Just go to any water hole on a dry, hot day like today and you'll be sure to find critters soaking up the liquid. I find it fascinating to watch my pets, livestock, and wildlife as they take in the thirst quenching water they so desperately need on these summer days. I can always rely on them to show up for a drink which gives me a chance to take a head count and
check on them.
Did you know that herbivores suck their water while all carnivores lap it up? The chickens have to tip their heads back to swallow it. I have included some older pictures in this post. As you'll see, water is important every day.
I was exhausted Saturday once we got home, and am not even sure why. Didn't really do anything all day; pack, travel, unpack....how hard can that be? Everything was in good shape when we got home, with the exception of the dog. Our house sitter had to take her to the vet for an infection on her foot. She was put on antibiotics, but keeps messing with her sores, so it looks pretty bad and she really limps on that foot. I started
soaking it in
Epson Salt dissolved in water. (Another good use of this marvelous liquid.)
In this next photo, Flopsie is taking a "steam" bath in our junkie garage on a cold winter day. The warm water helps her when she gets egg bound. She will sit and soak in it for several minutes, and shortly after getting out, lay an egg, which is usually shell-less. Fortunately, she rarely has had this problem this summer, with the exception of this one laid by our back door.
I was glad to see Mama hen and chicks did well while we were on vacation. I now put them outside into the shade during the day. I moved the cage around through out the day so they have new grass to peck at (and fertilize). The board on the top blocks sun light. When I first set the cage out, Hercules thought he needed to scare it off. Flopsie and Sis were also checking out the cage, Flopsie wanting the apple and Sis the chicks.
The chick waterer (seen here) comes in very handy because the babies can't drown in the dish and they also can't get it too dirty. This photo of the
5 chicks was taken 15 months ago.
The 3 white chicks were roosters which we butchered, and now the 2 redder ones are laying eggs for us almost daily. Flopsie is one of these. When Mama gets up on top of the waterer now a days, like this baby chick, and then jumps off of it, she sometimes knocks it over. So I put a perch in next to it to help wedge it in and stabilize it, as you can see above.
I went for a wonderful ride Sunday morning. I wanted to go before the heat index was unbearable. Amiga did better than ever....I think she was the best I have seen her. Maybe I have been screwing her up? :-/
Or maybe she
was good for me because she missed me. :-)We probably both had needed a break from each other.
Here Amiga is getting a nice refreshing drink of water. We keep this pink tub full out in the front pasture.
The remainder of the day I was busy moving gravel and dirt. I really wanted to finish the drive so I could get grass seed planted on the muddy slope. (The non-rock garden section of our "hill side".) As usual, I ran out of time, day light, and energy. The story of my life.
Barn kitty drinks from the freshly cleaned deck fountain which sometimes gets pretty scummy.
Barred Plymouth Rock rooster and three Americanas drink from the dogs water bucket which is cleaned daily and usually pretty nice.
Monday, mid morning I met Ann at school. She needed to finish packing up her teaching stuff. My cubie is going to feel so empty and lonely without her. I putsed around in the classroom for a bit and checked my new class rosters. That's all the thinking about school I wanted to do.
I picked up groceries on the way home and then took a long nap. I was at loose ends the rest of the afternoon. I wanted to fix a better "out door cage" for mama hen and chicks, but couldn't figure a good way to do so. I was hot, tired, frustrated, and fidgety. Not sure what my problem was. Maybe I needed to be drinking more water. At least I could relax at the pot luck we had for Growth Group at Shelly and Kelly's, enjoying food, fellowship and life.
The goldfish and Mr. T live in the pond "water hole" and sometimes wildlife like this frog come to stay awhile. Birds and little rodents have also been spotted drinking but are too quick to capture on film.
Tuesday I was up by 5 and on Amiga just after 6am. Another wonderful ride was had in the cool of the morning, although when going down the gravel road towards Brian's, Amiga kept looking back at me as if to say, "Are you sure this is safe?" A gentle nudge reassured and encouraged her to keep up her good pace/gait, which she did. Once home, I did several little miscellaneous jobs outside and pondered what to do about some others. Then I finished spreading gravel using the tractor. So, the drive/hill are "done". We could use 1 more load of gravel, and more dirt would be better, but we will make do with how it is for now.
Next I need to seed it, but will wait till this coming Monday because we will be in Iowa for the weekend and the new seed must be watered morning and night to germinate and survive. I was running late and had to rush off to golf. We rented a cart (well worth the $20.00) instead of walking because it was so hot and I was already exhausted from the day's work. Dinner at Rosies and cold brew with great friends were a good way to end the day.
I had high hopes for accomplishing a lot Wednesday, but just couldn't get motivated. I worked and played around on the computer most of the morning. Just before noon I met with a contractor about our ground tile, walking around and discussing problems and solutions. He is going to replace some broken tile and reshape our 3 viaducts that go under the drive. He suggested an excavator to help with our surface run-off issues. Here are pictures of our "lake", which is a source of life for the frogs and toads that we see and hear. (And mosquitoes if it sits for too long) I am not sure where the amphibians go when it dries up. Unfortunately, the standing water is causing pasture problems and is not safe when it freezes.
However,it is pretty to look at and is like a giant water hole, which Chuck really seemed to enjoy.
The remainder of the afternoon I messed around.... moved livestock, filled water tanks, and took care of pets. I ran into LeRoy to pay the vet bill and return handcuffs I had found out here back after the Swat Team had come in May.
(http://villhauerfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/never-dull-moment.html) Each time I went out to work on the rock garden, I decided it was just too hot, and got distracted by little, easier tasks so I could return to the air-conditioned house in short time.
As I sat at my desk Thursday morning looking out the office window, I enjoyed watching various birds come to the feeder and bird bath. Some drank and others splashed around. It was not intended for chickens, but I actually get a kick out of watching them too, just wish they wouldn't trample my flowers looking for seed the song birds have dropped. I do miss the squirrels that customarily came to drink when we lived in town.
Even in the winter time when the water was usually frozen, the chickens came to check it out and look for dropped seed. They had water available in the chicken coop in a big heated dog bowl. But keeping water thawed outside was a bit challenging, especially the 100 gallon stock tank.
If Chuck could, he would go into the heated water bucket.
The rest of Thursday ended up being pretty productive. I finally decided on how to put fencing around part of the chicken coop to keep the cats and other predators out but allow Mama hen and chicks to come and go through the little door. I used some old 5ft fencing and added chicken wire at the bottom. Once again Hercules and Betty had to scout it out. Mama hen was thrilled to be able to scratch in the dirt for food, run around after bugs, and take a dust bath.
The last photo shows their cage in the chicken coop. There is a door to the outside area in the back right of the cage. So Mama and chicks can go in if it rains. They also put themselves "to bed" in the cage at night.
In addition to the chicken fence, Joe and I also worked on fencing off the garden. We need to keep the chickens and rabbits out. I also got the compost bin set back up. I still need to move more day Lilies and put in a
walk way. I have
removed all the hard, clay like soil and we are going to get a load of good top soil. We want the garden ready to go before next spring. Marj rode over here on Vinnie for Courtney's lesson. They worked with Zorro (who behaves differently on our turf than at Marj's) and then the three of us rode together over at Becks. We accompanied Marj half way home, turning back after the bridge. It was a very nice ride.
I was up at 3am this morning working on this Blog. By 8:00am I needed a nap. Three hours later I woke back up. So I guess I got my 7 hours of sleep. I kind of drug the rest of the day. I did all sorts of different farm and house chores. Keeping clean, fresh water to all the critters and keeping new transplants watered is about a 2 hour job. I did go out to work on my rock garden, but did not make noteworthy progress. (thus, no photos) Courtney came over and we had a good ride together. (Good is when both horses are behaving and the rains did not come.) Although we need rain...but then we have to mow and weed more often.
Tomorrow we head for Iowa for the weekend. More on that later.
Saw this video posted on Facebook and thought it sums up this week's Blog. http://www.wimp.com/babymoose
Even though water is essential to life here on Earth, it does not give us everlasting life. We were all created with a deep thirst for a closeness to our Creator, who alone can offer us wholeness and peace. Our thirst is one that can only be satisfied by the presence of God in our lives. "Those who drink this water (from a well) will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I (God) give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:13&14 God says to drink of the cup....the cup of life, which he offers each of us so abundantly.
