Rain was in the forecast Tuesday, so I wasn't concerned with getting things watered outside, and didn't plan to work out in the yard. After I put all the pictures on and posted last weeks Blog, I moved fish from a holding tank back into my big 55 gal aquarium. Also did laundry and some cleaning around the house. Met with a contractor about our storm cellar.
We are trying to decide what to do with it. One wall has partially collapsed, another is bowing in. The inspector (a year ago) said it was not safe to use. So we are considering renovating it or tearing it down.
These two photos show the wall that is in the worst shape. But the others need work as well. And the ceiling needs supporting.
I went to Farm and Fleet to shop for supplies, including fly stuff but this time for Chuck. Courtney was at the farm before I returned, and Cathy and Ralph arrived shortly after. We decided it was to daw gone hot and muggy to ride. The rain never came so I needed to water everything outside. Joe worked on installing the cattle rub thing I bought, then I poured the fly wipe on to it. This is our first try,
we'll see
if Chuck scratches on it or not. We hung it so he can scratch his chin, neck, face, sides and legs. His back will have to do without. On the tag it shows it hanging across an opening and cows under it rubbing their backs. I was worried the horses might get into trouble, run into it if we hung it like that. Wednesday morning we were all up at 6am. Cathy and Ralph were on the road by 7:30, heading home to Ohio. It didn't take me long to get out and saddle up my horse. I rode straight over to Becks newly mowed paths. Shortly after getting started, I put Amiga through a matrix (in my mind) of left and right turns, serpentines, figure 8s, straights, stops and goes and back ups. She was not listening to me so I needed to get her attention. The temperatures were already climbing and I had her sweating within 30 min. Once she was settled down we had a great walk and slow gait around the paths of Becks. She enjoys getting hosed off when we finish, especially because she gets to eat sweet clover by the corn crib while dripping dry. I need to figure out the best time to put on fly spray... before the ride or after the hosing.
Hercules and Brooster sitting at the back door watching me eat lunch.
I didn't tell them it was a chicken/turkey club sandwich.
The rest of the day was spent moving rock and then placing them into a tightly fitting retaining wall. Like the interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, it took numerous tries with several rocks. I set the big heavy ones (that I can barely move) first and then filled in with the smaller ones. If they were more flat than round, it would be a lot easier. I finally had the first "alcove" and planted one of the red buds.Thursday it was to market to market to mail Courtney's defective saddle and buy more supplies. I had decided to make the steps up the terraced hill 2 feet wide instead of one, so I bought 4 more 12 inch square concrete patio blocks. Also got fencing for around the garden, after much hem-in' and haw-in'. Also dropped in at school to find our new text books were in. So I brought the big box of teaching materials home. I think the teachers text weights 10 pounds alone. Discovered Zorro has a sore eye. It was swollen half shut and goop was coming out of it. So I treated with the triple antibiotic ointment I have for Abbey and have used on Amiga. I started planting juniper and setting (leveling) the concrete stepping stones in the terraces. Ran short on time and had to clean up for my riding lesson. This photo shows the finished product of the steps and juniper to their left.
I had asked Marj earlier if I could
Friday morning I scrambled around cleaning Daniel's room, washing his sheets, and cleaning the down stairs bathroom he uses. Did some other laundry and neatened up the mess in our bedroom as well. Finally got out a little after 1pm, and took Amiga for a nice ride over at Becks. Zorro's eye is better, but I can see a white spot in it. He is also getting better about being left home "alone". He decided eating was more to his liking than running around in search of Amiga and neighing for her to come back. My task after riding was to figure out how to fence in the broody chicken and
nest. The eggs are due to hatch
tomorrow, and the chicks will be "dead meat" out in the barn with the kitties. So I brought to the barn (out of storage) chicken wire, baby gate/fencing, boards, even tried the new wire I bought for the garden (which after unrolling it some, I decided is not going to work for the garden). Finally Joe suggested I use the old dog crate I built for Greta over 30 years ago. And it was perfect. The hen just kept sitting while I messed with additional fencing to make sure the chicks wouldn't fall out and the cats couldn't get in. By the time I was cleaning up, I could hear peeping coming from under momma chicken. We were then off for the airport to pick up Daniel. Wow did he look nice in his new uniform. 
I think he is taller (or stands taller) and he is definitely more "buff". He reported weighing 148 when he started boot camp, and weighed 166 last week. He is no longer the skinny boy I once knew.
After dinner out, we brought Daniel home. Courtney dropped by to check out Zorro's eye and welcome Dan. We (along with Sissy's help) checked on Momma hen... peeking at her eggs. One has a hole in it with peeping coming from within. Saturday morning I checked out the egg situation. Two chicks hatched last night, but the larger one did not survive. It was squished under mama hen. Not sure why it died. The other chick is really little.....really cute. Another egg has a little hole in it and the bird inside is peeping. The 4th egg was laid later, while we were in Guatemala, so it may be a few days late to hatch.
Once the new chick's peeps were herd, chickens started coming into the barn to see what the new commotion was all about. They were very curious.
Sissy was especially interested, but I think she had evil plans.
It is so good to have Daniel home, and not just to get work out of him, but having another person around for company, a reason to cook regular and better meals, and someone to talk to. He and Joe spent several hours installing insulation in the crawl space....no easy task. I worked on the hill, getting Joe's help moving the big rocks. Once I got all of them set, dirt moved, I then planted the other 2 red buds. I spent a fair amount of time watering new and old transplants. The cracks in the ground are becoming deeper crevices as the earth continues to bake in the hot sun. Mike and Courtney joined us for dinner and then Courtney and I rode from 7:30 until dark. It was nice that it had cooled off, but the bugs were biting.
Sunday after Church I watered the 22 pine out by the tracks and then cleaned and re-filled the stock tank. I worked several more hours on "the hill side"... moving dirt, working the rock puzzle to make retaining walls, and putting in old 5x5 fence posts (horizontally) as a retaining ground structure to prevent grass from growing up into the rocks and to make mowing along the base of the hill easier. These pictures were taken at days end.
A third egg hatched so now we have 2 chicks. By evening they had started eating and drinking, and mama hen joined in, stretching her neck while staying on the last egg in the nest.
Courtney brought Daniel home (he stayed last night and all day at her place) and we went for another evening ride. We used Off on us and the horses, which helped, but we still got a few bites. Joe returned later from his golf match. It was another great week with many blessings for which I am thankful. Now I hope and pray we get blessed with some rain.
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