What do you get if you cross a ghost with a chicken?
Answer: a poultry-giest!
It is also National Early Bird Day.
Seems that I celebrate this more than I'd like. When I get in bed, my first thought is that, it would be nice to sleep in, but sadly, it almost never happens. Sometimes I succumb to the realization that I just don't sleep well. I've taken melatonin, but I get these crazy dreams.......
Last time I took melatonin for sleep, I dreamed that I was in some kind of tunnel, waiting, with other people, to crawl through this small hole, at about 6 feet off the ground, in order to escape. It was the only way out. I was having a hell of a time trying to get a foothold to boost myself up to get into the hole. When I was finally there, my arms and head got stuck. I couldn't go upward or fall back down. I was getting anxious because the others in line were yelling at me to get moving...... then I turned over and the stupid movie in my brain changed.
Even after I woke, I still remembered it vividly. So, I began to analyze the blasted dream. Was it an unfulfilled life issue? Did it mean that I'm struggling with some problem? Am I getting too fat? (that certainly goes without saying!) God only knows! I rarely remember my dreams, but this particular one stayed with me. Pondering the metaphysical reasons for a stupid dream isn't getting anywhere.
I don't think I'll give it any more credence. Moving on.........
The bell peppers are doing well. There are a few "hinky" looking ones that didn't completely fulfill their little puny pepper potentials. (alliteration!) Oh, well, they are all loved here. The recent rains aren't helping. Its causing them to rot on the vine. It keeps down the heat but, the humidity still feels sticky, like walking through a sea of soap bubbles.
The pineapple and peanut plants.
Ethel, eyeballing the CEO as he turns over the soil in the old tomato plant bed. He is preparing it to re-plant some Créole tomatoes.
The CEO with "help" from the girls. Its irresistible to them when he turns soil. It brings up grubs and earthworms, that they absolutely love. Its chicken sashimi!
Pepper, Nugget and Sandy (Colonel Sanders) are in the soil bed with Lucy looking on.
Composting Class 101:
We use compost in the plant beds. Our compost heap is made up of green (grass clippings), brown (leaves, wood chips, newspaper and such) and kitchen scraps. That's veggie scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, chicken poop and other waste, but nothing with a "face". In other words, no animal products. No meat or animal fat and no dog poop. You can however, use animal poop when the particular animal isn't a carnivore. Hence the chicken poop. Dogs eat meat - meat can spoil and cause disease. So, no dog poop. Ever.
This is a completely organic process. A no brainer. As all of the ingredients break down aerobically (uses oxygen), it raises the temperature. That's when the heat loving bugs and microbes take over to consume the waste. What they poop out, is the finished compost. Oddly, it never smells. If it ever does, it means you haven't turned it enough to release carbon dioxide. You smell rotting organic matter. So, grab a pitch fork and get in there! You can add bone meal, but it needs to be dried completely and finely ground. A better option is to simply buy a bag and blend it into the existing heap. Lime also helps to break down the organic matter. A small bag blended into it should do the job for a few years. Remember, as always, there will be a test........ (ha,ha)
A friend gives me kitchen scraps and coffee grounds for the compost heap. This last time I put the scraps and coffee grounds in the heap, I didn't spread it out. It was raining, so I just dumped it near the middle, with intentions to spread it later. Then I promptly forgot about it. I let the hens out to forage. They raced to the compost. The girls love pecking and scratching around to find bugs and worms.
I was pulling weeds and noticed them running all over the yard.
Back and forth.
Several times.
Never still.
Then it hits me........ its the coffee!
It was hysterical.
They kept it up till their little chicken systems rid itself of the caffeine dose.
After they settled down, they all went back into the coop to lay down.
That was my entertainment for the day.
Gotta remember to spread out those scraps.......
So now, his helpers are Nugget, Pepper, Hazel, Sandy and Henny (Hen Solo). Ethel and Lucy are off exploring the delicacies in the compost heap.
I made veggie soup with some of our produce. Came out very tasty. The CEO eats it with shredded cheddar and crackers.
Speaking of food, my daughter made this............
she sent this text.......
Looks amazing! She's a great cook. Cauliflower is so healthy too.
Hugs to her for the pictures!
Gotta include a picture of her puppy.
He's a mini Australian Shepherd.
He's a year old and his name is Riley Grimm.
How cute is this little guy? I mean, couldn't you just hug him?? Those eyes!
Lastly, a picture of the CEO with our old gal.
The End?
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