# Baymule’s Farm Pictures



## Baymule

Today is gorgeous, clear azure blue skies, sunny, changing of the seasons. I just had to take pictures, but where to put them? Hah! A picture journal! Here ya go! 

Behind the horse barn, north side. 




 



 



 



 

Between the barn and back of the house. 



 

To the north.


----------



## Baymule

View from the back fence, looking down the pipeline.


----------



## Baymule

My nemesis, GREENBRIARS! These are up against the pipeline fence, in what is loosely called the horse pasture. It is about as much of a pasture as the driveway is. It is mostly wooded, we have a lot of work to do. LOL


----------



## promiseacres

Beautiful. We are in the cold or mud season...  tired of it already,


----------



## Rammy

Baymule said:


> Today is gorgeous, clear azure blue skies, sunny, changing of the seasons. I just had to take pictures, but where to put them? Hah! A picture journal! Here ya go!
> 
> Behind the horse barn, north side.
> 
> View attachment 55229
> 
> View attachment 55230
> 
> View attachment 55231
> 
> View attachment 55232
> 
> Between the barn and back of the house.
> 
> View attachment 55234
> 
> To the north.
> 
> 
> View attachment 55235
> 
> View attachment 55236


I think I saw Bigfoot in that last picture.


----------



## Baymule

More pipeline pictures.


----------



## RollingAcres

Beautiful pics!


----------



## Baymule

From our front door.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Your pictures "smell" like fall in New England....thank you for sharing, never thought about trees changing color in Texas ...they are really pretty


----------



## Baymule

I posted the pictures from my cell phone. It wouldn't cooperate and let me put text , only the pictures. So I went back and edited, adding where the pictures were taken.


----------



## Baymule

On our way home, we top a hill where the power line cuts through the woods, giving us a beautiful view. Today my husband stopped and took a picture.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Baymule said:


> I posted the pictures from my cell phone. It wouldn't cooperate and let me put text , only the pictures. So I went back and edited, adding where the pictures were taken.


Well you do better than i do with it...and they came out so crisp and clear


----------



## greybeard

Baymule said:


> On our way home, we top a hill where the power line cuts through the woods, giving us a beautiful view. Today my husband stopped and took a picture.
> 
> View attachment 55262


Are you close to Mount Selman?


----------



## Baymule

Yes, it is on the south side of I-20 and we are on the north side of I-20 in Garden Valley.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Really nice pics!


----------



## Goat Whisperer

Stunning pics! Beautiful! 

Goats will eat those terrible green briers. Just sayin'


----------



## Baymule

Goat Whisperer said:


> Stunning pics! Beautiful!
> 
> Goats will eat those terrible green briers. Just sayin'


The sheep tore them up in the front two pastures. And really, the horses have chomped a bunch of them down. The wads pictured are just that, big wads of thorny vines that run up in the trees. When we cleaned up the front pastures, we pulled them out of the trees, then the sheep attacked. LOL


----------



## Carla D

@Baymule , I had no idea that Texas was so gorgeous this time of the year. I’m pretty sure I’d melt during your summers there. But this is right up my alley. Looks like it’s between 55-70 degrees. Perfect weather for anything and everything important. You have beautiful scenery. I’m definitely jealous right now. I love this picture thread. Thank you.


----------



## Baymule

It was 21* last night, high of 62 today. down to 28* tonight and up to 69* tomorrow. Summer.....that's another story. LOL


----------



## Carla D

Baymule said:


> It was 21* last night, high of 62 today. down to 28* tonight and up to 69* tomorrow. Summer.....that's another story. LOL


Those are some pretty drastic temperature changes. But you have to have the cooler weather to see the leaves change colors.


----------



## Carla D

Baymule said:


> It was 21* last night, high of 62 today. down to 28* tonight and up to 69* tomorrow. Summer.....that's another story. LOL


We had a high of 18 degrees today.


----------



## Sheepshape

We don't see those big temperature swings here....it's about 44 by day and 36 at night at the moment....but DAMP, misty and generally murky...seriously unpleasant. The grass is turning to a sea of mud and my sheep are silage-dependent once more.

Baymule, some lovely pics......however they were taken. Phones these days take very good pics., but I still like a 'proper' camera. However, I'm not sure that I should be using one. I had a lovely  (and expensive) camera for Xmas last year as my previous 'trusty old Canon' decided that 20,000 plus pics. was enough. Lovely new Sony was dropped by me in the one remaining puddle of a dried-up stream in July and was deemed not to be worth mending. (I did get it fixed, though very costly).

It is a real pleasure to see the different environments that we keep our livestock in and the problems which may uniquely arise due to that environment. 'How the other half farm' or something like that!

Keep the pics. coming.


----------



## Mike CHS

I'm going to have to click on the New Posts tab more often.  It's nice to see the detail about the home place you post about.


----------



## Baymule

Sunrise this morning, from our front door.


----------



## Granny Heeney

I mentioned that I was looking at your pics of NE Texas and that we're practically neighbors and everyone looked at me like I was cracked.  "It's that tri-state thing of Georgia, South Carolina and Texas."  I keep forgetting there's a couple extra states between us (Arkansas and Mississippi).  For some reason, I keep trying to stick Texas next to Florida??


----------



## Granny Heeney

Er....isn't there another one tucked in somewhere they call Alabama?  LOL  BAH, my daughter just added "Louisiana," I'm so lost.  I bet someone gets me a US map for Christmas!


----------



## Devonviolet

Carla D said:


> We had a high of 18 degrees today.


DH and I are from Rochester, Minnesota.  Our weather was very similar to Wisconsin.  I’ll have to be honest, I don’t miss those cold winters and shoveling all that snow!!!  Before I met DH, I had a craftsman style bungelow, NW of town.  One Winter, I had just finished shoveling my front walk and driveway (18” of packed snow), when the snow plow went by and left 3-1/2 feet of REALLY PACKED
snow! I had to get my garden shovel out, and break out small chunks, at a time. It was exhausting, but I HAD to get it done, so I could get my car out of the driveway, to go to work that night. That was NOT fun!  



Granny Heeney said:


> I mentioned that I was looking at your pics of NE Texas and that we're practically neighbors and everyone looked at me like I was cracked.  "It's that tri-state thing of Georgia, South Carolina and Texas."  I keep forgetting there's a couple extra states between us (Arkansas and Mississippi).  For some reason, I keep trying to stick Texas next to Florida??


----------



## promiseacres

Beautiful sunrise @Baymule


----------



## Devonviolet

Baymule said:


> Sunrise this morning, from our front door.
> 
> View attachment 55995


GORGEOUS!!!!  I didn’t realize your front porch faces East.  There is nothing like Texas sun rises and sunsets!  I have my fair share of gorgeous photos, showing the spectacular views.

Here is my very first sunrise photo, shortly after we moved here:




Here is one of our specular sunrises:


----------



## RollingAcres

Beautiful sunrise pic Bay!


----------



## Sheepshape

I Love sunrise and sunset.

Here's a sunrise from my back garden, and "Misty Mountain Hop",,,,Brecon Beacons from the back garden.


----------



## Devonviolet

Sheepshape said:


> I Love sunrise and sunset.
> 
> Here's a sunrise from my back garden, and "Misty Mountain Hop",,,,Brecon Beacons from the back garden.
> View attachment 56062
> View attachment 56061


GORGEOUS!  I especially like the one of the mist in the mountains.


----------



## Baymule

Walking around in the gloomy drizzley rain today.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Those are excellent  quality pictures,  nice eye by the way Bay....


----------



## CntryBoy777

Looks like some healthy green briar there Bay.....


----------



## Baymule

CntryBoy777 said:


> Looks like some healthy green briar there Bay.....


We still have wads of that stuff.


----------



## Baymule

Found these interesting fungi growing in wood chip mulch today. 



 



 

I love narcissus bulb flowers. It’s cold, rainy but the narcissis say Spring is on the way! They smell so good too. 



 



 

A cold front blew in and dropped a big pine limb on a chicken coop.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Looks like the coop, and occupants, survived! You built a good coop!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Baymule said:


> Found these interesting fungi growing in wood chip mulch today.


Interesting!

http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2017/02/04/valentines-day-red-and-the-column-stinkhorn-fungus/


----------



## B&B Happy goats

frustratedearthmother said:


> Interesting!
> 
> http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2017/02/04/valentines-day-red-and-the-column-stinkhorn-fungus/



We have them here...we remove them asap, and use vinegar  to kill any spores, nasty stinky fly attracting fungi


----------



## greybeard

Seen it only a very few times out in the forest & it smells like rotten meat. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clathrus_ruber


----------



## Baymule

Spring is in the way! I love the cheery Jonquils. I dug clumps from our old house and brought them with us.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Baymule said:


> Spring is in the way! I love the cheery Jonquils. I dug clumps from our old house and brought them with us.
> 
> View attachment 58141
> 
> View attachment 58142


Beautiful pictures...again


----------



## Baymule

The guinea crew.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Are they loud ???, they sure are pretty. I am having flower and plant envy,  am almost to the point where i can start planting more stuff.... and want to at least get one raised garden bed built so i can start putting compost in, sooo many projects. ..love living free in the country


----------



## Baymule

Yes they are loud, but I like their racket. Anybody moving to the country for peace and quiet better think twice. Cows moo, sheep and goats baa, dogs bark, horses neigh, roosters crow, hens cackle, crickets and tree frogs make noise all night, cicadas buzz, tractors roar, chain saws make a lot of noise. And if you happen to hear a fox call, you'd swear Bigfoot was out in the woods.


----------



## Rammy

Baymule said:


> Yes they are loud, but I like their racket. Anybody moving to the country for peace and quiet better think twice. Cows moo, sheep and goats baa, dogs bark, horses neigh, roosters crow, hens cackle, crickets and tree frogs make noise all night, cicadas buzz, tractors roar, chain saws make a lot of noise. And if you happen to hear a fox call, you'd swear Bigfoot was out in the woods.


I TOLD you I saw Bigfoot in one of those pics! I knew it!


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Baymule said:


> Yes they are loud, but I like their racket. Anybody moving to the country for peace and quiet better think twice. Cows moo, sheep and goats baa, dogs bark, horses neigh, roosters crow, hens cackle, crickets and tree frogs make noise all night, cicadas buzz, tractors roar, chain saws make a lot of noise. And if you happen to hear a fox call, you'd swear Bigfoot was out in the woods.



We have someone  around here with peacocks....not the bird for me, got enough sound trobles as it is.....that would scramble and fry my brain


----------



## Rammy

B&B Happy goats said:


> We have someone  around here with peacocks....not the bird for me, got enough sound trobles as it is.....that would scramble and fry my brain


Especially during mating season. Those things are loud!


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Rammy said:


> Especially during mating season. Those things are loud!


They are pretty but not anything that I can deal with, i don't  like chicken poo....love cow, horse, goat and bunny poo....all other poo stink , lol.... yep i am weird ...cow poo is fragrance  in the air, says welcome home....unless your standing next to massive amounts....


----------



## Baymule

Well ah reckon ah'll make like cow plop and hit the trail! 

because cow poo is fragrance in the air...…. I don't know why I say these things


----------



## Baymule

74 candles. Neighbors brought a cake.


----------



## Baymule

Peach blossom. Two trees are loaded with pink blossoms and buds. 



 



 

I liked it the grayish green of the lichen, the jade green of the moss and the light and dark of the bark.


----------



## Mike CHS

Pretty pictures and if I said Happy Birthday already I don't recall doing so Happy Birthday.


----------



## Baymule

The two black jack oaks right out our front door. One always loses all its leaves in the fall, one has dead brown leaves hanging on it all winter. They finally fell off. New leave must be ready to sprout.


----------



## HomeOnTheRange

Just found this thread!  Love the pictures @Baymule!


----------



## Baymule

We have a few Redbud trees, all in the same pasture. They are blooming and so pretty. 



 



 

Another sign of spring, a guinea nest! It has 3 eggs, she lays one every other day. It looks like the female is a dark pearl color, there are two bigger off white guineas that must be males. Today while she laid her egg, they both stood guard. There is another guinea that is a light brownish color with the pearl speckles. The two big whitish ones chase it away. Male? Ugly female? I don’t know. Anyway, I’m enthralled with watching the nest.


----------



## Southern by choice

Very pretty! I love the lichen too! 
The first blooms are always so ... happy, I guess. Always makes me smile and it is the beautiful glimpse of new life springing forth.


----------



## Baymule

There are six eggs in the guinea nest now. 

The pollen season is just getting started. Pretty soon a blanket of yellow will cover everything. 



 

I am so excited! There are BLOOMS on the pear tree!! Not a lot, but BLOOMS!


----------



## CntryBoy777

We have our yellow blanket here, too....it is Spring everywhere, but in Florida it is Fall.....the new growth is what pushes the old leaves off and they Fall.........what variety of pear?....the blooms sure are pretty!!.....


----------



## Mike CHS

We don't have enough pine trees here for the yellow but we have several other species that are just as bad.


----------



## Baymule

We planted Crimson Clover in the fall of 2017. It came back up this year with no effort on our part. I saw a few white heads of clover that are not the crimson color. Thought y’all would like to see them. 




 



 

We have severe storm warnings for this evening and all night, it’s drizzling now. 

Rain on clover. 



 

Baby peach.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Bay, you take the best nature pictures ever ! Great eye


----------



## Baymule

B&B Happy goats said:


> Bay, you take the best nature pictures ever ! Great eye


Thanks! I just see things I like and use my I-phone to snap a pic.


----------



## CntryBoy777

I always liked watching the red clover grow and bloom....goats and ducks sure loved the stuff....always smelled so good when I'd finally cut it.....


----------



## Baymule

Paris



 

Joe



 

Mustard greens 



 

Lettuce 



 



 

What’s for supper?


----------



## Baymule

Cut down a dead rotted tree. 





It has some pretty yellow fungus growing on it.


----------



## Baymule

Prince is feeling spunky. LOL 





Something about a lamb curled up in a Feed pan that is so darn cute... it makes me smile, hope you smile too.


----------



## Baymule

A bald eagle in a tree about 2 miles from our place. It was feeding on a dead deer and flew up in a tree when we stopped for a picture. It’s fuzzy, but I had to get a picture! 





Our dogs playing.


----------



## D and L Meadows

Nice pictures! And that lamb is sooo adorable! 😍I can't wait until we have lambs on the ground again. 8 more weeks!


----------



## Beekissed

Bay, I love all the pics!!!  I wish my camera took pics as good at those.   That crimson clover is just stunning...I've always loved how it looks.   

And the lamb in the pan...definitely makes a person grin.   These hair lambs just seem more cute than woollies for some reason....of course, I could just be biased.      I think it has a lot to do with the texture of the coat and the variety of colors that make them so appealing.


----------



## Xerocles

I never knew you HAD a picture journal! Probably because you haven't posted in it since April, and that was before my time. It's incredible. Gorgeous shots! What happened to summer and fall?


----------



## TAH

Beautiful pictures! So pretty outside there... Can't wait for spring here. Been 4-10-below most nights. 10-degrees during the day. And that lamb is adorable.


----------



## Baymule

@Beekissed I use my Apple I-phone to take pictures.



Xerocles said:


> I never knew you HAD a picture journal! Probably because you haven't posted in it since April, and that was before my time. It's incredible. Gorgeous shots! What happened to summer and fall?


There are fall pictures, the tree leaves changing colors are in October. Summer would be a picture of the air conditioner.


----------



## Xerocles

Baymule said:


> @Beekissed I use my Apple I-phone to take pictures.
> 
> 
> There are fall pictures, the tree leaves changing colors are in October. Summer would be a picture of the air conditioner.


But...but...but....those are LAST years fall pictures. Last years fall pictures are just so......last year!
I was going to add some of my (this years) pictures of flowers blooming (yesterday). But the pictures came out fuzzy. Too close, I think.


----------



## Jesusfreak101

One problem xerocles its not fall its winter lol


----------



## Baymule

Xerocles said:


> I never knew you HAD a picture journal! Probably because you haven't posted in it since April, and that was before my time. It's incredible. Gorgeous shots! What happened to summer and fall?


OK, here's some pictures from August, the peak of summer heat here. Enjoy!





__





						When It’s 101* Outside
					

When it’s 101 degrees outside, the boys know what to do.   Watching TV through his eyelids.      Soaking up the AC and donating dirt to the floor. Sigh......     Napping with his blue squeaky pig.



					www.backyardherds.com


----------



## D and L Meadows

Hey Baymule! What kind of sheep do you have? They are so neat! Love the colors! My sister has Finn sheep but both her rams are white so we don't get a lot of color. I keep telling her she needs to get a colorful ram. Lol


----------



## Baymule

D and L Meadows said:


> Hey Baymule! What kind of sheep do you have? They are so neat! Love the colors! My sister has Finn sheep but both her rams are white so we don't get a lot of color. I keep telling her she needs to get a colorful ram. Lol


My ewes are a mix of Dorper and Katahdin, my ram is registered Katahdin and he is white except for a nickel sized black spot on his ear. He sired two other lambs marked like this before we bought him. Look at this beauty! Her name is Aria. She's a keeper!

 
​


----------



## D and L Meadows

Awww! She is so adorable!!! Such pretty markings!


----------



## Baymule

Feeder pigs. It’s hard to beat home grown pork. The place we take them to for processing doesn’t do bacon, so we do it. Home smoked bacon is the best! Grow little piggies! 






Our granddaughters, age 3 and 5 “riding” Joe, our will be 31 years old in March, best horse in the world. 





Our 3 year old granddaughter is Mamaw’s girl. She has always loved the Sheep. Ewenique is getting some ear scratches.


----------



## Duckfarmerpa1

The


Baymule said:


> Feeder pigs. It’s hard to beat home grown pork. The place we take them to for processing doesn’t do bacon, so we do it. Home smoked bacon is the best! Grow little piggies!
> 
> View attachment 69746
> 
> Our granddaughters, age 3 and 5 “riding” Joe, our will be 31 years old in March, best horse in the world.
> 
> View attachment 69744
> 
> Our 3 year old granddaughter is Mamaw’s girl. She has always loved the Sheep. Ewenique is getting some ear scratches.
> 
> View attachment 69745


y are both just gorgeous!!!


----------



## Baymule

Mamaw look! I picked you flowers!


----------



## Jesusfreak101

To cute to bad we live so far away the kids would live to play.


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful  girl she is   she looks soooooo sweet !


----------



## Baymule

B&B Happy goats said:


> Oh my goodness, what a beautiful  girl she is   she looks soooooo sweet !


Don't be fooled. It's her way or else!!


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Baymule said:


> Don't be fooled. It's her way or else!!


She IS a mini YOU  just a wee smaller version of a tornado in the making


----------



## Baymule

B&B Happy goats said:


> She IS a mini YOU  just a wee smaller version of a tornado in the making


Nope. She is me X 10!


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Baymule said:


> Nope. She is me X 10!


   oh mercy on her parents  ....at least she will become a determined, get it done woman one day ....thanks to genetics .....and Memaw


----------



## Mike CHS

No matter how she behaves, those are some really cute pictures.


----------



## thistlebloom

She's definitely a keeper!


----------



## Baymule

I snapped this picture of a wild plum tree in the fence line across the road from our front fence. We pick the small, red plums from this tree and another patch of wild plums and I make yummy jam.


----------



## Xerocles

Baymule said:


> I snapped this picture of a wild plum tree in the fence line across the road from our front fence. We pick the small, red plums from this tree and another patch of wild plums and I make yummy jam.
> 
> View attachment 70874


We have lots of those around too. Only I just eat them raw (worms & all?) And get a belly ache.
Although I DID drag out my inherited pressure cooker last week. Now to just get up the nerve to use it.


----------



## Baymule

Xerocles said:


> We have lots of those around too. Only I just eat them raw (worms & all?) And get a belly ache.
> Although I DID drag out my inherited pressure cooker last week. Now to just get up the nerve to use it.


They make the BEST jelly/jam! I can eat it with a spoon!


----------



## drstratton

Well, I was looking for one of your hog raising threads and saw this one!  I'm so glad that I went through it!  You live in a very beautiful area.  I loved all of your pictures, your animals are beautiful and your granddaughters are gorgeous! 💞


----------



## Baymule

Double yolker egg! 





Broccoli! 





When Sheep can’t reach the cedar branches to snack on, just jump in the flatbed trailer for Extra height. 





Supper. Lamb we raised, broccoli out of the garden and beet greens lightly sautéed in butter. 





Dessert. Amaretto Creme Brûlée with a crunchy melted sugar crust. Eggs from our hens. 





Feeder pigs, Elsa (white one) and Carrot. Names courtesy of granddaughters. They will go to that fabulous pig resort in August. It will be hot then, so hanging (literally) in a freezer will be a major improvement-as far as we are concerned. LOL 





Then what shows up today? After a long hiatus under the portable building by the two guinea hens, they proudly presented babies! The male(white one) was so lonesome without the hens, that he stayed under the building with them. He is very tender and protective of his children. We sat outside watching the family cruise the yard calling th the chicks to keep up. 11 babies! We are enchanted. 









Baby under a poke leaf. That’s the country version of “we found you under a cabbage leaf. “ Too cute! These little guys are quarter sized fuzzy balls on toothpick legs. 





Wait for us!


----------



## thistlebloom

How fun!


----------



## farmerjan

You're doing good.  Most guineas' won't stay on the nest long enough to hatch them and they overall don't make very good mothers.  Hope yours do a better job than the average ones.


----------



## drstratton

Baymule said:


> Double yolker egg!
> 
> View attachment 73148
> 
> Broccoli!
> 
> View attachment 73149
> 
> When Sheep can’t reach the cedar branches to snack on, just jump in the flatbed trailer for Extra height.
> 
> View attachment 73150
> 
> Supper. Lamb we raised, broccoli out of the garden and beet greens lightly sautéed in butter.
> 
> View attachment 73151
> 
> Dessert. Amaretto Creme Brûlée with a crunchy melted sugar crust. Eggs from our hens.
> 
> View attachment 73152
> 
> Feeder pigs, Elsa (white one) and Carrot. Names courtesy of granddaughters. They will go to that fabulous pig resort in August. It will be hot then, so hanging (literally) in a freezer will be a major improvement-as far as we are concerned. LOL
> 
> View attachment 73153
> 
> Then what shows up today? After a long hiatus under the portable building by the two guinea hens, they proudly presented babies! The male(white one) was so lonesome without the hens, that he stayed under the building with them. He is very tender and protective of his children. We sat outside watching the family cruise the yard calling th the chicks to keep up. 11 babies! We are enchanted.
> 
> View attachment 73154
> 
> View attachment 73155
> 
> Baby under a poke leaf. That’s the country version of “we found you under a cabbage leaf. “ Too cute! These little guys are quarter sized fuzzy balls on toothpick legs.
> 
> View attachment 73156
> 
> Wait for us!
> 
> View attachment 73157


Dinner looks delicious! 

Oh my, those babies are so cute.. I'm enchanted! 💞

Farm life really can be a fun adventure! 🥰


----------



## Baymule

There is a storm coming tonight. I hope the parents take them back under the building. Guineas are dumb. Here is hoping!


----------



## Duckfarmerpa1

We get double hollers a ton, but...WE never get to enjoy them..because we always have to sell them...ugh.  In fact..we never get eggs anymore...just the cracked ones.  My Dad turns 80 next week...can’t acknowledge it, due to corona, and he’s ornery...lol..so we gave him a coupon for free eggs for a year...then I realized, how much I just spent!  Ugh...🤣.   Your dinn looks amazing!! Can’t believe you have crops already!!  We still have everything in the window sills, and just a couple germination...Chris is devastated....will you keep all the guineas?  We have neighbors with them...they wonder on the road.  My ducks did a few times...one got hit by a car...we made a duck crossing sign..actually bought a real one, and painted a duck on it..🤣. Think it helped🤣. Now you’ll just have to paint a guinea?  I still like the name Pickle best for the pig...🤣🤣🤣🐷


----------



## drstratton

Baymule said:


> There is a storm coming tonight. I hope the parents take them back under the building. Guineas are dumb. Here is hoping!


I hope they do too, I imagine they would be kind of hard to round up!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Guineas!!!  I love guineas!  I used to have some...until I didn't. 

Love the pics!  Dinner looks delish.


----------



## farmerjan

I know that pretty doesn't mean it tastes good, but the meal looks like it was pretty tasty.   I sure did like that head of broccoli ..... it could have graced a seed packet it was so pretty.


----------



## Baymule

The guinea hens are squatting on the ground under an oak tree with the little ones gathered up underneath them. There is a storm coming with high winds, the kind that knock trees down. I guess we’ll see in the morning if they all survive. The Loony Goonie Trio walked those tiny chicks all over the yard, about an acre, through tall grass, weeds and some tough terrain when you’re only 2” tall. A brown and white spotted one was always last, cheep cheeping all the way. I even asked the mommas if maybe their babies were tired?  Our neighbor Robert, also has some guineas, we are trying for tick control. LOL 

Thanks, yes the dinner was delicious. That was our first broccoli head and we put it to good use. I am working in the garden every day that I can.


----------



## farmerjan

@Baymule  bet you are glad that you are out of the "last place of employment"   . Time to take care of the garden especially now.

That is the problem with guineas,  they don't have the sense god gave a goose to not try to traipse all over he//s half acre with brand new keets.   If you want to try to save the little ones, try penning them all up in a chicken tractor type thing until the keets are at least a week or 2 old so they have some strength.  They will deplete their body reserves and won't be able to get enough to eat for the first couple of weeks..... the females just don't have an ounce of sense.  At least in a chicken tractor type pen, you can make sure the babies get a start at life, and you could move it around too and in a couple weeks they can go about their merry way and know the little ones have half a chance.


----------



## CntryBoy777

When I was growing up on the farm it was my "job" to watch the guineas to find the nests....I became quite fond of the crazy things and loved to hear them chatter....they will probably be okay as long as they are on higher ground and can stay dry.....


----------



## Jesusfreak101

I have more then enough birds yup more then enough... they do cute i love fluffy babies ahh okay that out(as if yall didn't know) if they do their job on the rocks great my uncle had them for mesquito control as far i know they worked and the multpiled like crazy. He no longer had them just the bone bird i don't tolerate and that peacocks. Those dang thing are don't right anger inducing. They eat every flower, fight every shiny thing, and think a roof is a landing strip. Oh and their call ugh nope not like them.


----------



## Baymule

I didn’t get a head count but there is a clump of babies next to the garden fence under the oak tree. There is a clump of poke plants for shelter. It hailed last night, I guess the mommas took better care than I gave them credit for.


----------



## drstratton

Baymule said:


> I didn’t get a head count but there is a clump of babies next to the garden fence under the oak tree. There is a clump of poke plants for shelter. It hailed last night, I guess the mommas took better care than I gave them credit for.


That's good news! 💞


----------



## Baymule

There was 11 this morning, found one dead, one missing, 9 left. Carson and Sentry both got baby guinea lessons today. As In “mine” and “not yours” over and over with a handful of “no” tossed in for good measure. 

I got a great picture of one with a caterpillar. A 2 day old hunter! That worm is as big as the key!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Oh my gosh!  That is the cutest thing EVER!


----------



## drstratton

That is so adorable!  Free range chicks with their mama's have it so much better, except for the mortality rate!


----------



## Baymule

I was lucky to get that shot!


----------



## drstratton

Baymule said:


> I was lucky to get that shot!


That's for sure. You should enter that in the cutest chick HAL on BYC!


----------



## CntryBoy777

Tbey are such cute little things!!.....glad most were there this morning....ya could set em up a Hoop hut....


----------



## Baymule

We are down to 6. Tried to save a couple of the stragglers but they died anyway.  On a good note, these 6 are active, strong and keep up with the parents. The family is in pasture #1 where it is semi wooded and the rye grass is tall. They seem happy there.


----------



## drstratton

Baymule said:


> We are down to 6. Tried to save a couple of the stragglers but they died anyway.  On a good note, these 6 are active, strong and keep up with the parents. The family is in pasture #1 where it is semi wooded and the rye grass is tall. They seem happy there.


I hope that the rest make it! They are so vulnerable at this point in their lives.


----------



## Baymule

Haven’t checked this morning, but the 6 were still running after their parents yesterday evening. Even saw another one gulp down a fat cut worm. Busy little things.


----------



## Baymule

Prince is checking out the coffee cans I use for Feed to see if there are any crumbs for him. 





Part of living on a farm is raising our own food. We are raising Cornish Cross meat chickens and slaughtered 13 2 days ago. This big boy, dressed, weighs 7 pounds,  5 ounces. 





And the guinea family! They travel two pastures and the yard all day. Still have the 6 chicks, they are doing fine.


----------



## Baymule

Chick #6 was on the right, just out of the picture. I captured the hen flaring up at me.


----------



## farmerjan

That's pretty good to still have 6.  Shame it is only 1/2 of what they started out with.  At least the ones still there are doing good enough that they can keep up and will hopefully make it to maturity.   Did you get any of that rain/stormy weather that came east to us?  It sure cooled off here today, more rain/showers and now there is a rumor of this weekend getting down into the 20's with some FROST?!?


----------



## Baymule

Rain was predicted, but it went above us. Frost? Oh no! It is hitting in the high 80's here now. I don't think frost stands a chance. LOL


----------



## thistlebloom

I love that boy Prince!


----------



## D and L Meadows

Did your male guinea get aggressive before the hen laid eggs? We have a pair and the male is so aggressive now that’s its spring. We can’t keep them with the goats like we use to because he chases them around.   Not to mention running at us...


----------



## Mike CHS

There is frost in our forecast for tomorrow.   We are on the edge of what they are calling for so we shall see.  We have a load of seedling coming up in the garden beds but most of them are cool season types.  I intentionally have not planted any warm weather seedling yet.


----------



## Baymule

Our big black Lab/Great Dane loves for the male guinea to charge at him. It is quite the game. Carson will mosey up to the guineas so the male will charge at him. Carson runs away, circles back, Looney Gooney charges, Carson runs away, circles back, Looney Gooney charges...... Carson can keep this wonderful game up until the poor Looney Gooney is worn out, frazzled and herds his girls and family away, away from that bad big black dog. We watch and laugh so hard that sometimes it brings us to tears.


----------



## CntryBoy777

I went on utube and punched up some clips from Guinea TV.....when the male was calling...Gabbie was barking, but when I played the hen she watched my phone and kept turning ber head from side to side trying to figure it out.....  ....Joyce asked what I was listening to and told me she didn't want any...they are annoying.........oh if we could've stayed where we were...I'd of had some Fun....I Love those crazy things....


----------



## Baymule

I will update the Looney Gooney family. We were down to 6 keets and one morning they were gone. The Looney Gooney Trio were calling mournfully over and over, at an outside boundary fence. They even went under the fence at the horse trough and braved the wilderness of the horse pasture, looking for their babies. I helped them search, finding no sign of the keets. Sadly, I herded the grieving parents back under the hole under the fence and into another pasture bordering that outside fence. They continued to search and call. We were mystified by the loss of all of the keets. Later in the afternoon, the Looney Gooney Trio showed with all 6 keets in tow! Where had they been? No idea. We were delighted that they were back. A few days later, one had disappeared, leaving 5 keets. So far, the 5 are growing and doing well. I count them multiple times a day. LOL 






This is the wildly overgrown horse pasture I seeded in Bahia in the spring. The Bahia is up, short, but I felt it was strong enough to withstand a little trampling, so let the sheep in to take the weeds down. 





I have picked 2 wash pans of English peas from the garden and started pulling beets.


----------



## drstratton

So glad the babies reappeared...really strange! Nice harvest...we haven't even planted our beets yet!  We were hoping to get the rest of the garden planted yesterday, but the yard cleanup took to much time and we needed to do the work on our coop! I love the pictures of your herd, happily munching away!


----------



## Baymule

Down to 4 guinea chicks now. They all fly up on top of the chicken coop. Last week I went to gather eggs and found a rat snak eating MY eggs! I ran to let Paris in the pasture, she ran to go play with the boys. I finally got her to the chicken coop, which she wanted no part of and frantically searched for a way out. I stored the snake with a shovel and it was on! She dragged it out, I chopped it with the shovel and she bit and shook it to death. 






I think that snake got a baby guinea, down to 4 now.


----------



## CntryBoy777

Glad ya and Paris "slayed the serpent".........owls and coons took a heavy toll on my parents guineas at night while roosting....it is the big negative about free ranging them, but I couldn't keep em on wire, cooped up, either.....always raising them to replace those that are lost....they are crazy and loud, but they are neat creatures.....


----------



## Baymule

Gosh I love that Psycho B!tch. She doesn't patrol much anymore, she just wants her back yard and the side pasture that goes to the back of the sheep barn. I put her in the front pasture sometimes, but I have to keep an eye on her. When she wants to go back "home" she will dig out, then be frantic because she can't get back in her backyard.  She's always been cranky, now she's old and cranky.


----------



## Mike CHS

Baymule said:


> She's always been cranky, now she's old and cranky.



That happens to the best of us.


----------



## Baymule

I saw this growing out of an oak stump and thought it was pretty. No idea what the red dot is. 





I have tomatoes!


----------



## Mike CHS

Are those Cherokee Purple?  We are still a couple of weeks away from ripe tomatoes.


----------



## Baymule

Mike CHS said:


> Are those Cherokee Purple?  We are still a couple of weeks away from ripe tomatoes.


Yes they are! Our favorite, plant it every year tomato! We love them, I’ve been making Pico de Gallo. Sliced with salt, we can make a meal on them!


----------



## Mike CHS

Baymule said:


> Yes they are! Our favorite, plant it every year tomato! We love them, I’ve been making Pico de Gallo. Sliced with salt, we can make a meal on them!



I gave quite a few to a lady that worked for me years ago because she wanted to freeze some.  Several weeks later I asker her how the tomatoes turned out.  She looked kind of funny and said she didn't want to tell me that they had gone bad sitting on the shelf.  I asked her what happened and she said she kept waiting for them to turn red and ripen up but they were almost over ripe when I gave them to her.


----------



## rachels.haven

I spy a "dog vomit slime mold". Very cool.


----------



## Baymule

rachels.haven said:


> I spy a "dog vomit slime mold". Very cool.


The yellow fungus? Is that what it's called? I never saw dog vomit that looked that pretty. LOL LOL


----------



## rachels.haven

I know, raw deal on the name for the fungus, eh? They're very interesting looking. Dog barf...not so interesting.


----------



## Baymule

rachels.haven said:


> I know, raw deal on the name for the fungus, eh? They're very interesting looking. Dog barf...not so interesting.


Depends on what they ate...... Oh LOOK! A rabbit leg!!


----------



## Baymule

Mom!! Are you finished feeding the horses yet??


----------



## Baymule

We have worked hard in the garden and it’s paying off. The past 5 days I have picked a wash pan of tomatoes each day. Lots of eggplant and green beans. I canned beets, jalapeños with carrots and onions, so far 12 pints of green beans. I have 4 gallon bags of tomatoes, quartered, cored, peeled and deseeded-in the freezer. When I get enough, I’ll can them. 













Amish melons. I sliced one and put it in the dehydrator, pretty tasty treat! 





Painted Mountain corn hanging from the front porch rafters to dry. Look at all the pretty colors! I mill it for cornmeal, it makes delicious cornbread.


----------



## Mike CHS

A good garden harvest makes me smile every time.


----------



## Baymule

My Purple Hull peas are blooming! It is late in the year for them, but I had broccoli, beets, onions and mustard greens planted in this space. After they were done, I planted peas. It won’t be long now! 





I processed tomatoes into sauce. I used my old strainer. I rented a house when I was 20 years old. The old lady who owned it had gone into a nursing home and family had cleaned out the house. I found this old strainer and family said I could have it. I have treasured it ever since. I’ve had it 45 years and it was old when I got it. I looked them up on eBay, expecting them to be priced in hundreds of dollars. Nope. They were $15-$25! I would never let go of my old strainer! 





Tomato sauce and dehydrated tomatoes. 





What do you do with a LOT of cantaloupe? Give it away, yep. Eat all we can, yep. They are HUGE and the vines are full. They are a variety called Amish Melon. Hmmm..... I know! Make cantaloupe jerky!  It is delicious and makes a great snack. I vacuum sealed it for long keeping, like into winter, but am keeping some for snacking now.


----------



## Baymule

A few weeks ago we got a little rain with a lot of lightning. There was a loud boom that shook the house. That was close! Next day I checked fence lines, saw no tree down and thought no more about it. 

I looked out the kitchen window a couple days ago and saw brown leaves. Uh-oh, that means a dying tree. I went to investigate. 

Lightening struck the tree and ripped a trail down the trunk, then exploded the bark off the entire trunk. 





What a shame. It is such a beautiful, stately tree! The gnarly branches are artworks unto themselves. I am saddened by the loss. We will have it taken down, it is close to 2 fences.


----------



## CntryBoy777

Sorry bout the tree Bay!!....wish I could give ya a couple of em in our yard to take its place....as far as cantalope goes...my Mom would freezer it in chunks or balls and would put em in a blender to make slushies....works with watermelons too....


----------



## Mike CHS

I really hate losing trees, especially mature ones like that.  We freeze melon also.  We just cut it up in bite sized pieces and freeze in a single layer on an oven pan lined with plastic to keep it from sticking to the pan and transfer to bags when frozen.  It has a slight texture change when thawed but the taste is the same as fresh.

I haven't dehydrated any but need to give that a try since we have done every other kind of fruit.


----------



## drstratton

I never thought of freezing my tomatoes until I have enough to can...might have to give that a try!  I'm going to do a bunch of dehydrating too...cucumbers, tomatoes, Bartlett pears, Asian pears, apples and you  have inspired me...I'm going to try melon! I will also freeze and can...it will be fun to have an assortment!  I love your corn and need to plant some of that next year...I bet the cornbread is beautiful looking!  💞

So sad about your tree...we've lost a few beautiful specimens!


----------



## Baymule

I hate walking into spider webs. This one was not in a path way. Pretty spider.


----------



## thistlebloom

I've never seen a zigzag spider web, wonder if they live up here?
We have Cat spiders. They are big girls and their web is as tough as fishing line. Fortunately they mostly spin next to a wall, because I walked into one that was across a portion of the garage door and got a little panicky imagining her running to wrap me up!


----------



## drstratton

I don't like spiders at all, but I do know that they serve a purpose!  I walked into a web with a huge spider in it, I had seen it the day before and then forgot about it...I did have a panic attack...


----------



## Finnie

Ooo, this looks similar to a black and yellow spider I have in my Sedums! I’ll have to get a picture of it to compare.


----------



## Finnie

Here it is. I think it might be the same!



it even has a little bit of the zig zag web, just not as well made. I’ve been watching this one for about a month. Now there are two.

Edit: Going back and forth between Baymule’s picture and mine, they are definitely the same kind of spider. Now I need to look up what they are.


----------



## rachels.haven

I think that's a yellow (and black) garden spider-no joke. Because it's yellow and black and in the garden. Not a super creative name.


----------



## Finnie

rachels.haven said:


> I think that's a yellow (and black) garden spider-no joke. Because it's yellow and black and in the garden. Not a super creative name.


😂
You are right!
But, according to Wikipedia, it has at least 7 other names it goes by too.


----------



## rachels.haven

Why not? One from every region. Personally, growing up in the midwest and south we just always just called them "garden spiders".


----------



## farmerjan

We have them down here in VA too.  They are pretty, and don't seem to weave a web out "in the way" like some do.  Mostly only see them in the late summer or fall....


----------



## Baymule

I think I'll call mine the Pig Palace Spider, cause that's where she is. LOL LOL

How cool is it that @Finnie and I have the same spider hanging around?


----------



## thistlebloom

Baymule said:


> How cool is it that @Finnie and I have the same spider hanging around?



That is one busy commute!


----------



## Finnie

Baymule said:


> I think I'll call mine the Pig Palace Spider, cause that's where she is. LOL LOL


  Pig Palace Spider! That’s awesome!



Baymule said:


> How cool is it that @Finnie and I have the same spider hanging around?


Very cool. Lol, I was actually hoping I had some special kind of Texas spider. Maybe mine can be Texas Pig Spider.


----------



## WeegMisty

Seems like you all like to take pictures, they are beautiful by the way! I am wondering if any of you want to take pictures of your horses, and post them on my Online horse show! Here is the link! https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/horse-contest-show-your-horses-ends-oct-29th.41380/


----------



## Baymule

I have walked into big webs that span 2-3 feet in the Sheep barn. Of course they wrap around my head and I go nuts trying to wipe them off. I imagine a big spider is perched in my hair and I must look like a slap happy lunatic. 

My garden spider has been busy at the Pig Palace. Just under the eve, at the corner is next years brood. 






Then today I dumped out and cleaned Goldie the steer’s water tank and got this picture. I love it. 





Walking through the woods yesterday, the beautyberries are putting on a show. The berries are bland tasting but you can make a deep purple jelly from them, flavored with lemon and orange. The leaves are an insect repellent. Pack a glass jar with crushed leaves and cover with 80 proof vodka. Put in a dark cool place, shake daily for two weeks. Strain, mash the leaves to get all the juice out, strain again. Put in a spray mist bottle. If bugs do bite you, they will get drunk and won’t bite again. LOL LOL


----------



## thistlebloom

Gee, I hope Goldie doesn't walk into that web or your spider will beat you to grilling steaks.


----------



## rachels.haven

I wonder if beautyberry would work for horse/deer flies on animals? Not that I could find any in my region, but it's a thought.


----------



## Baymule

I want all those baby spiders to hatch out in the spring and start catching FLIES!


----------



## thistlebloom

When Kid#1 was 3 we studied spiders. We caught flies and threw them into their webs and watched them run out and wrap them up. 
Yep, I  detest flies so much that's how far I'll go to get rid of them!


----------



## Mini Horses

rachels.haven said:


> I wonder if beautyberry would work for horse/deer flies on animals? Not that I could find any in my region, but it's a thought.



Yes.  In fact, in years past -- when horses were used for draft -- they'd  pull a branch, crush leaves some & tuck them under edges of harness to rebel flies/bugs.  You can also crush the leaves in your hand and then rub them on your skin for repellant.  They find deer using them for repellant by bedding under them.   Leaves are high protein in Spring (about 18%) but drop after summer flower/fruiting (about 8%).  My goats will eat them early, not in summer -- taste different?  Probably.  Birds love the fruit...deer, too.

The jelly is pretty -- a lovely pink.  And if made without the other fruits Bay mentions, I think it tastes a lot like marachino(sp?) cherry juice.  I made some out of curiosity.   

They are quite showy plants!


----------



## rachels.haven

You guys are lucky! Looks like it's only hardy to zone 7 so I won't be able to grow it, but it sounds like a great thing to have around in at least a spot or two.

Editing to add, there might be some kinds that grow as far as zone 5. I might try.


----------



## Finnie

rachels.haven said:


> You guys are lucky! Looks like it's only hardy to zone 7 so I won't be able to grow it, but it sounds like a great thing to have around in at least a spot or two.
> 
> Editing to add, there might be some kinds that grow as far as zone 5. I might try.


I have purple beauty berry, and I’m in zone 5.


----------



## Baymule

This time of year is when this bright yellow fungus grows on rotten oak stumps. It only lasts one day. I feel lucky when I see one, tomorrow it will be brown.


----------



## thistlebloom

It's pretty, looks like flower petals.


----------



## Baymule

I think, scattered in these pages are pictures of more of them, even prettier than this one.


----------



## Baymule

It has been misting rain for 2 days. The asparagus caught my eye this evening, it just looked so pretty.


----------



## farmerjan

That is REALLY PRETTY !!!!!


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Beautiful!


----------



## Baymule

farmerjan said:


> That is REALLY PRETTY !!!!!





frustratedearthmother said:


> Beautiful!



That's not ice, just misty rain. It is so misty, that it looks like fog.


----------



## Baymule

I don't have ANY guineas left. My dogs went on a bender and killed them. Why? Durned if I know. I beat dogs with dead guineas, scolded, yelled, cussed, chased, stomped and raised a ruckus. Nothing worked. I couldn't catch them in the act. Then a male from the neighbor's flew over here, followed by a female a week later. It got down to my white male and the neighbor's pearl male. They got so lonesome that they followed the pullets into the coop. Neighbor came and got both of them. I'll try again, I like guineas. I won't go into details of all the beatings I gave the dogs, I'd get reported to the Humane Society. LOL Trip killed and ate 2 in the same day. I came unglued and made him VERY sorry. Locked him up in the back yard for 3 weeks where I made a point to go in there to ignore him every day. I wouldn't even look at him. It tore him up and he tried to get me to talk to him, nope. He was one contrite dog. I tried to have Muscovy ducks one time, Trip ate them. Screwball dog.


----------



## Madhouse Pullet

You take such wonderful photos! Very beautiful fall colors (page 1).


----------



## Baymule

Madhouse Pullet said:


> You take such wonderful photos! Very beautiful fall colors (page 1).


thanks. I take them all with my Apple I-Phone. Just got a I-Phone 12 G5 today. Got to figure it out, got more gadgets on it than I can shake a stick at.


----------



## Madhouse Pullet

Baymule said:


> thanks. I take them all with my Apple I-Phone. Just got a I-Phone 12 G5 today. Got to figure it out, got more gadgets on it than I can shake a stick at.


Wow, impressive quality! Technology amazes me these days. 🤣


----------



## Madhouse Pullet

I noticed you're a user on BYC. Have you ever thought about entering your pictures for any of their contests?


----------



## Baymule

No, I haven't . I mainly hang out here, on TEG and SS. BYC is where I started, but I like the smaller forums better.


----------



## Baymule

Today under the water faucet at the back of the house, a rat snake had part of its body sticking out from under the house, in the warm sunshine. I called Paris, our 12 year old female Great Pyrenees, affectionately known as Psycho B!tch. She saw the snake and it was on. She snatched it and flung it away from the house. She stalked it, confused because it was sluggish from the cold. Normally it is a dance with death as she feints, darting in, out and circling, trying to get the snake to strike at her.

She snatched the snake and shook it hard. She snatched it again and again shaking it until it’s innards hung out and finally it flew to pieces. Then she killed the pieces over and over. Look closely at the pictures, you can see the sand flying as she shakes the snake.

















Carson and Trip were in her backyard and side pasture today. I went out to get Trip and Carson to feed them and the snake pieces were gone. We think Carson ate it.


----------



## frustratedearthmother

Go Paris!


----------



## B&B Happy goats

Oh I love it ....what a good girl


----------



## chickens really

Awesome pictures! Good dog..👏😊👍


----------



## Madhouse Pullet

Baymule said:


> Today under the water faucet at the back of the house, a rat snake had part of its body sticking out from under the house, in the warm sunshine. I called Paris, our 12 year old female Great Pyrenees, affectionately known as Psycho B!tch. She saw the snake and it was on. She snatched it and flung it away from the house. She stalked it, confused because it was sluggish from the cold. Normally it is a dance with death as she feints, darting in, out and circling, trying to get the snake to strike at her.
> 
> She snatched the snake and shook it hard. She snatched it again and again shaking it until it’s innards hung out and finally it flew to pieces. Then she killed the pieces over and over. Look closely at the pictures, you can see the sand flying as she shakes the snake.
> View attachment 79674
> 
> View attachment 79675
> 
> View attachment 79676
> 
> View attachment 79677
> 
> Carson and Trip were in her backyard and side pasture today. I went out to get Trip and Carson to feed them and the snake pieces were gone. We think Carson ate it.


Hahaha wow ! That snake didn't stand a chance!


----------



## Baymule

It’s been awhile since I posted any pictures! We had snow in January, our usual 3-5” that melts and is gone in 3 days. Picturesque and beautiful.
















A week later our granddaughters came to visit. They enjoyed the sheep, watching cartoons with Papaw and riding Pearl with Mamaw. All too soon it was time to take them back to their parents.


----------



## Baymule

Late January kicked off lambing. We had twins, more twins, colorful and spotty. Of course, the ewe lambs were white. LOL 














more later!


----------



## Baymule

We had two sets of triplets on the same night! One ewe totally rejected one of her lambs, the other ewe wanted all her babies but the smallest was too weak to nurse. I tied up both ewes, helping the two lambs to nurse for the colostrum and sent BJ to town for whole milk, cultured buttermilk and evaporated milk to make their formula. They were so cute and so much fun.


----------



## Beekissed

What a blessing!!!!!  Such good looking lambs, Bay!   Congrats on the big lamb crop.   Love that blue tick ewe you've got there, also...love that color pattern.


----------



## Mike CHS

Very nice looking lambs!


----------



## chickens really

What a great update! I loved every picture! 💞👏


----------



## Baymule

Chickweed grows well here, through the winter. It’s gone now, it dies back as the weather warms up. But it makes a good salad, mixed with lettuce and dried tomatoes.





Chickweed also made good tacos.


----------



## Baymule

That little snow we got in January was no big deal, we thought we were done with winter. Wrong.

February 11 we got an ice storm, freezing temperatures and a lightning storm.  My favorite enormous cedar tree was struck. It spreads its shade over the pen where the sheep working chute is set up, so welcome in the summer.





Everything was coated with ice and it didn’t melt in 3 days. It got colder.


----------



## Baymule

February 14, 2021 was our 25th anniversary. It also sleeted that day and it was still icy so we didn’t go anywhere. We celebrated with some leftover chili. LOL 

This is Carson laying on the icy ground gnawing on a chunk of ice I broke out of a water bucket. Goofy dog.





It started snowing that evening and we woke up to a snowy morning. I had the outside water faucets cut off to keep them from freezing, so I had been putting buckets of boiling hot water in my wagon to melt ice and water animals. With the snow, the wagon didn’t work so good any more, so I had to carry the buckets. It took 3 hours twice a day,  we got real tired of all this winter stuff real quick!


----------



## Baymule

Temperatures broke records that had stood for over 100 years. It got to MINUS SIX! I have never experienced -6F and hope I don’t again. Interstate 20 was shut down, 18 wheelers were stuck in place, it was a mess. Grocery stores were wiped out, no milk, bread, canned food, pet food, you name it, it wasn’t available. Not that we were going anywhere anyway. We got another ice storm and on February 19, we got more snow for a total of ten inches of snow.





A lamb was born in the midst of all this and she was always huddled up shivering. Her mouth was warm, she was eating, but I stuffed her under my sweat hoodie which was layered under Carhart’s, to warm her up while I was outside 
doing chores. 
Poor little girl. I cut a sleeve off a sweater for her.




The lambs thought it was fun!


----------



## Baymule

Animals all came through the storm just fine, lambs, ewes and Ringo. Horses, chickens, the steer and the dogs, all were ok and none the worse for it. We never lost power and our water pipes never froze. We were Blessed.

Goldie





Pearl





Lambs





Prince helping me do chores 





Sparkles


----------



## Baymule

Through all the cold, snow, ice and miserable weather, when we weren’t outside taking care of animals, we had two adorable bottle lambs to keep us laughing and entertained. We were calling the ram lamb Reject, but decided to wether him and keep him. So we changed his name to Panda because of the black eye spots he has. We named the little ewe lamb Tiny, she was so small. Tiny is now almost the size of her two triplet sisters.


















After it warmed up, we transitioned Tiny and Panda to the barn so they could learn to be sheep. I fed them their bottles in the barn. They are now both weaned and doing great.


----------



## Beekissed

Bay, I'm simply loving all these pics!!!  I can't believe you got temps and snow like that!  I knew TX had gotten cold weather and some snow, but didn't know it got THAT bad.   That's worse than any cold we had this winter, but more typical of what we are supposed to get at that time of year.  Weird weather patterns for sure.  

LOVE all the pics of the animals, particularly those beautiful lambs!


----------



## Baymule

It’s been way too long since I updated! Been so darned busy. There’s more to come, I’ll get this current.


----------



## Baymule

Snow started to melt February 20, but it took several days for it to be gone. My beautiful pine trees were frozen and burnt brown. Later all the pine needles fell off, not just here but for many miles around. Then they looked dead, no leaves! But they are sprouting green pine needles again.





On February 23, Scottie had twin girls. I kept up a pep talk to her, telling her to suck it up, cross her legs, but DO NOT have lambs in below zero weather! She listened! LOL


----------



## Baymule

During lambing Sentry “asked” every evening to go in the barn with the ewes for the night. He wanted to stay with them at night all throughout the bad weather. He was on high alert, being protective of all the new lambs. After it warmed up, he stopped asking. LOL 

Sheba was enamored of the lambs, she wanted to lick and love them and didn’t understand the ewes butting her. She helped Panda and Tiny adjust to moving from the house to the barn. There were no ewes to but her away, so I had to caution her. She did great with all those bouncy babies going boing-boing-boing-boing all around her.

Sheba and Tiny




Sheba and Panda





Hello there! I’m Sheba!


----------



## Baymule

We finally did go out to celebrate our 25th anniversary on February 27. We went to Longhorn Steak House and jokingly told them we were celebrating our anniversary late because we were snowed in on our anniversary. And they gave us free dessert!


----------



## Mike CHS

That was a great bunch of pictures but I loved the one with the lamb on BJ's lap.  You can tell he isn't getting close to them.


----------



## chickens really

Loving the pictures! 👏😊


----------



## Baymule

By March 2, 2021, the bad weather, scarcely a week gone, gave way to spring. I put the sheep out to pasture.





A couple of days later, the sun was warm, it was so beautiful and Tiny and Panda wouldn’t leave the gate, Baa-basing piteously for me. So I went in and plopped down in the clover, much to two little lambs delight. Sheba had to come get her share, then Senrty gave me a kiss.


----------



## farmerjan

Lots of BIG BABIES !!!!


----------



## Baymule

March 8 we got our granddaughters for a week. They bottle fed the lambs, played with lambs and hugged sheep. They had so much fun playing with the lambs.














The girls played in the dirt and got dirty.









We had a great week on the farm.


----------



## Baymule

March 18 we got pigs. I had reserved 3 pigs at about 100 pounds. I kept in touch with the breeder to make sure he knew I wasn’t stringing him along. When we got there there was only one in the weight range we wanted. So he sold us 2 bigger pigs at the same price. We have a slaughter date in August.


----------



## Mike CHS

The Grands have some more memories that will make them smile from here on out.


----------



## Baymule

March 19 we picked up our beef. We had taken Goldie the steer for slaughter. Hanging weight was 502 pounds, we got half and our DD and family got half. We split the cost of raising him and the slaughter charges.









Home raised beef is the best!


----------



## Baymule

Weeds took over the garden, I asked BJ for help weeding the garden. This is what I got.


----------



## Baymule

Pearl 





Sparkles 34 years old





Prince


----------



## farmerjan

Your beef turned out really nice @Baymule .  Well, marbled for the age...


----------



## Mini Horses

Wow!  Sentry has grown so much since last year.  Lovely to see.   Pastures looks good. 👍

The solo feeding for Pearl really shows...yep!

Sheep in garden!?!   They are willing workers.    Only one of those in there is working!


----------



## chickens really

Everything looks fantastic! Absolutely awesome pictures..


----------



## Baymule

Last picture and I’m all caught up. I planted English peas right before the snowstorm hit. After weather improved, they came up, but never flourished. A few days ago I picked the entire 2021 harvest. Didn’t get much and we ate it for supper. Maybe better luck next year.


----------



## Baymule

Black eyed Susan’s by the front gate. On the outside of the gate, where the sheep can’t eat them. LOL LOL


----------



## Baymule

Look at this magnificent mullein plant! It is preparing to send up a flower stalk. When it does, I’ll get another picture. The leaves stretch from my fingertips to past my elbow in length.


----------



## Beekissed

Baymule said:


> Black eyed Susan’s by the front gate. On the outside of the gate, where the sheep can’t eat them. LOL LOL
> 
> View attachment 84843


That's one of my favorite farmscape flowers, Bay!!!!  I've tried several times to get them to grow here and can't.  Just lovely!!!


----------



## Beekissed

Baymule said:


> Look at this magnificent mullein plant! It is preparing to send up a flower stalk. When it does, I’ll get another picture. The leaves stretch from my fingertips to past my elbow in length.
> 
> View attachment 85157
> 
> View attachment 85158


We call that lamb's ear around here and it's starting to grow in areas where they logged....not sure if the sheep or deer will eat it, but I hope they do!


----------



## Baymule

No, they won’t eat it. It is a healing plant, we dug up 2 plants a few years ago and every year some grow, but none as big as this one.


----------



## Niele da Kine

What does it heal?  Small kid time, we'd press it against our faces to make them pink.


----------



## Baymule

My grandpa, born in 1913, in a very rural poor area where there was no access to a doctor, said his mother made tea from the leaves for fever. Every spring he and his brother got what they called spring fever, which he said as my grandpa years later, was probably malaria, but they didn’t know what it was. His mother made tea and had them drink it. He said it was bitter, but they would sweat out the fever and be ok.

The small yellow flowers, are picked, packed in a jar with a light oil over them and kept in a cool dark place for weeks, then strained. The resulting oil is used for ear infections.

The roots are used also, but I’d have to consult my herbal books.

Mainly I keep the plants as a connection to my grandpa who taught me the ways of the woods and animals. I could sit for hours, enthralled by his stories, and mullein was one of his stories.


----------



## Niele da Kine

There's some mullein growing around here in the dryer and higher elevation areas.  Maybe I'll liberate a bit of roadside mullien and see if it can live in a lower and wetter area.  It's always fun to have useful plants.

Today I discovered that lemon grass mixed with mamaki makes a delightful tea.  Much nicer together than separately.  Not sure if you have either plant near you, I think the mamaki is some sort of nettle and the lemon grass is a tall grass.


----------



## Baymule

We have Texas Bull Nettle here, I avoid it.  That stuff HURTS.  Lemon grass wouldn’t make it through the winter. But I am familiar with it, just can’t grow it. LOL


----------



## Niele da Kine

Gadzooks, but that Bull Nettle has spikes!  (the internet is amazing, there's pictures of everything on it).  Our mamaki doesn't have any stickers on it at all.  It kinda turns into a small tree and has green leaves with red veins.  I may try making a hedge of it, the Kamehameha butterfly likes mamaki.

There's supposed to be some sort of nettle fiber which is shiny which is used for spinning and weaving, I think.  I've seen references to it, but not ever actually seen anything made with nettle.  Not sure if bull nettle is a good candidate to try making into fiber, although I'd think that bull nettle stuff must be tasty to something since it needs such ferocious armor.

Lemon grass may grow in a pot that could be brought in during the winter?  It smells nice when you brush up against it.  Not sure how happy it would be in a house, I've never tried it.  Not that inside is much different than outside around here, though.  Are green houses for the winter time common in Texas?  Folks around here have shade houses for antheriums and orchids but they're not heated or even air tight.


----------



## Baymule

Nothing eats Texas Bull Nettle. Those things are in a league of their own. I know of no use for them. There are some growing on our property, they have huge deep roots that are the size of a basketball. I am not fond of them at all. 

Some people have green houses, I used to until we moved. Actually I live in a area that has huge green house nurseries. All kinds of plants are grown commercially here from trees to bedding plants. Tyler is big on roses and there are rose specialty green houses here.


----------



## Baymule

We went blackberry picking last week, that’s the last of them. They grow on a fence row across from our driveway.


----------



## Baymule

We were leaving this morning and saw this spider web right outside the gate. Got 3 1/4” of rain yesterday and it is real foggy this morning.


----------



## HomeOnTheRange

Love the picture @Baymule!


----------



## Baymule

I love dung beetles. They do the dirty work around here I have the green irridescent beetles that look like June bugs with a glimmering coat of green paint. I have some black ones that bury dung. This year, these showed up. They roll up a ball of dung, work very hard to roll it where they want it, then bury it. The female lays her egg in it, providing food for the young. Fascinating!  I even watched beetles with no rolled up poop of their own, try to steal others hard work ball of poop. There was a fight, the mated pair ran the their off. Dung beetle drama!





Not as fascinating as dung beetles, we picked elderberries for our flu medicine.


----------



## henless

We have pretty ones here


----------



## farmerjan

That's a dung beetle?  Wow .


----------



## Mini Horses

Looks more like a tiny dinosaur😁


----------



## Baymule

That is a cool looking dung beetle!


----------



## henless

I thought he was very pretty. I took it a couple years ago. I've seen quite a few around here since then.


----------



## Mike CHS

How is Ringo doing now?


----------



## Baymule

He is much better. He was waiting at the gate for me to feed him this evening. He BAA'ed at me and plowed into his feed. He's been a little off for several months, I just hope he gets the ewes bred, especially the two registered ewes that will go in with him next month.


----------

