Sunday, October 26, 2014

Shhh. I'm Sleeping

I was nervous this morning as I drank my only cup of coffee for the day pondering what I would post today because there really isn't much going on. Oh we have plenty of work to do, but the Head Gardener is gone again. Let's see. He spent a month hunting, coming home on the week ends; now he out in Northeastern, Colorado helping our farmer friends with corn harvest for 5, 6, 7 days--until all of the corn is in.

Were I there, the blog would be filled with pictures of two combines cutting corn, the HG's tractor pulling the grain cart, and one semi hauling the corn to storage. I'd ride in the combine with Dan, keep Dave company in the semi for a round, and give the HG a hug or two.

But I am not.

Instead I am keeping the Garden Spot running smoothly, feeding, paying bills, cleaning, doing laundry, yadayadayada. Single handed.

So when the HG calls, I have to give him an accounting  of what's going on.

Generally there is little to report. This morning when I fed the hens; however, they were acting differently. The old ladies ventured out of the hen house, but didn't seem too eager to eat the scratch I scattered. Chanteleer crowed from inside the house. So I took a look.


Looks like the happy couple is thinking about starting a family. I don't think they knew exactly what to do with the egg as they circled it and clucked to each other.


I think I was making them nervous taking photos, so they left the house.  I left the egg for them to ponder exactly what was happening to them. I'd say they are experiencing puberty. The HG will make accommodations for Peretilote to nest when he gets home. He has grand plans of creating a private suite for them on the other side of the hen house. 

So that was the news: we're expecting a baby. Maybe. Probably not this time. 


The last tree on the place to show color is the flowering crab in the pasture. Fruitless, this tree makes up for its Plain Jane look all summer with fire hot leaves the end of October. Soon the honey locust will be bare. As her dressing falls to the ground, she whispers "Shhh. I am sleeping." We don't think of our trees as actually sleeping, but according to my tree hugger daughter, while they look dead or dormant over the winter, their roots are actually busy storing food and moisture for next year.  The ash have only a few leaves dangling precariously from slim branches with the rest skirting the trees on the ground waiting for wind to carry them away.


The doves will have find other places to perch for the winter. Not a bad photo through a dirty living room window.

I thought I'd share some of my husband's hunting photos since he does not blog, Facebook, Tweet, or Instagram. He does do Craigslist, Amazon, and email.

He bought a new camera, a nice little point and shoot Canon that takes exceptional photos.

He had been sending for years to draw a tag for Rocky Mountain Big Horn for the Big Thompson area, most commonly known as the main way into Estes Park, where I know some of you have vacationed.


He drew one of three ram tags for archery. Three ewe tags were also issued for archery. Only one ram tag was filled, which wasn't his. 


He camped at a small campground in Drake about 6.5 miles east of Estes along a tributary of the Big Thompson River that flooded so badly last fall. 


The photos now show the campground cleaned up and open for business, but the couple who owns the campground lost their home. They now live in a tiny cabin that was spared the devastation. Hubby met so many people, but the Mennonite from Pennsylvania who were there to help residents in Glen Haven on up the road rebuild made the biggest impression. He met professional photographers, including a crew from National Geographic who were filming Colorado wild life. He met people from all over the US and even a couple from the Scottish Higlands. So while he was disappointed that he didn't fill his tag, he did have a great experience.


So this handsome fellow lives another year.


Ewes feeding both on craggy over hang and on the highway.


This small herd of big horns spends a lot time along the highway, stopping traffic and getting a lot of attention. State hunting rule: hunter must be 50 feet from the road to shoot. Ethical Hunter Rule: Hunter does not shoot in public view. Archery hunters, many of them, have their own code: hunting is a private, sacred endeavor, so they don't shoot near a populated highway.


The rams had not yet gone into rut nor the ewes in estrus, but apparently the young ram that hung out with ladies didn't know that he was supposed to be in hiding with the rest of the old guys. 


Rut begins with ritualistic battle where the rams charge each other, hitting foreheads square to each other. You'd think that they would get a great headache. Here these two rams had just finished ramming each other in the forehead. 

Aside from his hunting, the HG spent a lot of time parked along the highway glassing rough mountain terrain. Travelers, seeing him with his binoculars, would stop to see what he was looking at.


A black bear. 

He was thrilled with these photos. 

So while he came home empty-handed and disappointed, he will admit that he had a great time, met a lot of people, and enjoyed all of the wildlife. 


Two birthdays this week: Elinore will be 8 October 30. Her party is  Saturday and she has invited Pop. We will have to see about that. The HG has to leave harvest, the weather has to be decent, and she has to be good this week. Lots of ifs.

Boone will be 1 October 31. What a little gremlin he is and handsome handful. When all of the hunting and harvesting are over he gets to go school. At least he won't be a drama queen about his birthday.

Alone all of this time, I have spent most of it working on the dollhouse. It is nearly completed. Would you like a peak? The grand reveal will be on the dollhouse blog. Take a look later.

Yes, it is pink. Lots and lots of pink because it is Ballet Studio. 



I am linking with Lavender Cottage to share on Mosaic Monday. Join us there.

Finally, thank you so much for all you kind congratulations on our 40th. For me it doesn't really seem like a big deal. When I signed on, I knew we were in it for the long haul. The years have passed quickly, we have had a wonderful life, but I think the best is yet to come. 

Have a wonderful week. I'll be busy getting ready for birthday party and keeping the home fires burning. Thanks for stopping by. 

Happy Halloween.





14 comments:

  1. So the new parent do not know what to do with the egg? I love your beautiful trees. And your hubby saw awesome wildlife, love the bear and rams.. Thanks for sharing.. Enjoy your new week ahead!

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  2. LOL for someone not sure what to post about, you have come up with a plethora of interesting things :) I have enjoyed the variety and lovely photos.

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  3. Oh you had me laughing Ann at the prospects of becoming grandparents to a chicken! Well, if I can have grand-froggies, you can have a grand-chick. I'm sure you are a confident keeper of the house while the HG is away hunting.
    It was nice to read of the code of ethics the hunters have, if a ram is shot - do you eat it?
    The doll house is looking like a dream for a girl of any age. I had to play trucks at church nursery this morning - way over my head. LOL
    Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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  4. Oh my! Tell you hubby we enjoyed his photos and that was worth the trip for us! What amazing bear pics! And I'm off to look at your sweet dollhouse....I'm turning green already! lol Sweet hugs....to you and hubby both, Diane

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  5. What a fun post! Wish I could come up with such clever ideas when I don't think I have anything to write about! Love the photos~

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  6. Lots of interesting tidbits in this post. The dazed and confused hen and rooster will surely figure things out, I hope. Your husband's hunting trip resulted in some wonderful wildlife photos. Have a good week and have fun with the birthdays!

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  7. Great post Ann - love all those shots of the wild animals - they are magnificent. You are so clever creating everything in the dolls house a great way to spend your time other than keeping everything going whilst HG is away.

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  8. Hello Ann,
    great pictures taken by your husband- I love the rams! (had a tiny goat many years before). Know exactly how it feels to be in charge of running the farm when the better half is away. Interesting, that your chicken would be broody now before the winter? Didn't they only just 'talk' to the egg? I have chicken from an old regional breed and have had wee ones out of them, all natural without incubator. I saw your comment on Barbara's blog - my letter is on its way to you. The link to my blog seems wrong, so if you click on my name in this comment, you should get directed to my blog?
    I totally agree on your cool statement about your relation---- the best is yet to come! Exactly our saying :-).

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  9. Happy Halloween to you too! Your husband took some great pictures, esp the bear one. I came across mine I took out our camper window when I was 10..just outside Yellowstone the bear was taking a poop in the middle of the road!
    Your doll house is adorable, I am going to have to go check it out. Have a great week!

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  10. Hello Ann, I was in awe over all the wonderful shots. Yes, I think the chicks are a little nervous about having their pictures taken, will you let the young one hatch? I cant imagine loosing my home but would like the idea of living in a cabin. The camp ground sounds lovely. I liked seeing the big horn and the black bear. Often the men in our family would hunt and usually only for deer or moose and I remember many years that the tags didnt get used, yes, they live life for another year. thanks for the lovely post

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  11. Some fab wildlife / animal photos! Beautiful doll house photo too, looks lovely. Funny about the egg too.

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  12. Some fun things and great hunting pics or should I say lovely watching nature :)

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  13. Hi Ann. Those are some lovely photos your husband took! I know the Thompson river here in BC and, even if it's a different one than yours, it has a very similar country around it. :D And big horn sheep and black bears. I also love your doll's house. I have one which I bought for practically nothing at a thrift shop and my little grand children love playing with, but I often think about redecorating it and making it beautiful. I even started a pinterest board with beautiful doll's houses on it for inspiration. Now I'm going to be following your house with interest waiting for the grand reveal. :D

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  14. What an interesting blogpost today, you started saying there was not much going on, then you started slowly about the hens and ended with the story your husband saw a bear, is n't that wonderful. All the animal pictures are lovely but the ewes and rams pictures and the bear are outstanding. I can imagine you should have liked to go with him to your farmer friends and have a ride on the combine.

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