What Next

This has been a week of crazy things going on around the homestead. Dealing with the loss of Kuma has been rough. Tramp, the basset beagle we rescued years ago from the middle of the road is really having a hard time without Kuma. He hasn't eaten in two days though I have got him to drink water. His big sad eyes just bring me to tears. I am hoping he will be okay. Am thinking about putting the puppy William wants to keep of Tinkers with Tramp and see if that helps. Tinkers puppies will be ready to sell the 26th. They have been eating puppy chow since they were 3 weeks old.

There is a dog bowl under those puppies somewhere

Not only do they eat that, nurse Tinker, they go over and help Bella's puppies eat their puppy chow and then push their way in to nurse Bella! Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out which puppies belong to which dog. Bella and Tinker are finally back to being BFF.

For the past week I haven't been getting any eggs out of the black hens pen. At first I thought Ginger was stealing the eggs from the laying boxes to go with the eggs she was sitting on.

But she would have to get out of her laying box and walk around the dividers of the other laying box and then some how get the eggs back to her nest. Then I got to thinking about the snake we had last year that kept stealing eggs. My guess was he was under the laying boxes that are inside a old truck tool box.

 First I did a peek to see if I was right. Yep, there was more than one under there.

 Then I did what most women do and called William. He put the snakes in a trash can and took them several miles away to some woods with a nice pond and no people or houses close.

The next day I had 7 eggs waiting for me in the laying boxes! I am hoping the snakes don't find their way back. Last week we had a big king snake in the Rhode Island Red pen and  William took it down to the swamp behind our house. Way down in the woods. When he came back and we were checking the hens that same snake came crawling back through the fence! Had to carry it off. I usually don't mind non poisonous snakes but when they start eating my eggs and are near my baby chicks they have to go.

We have had rain and thunderstorms for 3 days now. Inbetween the rain I am trying to work on the flower bed next to the house of William's customer. It hasn't been weeded or tended to in years.

I am lucky that William and his helper are digging up the flower bed for me. I set the flowers to the side to replant and they dig and get all the weeds and grass out. Once they get one section done I start putting plants back. We haven't gotten very far as it takes hours to get it ready to plant and then the rains come.

 I got a super deal on knock out rose bushes and will be sharing a couple with customer.

I got William to dig up the little holly bushes so I could move them but the big azalea bush will stay put. If the rains end today then I should be able to finish the first half of the flower bed by Saturday. The other half should be finished by Tuesday. The good thing about all this work is I am getting some plants for my flower beds as I thin out plants before planting them back. So its really worth all the hard work!

The flower bed job is around the corner from my german friend Gerda. I have been able to stop by and visit with her. William weeded her garden and I set out some squash plants for her. Next time I will weed her herb garden and take her a couple plants from my greenhouse.

My youngest daughter Megan is having contractions off and on the past few days. Trying to stay close to my phone in hopes she calls to say my grandson Skyler has arrived. My middle daughter Melody is still fighting for her foster daughter "Sissy". She is so stressed over things that are going on. Please keep Sissy in your prayers. That she may be able to go back to the home she has known and loved since she was 3 weeks old instead of being in a strange home with people she doesn't know.

My oldest daughter Maggie called last night to let me know they will be taking a week of their vacation down this way. They will be visiting friends and family on the coast as well as spending a few days here on the homestead. Looking forward to their visit!

Well that's whats been going on around the homestead. Lots of blessings to be thankful for. Hope you are counting yours!