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Category: Farm Doings | Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 5:53 pm

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Since my husband retired, we have been sleeping in and don't get up until 7 a.m. One of the first things I do after dressing is head for the barn and the chickens, who are impatient to start their day.
The path to the barn goes through a flowerbed
From our back door ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )

and I walk through a butterfly gauntlet. The Queens and Hackberrys like the Gregg's Blue Mist and the Wafer Ash Tree, and don't get out of the way for anyone!
Queen butterfly on Greig's Blue Mist ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )
Occasionally I get buzzed by a hummingbird that is at the feeder, or sipping nectar from the Salvia Greggii.
After ducking and dodging the wildlife, I get to the workshop, and usually see the first bunny of the day. They like to hang out in the cool grass next to the workshop porch (it's a handy place to hide under if needed). Generally we are just part of the rabbits' landscape. They look at us, but figure we aren't important enough to merit running away! By the time I get past the workshop I can usually see two bunnies "binking" in the pasture. One chases the other, both stop, and then they do a synchronized reverse jump and the chaser becomes the chased.
I take a look down the pasture to the pond to see if there are any water fowl up yet. We have great blue herons and white egrets almost year 'round, and in spring and fall, ducks.
Two shovelers and an egret ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )
Even if there isn't any activity at the pond, we still have collared doves and meadowlarks skimming the field, and our neighbor's Black Angus herd is slowly making its way from the night shed out to graze in the next field.
When I get to the barn I can hear my girls clucking—they want their breakfast treat and to be let outside!
Photogenic hens ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )
To get into the coop I have to toss treats away from the door, or they all crowd up against the door and I'm in danger of stepping on a hen. I scurry to the outside door and get it open before they gobble down their treats and start mobbing me for more. After checking the water and filling the feeder, I clean the coop and then visit the compost pile with the ladies' contribution to the richness of the soil.
Heading back to the barn with the manure bucket, I usually take a long look at the sky. Texas has some of the most dramatic skies you could imagine, and it would be a shame to neglect taking a good look at the day's offering.
October Dawn ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden )


From the barn to the house is the same trip, reversed, but I pick up the pace a bit. By this time I want a cup of coffee and to find out what my husband has planned for the day. We might be clearing part of the vegetable garden for tilling, or picking almonds (we are all the way up to 60 almonds!), or mowing, or any of the many interesting ways a person can spend the day on a farm. The walk to the barn just gets the day started well.


























This blog entry has been viewed 323 times

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Henry Johnson wrote on Wed Aug 06, 2014 6:36 am:

Great blog, Jane!
What a happy life...
Hank

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eclecticgarden wrote on Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:51 am:

Sounds like a wonderful start to the day. I get up before the sun, so I don't let the chickens out until after my coffee. Mine also crowd the door, then they make a scramble to the front yard to see if the squirrels have knocked any seed off of the bird feeder.

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Sjoerd wrote on Wed Aug 06, 2014 3:27 pm:

Looking good, MG....I mean REALLLLLLLLLLLLLY good.

The white egret foto was a nice one with what looks like mergancers in the background.

The black hens, the garden path, the butterfly and the whole fotostory capped off with a lovely sunset.

Quite an attractive posting this time, birthday girl.

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Donna S wrote on Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:10 pm:

Don't know how I missed this. Sure would like to take that trip.But I would have to have my coffee first.

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