New babies 6-6-2023

 GrCH Somerhill Knights in White Satin x Morelia Rose Kashi (red) have 3, born 6-6-23.   Early SWAG is a chocolate, chocolate agouti, and REW.   She runs a tight ship; clean, dry nest, and was feeding them while I was doing the evening chores.

Meanwhile, in Ohio...

It snowed last night.

Redbud

Mrs. Wren's seal of approval

We're Baaaaaaack!

The crazy wrens are back. Every year, they fill Chuck's tool bins with moss, and build a nest in the rabbitry somewhere. This one was completed yesterday, and is a piece of art. I hope they use it, I enjoy having the little nuts around.

Best tree in the neighborhood

Water water

I seem to be drawn to water lately.  This is the Tuscarawas, one of 5 rivers in our county.  The others are the Walhonding, Mohican, Kokosing, and Muskingum.   Besides these, we have Killbuck Creek and Wills Creek, both with large watersheds.

Garden harvest

Our tiny garden is producing well.  Our first tomatoes were ripe on July 20th - the earliest we've had them here.  And I planted some haricot verts this year for the first time.   We had lots of lettuce earlier, but the heat this past week finished it off.  We enjoyed asparagus all spring, as well.  

Oh great - some new hosta eaters have arrived

The new fawns are starting to arrive.    We have a love/hate relationship going.  The deer love to eat our flowers, and we hate it.  LOL   I tell them they have 24 acres of brush, woodland plants, grasses and forbs to eat that we share willingly with them.  Couldn't they leave the 3 foot strip of flowers that surround the house alone? 

Look who stopped by

Happiness is...

fresh stone on the driveway. 

How rude!

I think this wren is flipping me off.  What do you think?

There goes my cover crop!

This is directly outside our living room.  This pair dropped by this evening to munch oat grass and stare at me through the windows. 

The Eagle has landed

While I was fixing my breakfast this morning, I kept hearing what I thought was a hawk screaming. But when I sat down to eat, I could see a large bird in the top of the old Shagbark hickory that stands near the pond, just beyond the edge of our front lawn.

I told Chuck to grab his binoculars, and I got the camera. We quickly realized it was an immature Bald eagle. So from our front porch, we got quite a show as it sat in the high branches of the tree, and then launched and wheeled above our heads, circling over the house for several minutes before it finally left the area.

New Artwork

I recently purchased some original Billy Jacobs sketches he'd offered from his Facebook page, and had them matted and framed at the Frame Shop here in Coshocton.   I think they did a wonderful job.

New baby

Mama brings her out each evening to graze in the backyard.  Baby deer race in big circles just like baby lambs do in the evening cool.

Big Bird

 We thought there was an eagle in the big Hickory below the house on the other side of the creek.

But no, it was a Great Blue Heron.   Decent image for a shot taken 111 yards away!  Love the 24X zoom on my Olympus  SZ-16

Preparing a hide for tanning

Be sure to tell your butcher that you plan to use the pelt, and to use the steer pattern to remove it. Also to be careful of cutting the skin, because holes in the skin can catch in the de-fleshing machine and tear it, and also detract from the appearance of the finished skin. As mentioned, be sure to have them cool it quickly so the wool does not slip (come off). Lay it out in wool side down in an area of a building where dogs and wildlife cannot easily get to it. You will probably want to lay down a plastic tarp under it to catch drips and salt if that concerns you. We used a section of livestock panel so the air can get to it and the wool will be dry. Put a thick layer of salt on it, making sure to get all the edges. Trim off strips of skin, testicles etc (you won't believe what some butchers leave - an ear?) . Continue to add salt in the areas where moisture pools during the drying process. Depending on how humid the weather, it can take 2-4 weeks to get nice and dry. The salt will be completely dry then. Once its ready, shake off the excess salt (another reason for the drop cloth) and fold it wool side out, or roll it up. Do not put into a plastic bag, just pack it directly into a box for mailing.

Merry Christmas!

Let it snow, let it snow