Just in time...

 

The teeny tiny garden is growing and my grasshopper trap is woven and hanging on a post. :)

On our walk with Eli and Ellie I saw a patch of small leaf long stem Plantain. Just had to stop and pick a handful and bring them home.

Thinking of mama, I wove the long stems threw my fingers trying to remember just how she did it. Anyhow, this is how it turned out. I will be sure and let you know if it catches a grasshopper. :)

Baby chicks...

Not really babies any longer, these chicks have moved into the lot with the big chickens.

Cutie pie! All of them are cute, and so friendly. Poppy says, "because they think you are their mama".

but the cutest are the two black Marans with feathers on their legs. 

Speaking of the garden, so far, so good? The beans are up, and I've built the crooked little wattle fence, such as it is...

While up at the garden taking pictures only five minutes ago, would you look at this!

a guy from Duke Energy spraying weed killer under the power lines. The mist was blowing my way, I could smell it!

and here's his truck...

If my plants all die! Well, what can I do?? Always something!

Better get busy. Need to get the animals all fed and settled in early since they're calling for a chance of thunderstorms this evening. Oh, I feel so bad for all the people in Iowa where so many tornadoes hit. My heart goes out to them. I can't even imaging going through that. 

Hope to be back soon. 

Love, Henny

Been working on the old cupboard, with springtime dishes. Be back with pictures. (hopefully)

Shoot! I meant to show you the pretty lettuce growing in the garden. I usually can't grow lettuce!

Good Grief! What a post!

Dear friends, your birthday wishes just made my day!! Thank you so much!!

Have you ever heard of Schoolhouse Lilies? Well, I never had until a friend way out in Texas sent me some...

I met Sandra through my blog. She told me about the pretty red lilies and how they bloom every year around the time school starts. 

There were twice this many lilies in the box Sandra sent but I planted some in another spot. How dumb of me! Wish now I had put them all here. Anyhow, Sandra said move them in December. The picture does not show the true beauty of these lilies and their vibrant red color. Thank you again Sandra.

and about the Succulents. not a very pretty picture...

but after seeing how my one succulent thrived with very little care...

well, I decided to try more and found on Ebay, a place to order a sample box of little cuttings for around ten dollars...

It's amazing how quickly these little pieces started growing, using just the regular old potting soil I have on hand.

Need to read now, how to care for these plants and make them prettier.

The garden is looking awfully bad these days, in fact, I've pulled up the bean vines and a few other things...

didn't know Poppy had the camera! The squash plants have been amazing. Look how big and pretty these are still, and yesterday I picked ten large squash. Been meaning to tell you about the morning glory vine...

See how yellow and dying everything looks? Soon will be fall! Anyhow, last year the vine didn't grow so big but was covered in pretty purple blooms, surrounding the little blue bird box there on the center post. Can you see it?

This year I wanted bigger and better so bought a pack of the giant blue morning glory seeds, and do you know, not even one bloom! Not one! Not all summer! but not to be outdone...

this tiny purple morning glory seed found its way through the dry soil and bloomed. Sure hurt my heart. It wanted to climb the fence but it's too late. Wish there was some way to save it for next summer. I feel just awful. There's lesson here..."be content with what you have".

The okra plants are still pretty...

and a little update on the animals...It is absolutely amazing how Eli, and now Ellie, hear and see things, long before we can. The barking brings us running to the door...

thinking maybe a bear has wandered into the yard. Here's what it was this time...

and did I tell you, Smokey got caught outside in a rain storm, a week or so ago? We were worried about him...Poppy called me to the front ddoor and said, look! There sat Smokey, dripping wet...

Look at those cute feet hanging from the towel. Wasn't long before he was dry and telling Poppy how awful it was...

Oops! Please overlook the hole in the chair. I'm done patching and mending. It's time for new living room seating...and Poppy agrees. Our lovely leather set is now thirty two years old! Now to talk Eli into giving up his big leather chair. We'll see. I will probably have to remind Poppy a hundred times too. :(

Woo, made an appearance from under the sewing table to say "hey"...

He is still a sweetie and would sit in my lap 24/7, if only I had the time. 

All is well in the chicken lot...

I've been letting them out to roam in the yard every day now and they love it! Poppy put wire on the small door to let in more air, and maybe create a breeze from the two windows, these hot summer nights...

and I promise, there is an end to this post. Here's the last...

This hen said she would be on the veranda today, laying her egg...

That's all folks! Thank you, if you're still here. 

Love,

Henny

A few teeny tiny thoughts from Henny Penny Lane

 

We mowed and mowed and mowed today! Poppy on the riding mower and me, walking my legs off with the push mower. Wouldn't have it any other way...I like walking behind the mower.

But HOT! My goodness, and HUMID! I do a lot of thinking while pushing the lawn mower and today I thought of Mama and the funny things she used to say. Tell you what I was thinking in a minute, but first...

The chickens, enjoying a big clump of grass. Funny how this ball of grass grew. It was in the half barrel where last year the Bee Balm grew. The Bee Balm was looking awful so I pulled all the plants then dumped the whole thing and found a big nest of black ants living in the bottom.

hated to break up the ant's home but left the ball of dirt and ants in the edge of the woods up at the garden where it sprouted nice green grass. Had to get Poppy to help me lift the big heavy thing. The chickens sure enjoyed it.

Oh, look who hung around with me at the garden...

Anyhow, guess it was because of being so hot and sweaty today that I was remembering a time back in the 1950s...Do you remember the glass water jugs folks used to keep in their refrigerators?

Ours looked something like this, but I was thinking ours had the metal cap in the center...that was a long time ago!

Anyhow, it would make Mama so mad to come in hot and thirsty and go to the refrigerator for a cold drink of water and the jug be empty. I remember Mama saying one time, "if the durn house would catch on fire, that water jug would be the first thing to burn"! 

Dear sweet Mama. I miss her every day.

Was thinking too about the early 1960s, two men, named Henry and Bishop...they both were bulldozer operators. In fact, they built the ponds on our farm....but they used to stop by the house after a hard day's work to see Daddy and have a drink with him. You can probably imagine how dirty they would be after running a bulldozer all day. Anyhow, one day after they had stopped by, Mama said to me, "Lord Melba, they were both so dusty and dirty, you couldn't see anything but the whites of their eyes".

Good grief! I started this post on Saturday and here it is Monday afternoon. Why didn't I go ahead and publish it?

Anyhow, here's Eli and Ellie, rushing Poppy to get his shoes on and out the door for our early morning walk...

Sometimes it's hard to see your feet. I will leave you with a very short little video of Eli walking. Wish it had been longer...He has always had the cutest little twist...

Ellie girl and I were walking behind. Sure sppreciate your visiting. 

Love,

Henny

Hens on Henny Penny Lane

Oh goodness, I was going to tell you how crazy the hens go in springtime, but then, who am I to talk! I go just as crazy. Every day is packed with happy stuff to do outside and crapy stuff to do inside. 

Why, there's no telling how many steps I walk a day. If only there was time to stop and put my Fitbit on. :) 

So about the hens...

Way over a month ago, three hens decided they wanted to set (as we used to call it). Every day it was a fuss and a fight over a nest box and a few eggs. 

and all the while Poppy preaching, "don't let those hens set. We can't sell the eggs we have now. We sure don't need more chickens".

So, without Poppy knowing, I met with the hens and here's what we decided...Each hen got a nest box and two marked eggs. I then put up one new nest box for the other laying hens. Finally! Peace and quiet in the chicken house, until...

Chicks began hatching.  Time flies, doesn't it!  Two mama hens, each with two baby chicks. Had to get busy and find them all a safe place, so I divided the little covered guinea pen into sections, making homes for the two mamas and their babies. 

Then Poppy found out...not to worry I told him. My plan is to sell the whole lot on Craigslist. My ad reading..."Mama hen and two chicks $15.00. Take them all; Two mama hens and four chicks $25.00."  Got immediate response in emails...so I called the first one. Turned out to be a nice couple with a young son who live about five minutes from us. How nice!  I worry too much about animals and want them to be cared for properly. They bought them all. :(

Now the third old set'n hen has been a worry. Three time, I've been in the chicken house to gather eggs and caught her off her nest and sitting on the fresh eggs...while her three marked eggs lay cold and unattended. Forgot to tell you I gave this hen one extra egg. Anyhow, I would pick her up and put her back on her marked eggs. 

So Poppy, once again, "you need to throw her eggs away and take her off the nest. She'll get over it. Those eggs are not going to hatch. Just throw them over the fence in the woods".

But I waited, and late yesterday while gathering the eggs, found two teeny tiny chicks under mama hen. Checked again this morning and there were three. :)

Don't know if I can part with these. I've worried so about the others having to leave home.

We'll see.  Long ago, women folk talked about what they bought with their egg money...I bought mulch and plants with my hen and chick money.

Appreciate your visiting. Hope to be back soon...

Love,

Henny

Poppy holding the babies...

 

Cowboys

Look at this wild and crazy print! Do you like it? I do! Would it drive you crazy if I use this font?  Just let me know. :)

Dear friends,

Just had to post a little something tonight to let you know everything is okay and I'm still around. The days are so busy, and aren't the days short?

We've actually had a day or two of sunshine mixed in lately...

and like me, the chickens search out the sunniest spots...that's me standing in the door way; well, my shadow.

This little red hen surely found plenty to eat under the leaves...just look at her craw...

actually, it's called her crop, but we here in the south call it the craw.

Poppy and I got our second Covid vaccine last Tuesday, the 23rd. Glad that's over! Getting the vaccine was much easier this time...no traffic jams! 

Speaking of Poppy; there was a little empty wall space (imagine that!) in the living room near the big old TV cabinet, that needed something...so I pulled out this old picture...

recognize these folks? :) I should be ashamed! That's Poppy and me, back in the 1980's. We were at Myrtle beach. Anyhow, I also pulled the old black leather horse bridle and reins from our collection on the back porch...

pulled up this old chair and pillow, and hung Poppy's cowboy hat on the back of the chair. I like the look! Pay no mind to the dust, or the cowboy standing there. 

Oh, here I am just getting wound up and Poppy is ready for bed. Well, it is getting late, 9:30! Whew! It's a post! Such as it is! 

Got a lot of visiting and catching up to do and I hope to be right back here posting again real soon. Oh, Heidi is well and such a sweetie pie. 

Love,

Henny

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Flowers in the dead of winter!

isn't that what Olivia said to her husband John Walton when he made it home through a blizzard late on Christmas Eve. He handed her a bouquet of cut flowers.

Well, these beautiful flowers are from Poppy, to me for Valentine's Day. 

I've never seen so many different flowers in one bouquet...

Why, I've taken about 25 pictures and none of them show their true beauty...

My plan was to do a quick post early this morning and say "Happy Valentine's Day" but...

again today I haven't felt well. Not sure what's going on so I will probably call the doctor tomorrow. 

Oh, my GOOD NEWS! Little Heidi is standing on all four feet, even walking around. She wants out of the little stall she is in but with all the rain, and Rosie, being the little bully that she is,  I feel Heidi is safer there. Hopefully the rain will stop soon.

And a bit of SAD NEWS too...Our oldest hen died yesterday. She was very special...

this was her when she was just a baby. Our neighbor came knocking at the door early one morning a few years ago. He handed me the little black chick and asked if I could raise it.

There was a bad storm the night before. Some animal had killed the mother hen and this little chick made it through the night alone.

She has been a sweet hen...

and even raised a few chicks of her own. We will miss her.

Guess I need to stop here.  Poppy just asked if we are having ice cream tonight.

Hope you all have had a nice weekend and a Happy Valentine's Day!

Love, Henny