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.