Monday, July 31

Daily Farm Photo: 7/31/06


The Surprise Lilies Are Blooming Briefly This Year



Because She's Not Just Sniffing--She's "Pulling A Trixie"

But I would have gladly traded every surprise lily in the yard for the chance to catch Cary yesterday morning with giant pink petals hanging out both sides of her rapidly munching little mouth. Another priceless moment
. Unfortunately this was one of the rare times I didn't have my camera. Trust me, it was a riot.

A year of Daily Photos ago: The Homemade Swing makes its first appearance.

Sunday, July 30

Daily Farm Photo: 7/30/06


Patchy Cat & Lucky Buddy Bear Discuss Farm Business

Attention Cat Lovers & Dog Lovers! This Is Weekend Cat Blogging #59 & Weekend Dog Blogging #45!
The WCB roundup of cute cat pics can be found each week at
Eat Stuff. To see fun dog photos and discover delicious new food blogs, visit Sweetnicks on Sunday nights for the WDB roundup. And the weekly Friday Ark boards everything from dogs and cats to butterflies and bats. If you prefer plants to pets, don't miss the always delicious and informative Weekend Herb Blogging roundup every Sunday night. Catch it this week at Kalyn's Kitchen.

New Dog Blog Alert!
My pal Leigh Jackson, an animal lover extraordinaire who creates the most wonderful contemporary dog portraits in her Noisy Dog Studio (and who promises to one day paint some of my favorite farm animals), has started a Noisy Dog Blog. Dog lovers are sure to love both sites--and will probably bark with joy when they see all the neat original items available in her online pet boutique.

A Year of Daily Photos ago: J2 In The Cat Cabin

Saturday, July 29

Daily Farm Photo: 7/29/06


I Think This Qualifies As More Than A 'Small' Rodent Problem
(Though judging from the few bites taken, the rodent was apparently looking for my dark chocolate stash.)

Speaking of critters and food, my amazingly talented shepherdgirl pal, Katherine Dunn at Apifera Farm, has done it again. I laughed, I cried, I realized how much (in my opinion) the world needs more people like her. What did she do exactly? She decided that her Goats For Peace could use some help with their worldwide campaign, and so "the farm animals have pumped up their efforts."

Read this wonderful post on her Apifera farm blog, click here to see what she and her animals (including her new miniature donkey) are quietly doing for peace, check out what every hip foodie will soon be sporting here (because "goats eating with small lambs eating with big rams eating with donkeys eating with horses and cats and dogs and owls and birds...if all these creatures great and small get along, why not us?,") spread joy and love and peace half as eloquently as she does. Thank her. Thank you.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
There's Nothing Like A Handmade Fence

Friday, July 28

The Tail of A Donkey & His Ratty Blue Halter


Donkey Doodle Dandy all slicked out for summer.

Note: This post was inspired by this photo and this one.

It all started about two and a half years ago with a late night phone call from our young cowboy friend. I was home alone on the farm for a couple of days, totally minding my own business, and—this is important*—completely sober.

A few minutes into the obligatory small talk that precedes any country business, I was blindsided and rendered momentarily speechless by a seemingly out-of-the-blue question that landed in my ear:

"So how would you like a cute little ass?"

Less than five minutes later I had been sweet-talked into purchasing a two-year-old donkey for what seemed like a very reasonable price, although I knew nothing about buying and selling donkeys—or donkeys in general for that matter.

And that is how Donkey Doodle Dandy came into our lives. (The story of why he was leaving other peoples' lives will have to wait for another time). This is one of the benefits of living on a laid-back farm such as ours.

Even though the thought of owning a donkey had never crossed my mind, after only a few minutes—and absolutely no idea of what I was getting myself into—I was able to happily say, "Sure! I'll have the money—bring on the donkey!" Delivery was set for the following evening.

I could hear a truck and trailer rattling its way down our long, steep driveway, so I headed down to the barn in the fading light. The cowboy and his cowboy buddy hopped out of the truck as I peered into a giant, dark trailer.

Huddled at the far end (or possibly slammed into—this cowboy can be a rather reckless driver) was a smaller creature than I had envisioned who was regarding me with giant eyes and sporting a bright blue halter. I couldn't help myself.

"He's adorable!" I shrieked.

"Well of course he is," said the cowboy. "I told you he was cute." He knows that cuteness—which 'real' farmers do not take into consideration when it comes to buying barnyard animals—ranks high on my priority list.

The boys prepared to unload the nameless little donkey into the barn, but I said I wanted him in an adjacent pen.

"Why?" asked the cowboy. "He's going to live with the sheep, right?" And he pointed to the wooly mass in the barnyard that was staring over at us with one enormous look of fear and shock.

"Yeah, but I think they need to get used to each other first. What if I put him in with the sheep and he starts chasing after them and they freak out and everybody goes berserk?"

Cowboys who have been riding horses and roping cattle and dealing with livestock their entire lives do not conjure up or contemplate scenarios like this, but these young men knew better than to argue with me—and they were far too polite to laugh in my face. They simply repositioned the truck and trailer and deposited my darling new donkey into the appointed pen.

Then they casually made me look like an idiot.

"So when are you going to let him in with the sheep?"

"Tomorrow I guess."

"And how are you going to get him back into this pen by yourself if—how did you put it?—'everybody freaks out and goes berserk'?"

"Um. . ."

The cowboys glanced at each other and suppressed large sighs.

"The thing is," the cowboy buddy slowly and calmly explained to me, "we're here now. If we need to, we can move him right back out of the barn and into this pen. But tomorrow, we won't be here." Then he waited for me to get it. And when I did, they loaded my donkey back into the trailer and unloaded him into the barn.

And everything seemed okay, and nobody freaked out or went berserk, so they got in their truck and drove away.

The next morning everyone looked fine, but it was obvious that the sheep were doing their very best to act like there was not a donkey in their midst. As soon as I opened the barn gate they all shot off down the driveway at top speed—purposely ditching the donkey.

They then proceeded to do this for a couple of days, racing away when he wasn't looking, ducking under loose barbed wire fences where they knew he couldn't follow, and generally not being nice.

One time I went outside and heard a pitiful little donkey cry coming from the creek bed. There he was, standing next to a getaway hole, his blue halter stuck to the barbed wire. At this point I hadn't been allowed anywhere near his donkey body (which is yet another story), but he let me set him free before sulking back to the barn as only a donkey can do.

Not long afterward, the newly named Donkey Doodle Dandy liberated himself from his halter and left it laying in the dirt. I picked it up and draped it over a fencepost—and there it sat for a couple of years (because that's how it is around here).

Fast forward to a few months ago when the farrier and his son arrived to give Dan his very first pedicure.

Overall things went very well, but even though I had Dan in a tiny pen as requested, it still took an awfully long time for them to catch him up.

When the pedicure was over, the farrier kindly offered to reunite Dan and his old halter, which I'd been using to hold part of the makeshift pedicure pen in place—and which was by now pretty ratty looking after sitting out in the weather for two years.

I said that sounded great and was very thankful, even though I couldn't think of any reason why Dan needed a halter. It wasn't until the following day that I finally figured it out—so the farrier would be able to easily catch him up next time of course!

The halter didn't look too bad once they eventually got it on him. But it had turned brittle with age, and Dan, who was in the middle of his yearly Springtime Scratching Session (where he spends hours on end rubbing his body against things in order to rid himself of his fluffy winter coat) soon had the poor halter looking even worse than it already did.

That was when I realized I would need to explain its pitiful state if I was going to post any more close-up photos of him.

It was decided that we would buy Dan a brand new halter, and I was about ready to yank the old one off when I realized that there was no way we were going to be able to put a new one on him ourselves—which meant we would have to wait for the farrier to come back. Then we decided that Dan really doesn't need to have a halter on all the time.

He clearly isn't fond of wearing it, and (as one concerned reader pointed out) there is the slight but real chance that he could get a hoof stuck in it and end up very hurt or even dead.

Serious horse and donkey people will probably start shaking their heads and rolling their eyes in disbelief, but I am very lax with Dan. He pretty much goes where he wants, and if that coincides with where I want him to go—great. If not, too bad for me.

For instance, lately Dan has taken to spending every night locked in the barn with the sheep. He even races ahead of them at tuck-in time to claim his favorite spot by the fan. In the morning, I open the barn gate and he saunters out before I turn off the lights, feed Cary her bottle, and count the sheep.

If he is at the other end of the barn when I arrive, he muscles his way through the throng of standing sheep between him and the gate, looking like someone on a crowded platform at rush hour trying to make it to their train. If he's lingering at the gate and a sneaky sheep is thinking about escaping before the count, I speed him up with a friendly push on the rump, but that's all I do. The halter is not involved.

Last week, however, we were heading out for the day and leaving the sheep locked in the barn. I wanted Dan out. Dan wanted to stay in. Aha! I thought. This is what the halter is for! And so I took a hold of it and started to pull Dan toward the gate.

Dan pulled back. I pulled harder. Then I watched as he bent his legs slightly, cemented his hooves into the ground, and leaned his entire body away from me. I braced myself, pulled on the halter as hard as I dared, and realized how ridiculous I probably looked—and that I was never going to win. That old saying about donkeys being stubborn creatures isn't just hogwash somebody made up.

So there (in a much longer story than I intended to tell) is the reason Donkey Doodle Dandy is wearing such a pathetic looking halter. Since he won't need another pedicure for a while, I suppose I'll just go ahead and take it off. And when the farrier shows up and asks what happened to Dan's halter, I'll simply tell him I came outside one day and found it laying in the dirt.

I don't mind the head shaking and humiliation I often bring about by always choosing adorable over sensible, but once in a while a girl just needs to cover her ass.

Want to see more of Donkey Doodle Dandy? You'll find lots of photos of him here, and here, and here, and here.

* I'll have to explain this further another time. For now, let's just say that I got all of my money's worth and more during the first week Dan was here-in the form of the hysterical responses from the few people I told about my latest acquisition. And yes, I think I've pretty much heard every donkey joke and story out there. But if you know an obscure one, by all means tell it to me.

© FarmgirlFare.com

Daily Farm Photo: 7/28/06


Hey Dan, I Bet Whitey & I Could Peck That Pitiful Halter Off You

Yesterday I promised an explanation for the humiliating state of Donkey Doodle Dandy's halter, and I plan to get to it later today. A big thunderstorm is hopefully going to drop a lot of rain on us in about 30 seconds, so I figured I'd at least post today's photo while I could get online. In the meantime, your wonderful comments on yesterday's photo had me laughing out loud. Leave it to Dan's friends and fans to creatively explain what I only saw as an embarrassment!

A year of Daily Photos ago: Pesto-To-Be
(Which is exactly what the garden is full of right now. And I am woefully low on olive oil. Rats.)

Thursday, July 27

Daily Farm Photo: 7/27/06


Donkey Doodle Dandy Enjoying An Organic Carrot Breakfast

So just why is my adorable, totally spoiled, all-slicked-out-for-summer donkey wearing what is no doubt the most pathetic looking halter on the planet? (There was no way I could post this photo without acknowledging the embarrassing state of this halter.) Check back later for the answer (actually tomorrow might be a safer bet). Right now I have to go--Cary is calling me.

Looking for food posts?
My recipe for Summer In A Bowl is now up on my kitchen garden blog. And be sure to check the sidebar over there for a few of my other favorite Less Fuss, More Flavor kitchen garden recipes.

A year of Daily Photos ago: Trixie Takes A Break

Wednesday, July 26

Daily Farm Photo: 7/26/06


Robin Heading Out On Her Morning Route

A year of Daily Photos ago: Determined Beauty

Tuesday, July 25

Daily Farm Photo: 7/25/06


Summer Love

In My Kitchen Garden: Click here for one of my very favorite ways to celebrate the first tomatoes of the season.

A year of Daily Photos ago:

Freshly Baked Oatmeal Toasting Bread

(Oh my gosh, I cannot believe it has been a whole year and I still haven't posted the recipe for this bread. Oops. I have all the photos and everything. Sorry. I guess I'd better not mention that I'm hoping to post a different sandwich bread recipe in the next week.)

Monday, July 24

Daily Farm Photo 7/24/06: Come to Mama


Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

A lot has been going on with little Cary lately. The Assimilation Process back into the flock during daytime has begun. (And for all of you have been wondering: of course I let her in the door that day she was staring at me through the screen. One, because you know I can't resist her little woolly face, and two, because the last time I didn't let her in immediately, she decided we were much too far apart, and she jumped right through the screen door to get to me. It's okay, though. Last week during our trip to a Big City, we went to a Giant Home Center Store and at the rolls of replacement screen display, I found one that guaranteed it was completely animal proof. Sold! Okay, so it showed a picture of a dog, but it was a big dog, and I figure it should be sheep-proof, too.)

But back to The Assimilation Process. Cary has been grazing for hours at a time out in the yard by herself. She has also been spending time with the flock/Professional Eat Up Crew in and around the farmyard. When they all meander down to the cool shade by the spring or out toward the front field, she follows along just like she should. But no matter where she is, as soon as she hears me calling out to her, she answers with the loudest "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" that she can muster. Then (just as all mothers and their lambs do) we call back and forth to one another until she catches sight of me and races as fast as she can into my outstretched arms. And although most people think that sheep say "Baaa," my little Cary really does say "Maaa!"

A year of Daily Photos ago: Quite A Sunrise

Sunday, July 23

Daily Farm Photo: 7/23/06

As we surveyed the various fallen trees and tree limbs on our way back to the house after tucking in the sheep for the night, the conversation went something like this:

"We need to think about fixing the chipper shredder."

"It's broken?"

"Yep."

"Still? Like from a couple of years ago?"

"Yep."

"We never fixed it?"

"Nope."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep."

"What's wrong with it again?"

"An important bolt fell out of it."

"Bummer."

"Yep."

Country time. Country talk
.


So in the meantime, we've hired a Professional Crew. . .



To eat up the mess.
(The one sitting down is the supervisor.)

A year of Daily Photos Ago:
Eighteen-Year-Old Gretel Soaks Up The Sun

(And now at 19, she's doing just fine.)

Saturday, July 22

Daily Farm Photo: 7/22/06


After Six Years, I Finally Noticed This Heart Rock Embedded In The Step At The Front Door Of Our House

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Big Chip

Friday, July 21

Daily Farm Photo 7/21/06: And Sheeeeeeee's SAFE!

Joe with Lindy the Chicken in the net - FarmgirlFare.com
It's not exactly dignified, but it works.

There's still a lot of storm damage to deal with around the farm, but we definitely made some progress yesterday. The large chunk of barn roof that blew off has been nailed back down, the top of the chimney is no longer laying on the lawn, a fair amount of the 2006 onion crop that had been drying out in the greenhouse was re-dried and salvaged, and, most importantly, Lindy The Chicken is back at home with Whitey.

Yesterday morning I crouched down on the ground in the yard, aimed a giant spotlight under The Shack, and spotted Lindy—about 15 feet in, totally unreachable, but blinking her beady little eyes. Alive!

I checked on her throughout the day, and the only thing she appeared to move was her head, but she looked okay, and I didn't think the dogs could fit under that particular section of the house. I racked my brain to figure out a way to rescue her, but Joe (who has much more chicken catching experience than I do) said we would just have to wait until she came out on her own. I was doubtful.

But around 8 o'clock last night, I got back down on the ground, aimed my spotlight under The Shack, and didn't see a chicken. I circled around The Shack, crouching and looking in various spots, and still I couldn't find her. I walked back into the house, announced that she was gone, and then practically scared Joe to death as I glanced out the window and shrieked, "THERE SHE IS! SHE'S ON THE DRIVEWAY!"

He grabbed the fishing/chicken-catching net, I grabbed my camera, and we quietly sneaked outside so as not to alert the dogs. There she was, ambling down the road as only a chicken can amble, paying no attention to all of the sheep milling about her.

Our view was mainly blocked by
the giant fallen tree in front of the yard, so Joe went one way, and I went the other, tiptoeing gingerly through the tall grass in totally inappropriate shoes and not nearly enough protective clothing.

A few scuffles, some muffled laughter later (there is nothing quite as amusing to me as the sight of a chicken who is jogging), and then whap! she was in the net. Joe scooped her up while I fumbled with the camera and tried not to trip over the rocks in the creekbed. I slip-slided after the two of them, Joe hurrying as fast as he could toward the coop, Lindy swinging in the net beside him, and me yelling "Stop! Stop! I can't get a good picture!"

But they didn't slow down. Not until Joe had Lindy safely back in her henhouse did he turn to me and calmly explain, "I've had them escape from the net before. No way was I going to stop."

Lindy the Chicken safely back in her pen - FarmgirlFare.com
Lindy the Chicken, back where she belongs.

Phew. What a relief. As we walked back to the house I said, "I'm sure Whitey is happier now, too. Poor thing, when I caught her up this morning she looked so pitiful, soaking wet and muddy and missing all those feathers. She wouldn't even come out of the coop when I checked on her later. It was awful."

"Oh no," said Joe. "She came out.
Dan went over to see how she was doing. He munched on some weeds around her run so they'd have better airflow, and she popped out and said 'hello.'"

"Are you making this up?"

"No! It was a Kodak moment. You missed it."

I can only imagine what else I miss around here—because half of the stuff I do see is pretty unbelievable.

Thanks so much for all of your kind words and bolstering comments. I'm just happy that Lindy and Whitey are safe. It's bad enough if a dog gets any chicken. It's something else entirely when that chicken has friends and fans around the world.

So now that you've been updated,
baby Cary and I need to leave the comfort of our tiny air-conditioned office and head out into the oppressive heat (looks like it's going to be another record breaker like yesterday) to help restore my poor blown apart greenhouse to its previous splendor, supervise some serious chainsawing work, and prepare for tonight's storm that's supposed to hit.

Meanwhile, 470,000 homes in the greater St. Louis area are still without power from the same storm that hit our farm Wednesday night. I knew it could have been a lot worse.

Want to read a little more about life on the farm?

Thursday, July 20

Daily Farm Photo 7/20/06: Storm Damage


New View From The Front Yard

I thought Tuesday's late night storm (which found us at the tail end of a 300 mile trip in 100+ degree weather in a 20-year-old pickup that was, shall we say, not having a good day) was bad. But it was nothing compared to last night's.

There are now even more things on the ground that shouldn't be—like this tree, the top of the chimney, much of the garden, and, unfortunately, Lindy The Chicken. The coop door was blown open in the night, and although Whitey is thankfully back where she should be, Lindy ran under the house--which is where the dogs hang out. I haven't given up on her yet. All of the other critters are safe, as are we.

Thanks for all of your recent kind words and comments. And welcome new visitors! (The place isn't usually such a mess.) Between damage control and my iffy dial-up connection, I don't think I'll be online much during the next few days. Did I mention the greenhouse blew apart?

I just keep reminding myself the same thing over and over: It could have been a lot worse. There are always so many reasons to be grateful.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Take One Rainshower, Add A Scoop Of Sunshine. . .

Wednesday, July 19

Daily Farm Photo: 7/19/06


Cats Aren't The Only Curious Critters
(Note: This isn't Cary.)

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Always Vying For The Tastiest Blade Of Grass

Tuesday, July 18

Daily Farm Photo: 7/18/06


Already?

This is my 400th Daily Farm Photo.
To see the 300th, 200th, & 100th photos, click here and
here and here. If you would like to look back at more Daily Farm Photos, the easiest way is to scroll through the monthly archives via the links in the sidebar. So, anybody have any favorites?

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Pretty In Pink For Those Blue On Monday

Monday, July 17

Daily Farm Photo 7/17/06: Knock, Knock!


"I'm Ready To Come Inside Now," says The Privileged Animal
(Who knows all about air conditioning and
indoor dining
.)

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Dawn Patrol

© FarmgirlFare.com

Sunday, July 16

Daily Farm Photo: 7/16/06


Butterfly Bonanza

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Patchy Cat Guards The Sheep From His Perch On The Barn Gate

Weekend Dog Blogging #43


Morning Dog Walk Through The Woods--And Not A Leash In Sight
(A luxury loved by all of us.)

Attention Dog Lovers! This Is Weekend Dog Blogging #43!
To see fun dog photos and discover delicious new food blogs, visit
Sweetnicks on Sunday nights for the roundup. And the weekly Friday Ark boards everything from canines to clearwing moths. If you prefer food to fur, don't miss the always delicious and informative Weekend Herb Blogging roundup every Sunday night. Catch it this week at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Saturday, July 15

Daily Farm Photo: 7/15/06


One benefit of having weather that is never the same from year to year? Something new (& usually beautiful) is always popping up around the farm.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
The Beauty Of Handmade Bread

Friday, July 14

Daily Farm Photo: 7/14/06


Cary Is An Equal Opportunity Treat Thief

Let's just say this photo doesn't show the whole story. (I'm sure I'll get the rest of them up one of these days.) Oh, but I can cross something off the evergrowing list of Blog Stuff I Promised To Do, though! Today's photo is for fairly new reader
blueskiesfade (and every Cary lover out there of course), who asked the other day, "Do you ever post any pictures of your llamas or chickens? I don't think I've seen any yet.."

Okay, if anybody is wondering where the llamas came from, read this and then this. To see more llama photos, click here and here and here. And then there's this classic (which is Lindy's favorite--she wants it on a tee-shirt). Click here for a post that is absolutely cluck full of links to chicken photos (sometimes they hijack my blog).

A year of Daily Photos ago: Evening Light Hits Just Right

Thursday, July 13

Daily Farm Photo: 7/13/06


Looking Up While Tucking In The Sheep Last Night

Yes, I know. I never got back to your questions and comments yesterday, and I'll be offline the rest of today and most of tomorrow. But upon my return, I'll do my best to catch up on everything from the tiny turtle (who has been named & set free--don't worry I have farewell photos) to the mysterious appearance of the bright blue halter on Donkey Doodle Dandy (which was finally mentioned by Heather.) I'd been wondering how long it would be before someone remarked on it--weeks and weeks! So when will all this catching up occur? Oh, I'm sure you know the answer to that--
soon!

A year (and a day) of Daily Photos ago:
Heading Out For Breakfast

Actually, this is the 7/12/05 Daily Photo. All day yesterday I kept thinking it was the 13th, so naturally my morning post included a link to the 7/13/05 photo. Oops.

Wednesday, July 12

Daily Farm Photo: 7/12/06


Donkey Daycare!?




I'm Fine

Yesterday's Daily Photo of Cary being placed in Donkey Daycare was such a hit I thought I'd go ahead and share two more pictures from yesterday morning, especially since Miss Kitty mentioned Dan's braying. (Click here to read more about that and to see another photo of Dan in full braying action.) As far as my somehow recording Dan's "heeee-hawww" and having it play here, um, that is so beyond my technical capabilities I can hear Dan laughing at me from out in the field a half mile away. (I still haven't even figured out how to use the movie feature on my camera. Or taken my new-but-probably-already-obsolete photo printer out of the box. I'll stop here before I really embarrass myself.)

And then when I read Jeff's suggestion that I also incorporate Dan's recorded voice into the children's book I'm supposed to be writing, the first thing that immediately came to mind was the image of a very small child opening the book and being scared to death by the sound of a donkey on the verge of exploding emanating from the pages. But then late last night as I approached the barn for a final sheep check, I heard these amazing frog sounds and thought, These could go in the book, too! I used to think it was the animals who were making me nuts, but now I'm starting to think it's actually the crazy ideas you're all putting into my head!

A year of Daily Photos ago: Dinner!
It's very interesting for me to look back and see what I was taking pictures of around the farm exactly one year ago. It's often the very same thing I'm photographing now. Earlier this morning I filled that same stainless steel colander with the same kind of beans (Straight 'N' Narrow), and I was thinking about digging up the first potatoes. Today's beans, however, are headed for the freezer. I'm too busy working my way through the seemingly endless crop of Dragon Langerie beans (which I only like raw--and absolutely love dipped in homemade blue cheese dressing). And besides--one of my favorite things to ask Joe in the dead of winter is, "How about I pull out some green beans for dinner?" to which the reply is always a resounding "Yes!"

Okay, I have to go check the kitchen for rainfall (leaky old farmhouse roof, for those of you now thinking, "What?") since it just started pouring outside. Boy, my laundry technique is really working! I hope to have a chance to reply to more of your comments and answer questions (about the tiny turtle and the cat cabin, where the llama and chicken photos are, etc.) later today, but by now many of you know that I've had to stop making promises, as farm life usually consists of moving from one unplanned distraction to another! Thanks as always for your patience.

Tuesday, July 11

Daily Farm Photo: 7/11/06


Donkey Daycare For Cary Today

A year of Daily Photos ago: One Fine Daylily

Thank you all so much for the wonderful happy birthday wishes!

Monday, July 10

Daily Farm Photo: 7/10/06


BB (born in 2005) & Her Mother Tana Are Always Together
Click
here to see another recent photo of these two black beauties.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Molly Doodlebug Makes Her First Appearance

Saturday, July 8

Daily Farm Photo: 7/8/06


The Stuff Of Life

A year of Daily Photos ago:
I'm Still Amazed That This Is My Backyard

And just a little while ago, while I was out watering the garden in the still, evening shade, I looked over and saw something amazing in that very same scene--a wild hen turkey leading a procession of at least five baby turkeys back and forth across the grass, just beyond the fence. The stuff of life--oh yes.

Weekend Cat Blogging #57


Cat Cabin With J2 & Tractor Peeking Through

Attention Cat Lovers! This Is Weekend Cat Blogging #57!
See fun feline photos & discover tasty new food blogs. Visit my pal Clare & her crazy cat Kiri over at
Eat Stuff in Australia for all the links to this week's kitties. For more cute cat pics, catch the traveling Carnival Of The Cats each Sunday night. And the weekly Friday Ark boards everything from cats to bats.

Friday, July 7

Daily Farm Photo: 7/7/06


Same Scene, New View: This Was In Early April



And This Is Now

Click here to see other Same Scene, New View photos.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Robin At The Front Yard Gate

Thursday, July 6

Daily Farm Photo: 7/6/06


I Know, I Know, Two In A Row?
(But this one lets you see her face. It's already
changed so much. Click on photo for larger view. P.S. Cary is two months old today!)

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Misty Morning Sunrise

Wednesday, July 5

Daily Farm Photo: 7/5/06


Cary Nibbles On Breakfast In The Morning Light

Cary Weighs In: Many of you have commented lately on how much little Cary has grown. On May 18th I reported that she weighed about 9 pounds. This morning she tipped the scales at 29 pounds. No more scooping her up and carrying her around tucked under one arm. And while she does still like to curl up by my feet while I am sitting at the computer, there isn't much room down there for my feet anymore. Right now Cary is standing at the closed office door, alternately staring at me and nibbling on a plastic bucket. She is wondering why we aren't out in the garden eating real food. Gotta go.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Bumblebees & Butterflies & I Love Echinacea Flowers

Tuesday, July 4

Daily Farm Photo: 7/4/06


A Piece Of My Beautiful America

Happy 4th Of July from the middle of this incredible country!

A year of Daily Photos ago: He's A Donkey Doodle Dan-dy!

Monday, July 3

Daily Farm Photo: 7/3/06


In Your Face Happy

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Homemade Pie Served Anytime Here!

Sunday, July 2

Weekend Dog Blogging #41

Dog Days Of Summer Duty














Everything's Fine.

Attention Dog Lovers! This Is Weekend Dog Blogging #41!
To see fun dog photos and discover delicious new food blogs, visit
Sweetnicks each Sunday night for the roundup. And the weekly Friday Ark boards everything from dogs to frogs. If you prefer plants to pets, don't miss the always delicious and informative Weekend Herb Blogging roundup Sunday night at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Daily Farm Photo: 7/2/06


Summertime & The Swingin' Is Easy

Love that homemade swing?
Click
here to revisit some previously posted pictures of it.

A year of Daily Photos ago:
New Cat Gives A Backward Glance From The Cat Cabin


Did you correctly identify the mystery food in yesterday's Daily Farm Photo? Click here to find out.

Welcome new visitors to Farmgirl Fare!
Click here for a brief introduction to this site.

Saturday, July 1

Weekend Cat Blogging:
Sharing Your Snack with a Lamb in the Living Room

Don't know who Cary is? Meet her in A Tiny Tail for Mother's Day.

If you are the mother of a small child, you and the child probably spend a fair amount of time in the yard or the park so the child can play in the fresh air.

If you are the mother of a little lamb, you and the lamb spend an inordinate amount of time in the yard or the garden or standing out in a field so the lamb can eat.


If it is 94 degrees in the shade and humid as all get out, neither mother nor lamb really wants to be hanging around outside in the sun. So what to do? Harvest lunch and bring it in the house for your little darling, of course. (I draw the line at peeling grapes.)

Naturally the Queen (as in Reigning Terror) of the Indoors, Molly Doodlebug, aka The Doodle Monster, assumed the nice pile of fresh green grass sitting on the living room floor was for her.

Cary knew better.
















This scene almost appears peaceful, but I wouldn't exactly call these two friends. I was unable to capture the hissing, nor do I have photos of The Doodle Monster taking a couple of swipes at Cary when she thought I wasn't looking.

With a lamb in the living room, every day is a new adventure.

© FarmgirlFare.com

Daily Farm Photo: 7/1/06


Here's Another Food Mystery For You

Do you know what these are? They don't show up on the farm every year. In fact, last summer was the first time I finally had a chance to taste one. Hint: these aren't ripe yet. Think you have them correctly identified? Click here to see if you're right.

A year of Daily Photos ago: A Coop With A View