Plain and Simple

 Ashley and I worked on our cottage garden a week ago while Andy and Wyatt worked on Wyatt's new quail setup. They put them in a run type pen so that they are on the ground and can scratch, take dust baths, and eat bugs and grass. All the things birds do, rat snakes killed two a few weeks ago and scared all of them eggless. They stopped laying but now in their new home they have relaxed and he found an egg yesterday.

We have been planting herbs and butterfly/hummingbird attracting plants. As well as bottles as we find them around one of the flowerbeds. When this one is done we will start on the next.

It has been cool at night and the mornings so the zinnia, cosmos, and trumpet flower seedlings are slow in growing.

Ashley and I also started the walking path we are going to make through the garden from one trellis to the other. It will take alot of concrete a bag at a time is how we will do it but I think it will be nice when we are done. Maybe by the end of the summer, no hurry a bag or two a payday.

I started a ginger plant from some I bought at the store for cooking. It started sprouting on the counter so I thought maybe it will grow. Well it is and I had Wyatt put it in a deeper pot it seems to be a happy camper.

I went to work with Andy one afternoon, hes a gravedigger for those who don't know. Here he is squaring off the grave after digging it.

Scripture study has been such a delight outside in the cool morning air with only cats and goats as my company. I walk a couple of miles in the morning and study the scriptures. This cat is Tiger he was purring quite loudly when I took them.  I found there wonderful scripture journals at The Red Headed Hostess, I bought my journals at Amazon but she designed them I have had fun using them to record my thoughts and things I learn while studing.

Hucklesberries are coming in and Ashley, the goats, and I went berry picking the other day. We took the 4-wheeler, she carried one baby and I carried the other they didn't seem bothered by it at all. They seemed to love investigating the places we stopped.

We are making a huckleberry syrup for hubby who has terrible night vision.  We also learned that the branches are good for high blood pressure and blood sugar but we are going to research it a little more before trying it.

While we are home we let the ducks out to free range they love eating the bugs and grass. They also love getting into the big dog bowl we have for the barn cats to drink out of, it is just big enough for 1 duck to splash around in it is quite funny to watch. You can just see them below by the little arrow I drew, they were running up the driveway. The goats roam as well they are fat little things, when we leave everyone gets penned up because of other people's dogs.

Free ranging your chickens egg bearing animals yields a healthier egg. They are foraging and eating bugs, grass, and other things that are good for them making their eggs high in Omega-3 which I have learned from reading and experience is great for depression, it is a good thing for you but my concern was my depression and turning to natural ways to rebalance my body. And upping my intake Omega-3 and lowering Omega-6 in my diet has helped tremendously.

Last week the girls saw me walk by while they were browsing and they came running after me. I was a 1/4 mile from our driveway when I heard them they came running  along with a barn cat to catch up to me.

And this is a new addition, this is Amelia, Ashley adopted her from a litter someone was giving away at a livestock auction we went to. Shes a sweetie and very full of energy the egg basket is just the size for her to play in. No one is safe from her pouncing she has taken over the house. My Pippin is very disgusted with her since he has been the spoiled baby for almost 2 years, I have been spoiling him a little more to make him feel better....He still dislikes her...She is just like him but in female form. :0)

I hope all have a wonderful blessed day.

Love,

Erika