Chickens & Storms

Wow, have I got a lot to learn! I was reading a blog today on learning how to blog...not just as simple as writing a few words and posting some pictures. I got lots of tips and tricks from 'At The Picket Fence' and will be following their blog. Of course there's lots of other fabulous stuff on there too! In the meantime, I have made it easier for people to comment and I don't have to approve comments! What was I trying to protect myself from? :)

Larry should be home soon and after dinner we are going to move the table I will be using for my new potting bench. It's higher than the one I use now so it will save my back. I would like to add a shelf underneath before I organize it, somewhere to store the saucers, pots, soils, etc. Afterwards I'll post again with the before and after pictures. I'm so excited to get it all together!

The chickens are doing a great job...we get 5-6 eggs a day. Might have to start selling some soon, we can't eat that many!! Of course, we give them away to family & friends...doesn't leave a lot left for selling.

I love that they come running up to me when they see me in the back, if they are free-ranging. We usually let them out to roam for the evening when we are around. They head back to the coop when dusk hits, and when the dog is taken to the kennel we lock up the pen. It's also great having somewhere to put a lot of the kitchen scraps, composting is great but love watching the chickens go crazy for the food.

This is what I found in their nests this morning, and another one later in the afternoon. 

 They sure enjoyed the broccoli I cut up for them. :)

Our grandson wanted to name her David. When I told him the chicken is a lady he said ok then, Davika! 

 This one I call Brownie, in honour of the nickname my Dad calls my Mom! (my maiden name is Brown)

 Davika & Pandora love nibbling on feet & shoes...and if I hold food for them they go for the fingers!!

Jacy

The flock...Pandora, Davika, Pebbles, Zara, Brownie & Jacy

Working outside earlier, I saw some large raindrops. Sporadic and strange, and then came the hail! From a small cloud that seemed to be over only our home.

Hailstone, not big but they made a lot of noise on the pool roof!

A short time later I heard thunder, so I looked out back, towards west...and saw black...and wondered if we'd need to take to the basement!! My greatest fear is tornadoes, and I don't much like thunderstorms either, as beautiful as they can be. It was all around us so I knew we couldn't miss it. 

 Scary skies

I rushed to move some of my succulents and cacti into the pool room, they got wet enough the other day from the heavy rains we had.  

Kind of hard to see in this picture, but we had a rainbow. Sun was shining to the west of us while we were still getting the rain. :)

And then the rainbow!

The cats were hanging out in the games room/workshop while the storm was on. I know all cats love curling up in boxes, but you have to see the size of the one Pickle choose to have a nap in tonight! LOL

Pickle in his box...now that's a tight fit!