A million little things...

Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?" ~Jane Austen

So many things have been going on around here that I am just going to talk your ear off about things on the farm. First off is the newest development- Moma Duck finally hatched her eggs!! It had been so long that she was fussing over them, that I sincerely thought they would not hatch. But yesterday morning I went out to feed and water them, and lo and behold, there were little fuzzy yellow heads peeping out. Three in the morning, six by evening! 

They are so sweet I can't stand it. I want to barge right in and squeeze and kiss them, but I am letting Moma get acquainted first. She is such a bossy, cranky thing to me and to Daddy duck. She has never let him come into "her" house, even in a raging storm! And every time she sees me, she calls me every bad duck name in the book. But that afternoon I crept up through the creek to spy on them, without her seeing me and being upset. She was caressing the babies with her bill and talking to them in the softest and sweetest tone. So you will be seeing more about these babies in the future!

Speaking of storms, we have had so many, and such a wet spring. After one huge storm, I woke to find the front door blown open and one of the cats sleeping on the sofa. (Thank heavens it wasn't a wet stinky dog!) She was very indignant when she was tossed out. I got some breakfast and sat down in the dining room to eat and there was the strangest scrabbling sound. Finally I saw a flash, and realized a moma wren had also taken shelter inside! It was a job chasing her from one room to the other with no one else to help corner her. Finally I managed to throw a tablecloth over her and put her out. But not before she had a good talk with my papermache owl.

We also have three hogs! One for us, one for my son Seth, one for moma and pop, and one for a friend. I was worried at first about my having to carry 50 pound bags more than 100 yards to the pen. But after carrying all those bags of mulch this spring, I found that heaving the pig feed sacks wasn't bad at all! I'm getting stronger all the time doing the work that the boys used to help with.

They are really good-natured pigs. They are all from the same litter and still like to sleep all spooned together like a stack of piggy dominoes. They do love their mud wallow though, and when they see you coming and get up, they vigorously shake their ears. Just that can completely cover you in a fine spray of "pig mud" and it takes several washings to get the smell off. PEEUUU!

Remember my old washer that I was gifted on this trip HERE with my hubby? It went to the back of the house where I have a chair that was my mother-in-laws and a glider that was Ms Hazel's (a dear friend from church who has passed on).

And last week Duane came home with these super cute curved metal chairs free from the recycling center. Why do people throw away such neat stuff? I am going to put a tiny wooden table I have between the two chairs to hold tea glasses.

Among other critter arrivals, my pop got a new kitten, Patches. His cat, Scratchy, passed away at 19 years of age and pop was so very sad. But I have a cousin who fosters abandoned animals, and she told him she had some adorable baby kitties. He picked his and this was the day he went to get her. She loved him from the first moment!

Here is my darling new baby! It is a newly hatched painted water turtle. My youngest son, Will, and his now wife, Belle, were kayaking and saw this little guy swimming. My son chased him down and brought him home to me. Will named him Terrance, Terry for short, and I can't argue with the very person who got him for me ;).

He is so feisty and loves to do epic battles with earthworms! I know one should not take animals from the wild. But the mortality rate of newly hatched turtles is outrageous! I have taken in many baby water turtles, and baby snappers, through the years and loved and grown them to a size where they are less vulnerable. Then they are released into the relative safety of our farm. In the meantime, I get to enjoy his antics!

This turtle I did not try to hold and love- he he! This was a bright-eyed moma snapper. They often go through our yard in search of a place to lay their eggs. Then later we often see the small babies, struggling to go the long distance back to a water source. We rescue all we can find and help them along. Snapping Turtles are amazing. No one really know how long they can live, and they are true dinosaurs. Imagine this- there were snapping turtles in the lakes and streams where T-rex would drink. Mind-blowing!

My cherry tree had it's very best year ever! I got nearly two gallon bags from my one little tree. I made a pie, syrup, and jam. But that is another post...

Seth and Emiley's house across the creek is almost ready for Sheetrock. It will be so exciting when they get to move in!

 The hay has been mown. I love the smell of curing hay.

This is the hugest wooly worm I have ever seen! It's not even near winter, so what does this mean??

Remember my early 25th anniversary gift of a 1937 Chevy? Now that my son is married and gone, his spot in the garage holds my lovely lady. It makes me smile to see her every time I walk out the kitchen door.

And last, but not least, remember these little fluff butts from THIS POST? Well, they are getting all grown up now.

Below is Clementine, the tiny banty at the top right.

And this is Marion, the chick on the left. Can believe how tiny they still are compared to the large breeds? Here Marion is standing in one of the feeders so she doesn't get squeezed out by the big gals.

Below is my Araucana, Mahogany, looking majestic. Remember what a cute chick she was with her puffy cheeks?

And Willa Fluff-shanks would not stand still long enough for a good picture, but get a gander at those feathery legs and feet!

 Here are the barred rock twins,  Milly and Tilly, they are never far from each other. And in between are Hazel and Maple. To the very bottom is a flash of red that is Petunia. So all are doing well, and about ready to go to the real chicken house. Are you tired out yet, Dear Reader?

That's fine, because I've come to the end for now. At least the tail-end of four cute chicken- hehe! ;) Hope your start to summer has been an exciting one-