Friday, October 6, 2023

Garden Friday

 
 
 
Welcome to Garden Friday.
Isn't this cactus zinnia amazing?  
They are one of my favorite summer blooms.
 
*(Just wanted to let y'all know that I may not be posting much,
as I am having major difficulties 
uploading pictures onto the computer,
Updates have been done,
and it takes much longer to upload.
Honestly, why can't things be left alone?
I am not skilled in these types of areas,
and don't have the desire or patience to learn.)

 
We were gifted with a load of wood chips last week,
as one of our neighbors was having tree work done.
Some has been spread in the chook run,
and the bulk of it will be used to refresh the garden walkways
and a few new areas that are being cardboarded.

 
We also bit the bullet and ordered a yard of compost
for the garden beds.
I'm not sure I'll do this again,
as I've recently learned about a much more affordable option.

 
Our old compost bin, (which the previous owners left here),
was given to our neighbors.
We purchased a new, smaller version.
The idea is to create mini-compost piles in different areas,
which makes it a bit more manageable for me.
This one has ventilation all around, 
a lid that closes, and a trap door on the front bottom
to help make it easier to collect the finished compost.

 
Queenie is slowing down,
and although I can find nothing ailing her,
she may not be with us much longer.
She is the dominant hen in our flock,
so it's tough to see her acting differently.
We don't know how old she is,
but we will watch her carefully
and try to make her as comfortable as possible.
We've lost two chooks in the past month,
and it is so heart wrenching every time.


 With the cooler weather here to stay,
it's been a pleasure working outside.
The flower beds are getting tweaked 
and seeds are still being saved,
while the cool weather crops slowly grow.
I hope I can continue to post at least once a month,
but my tolerance for technical mysteries is limited.
 
I hope your garden is still blessing you well. 
 
(Thank you for the comments below.
Unfortunately, now I can't reply to the comments,
but rest assured, I appreciate your contributions.)

6 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear about your computer woes. I understand, as I am lacking in many computer skills, and doubt I'd still be blogging if it weren't for Joseph. It is very sad to lose one of the chickens. We lost an older one some weeks ago. I know that Queenie lived her best life, while in your care. What a blessing to get a free load of wood chips. Lucky you!

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  2. I certainly understand the issue of continuing to learn the latest updates only to have new ones installed shortly thereafter! When we had our chickens in MT, I love having them, and them as well. It is hard to watch them have difficult days. Your garden is always lovely, no matter the season or what is being worked on. Thanks for posting, it is always enjoyable to see what you are up to.

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  3. That's a nice load of wood chips! Beautiful photos of your flowers. I am a huge fan of zinnias. Sorry to read about Queenie. It is indeed tough. Ours are all molting currently and since molting is tough on them, we are waiting to see if we lose any of the elders through the process this year. Well, I hope you are able to post at least monthly as it's always fun to see what's going on at your homestead, but completely understand the electronic issues. It can be so frustrating. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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  4. Aw, Queenie. It's always sad to see them get old and pass on.

    Interesting that the compost came in a big bag! But I agree on making your own if possible. We find chicken manure is the fastest working for compost. Another option we used to do was trench composting. Dan would dig a trench in a bare spot in the garden and we'd start at one end, fill it with compost, cover it, and work down the trench until it was filled in. Really fast! Ruth Stout did the same thing with just holes in the soil.

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  5. I agree...technology can just be downright frustrating at times. You've been really busy and your cooler weather came our way today...sweatshirt went on and hot chocolate was made! I'm sorry about Queenie...we have an older goat and I understand...it is so hard at times to know what to do other than keep an eye on them and do what we can to see that they're comfortable. I'm right there with you...take care, take time to relax tomorrow. Mary

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  6. I'm so sorry about Queenie. She looks so sweet. She is lucky to have such a kind person looking out for her. I hope you can keep posting, at least a little, because I dearly love visiting here. I hope you have a nice Sunday!

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Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!