Monday, June 8, 2009

Carrots, a Dead Gopher, Bees, and Chickens

I have been taking pictures thinking, "This might make for a good post," then I realize I really only have one or two sentences to say about the topic. I decided I would blog about those topics not quite interesting enough to warrant an entire blog post.

1. My husband's huge carrots

This post was Oliver's idea. He wanted to show off the biggest carrot we have ever been able to grow. After years of trying Glenn finally grew this amazing carrot. It was delicious.

2. Poor dead baby gopher

Our cat Otter (previously a pacifist) killed his first animal. After murdering this cute gopher, he went inside to eat some processed dry cat food. We were actually kind of happy Otter killed this gopher (who recently ate all of our peas) until I brought up that some mother gopher just lost her baby. Then we got a little sad.

3. Honey and Bea update anyone?

Some of you may remember Honey and Bea from our previous posts.
The Beneficial Bee: Honey and Bea
Bea was injured as a chick and we worried she wouldn't be able to walk. Look at her now, a healthy young chicken. You can always find Honey following Bea around the coop (Honey is white, Bea is black)

4. Bees in the garden

We have had very few of our bees visit our vegetable garden. Now thanks to our sunflowers, we have many more bees buzzing around the garden.

5. Introducing our new head rooster: Eddie!

Carlos found a new home on 20 acres where he will be used to fertilize eggs (and where he will not be able to attack toddlers). It is free range and happy and I'm not just making it up to make you feel good. Eddie has a much more gentle style. Oliver and I watched him take the most sensual bath today with two of the hens. Just look at the expression on his face. Have you ever seen a happier rooster?

7 comments:

  1. That's a nice carrot Oliver! I also like your PJs. I have a pair just like them, but bigger. Rest in peace gopher baby. I agree, probably a good thing he's gone. And look how much Honey and Bea have grown! Is Honey an Easter egger? I'm so glad Bea made a full recovery of her injuries. I love sunflowers and planted lots of them along the far edge of the pond. They are one of my favorite flowers, next to purple coneflowers. You found a gentle rooster eh? I didn't know such a thing existed! Does he have a brother???

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  2. Your photos are awesome and well worth posting! I was so happy to hear that the chicks are doing well and that Bea recovered from her precarious start.

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  3. OMG! Look at the teeth on that goopher!!! Scary looking thing isn't it? lol

    That sure is a nice looking carrot Oliver! We tried to grow carrots about 2 yrs ago and didn't have any luck with them. I think it was because of the drought. And when you have well water you just can't spare it on the garden! This year sure is a wet one though and the garden is looking good!

    Glad to hear your chicken is doing good! And your rooster sure looks like he is enjoying his new home!

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  4. Our formerly nice rooster, Jesse, is going to have to find a home on 20 acres soon I tell you what. That rooster is so aggressive I'm scared to collect the eggs. It's amazing how some roosters are very gentle and others are big fat meanies. I'm glad Eddie is so sweet. Julia

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  5. That is such a beautiful bee on sunflower photo. I'm using it as a desk top for a while. Hope you don't mind.

    Whatever happened to that gopher snake you had for killing the gophers? I guess the cat came through for you after all...I remember the gopher problem from an earlier post.

    Yeah, Eddie the Rooster looks happy and content, like a pig in mud ;-) I remember when I was growing up we had a mean rooster, that hacked up my knees with his beak and spurs and I, like an idiot, just stood there and screamed...till my dad came and rescued me...he became dinner one sunday. The other one was nice and didn't bother me.

    P.S. Thanks for the poem on my blog. It is lovely. It almost made me cry!

    Doris
    http://crochetingingeorgia.blogspot.com/

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  6. Amy~
    Honey is a sex-linked I believe. Eddie is actually one of our previous chicks. He has the best personality and the hens are starting to like him!

    Thanks Barbara!

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  7. Thanks Anglea, Oliver was so proud.

    Julia,
    Jesse is mean again? I thought you chicken whispered him!

    Doris, We think the snake left the garden and several more gophers have moved in. I'm glad you liked the poem and you can use my pics anytime!

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