Critter Update

"Maeve" looks right into the camera!

I am pleased to say the the Irish 6 chicks are all doing well.  They get out every day for about 6-8 hours in the yard.  They are a month old, and sweet as can be.  When I come out the door into the yard, they all run toward me!  Peeping like mad: "Mommy!"  Maeve continues to be the boss.  Bridget the youngest and whitest of the girls is always wanting me to hold her. 
Figaro is doing well.  Very subdued, after his health scare.  No more kitten left in him.  He continues to try and BE my laptop.  :-)

Maeve and Shannon

"Did you want to delete that file?"

Google is not asking me for any more money for posting photos.  We'll see. What was that all about?

I am busting my butt for Mothers Day orders, and getting ready for a show.  The garden season is also here, and 3 of the raised beds are planted.  We are eating salad greens, as well as peas.  The big tadoo is getting the irrigation system in place.  My son has been helping me on his day off install it.  He's been a terrific helper, and planner.  He also is inquisitive about growing food.  I promise to get some photos to show soon. 

Thanks for reading.  Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

Chicks Are Here!!!

She fell asleep as I was taking the picture.

They arrived  early,  again.  A shared order with my neighbor, Wendy.  I was almost ready...so Bob and I scrambled to move the nursery in the yard, get the light set and watched the thermometer rise.  The wind instantly picked up.  I caved, and we brought them inside, in the kitchen.  Much easier to maintain the constant temp for these crucial days.  Since they came on St. Patty's Day, I think I will name them Irish lass names.  Please feel free to leave your Irish name suggestions in the comments.  They will be red in color, so how perfect to have 6 red heads on St. Patrick's Day.

Nothin' cuter than new peeps.

Happy St. Patty's Day!  Thanks for reading.  

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

I Built A Wall Of Basil

Ready for the freezer...30 1/2 cups of pesto.

When one is married to an Italian...you grow basil and tomatoes.  I harvested pounds of basil.  Most of the leaves were removed for pesto.  But I had so much that I put some in a vase and the kitchen is filled with the smell of fresh basil.  There will be more made in a week or so.  What this means to me: is in January when I can't think of what to make for dinner...pesto.  Bob is always delighted and amazed by this.

Basil, green chili, eggplant, tomatoes, eggs, and feathers.

Above is yesterday's harvest.  I will freeze the Monzano plum tomatoes and when I defrost them the skins just slip off.  I discovered this by accident, no more dropping into boiling water.  This method is much easier.  

Bantam eggs fill a bowl that I made with Bob in ceramics studio.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

4 More At The Door

Australorp chicks

Last night I got an email from a chicken farmer in the East Mountains of Albuquerque.  I had contacted him in March about getting some of his Australorp chicks.  He was out of them but said he'd have some mid May to late May.  I wrote back saying I needed them before of after our trip to see the elephants.  However, I never heard from him again.  I also left several voice mail messages.  Imagine my surprise when he emailed me!  

Full sized Australorp hen.

So here we go again.  I now have a broken foot, and am in a walking cast. So I can't do the things I normally can do.  I will enlist help of Lloyd and Ethan to move the nursery back into the walled patio area.  There will only be 4, so that is much less clean up or work. They are a large breed, and will grow fast.  Eventually they will be commingled with our flock.  Of course Ethan is thrilled to have chicks again.  

I could have told him no.  But these are a favorite gentle breed of mine.  And for another week, I have a 13year old farm hand. :-)

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.
xo,
Suz

From The Garden

The Crows greet me daily at the gate.

This spring has been a tough one.  The winds have blown 40-50 miles an hour.  The temps were warm in April, and then near freezing in May.  Gardening in New Mexico is a humbling experience for even the most seasoned gardner.  I had to enclose the large back garden on 3 sides with shade cloth.  Partly for sun protection, and partly for a wind break.  I planted tomatoes, and they were instantly bleached by the sun.  We moved the shade square umbrellas (see photo) to the back. I rotate my tomato crop.

Shade cloth and umbrellas up to brace against elements.

Most of the seeds are in.  Beans, cucumbers, mustard greens, broccoli raab, lettuces, beets, radish, eggplant, green chili, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil, flat parsley, onions, chives, chard, spinach, peas.  There are a few more seeds to plant.  I will have to get more tomato plants from the farmers market, as I think some of mine that got bleached won't make it.

onions,spinach,sugar snap peas, radishes in small garden

A crazy bug of recycled materials

pea flowers...so delicate

Our newest tenants Karen and Lloyd have been a helpful duo from above.  Their yard is really been cut back, and Karen is taking up the grass bit by bit.  I hope to have it with flagstone and perennials by end of summer. Lloyd ("yoid" the Spanish pronunciation) is very tall. He is able to prune trees without a ladder.  Amazing.  Bob and I feel blessed to have them here as friends also.  Karen is an excellent cook and we have shared many a meal and lively discussions on the patio.  She refers to herself as "Prunella" because she has pruned most of the trees and vines.

Karen attacking the grass!

"Yoid" pitching branches in the arroyo

Sadly we lost our big peach tree near the pool.  Our below zero temps and the idiot who planted it so close to the house/pool took it from us.   I will miss it, but not the constant dropping of peaches in the pool area. 

the end of the peach tree :-(

chard, leeks, radishes for dinner

oil lamps I will recycle for garden markers in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

Chicken Love

I am changing my Facebook profile to this pic of Talullah. !

I am not going to hold back.  No self editing, shoulds, wouldas, the straight story.
I am in love with my chickens.  I will post pictures and try not to gush like the obnoxious grandma ("G-Dawg") I am.   I LOVE THEM !!!!!!!!!!!

Giving me Chicken Eye Contact

She's really feathering out nicely.

 "Irma" a black Cochin hen

Thanks for reading.

Each day is a gift. Open now.

xo,

Suz

It's A Beautiful Life

The Silkie Sisters

In spite of New Mexico's very harsh spring.  We have managed a few great days.  This week we were putting a washer and dryer in the guest house.  For Bob this means no more cutting through the shop for our tenants to do laundry.  That will give him great peace, as he doesn't like to be interrupted.  The electrician and plumbers came the same day as "Dave the Neanderthal Pool Man."  Dave opens and closes the pool every year.  However, this year he couldn't get the pilot light to stay lit. 

Frame on hinges before netting was put on.

Between the washer/dryer installation and Dave, I thought Bob would lose his mind.   What started out as a gorgeous Spring day, ended with what I call a "hemorrhage of money."  The dryer needed a bigger breaker, and there were none left in the box.  Dave left us with a cold pool, and no definite answer as to needing a new heater.  The next day Dave arrived with a new part. The guys finished the installation.  Neither of us got much work done.  Life.

Rose bushes will provide shade, and predator protection.

The morning started out with a garden work, and a chicken visit.  I was working in the garden, watering the newly planted rose bushes, and mulching strawberries.  Our tenant Karen was hanging wash outside wearing her apron.  I was feeding the chickens bread scraps.  We looked as if we had stepped back in time.  I snapped a picture of her and some of the chickens, as well as the roses, and new strawberry patch anti bird netting frame.  It's hinged, so I can lift it up the frame to harvest and work. Brilliant!

Karen hanging the wash...cutie pie.

In spite of the speed bumps we hit, I feel life is pretty wonderful.  I love my morning routine of watering and feeding.  Karen is a gardener and chicken lover. She's helped so much with yard work, and I look forward to more side by side gardening, and chickening.  It's nice to have a tenant who also feels like a neighbor.  It's a beautiful life.

Talullah being silly. 

Talullah again, what a poser.

I checked the pool, and it's warm and ready.  However it's been raining here on and off all day (not complaining), and it barely cracked 50 degrees.  Not exactly swimming weather. :-)

Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz