Vultures...

Doing what vultures do.


I've been driving by this dead deer all week. Then started seeing vultures. So Friday, I had to turn back around and go back to take pictures. I think this is fascinating. Just watching  the food chain working, it's amazing. I know some people might think this is gross and they don't want to see it. But this is life. And death. And the way things are supposed to happen. And vultures are about the best clean-up crew around. If we didn't have these huge birds, there would be nasty, stinky corpses all over the roads. It would take weeks for the flesh and skin to rot. But these birds, they come in and in just a few days, it's like it never happened.

                                             I got closer and closer. They started walking away.

                                   Then they started opening those huge wings and flying away...

     

to this tree. Can you see them all? They are just amazing creatures. Ugly as crap, but amazing creatures.

On the way back home, the vultures were nowhere to be seen. The deer was half eaten. It was hot. So maybe they were taking an afternoon siesta. Waiting for dinner later.

Another one?

I just called Susan, who I got the 2 Alpacas from. I was wondering if they should still be making the pitiful whining noises. And it looks like they are always looking around for the rest of their herd. So she's going to talk to the people who are supposed to get the others and see if I can have one more. If they need to have a bigger herd to be happy, I can handle one more. She's going to be talking to them tomorrow, so I'll know something pretty fast. I just love them and want them to be happy and content here. And safe. And if they feel safer with more, than more they shall have!

Pigs

Wow, look at these pigs! They are huge. I haven't seen them in a few months and I am amazed how big they have gotten. And they're so piggy! Their snouts are really long too.

I love pig snouts. I brought them some of the pressed apples from the cider making yesterday. They love it. And a lot of bread too. Nothing like bread and apples for dinner on such a beautiful fall afternoon.

I can't believe how much they've changed, so fast. But they are pigs. And pigs tend to grow fast. I wish I had kept them now. That's a lot of bacon and sausage!

I love how the shadows from the fence is on the pigs here. And the old barn with the trees in the background is so pretty. These pigs are lucky to live in such a beautiful peaceful place. Kind of makes me want a few more pigs.

Apple cider

 Apple cider time! Some friends and I went to Ann and Lynn B's to get all our apples turned into cider today. It was a perfect day to do it. In the low 70's. Beautiful blue sky. Lots of apples and some good people. It took about 2 1/2 hours to do all our apples. We got about 15 gallons. I love this old cider press. Lynn put a motor on it after a few years of hand cranking it. It gets the job done fast now. These are apples from my trees. Yates and Granny Smith.

This is Lynn and Ann. Lynn called Ann earlier to bring him his rifle. He had seen a snake down the hill. That's why he's standing there with a rifle. He's really a good guy! And the snake got away, for all you snake lovers.

My cider, doing its thing in the fridge a few days before freezing it. It's so good. I love apple cider. Not bad for free apples! Anyone else making cider? I took some of the apple peels and cooked them down for juice to make jelly. I'll do that tomorrow.

They are here!

Susan called this morning, wanting to know if I was ready for the boys. I said as ready as I would ever be. So she and 2 of her grand kids loaded them up and brought them over. I love this little trailer especially made for little Alpacas.

                                    Here's Stella and Bubba welcoming them to their new home.

They are just so cute. I would love to be able to just hug them. But they really aren't that lovable. I know it'll take them a long time to get to know me and their new home here.

They stand like this a lot. I love their faces. So full of expression. They make such sad little noises though. They are so used to a lot of other Alpacas and they are the only ones here. They can see the sheep. And they're used to chickens.

We found out they are half brothers with the same father. Both born in Sept. 2010. So just turned 3. Their mothers are sisters too.

This is Pecan Lane's Sugar Baby. I will call him Gandalf, I think. I just don't know yet. Sugar baby though?

And Baryshnikov, the Russian ballet dancer. He's beautiful. They both are, but I am just drawn to him. I love color and can't wait to get that wool. But, he is a kicker. Must be the dancer in him!

                                                 Such handsome Alpacas, don't you think?

My new boys

 These are my 2 Alpacas. Aren't they amazing! The white one is Pecan Lane's Sugar Baby. But he will be called Gandalf, the White Wizard. And the red one is Baryshnikov. The Russian ballet dancer. He looks like a dancer to me. I love them!

Just look at those faces! And that wool! Oh, I am in love! Seriously in love with these 2 guys. For now anyway. While they're still at Susan's farm. We'll see how I feel next week. She's delivering them here Sunday. I may change my mind and send them back. Who knows?  We shall see. But right now, at this moment, looking at their pictures, I am in love with them. Total Alpaca love.

This morning, I was at the Alpaca farm, ready to help with the gelding. She had 8 to do. The vet was supposed to be there at 11. Huh! Was he? No. Not til about 12:30. We had already gotten al 8 boys in a small pen so we could get halters on them. We did the 2 white Suri's first. Then my white one was going to be next, til the vet saw he only had 1 testicle. It's either not come down yet, or because of the stress, went UP, or some other reason. So we decided to leave him that way. since we'd geld the red one. Then when we shear them, the shearer can cut his fighting teeth.

Then it was Baryshnikov's turn. He went on down and they did their thing. But I noticed he was bleeding a bit more than I thought he should be. So the vet put some gauze inside the wound. After he got up, his legs were really bloody. So the vet just did some sutures. I hope he'll be ok. He's so sweet.

I can't wait til Sunday now. I took tons of pictures of course. I'll post more later. Have a great weekend!

Beautiful old Wurlitzer fiddle for sale

This was my step dad's old fiddle. He's had it for years. My mom had it restrung and a few of the knobs were replaced with new ones.  It's beautiful. It's a Wurlitzer. I tried to get the inside but it didn't show up to well. It says New York and Chicago and Solo.

                           Had to get a chicken shot in somehow! It looks good with the red hens, right?

                                                    This little piece was also replaced.

                                                       
                                                     And the 2 knobs on the left side.

Mom looked it up and it's worth $600.00. If anyone is interested, please let me know. I'd love for someone who actually places, to get this. It has an old wooden case, but the guy who did the work to it said it shouldn't be put back in it. It's too big and the fiddle moves around too much. It also has the other piece that I can't think of the name of it now. I do have another case for it but it's the plain black case.

Random-ness

Yesterday, I cracked open one of the white eggs I found in the hidden nest, and it was a double yolker! Haven't seen one of those in a long time. And so far, all of them have been good.

Some of the muskadine juice I made yesterday morning. 9 quarts. I'll be able to make more jelly as I need it now. I had some juice left over and added sugar to it and left it on the counter with a loose lid. I did this last time I made juice and it fermented really good.  I love it! Just right with the fermenti-ness.

Also made several jars of apple butter. And pear-blueberry butter. I feel like I have been making either jelly, preserves, butters or soap for weeks now. I am doing nothing today but mow later. I am so tired! But I have a lot of things ready for the Grape Stomp at the Georgia Winery this Saturday from 12-6. I hope I sell out. If anyone is near here, come on out. It's in front of the KOA campground right off I75 at Battlefield Parkway. It's so fun. And THE best wine in the country too.

Yesterday at market, I walked down to use the bathroom and too pictures. I love this wall. There was a van parked right in front so had to take a side shot. There's a rooster at the end near a coop. It's so cute. I'll have to find out who did this. It's on Main St. in Chattanooga. The Southside  has grown the past few years into a very eclectic and cool place to go. Lots of places to eat and really cool stores to shop. And there are so many new or renovated homes and condos there now. It used to be all run down and ugly. Not now. I love it there. I just love Chattanooga.

Here's the apple butter cooking. From my own apples. It turned out really good.

So I am staying home today. Just hanging out. I'll mow later when all the dew is dried off the grass. I also need to rake up sheep poo. Good grief, those sheep poop all the time! Big piles. That'll all go on the garden. Which is looking pretty good so far. The kale and collards are all coming up. Radishes almost ready to pick. The Brussels sprouts look good too. Can't wait for fresh sprouts. Love them.

Next week, after the Grape Stomp is over and I can do nothing for awhile, I am cleaning this house! From top to bottom. I have neglected it so much doing all the soap and stuff. It really needs a good fall clean up. And my mom will have another yard sale at her house, so I'll get some things to take over there. I have way too much stuff.

Y'all have a great day! I think I will too.

My mother and her honey bees

Mom told me she had seen honey bees on her hummingbird feeder. So while I was there Sat. I filled it up. It's already half empty today. These bees are hungry. Mom even fixed some sugar water in a small bird bath. They don't drink from that. They like this feeder.

I wonder if these are wild bees or if there is a hive somewhere in someone's yard near her. I'd love to find them in a tree somewhere. There's lots of hollow limbs on some of the oaks around my mom's place.

I love honey bees. I miss mine and can't wait for spring now so I can get more. I got really close to these bees and they were great. Love them.

Picking muskadines. And cows.

This morning, my friend Stephanie called, wanting to know if I wanted more muskadines. Well, yeah huh! So she stopped by and got me and my big bucked and we went a few miles up the road to the Clark's. I just love this valley. Everywhere I go is a more beautiful view. They have some Black Angus cattle so have lots of acreage. They cut hay off the front part. And in the back too. You can see Lookout Mt. there over the tree line.

Mr. Clark had gotten this old hay thing from someone who was going to scrap it because a part didn't work and he said it couldn't be fixed. Well, Mr. Clark fixed it. I love this thing.

And he had so many deer antlers on this side of his barn, I had to get some pictures of them. He had 3 sets somewhere in the middle that were upside down. Those were from a pet deer he used to have that shed them. Each set is unique and so cool.

                                                The cows had to come say hello.

                                                 This one is huge and her head is really long.

 Isn't she cute? And they are all so friendly too. There are about 6 calves here I think. I asked if they ever sold them to individuals instead of taking them to the sale barn. They said yes they did. SO I have my name in for one when they are weaned. I've been wanting another calf to raise on grass. We are about out. The little one with the spots in it's head is a lighter blackish-brown color. If it's a steer, I'd like that one.

Here is the muskadine vine. It's is only one vine. It's full of fruit too. They've been picking on them for a month now. And I got those 2 gallons the other day from Stephanie to make jelly. Then I picked about 2 1/2 gallons this morning. And scupernongs are the same as muskadines. And they do grow all over the US.

Here's Mr. Clark up on the roof of his tractor picking apples for Stephanie. I have some so didn't need any. Next week, we will all go to a friend's place who has an old apple cider press and make cider. I need to pick all my Yates and granny Smith apples this week.

Right now, I am cooking down a bucket of Yates apples to make apple butter. I'll post pictures next time. These will go to market to sell. I am waiting on a frost so I can pick persimmons next to jelly. Yum! And I will save all the peels to make apple jelly too. And maybe try to make some apple cider vinegar.

What are ya'll making into jellies and preserves and butters? It's that time of year, right?

Lovin' my chickens...

 I am just loving my chickens right now. For the moment anyway. Things can change really fast for me around here! Ya just never know when the s*** will fly. But right now, I am really enjoying these girls. And Black Bart. He still hasn't figured out he's "the man" yet. Hopefully he'll be crowing soon and the ladies will respect him. They pick on the poor guy now.


So this is most of my flock. All together and pretty much getting along. They have plenty of room to spread out or run if they need to. So far so good.

This is one of the "Peaches". A Red Star hen. I have 8 of these. And 6 White Leghorn, 7 Barred Rock, 9 Black Sex Link, 2 Black Austrolourpe and 2 Black Giants. And Black Bart is a Black Giant rooster. That should be 34 hens and a roo.

This is one of the 2 Austrolourpe pullets. These 4 are a lot younger than all the others. And smaller. They hang out with Black Bart. But I thought she looked so pretty here in the straw.

And would ya just look at this! I had seen some of the white hens over here in the corner where the bee hive was. Singing their egg laying song and just hanging out. I didn't think anything about it. But haven't been getting but 1 or 2 white eggs a day now. Thought they had stopped laying. Til I found this, behind the bee boards I hadn't put up yet. I know, I am lazy. They can't be but a few days old, so I'll keep these for us. I put the boards back the way they were and see if they keep laying there. Crazy birds! But good to know they are still laying. I was getting worried already.

Alpaca update

I am getting those 2 alpacas. They'll be gelded at the end of next week (which I will be paying for and that's fine with me, considering how much she sells hers for) and she will deliver them after that. I went yesterday to see them. I said if any of them spit on me I was not going to get them. But they didn't. And they are so cute. Every single one of them is  so different. There are 2 kinds of alpaca: Suri and Huacuna . I know that's not how you spell the last one, but it's pronounced "why"acuna. That's the kind I'll be getting. But the Suri fiber is amazing. It's more silky and hangs in like threads down to the ground. So pretty.

I'm getting a white male that's between 2-4 years old. She has to look up on his papers. His name is Loki. He's so cute. And a bit smaller than the other one. He's red. And big. His name is Baryshnikov. And he is a kicker, she said. But not bad. I do not like the names. So will be giving them new names. I think the red one is about the same age.

As I was driving up her driveway, there were about 25 alpacas in the pasture. Some standing, some laying in the sun. I rolled my window down and said hello to them. Only a few even looked at me. Some were close and I could see their funny teeth. It's just so neat how each one looks so totally different. Some have fluffy heads. Some have straight hair on their heads. Some are spikey. Just so cool.

Anyway, I am SO excited to be getting these 2 guys! I'll keep them in the front pasture and will be slowly introducing them to the sheep. They are in the other pasture on the other side of the property and come back over at night and to eat. So they will see each other. I hope they all get along.

I'll post pictures when they get here. They're so pretty.

New hens and nesters.

 Chickens are hilarious! I just spent a few hours this morning cleaning out the sheep shelters and putting up a new chickens nester. I put this one up in the next stall. The coop is to the right. I had this old wire nester out back in the goat barn, so got it cleaned out and brought it up here. I have 34 hens now, so thought I might need a few more nest boxes. But do I really?

The white hen jumped right up and started getting her nest all nice and fluffed up.


Then this other white hen jumped up and decided this was a great nest box so she got in too. They love each other so much they have to lay eggs together. Silly chickens!

Even over here in the coop. Togetherness is the key. Why mess up a whole other nest box, right?

These are the new girls. I picked them up after the market last night. One of the other vendors went to a 4H auction last weekend and got these for me. They are Black Sex Link and 3 of them look like Black Austrolourpe. 3 of them have had their beaks clipped. I hate that! Why? But they all look good. One has a crooked foot but seems fine.

They will stay in this tractor a few days til they all get to know one another. Then I'll let them out after I put the others back in. Then eventually they all need to go in the big coop. Right now, the 4 black hens and Black Bart the rooster, still go in their little chicken tractor at night and the others go in the coop. I'll just have to take that one away and get the black ones to go in the coop.

Some of the others coming to say hello. Black Bart was doing his thing earlier. Introducing himself to them. It was kind of cute.

So now I have 34 hens and a rooster. And he has not crowed yet. He's about 5 months old I think. When will he start crowing? I really miss that. He's a handsome boy too. So hopefully I'll start getting more eggs. There were a lot of hens in several nesters awhile ago.

Alpacas?

The past 2 days I have had my booth set up down at the community center for this re-enactment. It was totally not what I was expecting at all. It was a little disappointing for me. Not near the traffic or throngs of people I was thinking would be here. But most of the traffic was routed down Hog Jowl Rd to the East of us, over the ridge. And we had signs up too. Anyway, it was fun and I did sell a lot of soap.

So I was next to an alpaca person. Her name is Susan Darling and she had My Little Darling's Alpaca farm. She sells alpaca wool and also knitted  and felted items. She also has her spinning wheel with her. Anyway, we talked the whole time we were there. I have met her before so had talked to her before this a few times. She has about 60 alpacas right now. She had taken in 10 from a couple who had to give them up due to health reasons. She can't seem to find people to sell them to so is going to give them up to a rescue group in a few weeks. She has a vet coming to castrate all the males.

As we were talking about this, I asked her if she was just giving them away. She said she would give me 2 of them if I wanted them. I have NEVER wanted an alpaca. Ever. Nor a llama. Nor a donkey. Always said I would never have any of these animals. They scare me. And llamas and alpacas are ugly. And they spit! BUT their wool is amazing! I love alpaca wool.

SO, I have about 1 1/2 weeks to think about it and make up my mind. I told my husband and asked him what he thought about it. He really could care less, as long as it's not pigs. So I will go to her farm this week and look at them. If they spit at me I will not get them. If not, I will consider it. I would love a brown one. I think the 2 she said I could have are white and a tan color.

Does anyone have alpacas? What do you think about them? I would love to hear more about them. And there are 2 different kinds. She did say the Suri's she has are a bit high-strung, so I know I don't need them. Big decision for me. I also need to buy a hair ram and a Boer buck in the next few weeks too.

Help for a fellow blogger

http://mysticmud.blogspot.com/

I have been reading this blog for some time now. She had her 11th baby a few weeks ago very premature. They are at Vanderbilt in Nashville. I just feel like I need to share this with you all. She needs all the help she can get right now. Please help if you can or just pray for them. I'm sure it's all appreciated.