Friday, April 27, 2012

Happenings In The Garden

My little seedlings are growing up!

Marigolds

 Basil

 Nasturtiums

 Zinnias

 Lavender buds

 Daylilies--a gift from a friend of ours last year.  They are really thriving this spring!


 The herbs are coming back after their "haircut" a few weeks ago. 
Oregano

 Lemon Balm


 I have protected my sunflower sprouts with a hedge of salt.  Seems to be working...the snails haven't attacked in a while...

 Moss Roses (with a spider web)

 Snapdragons

 Skylar's Basil

My hollyhocks are looking amazing, and today I found some buds on them!!!  I planted these last year, so this will be the first bloom.  I am really excited to see what they look like!


We even have some sort of squash growing in the compost pile. :)

How are your gardens growing? 

Bessie



Monday, April 23, 2012

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Update: Red Roses, Garden Sharing & My Fluffy Friends


Poor Irma.  She has really had a rough time of it lately!  A couple days ago I noticed that she had an abscess on her left flank.  Researched a little, and found that it looked suspiciously like a Caseous Lymphadenitus (CL) lump.  First I freaked out a little, then I called my dad (who is a vet) and he made me feel a little better about it.  CL is very contagious, and is spread through a burst abscess.  Needless to say, Miss Irma was removed and isolated from the rest of the herd, which she did not like at all.  Dad came over and lanced the abscess, and now we are just waiting to hear back from the lab about the results.  Irma is still being isolated, and neither she nor Dave like it very much.

If it is CL, I have absolutely no idea how she would have contracted it.  They are never around other goats, and have never had it before.  I keep their living quarters very clean, so it is unlikely that they would have gotten sick from that.  I am clueless.

Sigh.  On to happier things!


So, speaking of Dave, here are some pictures of him and little Miss Hana!

Hana Banana





 Dave Thursday

 Dave's coat--it is cream-colored on the tips, but bright white at the roots.





 Hana's pretty blue eyes

 Irma got some extra grazing time because she is a sickie.  Sorry Buttercream!




We had our first rose blossoms this week, and they were absolutely GORGEOUS!  Check this out:







And here is what I believe to be the tallest dandelion in all of Talking Rock:

It's about 12" tall!!


The baby birds are looking a little bit cuter and fluffier now:


Lastly, my dear sister Skylar shared some of her lovely garden with me in the form of two tomato plants, one cilantro plant, and a tray full of basil--all started from seed in her little greenhouse.  How awesome is that?




Alright, gotta go reign Irma in before she gorges herself on green grass.  Pray for her, if you think about it, and that if it is CL, none of the other goaties catch it.  

Bessie


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Herbs

Herbs are so lovely. :)  Mine have come back in abundance this spring, and I have just harvested the first crop of everything except lavender and chives.  My lavender is getting ready to bloom, which will be exciting. :)

Lavender


Harvested oregano, lemon balm, thyme, and rosemary.

Rosemary

Lemon Balm

Marjoram

Japanese Basil

This is all drying in my kitchen now. :)  I am hoping to preserve a LOT over the spring so that I can sell dried herbs at the farmers market this summer.  I might sell fresh herbs, too.  Fun!

Have a lovely day!
Bessie