Picture of the day

I could get used to this

It's been raining off and on for a week or so now. Mostly at night, which is nice because when I wake up the air is really fresh and it's very quiet outside.

This morning, though, it was raining when I went out to milk, which was a different story. I don't have a barn or cover to milk under, so I just had to put on my jacket and subject me and the poor does to a soaking. It let up as I was squirting, but then I heard thunder. Normally a very pleasant sound to me, this morning it was a bit intimidating. I realized as I was squeezing, that I was holding a steel pail, hunched over a goat that was standing on a steel framed milking stanchion. I squirted faster and faster as I contemplated what it would be like to be struck by lightning, and how I would explain it to DH that I was stubborn enough to keep milking even though my gut was telling me to stop and go back inside! I'll admit that I didn't strip them completely dry and I got my little behind back in the house. Within 20 minutes, it was a full out thunderstorm and absolutely pouring.

Generally, I haven't liked rain much in the past. Maybe it's because it turns out front 'yard' into Lake Mud every time it happens (and it's guaranteed that we have company over AT LEAST once a day until it is dried up, so they traipse awkwardly though the mud to our front door). I also don't care for what it does to my hair (vain, I know, but true).

Lately, I have really been enjoying it. The air is fresh, my grass is green, the trees are growing and the cloud cover blocks the blasting sunlight for a bit. Those 5 inches of rain a year that our state gets seem to have all come this week, but I hope it's not over. ;)

More reconstruction

This is too fun...good thing I have plenty of tshirts to experiment with. ;) Who doesn't? Get your scissors out! Chop chop!

Butterflies

At first, a week or so ago, I pointed out every single one. 'Look! A butterfly!' 'Look! A butterfly!' 'Look! A butterfly!'....It wore off, though, and I haven't been pointing them out anymore. Today, I finally figured out where they were all coming from. As I pulled out of our street and looked at the alfalfa fields flowering, I saw thousands (millions?) of tiny yellow butterflies. I tried to get the camera to focus on the amazing scene of the fluttering haze above the field, but I just couldn't capture the magic of it. Still, I managed to catch a few of them in focus.....

Random bits

When DD went out to feed the goats, she discovered a new mother hen. I am torn between being enchanted with these sweet mother hens and their little fluff-ball chicks and being very cross that they are hiding their eggs from me! We have no fewer then 30 chickens in our yard, and an average of about 4 eggs a day. That just isn't fair. At least this new mother's efforts paid off; our Jersey Giant has been setting for over a month now on a nest of duds. ;)

Our 'little' Pancake is getting huge! I have read that they can gain a pound a day at this point, though I am sure that is under ideal conditions with primo feed (which she isn't getting!). She's doing ok on the table scraps and hog grower, though, and I'm happy enough with the weight she's put on. I see a Christmas ham in our future....

And, lastly, another gorgeous sunset.

Like country?

So, some friends of ours are going to be in concert at the QCPAC, opening for Lady Antebellum on September 11. Anyone going to be in the area? Check out tickets at the QCPAC website under "KMLE country series". These guys are amazingly talented!

Update on the....'garden'

Somehow, there are still a couple pumpkin vines clinging desperately to life. I keep watering them, hoping they will last long enough to see the turn in the weather (is it just me, or is it possible it's just a TEENY bit cooler. Hmmm...No, must just have been a dream I had....) There are a few lingering sunflowers, as well.

All the trees are happy (after their near-death experience when they were without water for 2 weeks) except for the apple tree. I'm not sure if it's just the heat (even though it's lasted 3 summers already) or the weeds around the base of it, but it's not looking too happy. Too bad, too, because we actually got edible apples off that tree this year!

Sidenote: wanted to share a neat site, NEA Soapworks. This gal has a really well done site and lots of creativity put into her soaps. It's fun to see what others are doing with their talents...

Erosion

Yesterday, I got the report from DD that the drinking fountain in the back yard wasn't working. When I went to check it out, I found that there was a leak at the pig pen. A bad, bad leak. More like a fountain. Or a waterfall. It had been going at least all day, maybe longer, at full pressure. The water had eroded out a cave about 6 inches under the crust of the ground, about 8 feet or more in several directions. What a mess. DH had to dig up all around it, trying to find the leak. Turns out there were several....the pictures don't do it justice. I can't wait for this month's water bill....

The view

I love milking as the sun is coming up.....I get to see some gorgeous sunrises! (Not to mention I avoid many flies this way.)

And, I found this to be pretty funny......