Hidden Nest

As I was milking yesterday evening, I was very surprised to look up and see one of the GSL hens making her way across the yard with 7 chicks! She had a hidden nest somewhere, and hatched a clutch of eggs. Made me wonder how many eggs we were missing/ day and where the others were laying! Cute chicks, though.

Garden, update

Cucumbers have blossomed

Beans have blossomed

Tomatoes have really taken off, and there are lots of blossoms and several tomatoes in various stages of ripeness

The pumpkins are thriving in the area between the grapes

The lemongrass is (for now) planted in a pot next to the rosemary bush

Unrelated, the does are in heat. I wonder about breeding Reese next month so that our milk is staggered better?

FLIES

The weather's hot enough to breed lots and lots of flies, but still not too hot for them to be uncomfortable and DIE. I really really want an air curtain for the back door. Another month, though, and it will be too hot....Thanks, Pancake.

Buttah

After skimming and saving the cream from the tops of my bottles for the last week, I had about a pint and we tried our hands at making butter! Many many many cranks later (and with a little help from the Kitchenaid in the end) we ended up with about a half-pint of gorgeous pure white butter.

Also, DH made yummy lemon ice cream by trading the vanilla pudding we usually put in with lemon pudding, and 1/4 tsp of lemon extract.

Milk, check-in

2 gallons for the day. I gave about half of it to the kids, though, and they were grateful. The fridge is crammed with bottles and jars. I need to find someone to share it with soon, or I'll be feeding it to the pig.

Garden, check-in

The beans around the myrtle tree are thriving (extra water!) and are beginning to climb up the poles. The pumpkins came up about 5 days ago. The faith squash has about 5 giant blossoms on it (that showed up about 3 days ago).

I let the kids be with their moms yesterday evening, as it was storming and I didn't want to deal with milking in the rain.

The grass is not green.

Crying kids

I kept the kids separated from Penny and Belle all day/ last night. I kept checking on the kids, who were doing fine aside from crying LOUDLY everytime someone came near. At the evening milking, I gave them about 1/2 the pail full into a bowl to drink. They were moderately intrested, but mostly just really sad. Gotta happen sometime.

Still haven't checked on them this AM, but I hear lots of crying so at least some of them made it. ;)

Different subject: one of Alec's horn scabs came off and is a little red. The others seem ok, although a couple look like they might not be complete. We'll see. At least they aren't supposed to be show animals. ;)