A New Kid On The Block

Last week I acquired a new hen.  I was asked by a friend if I would take his Aunt's chicken.  She was moving, and couldn't take it with her.  I said sure.  She is a very pretty Auracana.  Similar colors to our Sammy, and will also lay a blue/green egg.   She is doing fine.  I did have her in quarantine, just to make sure that she was not ill, and could not infect my healthy flock.
Her name is Stevie Nicks.  She will reside here.  In Le Petit Chateau de Poulet

She likes her little house.  It has been fitted with chicken wire inside the windows, so that they can be open.  She has a roost, and a hanging feeder for mash and water.  And a her own little nest box.  She comes out to free range now with the rest of the girls after the eggs are collected mid day.

She is very docile, and likes to be handled.

She has laid an egg every day, but one.   She will be a good addition to my flock, for a "Baker's Dozen."
Speaking of chickens, one of my hens laid this enormous egg the other day!

More the size of a softball, than egg.  Here it is next to another large egg for scale.

I  thought it might be a double yolker.  The next day, I cracked it open, and sure enough, it was a double yolker alright!  But in addition to that, it was the complete size of two large eggs!!!

HUGE!!!  Poor little chicken!!!  In my three years of raising hens, this was my first double yolker.
As long as we are talking about eggs, I attempted a few shots of the Western Bluebird nest out front.  The father began to dive bomb me as soon as I got close.

If you look closely at the above photo, you can see the daddy bird heading straight for me!  Then he landed in the tree above, and I proceeded to gently remove the nest box to peek inside.

Bluebirds are usually very tolerant of their nest boxes being monitored.  But this pair are nervous, so I looked very quickly.  Mama was sitting on her eggs, as she will be doing, for the better part of every day, until they hatch.  Even then, she will stay with them, letting the daddy bird bring food to her.  She will leave only for quick periods of time.
There is Mama all hunkered down in the back of the box, on top of  her eggs.

Five perfect, pale aqua eggs.  Sorry for the blurry shot.  I was trying to take it fast before getting dive bombed again.

I quickly replaced the hanging nest box, back onto the tree, and stood a short distance away.
Mama went straight back into the box, and Daddy kept a close eye on me from the swing.

I have enjoyed watching them nest here for the past several years.
My garden is taking off.  The seeds have all sprouted.  Some doing better and growing faster than others.

All seven tomato plants doing well.  6 Beefsteak, and 1 sweet grape.  My first time for planting beets.  I should have thinned them more, but I will just let them go now.

Lots of lettuce varieties going strong.  Broccoli, cukes, sweet peas, peppers.

In the front garden, planted about 10 days later.

Watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, swiss chard, spinach, arugula, beans, peas, cabbage, and more.

Strawberries in a pot.

And although I haven't planted my pumpkins yet, I have a volunteer from last year growing like crazy!

I have several varieties of flowers going that are s l o w l y coming up.  The sunflowers are reaching high already though.

I took a walkabout early this morning in the grove, and I saw lots of avocados that need picking again.

The lemon trees are loaded.

The sweet oranges are beginning to fall from the trees.  I need to get as much of them juiced as I can, and frozen so that we can enjoy fresh juice all year.  While out there in the quiet stillness of early morning, I heard an unfamiliar bird song.  I looked around, and found it on the boat.  It was a quail.

We used to see and hear quail at the cabin all the time.  Nana used to love to sit and watch them.  So seeing this one made me think of Nana.
Before I go, Monday's thrifts.
A 4 slot bread stone from Pampered Chef.  3 dollars.  A great book on canning, 50 cents.  Would like to give that a go this summer.  And an apple shaped lazy susan, 3 dollars.

Many of you  have asked about how my Mom is doing.  She began chemo last week.  The Dr. prescribed it in pill form.  She will take it for 6 months.  2 weeks on, 1 week off.   So far, she is tolerating it very well.   I met  her for breakfast this morning, along with my friend Jae, and she is getting very tired.  Says she feels like she could lay on the couch all day.  Tomorrow I will go with her to the Dr. so that they can draw blood, and see how she is doing on it.  I would love it if you could keep her in your prayers, so that she continues to do well, and tolerate the chemo with little side affects.
So sorry that I have not been able to come around to visit all of my blogging friends much as of late.  I seem to have a lot going on these days.
XO  Kris