Forever Weekend Farm: April 2013

Thursday, April 25, 2013

FOREVER WEEKEND FARM GARDEN AND OWLS APRIL 2013

Spring at Forever Weekend Farm

The last couple of cool mornings before the humid summer sets in Joe and I wake up and we cannot wait to get our coffee and head to the front porch. We just love watching the sun come up and paint the farm with color. We get to sit in the comfy chairs and listen to Tillman cock-a-doodle-doo to the world. We balance our coffee cups as chilly chihuahuas take turns in our laps and Dingo pushes in under our arms for some ear rubbin. We do a second cup of coffee stroll to check out the new grove, feed Tillman, & the girls-- Tilly, Bettina and Rose-- and pick tomatoes, peppers and flowers. Then we walk to the palm hammock to visit Mommy & Poppy--the screech owls and check to see if their babies are out learning to fly. What a great way to start the day!

We have been enjoying these screech owls for the last eight springs---One of this year's babies keeping an eye on me.

It is not often that I see
Poppy & Mommy sitting this close together.
They are stationed right opposite the owl box.
The have just come in from hunting all night. The have fed the babies and now they wait to see if the babes will attempt to drop from the box for flying lessons.

Mom looks sleepy

We had read that chickens are great garden helpers because they will eat bugs and worms off the plants. So we decided to let them free range among the herbs, tomatoes, and flowers---
ONCE.
The little Tasmanian devils shredded everything in their path. And we looked quite comical in our morning attire trying to chase them back out of the fenced garden.

Nasturtium blossoms are delicious in a salad.

I scatter alyssum seeds everywhere

I also love to plant gladiola bulbs, and sprinkle seeds of cosmos, zinnias, and sunflowers in around the veggies.

Our new heirloom citrus grove!

Tillman and his Girls

These funky wire chickens are one of my most favorite gifts!
Thank you, Greg and Darrae!

Come sit in the green striped, comfy coffee chairs!
Everywhere I look is a picture worth sharing!

The jasmine hedge smells heavenly with coffee!

This morning we were lucky enough to see the babies out practicing their flying skills. I love their tennis ball fur!

Mom keeps a close eye as they practice--the babies drop from palm branches and spread their wings for a soft landing. Then up they climb again and again until they finally get it!!

The babies are pretty far up in the fronds--just close enough for me to focus the zoom.

Willie & A morning bouquet!

Somebody looks sleepy after that workout!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Elwood Turns One, Our Fire Scare, It's a Girl, & Three Chickens and a Roo

This blog entry covers the happenings in

late February, March and April 2013.

It has a lot of pictures and that is because all the pictures are so good I want to share every one of them--especially the ones of Elwood!

ELWOOD TURNS ONE!

Oma and Jerren visit Elwood in Melbourne

Waiting for Aunt Pippy, Aunt Ashley & Aunt Sarah for a day on Melbourne Beach

Is that their car coming???

Aunt Pippy brings such fun stuff--
Mardi Gras Glasses & Beads for the birthday boy!!
Elwood thought Aunt Pip was way too cool with her glasses and bag of tricks!

King of the Day tires out and naps for a bit!

Back at Elwood's House he posed for us for some pictures.
Happy Birthday Elwood!!!

Yes, Oma, I know how to make breakfast--did you want bacon and eggs or pancakes!

Too Close For Comfort

--high winds whipped a Brush Fire out of control and Jerren and Pat's neighborhood had to be evacuated.

With police yelling at us and fireman scurrying, we frantically had 10 minutes to grab what we could out of their new home and run.

Firemen had to fight the blaze from Pat & Jerren's backyard and we were told their house was next in line.

But a huge thunderstorm kicked up, the gusts of wind turned opposite in direction, and a soaking downpour helped the firemen get the fire under control!
It melted their fence and the heat curled the roof shingles, but the house was spared serious damage!

Right next door

FINDING OUT IT'S AMA!!!!!

Jerren and Pat celebrated their 5th Wedding Anniversary with dinner at 11 Maple Street. I was babysitting Emmit so

I was lucky to snap this shot of them (& baby Ama) as they were leaving my house to celebrate!

April 2nd I got to go with Jer & Pat to the first ultra sound
and we found out it was Ama in there!!!! We came home and
celebrated with pink and blue cupcakes, pink and blue M & M's, cookies etc and we had Joe, Courtney, and Jimmy & Charlotte and several people waiting on the phone guessing girl or boy!!