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[Lazy Gardener]

Tried to get a pic, but all are copywrighted.

 

[Mini Horses]

I tell my cats we have "get 'em" mice! And they do.

We have had a mild winter here. Enjoyable. Now "they" are spoiling it. Today/tonight we are to get SNOW!

Been mid 50s to high 60s for 2 weeks....today....barely 30 and yes, snow is coming. The weather guessers can't seem to agree as a LOT depends on how the two fronts meet but, from 1-9" is being suggested. Big spread there, right? Most probable 2-4". I don't even want a dusting.

I don't like snow. Postcards ok, in yard not ok.

 

[flowerbug]

it is pretty cold here even now at 13F and well below freezing the past few nights and tonight will also be cold and then we get back to another warmer spell. we can get snow into April so that is just as it should be with me.

 

[flowerbug]

Snap goes the trap and I had to look up what the heck it was. I knew it wasn't a rat as it was eating catfood at the bowl and leaving crumbs. It was a keen's mouse. Something I hadn't seen before.

That's a good sign that we got the rats as is all the mole hills in the yard. I saw a vole the other day as well. Those pests go for chicken food as well but are so slow and stupid I can catch them by hand. Or just a plastic net around the pen.

Another space for my Native Rodent Bingo. I've had

Townsend moles
Townsend voles
Shrew moles
Shrews (didn't figure out species)
Pacific jumping mice
Beavers (I want those tree killers dead)
And now the Keen's mouse.

the voles here are not slow, any time i see them they're usually running for their lives. we have redtail hawks around that seem to keep their population under some form of control.

moles i trap because of the many gardens, mulched areas and decorations that Mom doesn't want to be disturbed. i'd leave them alone if i could.

being in the northern east part we don't have Keen's mice or the jumping mouse.

i'm pretty happy anytime the hawks are around, my only complaint is that they don't work at night and come in close to the house. i surely wouldn't mind that at all. owls come around once in a while and i hear them hunting but they don't ever get all of the rabbits, chipmunks or the mice.

sometimes we have semi-feral kitties that wander through hunting. i don't discourage them in any way.

when i trap mice i have a spot where i put the mice out to where they can be eaten by whatever comes along. i'm not sure if it is crows or the hawks that gets them, but they are usually gone by the next day when i put them out.

since i caught the last two mice along the foundation near the air conditioner (the usual spot i can see tracks) i haven't had any other chewing in the wall and there haven't been any new tracks in the snows we've had so that is a good thing. i just wish i could figure out where they're getting into the wall of the house to begin with. there's no gaps or holes i can find. *grr*

 

[Hinotori]

I wish the temps would be reasonable. It's been 23 last few nights. Yesterday the high was 71...

 

[Hinotori]

Green egg is from a 9 year old hen. The two old biddies are laying about once a week right now.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Lovely colors.

 

[Hinotori]

I love my blue eggs.

Waiting to see what I get from the 3 pullets that should start laying any time now. I have them marked as mid March to start. They are from the silkie/ameraucana father and hatchery easter egger mothers who lay blue. Those are likely the mom's eggs in that picture.

 

[Mini Horses]

I love the colored eggs. I have some hens bought as day olds, now 5, and lay regularly. Amazing. I plan to obtain a blue egg based roo and pen them together for hatching eggs. Have some lovely mint green compliments of a brown egg roo & blue egg hen. It's just fun to collect them. They look pretty next to the darker Marans egg. Problem? Yep, these hens are demanding foragers! I'll work it out.

WINDY out there today, so feels very cool. One of the things I had hoped to accomplish was to replace a3X12 panel on the barn roof. Of course, it is on the "wrong" side to be climbing a ladder, hoisting the probably airborne panel, then onto roof to screw it on...winds gusting into face. Well, I said not today. It can continue to wait. Did pull some CPs from lower fields to upper area with tractor. Needed done. Accumulating things for some more pen areas and garden work. Have those kids to pen & wean. Plus vines that will need supported. Yeah, good day for "plans". Did that & I'm inside until nightly feed chores. Clean a chicken coop was another today plant....hey, chicken poop tornado! Another "wait".

Hope everyone else did well today.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

WINDY out there today, so feels very cool. One of the things I had hoped to accomplish was to replace a3X12 panel on the barn roof. Of course, it is on the "wrong" side to be climbing a ladder, hoisting the probably airborne panel,

Does NOT sound like a good idea to be doing any roofing chores! There will definitely be other days for that chore.