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Dear Deer:
Please stay out of my yard. That’s not to hard to do is it? All week I’ve been seeing a few leaves plucked from a random apple tree, not worrying about it too much. Lo and Behold I’m walking around the house today and our cherry tree in front of the house has been completely stripped of leaves. We’ve tried deer repellent spray, and garlic oil… now we’ve upgraded to fencing. Only time will tell but so far all the trees and bushes have bounced back from all deer attacks. Oddly they haven’t touched the blue berry bushes, hopefully writing this doesn’t jinx me. Pro Tip: don’t have any stakes.…
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Squash and Melons
After the deer grazed through the garden twice I didn’t have to high of hopes for what this year’s yield will be. Surprisingly we’re still getting a pepper, green beans and tomatoes which were cropped to stumps. However the Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Squash are starting to really spread. Still figuring this whole gardening thing out but give it another year and I think we’ll have it down.
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Stump’d
Tree Removal isn’t complete with the stumps still in the ground. Good thing for pick axes and sledge hammers. 3 down 18 more to go. 1 a day will let us get them cleaned up mid-August and allow proper re-grading and getting some grass started prior to the winter. We’ll see if I keep at it, already got quite a few blisters… why don’t I remember to wear gloves? Would be nice to have them gone.
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Edwards Falls – Found
Decided enough was enough and went hiking the creek to find the elusive Edwards Falls. As you head upstream you get boxed in from the gorge walls with no easily traversable paths that would make the falls easily reachable. Getting your feet wet is the way to go. Others have traversed this path as well. I wonder what was here in the past. Brick Foundation that has crumbled but even more interesting is the stone arch to let the water flow under during periods of high water… some more research to do on this. Took longer than expected to reach the falls ~45 minutes, probably could be less but took…
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Garden Maintenance
The garden has been a little neglected form Vacation and Business trips. Weeds are running rampart and confusing the kids as to what we’re growing. Strawberries are continual coming ripe and looking good and we’re starting to see some peppers and watermelon on the vines. Exciting. Best part is Caprice and the boys helping out. Caprice actually came up to me and said “Daddy, I’m going to work on the garden.” Go to town, it’ll be great to see them take an interest in the garden, chickens and eventually the fruit trees and berry bushes. 25% weeded, 75% left to go, weeding the carrots looks to be complicated and will…
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To Catch a Chicken
Castle and Chick~Chick have been picking on Coraline. When we got her she had already been pecked at and was our “Rescue Chicken” but she hasn’t been recovering. Long story short after a brief chase/capture our screened in porch has turned into a recovery ward. Complete with roosting bar (a.k.a a broom). Now that she’s had a bath and we can monitor her food/water I hope she gets better so we can have 4 happy & healthy chickens. Not to mention our porch back.
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Taking in the new Growth
The Apple Trees sure took root. Loving the new growth and green leaves. Some of the trees seem to have already doubled in height. Now if I can simply get around to getting the rest of those stumps out, we’ll get there.
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An Office with a View
Working Remotely has a lot of benefits. Being able to work outdoors and enjoy the view of your own little piece of the world is definitely one of them.
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Chickens, Chickens and Chickens!
The Chickens have arrived! Luckily was able to get the ramp and remaining trim work around the chicken wire complete before Elaine got back. Kids are having fun giving them all names. They will most likely change over the next few days/weeks but for now we have. Ms. White > Chick~Chick Ms. Red > Castle Ms. Black > Charlotte Ms. Black Q > Coraline Yes for some reason the names the kids came up with all started with “C” so we kept it going. Castle seems to be very bossy hoarding the food and keeping the others at bay. Chick~Chick is adventurous and the only chicken to explore the coop prior…
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Chickens have arrived…
Welcome to Phoenix Ridge… where the chickens are bigger than the dogs. ~ Elaine
