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April 28, 2007
Forsythia in bloom

Posted by Bob at 10:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Flowers blooming in backyard
We're not sure what they all are, the previous owner was a major gardener, so we'll see what pops up!

Posted by Bob at 10:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Flowering Magnolia
Spring is finally here...

Posted by Bob at 10:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 22, 2007
Dahlia roots

We attended the CT Dahlia Society's bulb sale today at Elizabeth Park in Hartford.
Okay, okay ... I went a *little* overboard.
But one is too many and a thousand too few ... something like that.
A dahlia-root auction is not a blood-spiller. The auctioneer announced the lot ... praised its petals, foliage, and winning capabilities. The crowd "oooo"-ed ... plackards rose and so did the price until the number of roots equalled the number of bidders. Then a dahlia club member holding a box top of roots (which look mightily like shriveled baby Idaho potatoes) went through the audience letting winners pick their root. Advantage to those sitting to the front. One fellow in the back did try to sneak a few roots, but the gal 2 seats over slapped his hand away. "You weren't bidding! Cut that out."
Posted by Bob at 05:54 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Gledhill Nursery, West Hartford CT
It was their official opening of the year, the sun was shining, a beautiful day, and their model train was going round and round outside.

Posted by Bob at 05:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 20, 2007
Crocus, after the Nor'easter
The rains have gone, and the next several days will be sunny and about 70. Flowers are poking up everywhere.

Posted by Bob at 03:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 17, 2007
Nor'easter flooding
Farmington River, Simsbury CT. Photo taken 18 hours after the worst of the rains stopped. The bridge had been underwater.

Posted by Bob at 02:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Nor'easter damage. Flooded house
This house is right next to the now-flooded Farmington River, quite near the bridge.

Posted by Bob at 01:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New Chicks

One of our hens went broodie last month. The natural behavior of a hen is not to sit on a nest. They lay their eggs and go outside to eat. So when "Miss Broodie" aka Blue decided to sit on the nest, we took advantage and gave her ten eggs to sit on in a nice, dark place. Incubation is about 21 days. Of the ten eggs, four hatched. (the roosters must not be doing their job!) Here's mom with three of the chicks, about 2 days old. She still sits on the nest, but now instead of eggs under her, she has baby chicks under her wings.
Posted by DJSueellen at 12:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 14, 2007
Unidentified Flocking Object
Blurry object spotted in backyard!
Ok, it was a wild turkey...

Posted by Bob at 12:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 12, 2007
Cabbage on Ice

Today we got hit by an unexpected hail storm. Here's one of our cabbages after the first 15 minutes. We got over an inch of the stuff before it was over-- then some snow, then rain... I hope cabbages are as hardy as people say!
Posted by DJSueellen at 09:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Onion Mountain Park. Simsbury CT
Words mean different things in different places. Onion "Mountain" might be called a hill elsewhere however what gets called a lake in the High Sierras would be a pond here. This pond looks inviting now, in a few short weeks Spring will be full on and the leaves and shrubs will be blooming

Posted by Bob at 12:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 11, 2007
Peggy Sue and Bandit
Happily snoozing...

Posted by Bob at 07:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 04, 2007
Signs of Spring

One of our friends raises horses. This foal is about a week old, but her mother died during the birth. Our friend has been feeding the foal goat milk to keep her alive. She's finally getting enough of it, and is looking pretty healthy.
Posted by DJSueellen at 07:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Chicken Tractor

Our new chicken tractor, about ten feet long. See this page for more details.
Posted by DJSueellen at 07:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 03, 2007
Small beaver pond
Canton CT.

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April 02, 2007
Blue Heron nesting pond
Canton CT.

Posted by Bob at 06:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Blue Heron nests
The herons return each year to the same nests. There was just one there today, in a couple of weeks there will be about 20.

Posted by Bob at 06:22 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 01, 2007
First spring flowers
"Black soil becoming yellow crocus
Is undiluted hocus-pocus" -- Piet Hein


Posted by Bob at 01:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack