Rooster

Poor Rodney. first off, he was supposed to be a she. He was the biggest of the day old chicks. He did indeed turn into a beautiful rooster. However, the itty bitty Banty rooster kept him away from the 4 hens and if Rodney did get near a hen, she loudly complained about his lack of tact. He even tried to challenge Doereen, the doe, who just looked at him and kept walking. Poor Rodney. He didn't show up for lock-up the other night and it was too dark by then to find a dark rooster under the trees and bushes. I don't know what happened, perhaps the itty bitty Banty had injured him and he just didn't want to come in. But the opossums found him and had a feast. Poor Rodney. rest in peace, Rodney. You were a sweet guy in spite of what the hens had to say.

Eggs!

One of the young Wyandots (7 months) laid the first egg on July 1st. Mid-month, her egg mate started laying too.

Today, Amelia (the Barred rock) joined in the production. I'm thinking maybe its a good thing the 4th hen is a rooster. LOL

Verna, the old Buff Orpington, seems to be just fine in her retirement. She hasn't laid an egg in months. However, she is death on snails so still quite useful. It is interesting to see and feel how the successive eggs are growing in size. the first ones are small like Bantam eggs. these are still "small" but they are getting bigger. Actually, Amelia's egg (first one today) is bigger than the first eggs of the other two hens.
I thought hens didn't start laying until they were 6 months old.. these girls arrived as day old chicks in February. I didn't find any shelless eggs today.

Brugmansia & worms

something had been chewing on the Brugmansia leaves, turning them into lacy skeletons and leaving little black poopies in their wake.

and then I finally found them. Tiny wormies. they hide under the leaves, on the stems, and are hard to see. Are these baby tomato hornworms or something else? They don't look like hornworms to me but then, I rarely find hornworms until they are ginormous and frightening.

new plants for me! Yea!

I had been wanting a Matilija poppy for a very long time.

I have also been wanting a Brugmansia for a long time. Today was the day. Didn't I just say that I can't go to the nursery and JUST ask a question? I didn't lie. I tried to be good but after Andrew ID'd my mystery plant I wandered around "just taking notes" mind you, when suddenly there were the Brugmansias! Holy Compost! HAD to get one... and then, since ya don't get "Daisy Dollars" unless you spend at least $20.00, I ran back to get the poppy. What a great day! This evening I will plant my new buddies in the spots that have been waiting months for them. and Doereen won't bother with either of them. (Unless she has an urge to cross the Rainbow Bridge, which I doubt.)
Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

plant ID?ah-HA! Spigelia!

I have no clue as to what this is other than beautiful. It popped up in an "empty" pot this spring and just started blooming this past week. I can't remember where I got it, much less what it is. I do remember the flower but then the memory dissapates into the fog...... Can anyone ID it for me? I could always take it to Windmill Nursery. Taylor and/orAndrew will know. (I'm just afraid to go there because plants aren't in my budget right now and, plantaholic that I am, I know I would buy something!)

Happy 4th of July!