Going Through Changes

Well, a lot of the same ol', same ol' going on around here but there have been a few changes happening.  The girls are getting put up a little earlier in the afternoon because we had one Ameracauna hen get taken by something.  She just vanished; not sure what got her although I suspect it was a fox.  I was a little later than usual getting down to lock them up and she was just not there with the others.  Crap like that makes me sad.

The pumpkin is starting to get it's color, proving my guess to be correct!  Just wish it would make at least one more.  All the other blooms appear to be male though.  Poo.

Little Tilly is really getting big now!  Although I highly suspect Tilly is actually Ted or maybe Terry so it can go either way.  (S)he is still very sweet though and very rambunctious!  The one in the background is George, who I know is a rooster.

This is George up close.  He's been practicing his crowing a little but not as regularly, it seems, as past roosters.  Poor thing still sounds like a worn out squeaky toy.  He is a sweetheart right now though.  I hope he stays that way.  Loves to sit in your lap just as long as you'll let him and he just kinda chirps real low the whole time.  I guess he's telling me about something so I talk back sometimes.

It's been very hot and dry the past couple of weeks but the past 2 days have been glorious.  It got down to 53F last night here and will probably only be around 60F tonight.  I'm not sure if it reached 85 during the day and there was a nice breeze all day.  We could use some rain though.  It's getting a bit dry and we've been having to water the garden and such which I really hate to do.  Has the weather in your area been about normal or cooler or hotter??  For us, this summer has not been as cool as last but it has still been a little below normal in temps overall.

Chigger and I still take our regular walks.  This is one of the groups of baby ferns that grow all along the creek.  Not sure what kind they are.  I'm just not real good t some plant ID.

The creek is getting low but there is one deeper spot where Chigger likes to go for a drink, especially on hot days.  She will seldom go out much deeper than this however, no matter how hot it is.  She kinda funny.  Then, when she gets back up on the bank, she really shakes all over like boy, she just got soaked!

One of the larger species of fern here.  These get about 2-2 1/2 feet tall.  There is one other species that gets taller but they are not as full and pretty as these, in my opinion.

I've been rather busy lately trying to get out another load of pottery and keep up with parts of the garden, but not all of it.  I start a really cool restoration project next week and I have been trying to get some things caught up around here.  The project should only last about a week or so but at this time of year a week can set you quite a ways back.