a cheap $5.00 rose, to use as a test.

Is a major challenge to grow Roses here.

Have a climbing Rose I want to grow along the hen house fence... I think I am going to put it near the base of one of the Leylands... to help with winter protection. Will need to find some burlap, to put over the canes.

Hills ~

There are Hills, in this thar State. Have to go 2 hours away to see them...

But it was really nice.. both DH and I miss Hill Country.

Wish we could of taken some time to see more and explore. 

 However, we needed to 

pick up the baby chicks and get them home.