For a few minutes, I forgot about everything else going on in the world. Thank you 😊 very much. Enjoy your time, doing whatever. You deserve it! I think these are my favorite reads.... What a blessing you have become in my search for truth. Again, Thank You 🙏🏻
I like sharing farm stories. I have twelve hens and a roo. They have about a half acre fenced for them. Any of them could get out at anytime if they wanted to. Their wings are not clipped and there are some low points due to grade and a leaf pile.
But one hen does. Every day. She doesn't even take the easiest route. She flies to the top of the gate rather than hop over from the leaf pile. In her first year she did this to lay, she preferred a spot she found under the rosemary.
When she was done laying she would return to the flock. But this year, after their molt, she spends the whole day outside of their rather generous run. The whole day, returning at times for the feed, and then back again.
People say chickens are stupid, but I don't know about that. They manage to stay alive. Go to Kuaui and tell me they need humans to stay alive. People say don't anthrop chickens, well c'mon, are we also saying *only* humans have these traits, that anything else displaying something similar is simply instinct?
I think that is rude.
This hen figured out there is more ground food, more bugs and ticks and other morsels outside the run than inside. And she is the only one. It is very interesting to me. Why she decided to lay outside in the first place, when she discovered she didn't just have to lay outside the run, she could henpeck the rich grounds untouched by other chickens.
My rooster is slowly healing up from a snake bite from almost a year ago! Boy, thats been a journey, but he is too unique, too great with the flock, the effort is worth it.
Snakes abound everywhere, rattlers, gophers, rubber boas, racers, the grass is high and the time is short to get it down. Never seen thistles like this in my life. The sustained rain in CA this year has fed the long growth, the hills are still moist, I don't want to cut it twice, but I wish I had, off the charts.
I'm in the cuts by the coast but by CA standards we are neighbors. Fi gers crossed. Last year was nice, wasn't it? Late rain in early June and early rain in late October, or was it early November? I cant keep it all straight. Should probably keep a log. The lightening strike fires, wow, that set me back a bit, and many part of the forests have stabding toothpicks and the light is getting through to the ground and the grass is growing. So far it has been a foggy and moist spring, I hope we have a short window again this year.
Lovely descriptions of what we’ve experienced here, CA neighbor 😉😆! Thank you. As much as I and my youngest son and family enjoy our “family compound”, here, I dearly miss living right near the Pacific! You live in a magical area!
Yes, it was a marvelous, nearly fire-free year with gorgeous rains for months (albeit some ferocious winds and those lightning strikes!). I’m ready to add a second year, please! 😉😆
Living in harmony with nature brings peace to body and soul.
A few years back, I lived on a rural property and was surprised to hear what I thought were screeching car alarms. Turned out that the neighbor got a flock of guinea hens, absolutely the loudest birds I've ever heard. They were also the most fun to watch, like a mini-clown show of bird-brains running all about.
I too am learning the balancing act, my first try chickens - 4 plymouth rock hens that I made the mistake of getting from a hatchery in October in Michigan and we had our first 20 below zero windchill and 2 feet of snow in December...and my 2 JR terriers.
I laughed because the other evening after my big girls had escaped their enclosure and I walked out the back door with the pup tucked under my arm for her last potty at 8:00pm the hens all ran towards us full speed and it was about to turn into a shitshow if the pup would have escaped from under my armpit luckily I was able to keep hold of her and find some treats and get the naughty girls all back in there coop without getting peed on!
The picture of you lying on the ground reminds me of the other day, sweaty and exhausted I just collapsed and laid down in the backyard not caring about the bugs in my hair and looked up at the sky and praised God for life, humorus and exhausting as good is to evil.
Thank you and Jill for sharing and caring and being a beaconof hope and courage.
Very nice story and glad to hear you are taking a break! Regardless of your decisions about your future, your contribution to my understand of the world has been priceless and I appreciate your heroic efforts.
Very nice that you share your own improvement in the life of farming, while therapeutically imbuing the rest of us with it. I too enjoy my animals (26 lambs and a calf so far and counting) and the satisfaction that the challenges and labors bring.
I do, too. Your photos are excellent. You can write about your horses more often, in my opinion. They are majestic beauties.
Our daughter rides and drives. We have not owned a horse, but have done our best to provide varied experiences on horseback for her. Reading about your Lusitanos brought to mind the times she was able to ride a Friesian and a Lippizaner. What a thrill!--for her, and for me. : )
Okay! It was your and Jill’s very relatable farm and poultry account here, that finally tipped me over into “paid”. Totally relatable -- including your chicks’ guest room, only for me/us here in our No. Cal foothills, it’s been our sunroom. It’s always SO good to reclaim the space for human enjoyment!
Thank you -- aside from your relating of your marvelous farm, gorgeous horse doings, your accounts of your and Jill’s solid, joyful life together -- go ALL that you share and support on the National and international scenes. We need that dearly!
Blessings on your and Jill’s days.
Suzanne-Marie (up a couple of a miles from the 49’er Gold Discovery Site, Coloma, CA. )
You are not far from my father's 5 acres in Pilot Hill. He purchased his property in the late 1970s so he could get the best ram radio reception from his quad antenna. He remained there until he passed in 2004. He was born in San Fran.
Nice, Shelley — I know that area well, also! Thanks for adding to the warmth, sense of Community and neighborliness! I think it’s SO needed in our world today and I see good-hearted, sincere efforts to heal and help right here on this site, too! Your kind and fun responding is an example. ☺️ Best wishes.
Priceless! Great pix Dr Jill! Love tales from the farm. So happy to hear of your much deserved pleasures.From my times with the Bird Operation at the Zoo, you have an advanced operation there. Interesting that you have birds generally raised by their fathers. Yours are lucky they have you folks. Much of my Zoo duties involved cleaning ponds and feeding. A male black necked swan put a lump on my leg. I was cleaning their pond, looked up and found us face to face. Screamed. He just stood there. If they could laugh I'm convinced he was laughing. He and his lady, along with others met the fate of your eggs to feral dogs. My other treasures were young flamingos I was friends with. Took too long cleaning their pond so they took to beaking my rear. The Zoo had peacocks included a white one. They ran loose. The white one was spectacular when it spread its feathers.
Enjoy these beautiful days building your dreams. You've more than earned your opportunity. Bestest always ♡♡♡
Love this! Smiled the whole time reading. 😊
Me too! 🥰🥰🥰
Ditto!! :)
yep :) :) :)
For a few minutes, I forgot about everything else going on in the world. Thank you 😊 very much. Enjoy your time, doing whatever. You deserve it! I think these are my favorite reads.... What a blessing you have become in my search for truth. Again, Thank You 🙏🏻
Robert and Jill. Thank you for sharing the delightful pics. Enjoy your much deserved respite.
I like sharing farm stories. I have twelve hens and a roo. They have about a half acre fenced for them. Any of them could get out at anytime if they wanted to. Their wings are not clipped and there are some low points due to grade and a leaf pile.
But one hen does. Every day. She doesn't even take the easiest route. She flies to the top of the gate rather than hop over from the leaf pile. In her first year she did this to lay, she preferred a spot she found under the rosemary.
When she was done laying she would return to the flock. But this year, after their molt, she spends the whole day outside of their rather generous run. The whole day, returning at times for the feed, and then back again.
People say chickens are stupid, but I don't know about that. They manage to stay alive. Go to Kuaui and tell me they need humans to stay alive. People say don't anthrop chickens, well c'mon, are we also saying *only* humans have these traits, that anything else displaying something similar is simply instinct?
I think that is rude.
This hen figured out there is more ground food, more bugs and ticks and other morsels outside the run than inside. And she is the only one. It is very interesting to me. Why she decided to lay outside in the first place, when she discovered she didn't just have to lay outside the run, she could henpeck the rich grounds untouched by other chickens.
My rooster is slowly healing up from a snake bite from almost a year ago! Boy, thats been a journey, but he is too unique, too great with the flock, the effort is worth it.
Snakes abound everywhere, rattlers, gophers, rubber boas, racers, the grass is high and the time is short to get it down. Never seen thistles like this in my life. The sustained rain in CA this year has fed the long growth, the hills are still moist, I don't want to cut it twice, but I wish I had, off the charts.
Happy Memorial Day all! Back to mowing!
Aldous Huxtable -- Thanks for this totally fun -- and again, so relatable! -- account.
Really appreciated your comment, “I think that is rude.” Indeed! Many chickens are extremely bright!
Seems like we may be neighbors up out of Sac??
Back to mowing, indeed -- & weed eating!
May we all be fire-free this year!!
I'm in the cuts by the coast but by CA standards we are neighbors. Fi gers crossed. Last year was nice, wasn't it? Late rain in early June and early rain in late October, or was it early November? I cant keep it all straight. Should probably keep a log. The lightening strike fires, wow, that set me back a bit, and many part of the forests have stabding toothpicks and the light is getting through to the ground and the grass is growing. So far it has been a foggy and moist spring, I hope we have a short window again this year.
Lovely descriptions of what we’ve experienced here, CA neighbor 😉😆! Thank you. As much as I and my youngest son and family enjoy our “family compound”, here, I dearly miss living right near the Pacific! You live in a magical area!
Yes, it was a marvelous, nearly fire-free year with gorgeous rains for months (albeit some ferocious winds and those lightning strikes!). I’m ready to add a second year, please! 😉😆
I wear a cowboy hat occasionally. in the UK. Question- So You think you are cowboy. Response - You ever been on the back of a bull? 🤣 Ed
Edit - Skydiving was much safer.
Living in harmony with nature brings peace to body and soul.
A few years back, I lived on a rural property and was surprised to hear what I thought were screeching car alarms. Turned out that the neighbor got a flock of guinea hens, absolutely the loudest birds I've ever heard. They were also the most fun to watch, like a mini-clown show of bird-brains running all about.
Bahaha haha.
I too am learning the balancing act, my first try chickens - 4 plymouth rock hens that I made the mistake of getting from a hatchery in October in Michigan and we had our first 20 below zero windchill and 2 feet of snow in December...and my 2 JR terriers.
I laughed because the other evening after my big girls had escaped their enclosure and I walked out the back door with the pup tucked under my arm for her last potty at 8:00pm the hens all ran towards us full speed and it was about to turn into a shitshow if the pup would have escaped from under my armpit luckily I was able to keep hold of her and find some treats and get the naughty girls all back in there coop without getting peed on!
The picture of you lying on the ground reminds me of the other day, sweaty and exhausted I just collapsed and laid down in the backyard not caring about the bugs in my hair and looked up at the sky and praised God for life, humorus and exhausting as good is to evil.
Thank you and Jill for sharing and caring and being a beaconof hope and courage.
I'm 62...so I kind if get it.
I like this better than that other stuff.
Very nice story and glad to hear you are taking a break! Regardless of your decisions about your future, your contribution to my understand of the world has been priceless and I appreciate your heroic efforts.
Very nice that you share your own improvement in the life of farming, while therapeutically imbuing the rest of us with it. I too enjoy my animals (26 lambs and a calf so far and counting) and the satisfaction that the challenges and labors bring.
You are such a dear gentleman❤️
Dr Malone, a nice story, taking a break from all the chaos.Enjoy, God Bless, and thank you.You MUST be a Pisces!!
One of your absolute best posts
Love hearing about your farm!
I do, too. Your photos are excellent. You can write about your horses more often, in my opinion. They are majestic beauties.
Our daughter rides and drives. We have not owned a horse, but have done our best to provide varied experiences on horseback for her. Reading about your Lusitanos brought to mind the times she was able to ride a Friesian and a Lippizaner. What a thrill!--for her, and for me. : )
Smiled so hard my eyes began to leak. Pure beauty.
Okay! It was your and Jill’s very relatable farm and poultry account here, that finally tipped me over into “paid”. Totally relatable -- including your chicks’ guest room, only for me/us here in our No. Cal foothills, it’s been our sunroom. It’s always SO good to reclaim the space for human enjoyment!
Thank you -- aside from your relating of your marvelous farm, gorgeous horse doings, your accounts of your and Jill’s solid, joyful life together -- go ALL that you share and support on the National and international scenes. We need that dearly!
Blessings on your and Jill’s days.
Suzanne-Marie (up a couple of a miles from the 49’er Gold Discovery Site, Coloma, CA. )
You are not far from my father's 5 acres in Pilot Hill. He purchased his property in the late 1970s so he could get the best ram radio reception from his quad antenna. He remained there until he passed in 2004. He was born in San Fran.
Nice, Shelley — I know that area well, also! Thanks for adding to the warmth, sense of Community and neighborliness! I think it’s SO needed in our world today and I see good-hearted, sincere efforts to heal and help right here on this site, too! Your kind and fun responding is an example. ☺️ Best wishes.
Priceless! Great pix Dr Jill! Love tales from the farm. So happy to hear of your much deserved pleasures.From my times with the Bird Operation at the Zoo, you have an advanced operation there. Interesting that you have birds generally raised by their fathers. Yours are lucky they have you folks. Much of my Zoo duties involved cleaning ponds and feeding. A male black necked swan put a lump on my leg. I was cleaning their pond, looked up and found us face to face. Screamed. He just stood there. If they could laugh I'm convinced he was laughing. He and his lady, along with others met the fate of your eggs to feral dogs. My other treasures were young flamingos I was friends with. Took too long cleaning their pond so they took to beaking my rear. The Zoo had peacocks included a white one. They ran loose. The white one was spectacular when it spread its feathers.
Enjoy these beautiful days building your dreams. You've more than earned your opportunity. Bestest always ♡♡♡
Jean, thank you for these sweet, amusing anecdotes of your zoo life! Really enjoyed reading. Best wishes to you, as well!