Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

[Baymule]

I make spiced pickled beets. I can eat half a jar at a time. We roasted them as they got ready. When they were all ready, I processed them and canned them.
Do you know what happens when you eat a LOT of beets? Your pee turns red.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Mr. @Mike CHS, sir!

Maybe you have mentioned it since the last time I recall and just missed it, but I seem to recall you and Teresa were considering downsizing your flock in order to provide the two of you more leisure time to do things like going fishing. Are you two still planning that or have you rethought that plan?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Mike CHS]

Mr. @Mike CHS, sir!

Maybe you have mentioned it since the last time I recall and just missed it, but I seem to recall you and Teresa were considering downsizing your flock in order to provide the two of you more leisure time to do things like going fishing. Are you two still planning that or have you rethought that plan?

Senile Texas Aggie

We did downsize a bit. Right now we just have 16 ewes and 10 ewe lambs. The adults are in with the ram now and the lambs will be bred in October-November depending on their size. There is still 3 ewes in with the breeders that were sold and will be leaving shortly. I injured my hip several weeks ago so there won't be much activity until I get that resolved.

 

[Bruce]

No i knock them off with a stick and stomp them. Gooshy, I hate them.

You must have quite the knack. Those things hold on TIGHT with their sucker feet. Takes a really long and strong pull to peel them off.

 

[Baymule]

You must have quite the knack. Those things hold on TIGHT with their sucker feet. Takes a really long and strong pull to peel them off.

Maybe you don't hate them enough.

 

[Mike CHS]

We forgot to put out a Hummingbird feeder until a couple of days ago. They were ready for it since they were on it in a matter of minutes. I think there is 4 of them but can't be sure since they all run each other off so fast but they seem to stay away enough that each can get some of the nectar. I took the picture through the blinds on a window so there is a bit of a glare.

I went in and got a steroid shot for my hip this morning and it seems to be helping. I have PT starting next Tuesday so we will see how that works.

 

[Baymule]

Mike, are you headed for hip replacement? BJ has complained about his hip hurting, followed by he's "not going to have hip replacement". Yesterday I told him, Fine! You'll wind up in a wheelchair being a grouchy old ba$tard. I think I'll "tell on him" next time he goes in for a check up.

 

[Mike CHS]

I don't know. You know the routine that they won't even do an MRI until you go through PT and jump through all of the hoops. Tell BJ that I spent a year and a half in a wheel chair almost 40 years ago and he doesn't want to go there. The Navy tried to give me a medical discharge when I had 19 1/2 years in since I was diagnosed as never being mobile again and I got my Congressman involved. That was back in 1983 so I obviously won that one.

My issues aren't nothing like I went through way back before my back surgery so I'm still optimistic that this time is a result of getting dashed to the ground by the hot and ground wires. The doctor seemed to be sure that it's sciatica but I had a couple of years of that and this isn't the same. It's just that when I have back pain, I can take it easy for a couple of days and everything is back to normal. You would think that after having that fence there for 5 years and getting thrown to the ground many times, that my little pea brain would be aware of that. If it reaches the point where it seems hip replacement is in the picture I will definitely do it.

 

[Bruce]

We forgot to put out a Hummingbird feeder until a couple of days ago.

I put ours out a couple of months ago when I saw a hummingbird. It has been popular since ... even to a woodpecker ??? Also interesting - I bought a "super on sale" feeder last fall, clear glass "hot air balloon" shape with a rubber cork attached to the metal "dish" with 4 small red "flowers". They MUCH prefer that to the old one, similar shape but all red plastic.

This isn't it but is pretty close, I guess "less is more" as far as the birds are concerned. Or maybe the plastic makes the sugar water taste different? Glass is definitely less reactive.

The one they BY FAR do not prefer, mine has a perch that hangs off the flowers. When they do use this feeder most often the hummers do not sit on the perch. They do, however, perch on a dead branch on the nearby fir tree or the dead lilac bush. I was going to pull the lilac a couple of years ago until we saw that the birds were using it.

We have both male and female, no idea if they built a nest somewhere. Not sure when they'll start migrating hopefully not for a few weeks.

You would think that after having that fence there for 5 years and getting thrown to the ground many times, that my little pea brain would be aware of that.

Trying electroshock therapy? I hope your hip improves quickly.

 

[thistlebloom]

Our hummers come mid April and leave usually by mid August.
There is much anticipation for the first sighting and I try to have the feeders out a few weeks earlier than the date on the calendar that we saw them the year before, just in case someone gets a boost to arrive early by the weather.

They are such amazing little creatures and the fact that they fly so far to come here and raise their young is honoring to us. We just love them. We have 4 varieties, Black chinned, Calliope, Rufous, and Broadtail.
I watched a program about a ranch in southern Idaho that tracks and bands them and they had a female that had returned for 12 years.

You can tell our regulars because they will drink at the feeders in front of the window even when you are standing on the other side watching them. The new ones, and the babies are very skittish. If I haven't hung a feeder in the "regular" spot they will go there and hover as though looking for it.
We had a lot of traffic this year. I'm guessing we had a lot of last years babies return.

Ours have their favorite feeders also, we use all glass ones. I have swapped feeder positions to see if it's just the location they prefer, but it's definitely the feeder.