In Memory

It is a sad day here on the Clover. We have lost our beloved Eckerd the Fathers' Day Rooster. :( He was tragically killed last night by Pancho (our Golden Retriever).

Turns out letting a bunch of kids chase a rooster around while a happy dogs plays along can end badly. While the humans went inside to eat dinner, the game apparently never stopped for Pancho. Eckerd took safety in his coop, only to be cornered by my big, goofy dog.

And it's weird because Eckerd thought he was a dog! Him and my two k-9's were best buds the last few weeks. They even slept side by side - each in their own wallows! I guess Pancho just got way too excited by the chase and couldn't help himself. :(

I am surprised at how sad I am by this event. Eckerd was just a bird! But he really wasn't. He was the first fun animal we bought to start our ranch! He was the first real farm animal that actually DID something. He kinda sorta represented what JL and I have been dreaming about for the past few years.

Eckerd was a huge part of our lives. He was always around us, he had the silliest personality, and he was just generally friendly. I hate to think of him leaving us so suddenly and unnecessarily.

Most of all I think Eckerd dying was just a cruel reminder of how fragile life really is. Just yesterday he was scratching in our mulch and crowing happily. How quickly things can change.



But, there will be others. And I'm afraid they will have to come quickly. I need something to fill this hole.

Figgy ?

What is that thing? That's the question we always get. That's the question we were asking when we first saw this place. Turns out, it is a fig tree.


We didn't really think that much of it until about 2 weeks ago. Suddenly the huge bush thing was covered with figs. And they are GOOD. The kids absolutely love them! Even my James (who is suspect of any new food!)



Aprox 3 lbs of figs

We have loads of figs! Too many infact. Most of these beauties end up going to the pigs/goats. But, I noticed they sell figs at the grocery store for $5.00 a pound! Someone, somewhere is purposefully buying these to turn them into... ?

What I am in need of now is recipes. Anyone have any good fig recipes?

Typical

This is us lately. Cooking on the smoker while the kids splash and play in the kiddie pool.

Naturally, Pancho swims with the kids

What a sister does to her younger brother when she thinks no one is looking
Pathetic!

Delish!

Porch Dwellers

We came home the other day to this scene:

Seriously?
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that everyone was there! Luke, Bert, Fergus, Eckerd and Pancho. What a bunch of nerds!

I mean really! But, at least they are all getting along. :)

Spending the 4th on the Ranch

Beautiful purple sage has bloomed in the back flower beds
Eckerd peckin' around for bugs
Chicken in the smoker - don't tell Eckerd!
Isabel and JL playing with the goats (who have totally warmed up to us!) The pigs, well they are another story!

Oak Wilt

Buffalo Clover is full of some amazing trees. Most of them are Cedar Elms. A few of them are Live Oaks. The rest of them are Junipers or other variations of Oaks.

It's the Live Oaks that are of special concern right now. Apparently about 2 yrs ago (pre us living here) there was an outbreak of Oak Wilt on the property. The previous owner had over 70 oak trees treated!! Unfortunately, a good share of the really large ones were lost. Mostly the ones in front of the house.

Anyway, with this drought, our oaks were looking a little sad and weepy. We knew we'd had a bout of wilt before, so we called in the experts. They walked the entire acreage and found only 1 tree that had an active case. Unfortunately, it's in a grove of some of our largest and prettiest oaks.

No treatment at all would have ensured death to the entire grove. So, last week, the specialists came over to treat our trees.

See those majestic oaks? Those are the ones we are trying to save. The baby tree in the photo is one of 14 that were planted shortly after the huge oaks in the front were lost. They are mostly Burr Oaks and Red Oaks. Both of which shouldn't have issues with the Wilt.

The whole process was fascinating. First, a truck with a large air compressor on it was brought in. A large hose and a guy wearing a mask and suspenders emerged. It got really loud for a little while. Then really quiet for a while. 2 hours passed before the doorbell rang. They were done!

They explained it to me like an I.V. for the trees. The barrels are full of pesticide and water. They use the hose to blow out the dirt/leaves around the tree roots. Then a surgical cord is brought in and screwed into the roots at various places. The cord is then hooked up to a pressure valve on the barrels. A constant drip of water/pesticide is then provided to the trees for aprox 6 days.




At the end of that time, they come back, clean up the cord and the barrels, put the dirt back around the tree roots and then mulch mulch mulch.

Now you know more than you ever did/wanted to about Oak Wilt. We are hopeful we can rid our ranch of it before we have any further issues.

Thank goodness for all the Cedar Elms! They are immune to the disease!

Growing Flock

Like all young things, our chicks are growing up fast! I can't say "way too fast" because I am looking forward to when they are adults and I can kick them out to the coop! (Unlike my children, who I wish would STOP growing!) But still, I am amazed with how quickly they change. No doubt, every week they have a new look to them!

Just a few weeks have passed, and the chicks have transformed! Their fluffy feathers are being replaced with adult feathers. In addition, their legs have become SUPER long. They stand nearly to the half way mark on their little tub.


They also can FLY. I have had to put a net roof on the tub to keep them from roaming around the garage.

When you pick them up now, it is almost always necessary to use both hands. They are wiggly and plump!



They are also getting their combs (that little skin like part between their eyes that lives on top their heads.) When I look at their faces now, I actually see a chicken! When they were little, they were just poof balls that could turn into any ol' bird.



I like the change. Sometimes I get impatient and wish we'd have gotten full size birds. But, it's fun to raise them up. And to see how fast they change. When I want to see a full size bird, I just go watch Eckerd! :-)

Farm, fresh eggs are coming. We can't wait.

If you'd like to compare the changes, click here or here.