69°f this morning, rising to 82 by this evening. Clouds, then clear.
Last night's rain has sunk right in, and the soil is already dry again. I spent the morning working in my large flowerbed, then cut the 8 Stonehead cabbages as they were ready, pulled the early onions, and pulled the garlic the always comes up in the large flowerbed. The deer have been in my flowerbed again and destroyed a planter of petunias, so now we have chicken wire around the entire bed. Now let's see if that keeps them out.
In other wildlife news, we have a chicken thief. We lost 5 chickens when we were gone Saturday to help our friend clear her basement. Then yesterday evening there was a great commotion in the henhouse and by the time Larry got down there, another hen was gone. I am pretty sure it is a fox, just by the sneaky behavior, the evening raid, and because it leaves no trace. Most other chicken thieves leave a trail or sign of some kind. We believe we have a fox denning in the deep hollow below the curve in the driveway, and chances are she has pups now and needs to feed them. But our remaining hens will stay locked safely in the coop for now, until we can figure out a way to prevent these raids. It's just infuriating.
But there is good news too! We picked our first 2 ripe tomatoes last week, on June 20th (West Virginia's birthday, btw),
and our first cucumber today. Dinner last night was pork chops, cabbage, squash, and tomatoes--good ol' summertime fare. What pleasure.
Country life has plenty of upside and downs, just, I am sure, as urban life. Wildlife is both a good thing and a bad thing for us, a beautiful pleasure and an aggravating hassle. The other evening we watched this young fella trying to make his way out of the graveyard that's about half a mile from our house. Maybe those dead people spooked him?
Looks like he's standing on top of the fence, doesn't it?
Aha! A hole!
And free at last. He's a nice four-point, most likely one of the twin yearlings that hung around the same area last year.
Isn't he gorgeous? When he is far away from my gardens, yes he is! But it's the price we pay for living where we do and trying to garden. We just have to take the bad with the good. Even if the bad eats the petunias.
...I have flowers on my tomato plant, but fruit is a long ways off. Deer are like Superman, they can jump tall fences.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth! We have found that they will not walk on chicken wire laid flat. Its a pain to move it when cutting grass, but its very effective.
DeleteOhhh the first tomatoes!! Mine are far off, still. No deer eating my plants but plenty of rabbits. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteIt's always something with gardens. Right now we are desperate for rain. It goes north and south and bypasses us. Maddening.
DeleteThe weather there must be great for the tomatoes to ripen so early! Nice to have so many wild animals around...
ReplyDeleteWell, it is much warmer than usual this year. Typically we won't have tomatoes until late July.
DeleteOh, I know just how you are feeling! In our last house we had a love/hate relationship with the wildlife. "What beautiful creatures" when seen in the neighbour's orchard. "Look what the beastly things have eaten now!" when they had been in my veg plot!
ReplyDeleteNow that made me laugh, because it is so true! I don't mind sharing a little but the critters do get greedy!
DeleteMy brother-in-law had something getting into the chicken coup at night and couldn't figure out what it was until one night they caught a racoon. There was a loose shingle on the roof that it would rotate out of the way and they move back when it left!
ReplyDeleteLast year we trapped 5 raccoons, the year before we trapped 9. I know we have them because they were little pigs about the mulberries, but were too savvy to go into the trap. It could have been a coon in the henhouse, but seemed more like fox behavior.
DeleteSad about your chicken but then fox-mummy needed them?
ReplyDeleteI guess so, Iris, but so did we lol!
DeleteThe deer and fence photos are a good illusion.
ReplyDeleteTotally accidental, AC! But I sure was surprised when I saw it.
DeleteSorry about your chickens and the fox. As well as deer eating your petunias! We don't have anything but occasional bears...more after garbage than anything else, as they can turn over the garbage cans pretty easily. Loved that you got to see the deer in the cemetery, and his way of escaping!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should complain, Barb! Bears would be a much more serious issue here. I know there are some around but not too many. Yet.
DeleteWhat a great capture of the deer. Fresh tomatoes, the best!
ReplyDeleteCompletely accidental, Bill, but I like it too. And the tomatoes, we look forward to them all winter!
DeleteThe tomatoes made my mouth water! Mine are now about 3 inches, and I'm talking about the plants.
ReplyDeleteOh my. Will they have time, do you think? I know some people have to grow them in high tunnels to get any ripe ones.
DeleteThat deer is gorgeous! That is one the things I miss the most being away. Seeing "my" critters. Hope you are able to discourage that fox somehow!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine. But you are seeing so much on this trip! The halibut has me drooling!
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