Weego - A+ For Effort!!

Same breed.

A+ for effort!

But needs more work and focus on Miller Lite.

Rapper 50 Cent might approve however.

For those of you unfamiliar with "Weego", check out this Youtube Bud Light Super Bowl Ad - Rescue Dog - Weego commercial

Apparently, Rules Are For Some, Not All!

The driver of this BMW SUV clearly has NO regard for the handicapped!

I checked and there was no handicap tag on the inside of the front windshield either.  Rather a blond woman sitting in the passenger seat thumbing through a magazine with a snotty look on her face.  You know, the look that aholes sport because they think they're better than everyone else - that one.

Apparently, the need for breakfast took precedence over doing the proper thing.  Heaven forbid the douche bag had to walk a little bit farther.

Really, is there any need for this, ever?!  Has society become this fat and lazy?  One can only hope that there is such a thing as karma and that what goes around comes around!  That and I hope they each spilled hot coffee in their laps.

All Aboard!

Took the commuter rail train into Boston this morning, as my presence was requested in our PO Square office.

I do NOT care for the train experience in general.  The whole hurry up and wait and herding aspect, BLAH!

Also, I don't need to be that close to people I don't know and quite frankly don't give a flip about.  People are just plain weird and I'd prefer they stay away from me, far, far away...

Of course the petite woman doesn't sit next to me, rather the larger (and I'm being nice here) dude with a backpack and laptop case has to sit next to me.  The seats are built for two; two normal sized folk.  Besides the fact that they're worn, super uncomfortable and all slant downward and towards the center.  Point being is that two complete strangers don't need to be so close.

Ah, can't wait to see what my evening commute has to offer, oh joy!

Cootie House Game

1966 Cootie House Game by Schaper Manufacturing

Barb Wire Dinner

JoAnne was leaving work the other afternoon and spotted this hawk dinning on some poor critter atop the prison wall.  It's hard to tell for certain but I'm guessing it's a Red Tailed Hawk.

So, if it's hard to be certain what kind of hawk this is, it's even more difficult to make out what being eaten.  However, and it might be hard to see unless you click the picture to enlarge it, I circled in red what looks to be the foot of a bird. That much I'm pretty certain.

Execution day perhaps...

I Could Prolly Use A Manicure...

Please pardon my grimy, dirty hand but I'd been working in the garden!

Emilie found this interesting beetle the other day.  Kinda cool wouldn't you say?!

Turns out this is a "Milkweed Leaf Beetle".

We have an area on the side lawn that has milkweed growing, which has been spreading over the last couple of years.  Being the Monarch caterpillars only source of food, we've let them be and take over the area and in return hoping to attract them to our yard.

Seems like we're always finding some new or unusual critter out in the yard.

Vintage Newspaper Photos

December 1957

What a deal from National Homes with terms as low as only $1000 down!

I'll take two for that price, even though they're in West Roxbury!

By The Dozens...

The ladies are laying like crazy!  Feathered machines they are.

or as Yoda would say -

Laying like crazy, the ladies are!  Yeesssssss.  They are feathered machines.  Yes, hmmm.

First Broccoli Pick of 2012

I picked two beautiful head of broccoli yesterday, see above.  They're each about the size of a softball.

This season the woodchucks did not bother our broccoli plants, as they did last year, but it's early yet and could still happen.  Although, I planted them in a different location this go around than years past. Closer to the house and farther away from the tree/wooded area, which is their comfort zone.

Yummy, yummy good!

Nope, NOT Alvin & The Chipmunks...

Well, the chipmunks have joined forces with the other pesky varmints around these parts (Grey Squirrels, Wild Rabbits & Woodchucks) that are trying to have their way with our vittles.  These SOBs are hitting our strawberries now.  It's so bad that they're not even waiting for them to ripen, nope.  They're taking them green and even before they've grown and gotten big.

Of course, you all know, this means war!  A little (no pun intended) more challenging but still fair game these chipmunks are.  I will and have already begun to exploit their weakness and am using it against them!

Stephan = 5 and Chipmunk = 0

Oooh Sooo Pretttty!

Although we only have a single Poppy plant it rewards us with what seems like endless flowers. Sadly, they don't last very long before the peddles start to fall.  Seems more so this year, as the flowers began to open about the same time as the heavy rains and winds arrived.  Still purdy!

Bumper Shot Game

1973 Bumper Shot Game by Ideal

Ouch, That Had To Hurt!

One of our chickens laid a very odd shaped, extra large egg, which was more square than it was oval.  We were thinking that maybe it was gonna be a double-yolker but alas no such luck.  However, it yummy just the same!

I Spy With My Little Eye

Friday night, when looking out the back windows, and much to my surprise, I caught a glimpse of my nemesis - a woodchuck!  This lady had made her way from the neighbors yard where they've been living (under their shed) and was sneaking around the backside of the chicken pen and along the wooded overgrowth.  She didn't stay long and nervously scooted back to where she came.

There was only one thing for me to do and that was to go on the offense.  After all I didn't want to sit and wait for her get up the courage to visit our gardens and eat it to the ground.  So, I pulled the trap out of storage and set it using a hunk of lettuce that I tied to the paddle that triggers the trap doors.  Well, VERY much to my surprise I awoke to this lady snared in the trap on Saturday morning!

Stephan = 1 and woodchuck = 0

Cuff and Link

Stopped and saved a snapping turtle last week that was attempting to cross a busy street, Rt.109.  In terms of the sizes these that turtles can get, this one was small.  About the size of a softball.  He joins our other tiny snapper that we've had close to a year now and wintered over inside our house.  Broke out the kiddie pool, so these dudes have plenty of water and space to move around.

The pollen has been terrible these last couple of weeks, which is what's covering the new turtles head and shell, it's everywhere!

Trixie dog was curious what these two creatures were and wasted not time in introducing herself.  I tried to explain to her that she's sniffing the wrong end and is really gonna be sorely sorry...

Vintage Newpaper Photos

Here are a couple pictures I took from a 1962 Boston Evening Globe newspaper - one from December and one from April:

Looks Like Liz Taylor was back in the news

The richest fight in history took place in May - Sugar vs Basilio Bout Pulls in $1,900,000

Ailing Churchill Postpones April Visit to Ike

and

Ike's Camp Opposes Tax Cut

Also, check out the Star Market Company advertised sale prices - a half-gallon ice cream for .79, Lobster Meat 12oz for $1.79 and oven-ready turkeys for .39 a pound - unbelievable!

Mark "three" Game

1972 vintage Mark "three" game by Ideal

Veggie Gardening Almost Complete!

So I finally made it down to Marshfiled to visit my farmer friend, which was long over due.  There really isn't an easy way to get to Marshfield from Franklin.  Actually, let me rephrase that, there really isn't a straight forward and quick way to get to Marshfield from Franklin.  It's mostly highway but like four of them.  Anyway, I wished we lived closer so I could visit and spend more time there.

As usual for this time of year I never head home empty handed and this time was no different.  I was sent home with oodles and oodles of veggie and annual flower plants, which all required immediate attention once I got home.

As tired as I was I was looking down the barrel of a good couple of hours work ahead of me. I am happy to report that I got it all done, yippee!

I planted (20) tomato plants 3 different varieties: Early Girl, Better Boy & Celebrity, (8) Bell Pepper, (4) Kale, also another mound of Silver Queen corn (20 seeds).  On the annual flower side: Petunias, Inpatients, two different kinds of Coleus, Zinnias, Marigolds and Begonias, PHEW!

Now it water water water time!!

More Proof!

Also visiting early Friday morning the above fox!!

You might remember that I posted a short time ago about an early morning visit from a fox who was showing WAY TOO much interest in our chickens.

Well, I'm pretty sure this is a different fox and from the looks of him I'd say he's in the process of shedding.  What a beautiful animal for sure.  Once he spotted me watching him he changed directions and off he went.  He was a good sport though, before he left, to strike this pose for me.  Really hope they stick around and cull down these darn chipmunks that have already begun stealing our green strawberries, alas...

Proof Is In The Pool (Pudding) In This Case!

Now, I know that you all know that I wouldn't tell a lie, you know!  That being said and for those skeptics out there here's a Friday AM picture of Donald and Daffy duck lounging pool side.  They stayed for maybe twenty minutes, then off they went.

Friday afternoon the male arrived again but this time alone.  He stayed in the water all the while "quack-ing" for his lady who never came or responded.  He flew off in short order.  However, this morning I was awoken to the noisy sound of "QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK...".  The misses had arrived and was nervously calling for her mate who must have been returning the favor and ignoring her as she did to him the previous day.

When I raised the window screen to ask her to keep it down, she proceeded to fly up out of the water towards me and then veered off and landed on the chimney.  She stayed up for the close to 10 minutes QUACK QUACK QUACKing away.  She didn't seem bothered that I had made my way onto the deck and to take pictures of her.  She eventually flew off in search of her mate.  I can only imagine that he's gonna be in a world of trouble for not answering her.  I bet he had to sleep on the equivalent of the ducky couch last night...

Humming"Bird on a Wire"

Snapped this photo of one of our many visiting Hummingbirds.  This is something that I've rarely seen is one at rest, and one at rest long enough to grab the camera and get a shot.  Typically they're going at a break-neck pace; a mile a minute but this dude was chilling and taking a rest.  These bird absolutely love our Honeysuckle, which is in the foreground of the picture.  They come and go all day long - zip in and zip out, zip in and zip out.  They're fun to watch for sure

The Junk Yard Game

1975 vintage The Junk Yard Game by Ideal

Duck Visit To Our Cement Pond

We took our pool cover off this past Sunday.  As you can see more work needs to be done before we can announce it's swimable.  I've added several gallons of liquid shock, which has done a remarkable job clearing the water even though it doesn't look it in the picture below.  I will fire up the pump and filter this weekend, fingers crossed they work, which is the next step in process.  It won't be long now before it's ready for swimmers - dog excluded, oops!

As I looked out the upstairs windows this morning around 5:30 AM I was very surprised to see, for the first time in the 12 years we've been in the house, a pair of Mallard ducks sitting pool side.  Clearly they had been IN the pool, as you can see where they were perched by their wet marks on the deck.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to the camera in time to snap a pic of them, so this photo will have to do and you all will just have to believe me that there really were Mallards out there this AM - I have two witnesses.

Note to my brother - these are the type of ducks you need, not them thar domestic ones! You know the kind that come and go on their own.  No feeding required. No tending to needs required. No cleaning required (although this piece isn't entirely true because if you look close enough, the female ((left wet spot)) left a little something something behind but still a better alternative.  Plus, Trixie will have that something something cleaned up in short order, YUCK...

Watson Come Quick

Who knew that the revolutionary war soldiers were equipped with cell phones?!

I certainly didn't until I saw this picture.

Perhaps, the whole Paul Revere ride for alerting the Colonial militia of the approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord never actually took place at all.  Instead maybe it was a cell phone call to warn his fell American patriots of the planned attack!?

You think?

Conspiracy theory...

Of Course This Means War!

So, as I indicated in an earlier post, we planted a handful of veggies plants this past Sunday.  Well, wouldn't you know that when I looked out the windows on Tuesday morning I was burning mad to see that all four of my lettuce plants were eaten to the ground.  The parsley fared better but all four plants were nibbled on and to top it all off three of the five dill plants were also eaten to the ground, UGH!

I'm 100% certain this was the work of a wild rabbit.  Interestingly, I didn't see any wild rabbits in our yard all Spring. I understand that just because I don't see them doesn't mean that there not out there but I don't find it funny that they appear at the same time my veggies are planted and then think they can help themselves to my young, tender plants, NOPE!

Needless to say to this means war!  As a matter of fact I went old school on one adult rabbit tonight! The way it was done in the olden days, the real olden days just to make it a fair fight.  Score = Farmer 1, Wild Rabbit 0

Let's  rock and roll!!

We're On A Roll...

Emilie and I took a Sunday morning drive to my favorite local nursery (The Pumpkin Seed in Bellingham, MA) and picked up some veggies plants.

We bought: Lettuce, Sweet Chinese Giant Red Peppers, Red Onion, Fine Curly Leaf Parsley, Cucumber, Zucchini and Summer Squash.  Also, picked up two different varieties of Marigold.

As you can from the pictures above I was able to get some of these dudes planted.

Also, the seeds Emilie and I planted last Sunday are beginning to make an appearance, well the radishes are (to the left of the carrots above).  Still waiting on the carrots, corn and sunflowers.

Planning on taking a ride to visit my farmer friend in Marshfield, a trip that is long overdue.  When I spoke to him last he told me NOT to buy any tomato plants, as he had oodles he started in his greenhouse.  I typically leave there with hours of work to do in getting all the plants planted.

Good Take - Rev's Game

Scored (4) free tickets, along with free parking, to the New England Revolution soccer game back on Saturday night May 12.  The game was played at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots.  It was a beautiful night, not a cloud in the sky, and the Revs won the game 4 - 1.

It was a nice take to be able to visit the stadium with a small crowd in attendance versus a Pats game. No long lines to get in or at the concession stands, no crazy, screaming fans; easy in and easy out.

And We're Off...

Emilie and I found some time this past weekend to get some veggie seeds planted!  We planted a row of radishes, a row of carrots, a row of mammoth sunflowers (~24) and a mound of Silver Queen corn (~16).  It rained over night and this morning, so everyone got a good drink.  Time will tell what will grow but we have our fingers crossed and thinking positive.

Eric LeGrand Quote

Rutgers' Eric LeGrand, the paralyzed former Rutgers football player, had this to say when interviewed recently about being signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL football team -

"In life you can't control what card you're dealt. You've just got to deal with that card you're dealt."

I Caved In...

I broke down and decided to start some seeds indoors.  Typically I'm against this practice because I simply do NOT have the setup or space to do it properly.  In the past this exercise proved to be too cumbersome, messy and a royal pain in the arse.  I find it SO much easier to take a ride to my favorite local nursery and purchase plants that have already been started, hardened-off and ready to be planted.

However, when I ordered my garlic last fall, the company also sent along a half dozen packages of seeds as a bonus.  Mostly veggies but a couple flowers too.  This is what I've started indoors - Sunflower, Butternut Squash and Eggplant.  Also started was White Campion, otherwise known as Lychnis coronaria (White Lambs Ear).  We have oodles of Rose Campion (Pink Lambs Ear) but no White.  It just so happens that on her way to work one morning last summer JoAnne noticed a yard that had a single, lonely White Campion plant so we patiently waited until the fall when the plant turned to seed, then stopped and "borrowed" a small clipping containing our sought after, precious seeds.

Walla!

I'm happy to report that since this picture was taken (4/26/2012) some of the plants are making an appearance and poking through the soil, with the White Campion being one, yippee!

Note:  White & Pink Lambs Ear is what we were told their names are and what we've come to know these plants as.  We do have a couple true Lambs Ear plants - Stachys byzantina, that again, we "borrowed" from a rest area in New York a couple years ago.

Fox In The Hen House - Hope NOT!

- Day 1 -

Early Wednesday morning (4/25) I was getting my lunch together when the chickens started fussing.  At six in the morning, they're still waking up and typically don't make too much noise.  I've raised chickens for like 100 years and I knew the noise they were making was one of panic and warning and not good morning clucking, no question about it.

I looked out the kitchen window and immediately saw the cause of the commotion - an absolutely beautiful fox!  She was apprehensively approaching the front of the pen then made her way around the backside of the coop and reappeared back in front.  The girls were NOT happy, what a racket.

I chased the fox off and watched as it made it's way two properties over and disappeared behind their shed.  Said shed sits on the edge of the over growth, so my fear is that she's living underneath where she'll have and raise her pups.  Of course that would be cute to see and watch as the pups grow but being the raiser of chickens I'd prefer they go elsewhere.  However, if they would leave the chickens alone and stick to a diet of - chipmunk, wild rabbit, grey squirrel and woodchuck then I'd love em to stay!

Needless to say when I got home from work that evening I attempted to fortify the back of the coop to prevent her/them from digging under - fingers crossed!

- Day 2 -

The following day, Thursday, was a work-at-home day for me and don't you know, when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.  Away to the windows I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter and threw up the sash.  When what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a darn white house cat instilling more fear.

We've seen this particular cat around recently.  Typically, she's been farther away and behind the coop but I guess she wanted a closer look.  I don't think she'd fuss with the chickens but of course they don't know that. They get spooked regardless, which causes them to pile on one another when they're flying to the highest spot they can reach in an effort to get to safety.

After snapping this photo, I made my way out back and chased this feline off. Like the fox, she's welcome to hang out if she'll leave the chickens alone and sticks to catching mice and chipmunks.

First Toad of 2012

Lost in thought the other afternoon, I was puttering around the yard and tending to the flower beds and doing some weeding, when I came across this handsome little dude.  He was burrowed into the dirt, perhaps to keep warm from the chilly nights we've been having recently, but I inadvertently dug him up. So, he spent the night inside with us in the kitchen.  The following day we released him out back in the pool area.  Hopefully, he'll like his new digs and decide to stick around a while.  We can always use an insect eating machine in close to the house.  Would be nice he has a hankering for slug, yummy! I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him this summer...

Our 2012 Spring Flowers

Here are several pictures of the Spring flowers that are blooming away and adorning our yard in a variety of colors!

Silver Dollar or Money Plant (Lunaria annua)

Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata)

Tulips & Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Wild Violet, Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) & a passed Hyacinth

More Scrap Metal Found and Recycled

Did another metal run last weekend. I don't recall what trip number this is but I believe we're closing in on double-digits.  The majority of this run contained items that I've been holding at my place, although the load was topped off with even more metal items from my dad place.  Total weight was just over 500lbs.

I'm going out on a limb here and saying this was the last run, however, I'm not willing to put any money on that...

Out With The Old, In With The New

Tackled the deck stairs yesterday, finally!  HUGH difference in both appearance and durability!  We got a late start and put in only 6 hours otherwise I believe we would have finished it.  The rails in the picture above are just temporary and added so we can continue to use the stairs.  We're planning on reconvening next weekend to install the rails and spindles and complete the project.

Now just need to work on disposing the old stair lumber, which is currently hidden and piled in the trailer.

Spring Veggie Planting of 2012

Picked up (2) 4-packs of veggies last weekend - Kale and Broccoli.  Planted them outdoors this weekend, along side a Kale plant from last summer that survived the winter and is flowering like crazy.  The rabbits and chickens are loving it, fresh greens for them.  Now if we'd only get some MUCH needed rain...

Crack The Bedroom Window

Love being able to crack the bedroom window before crawling into bed and listening to the Spring Peepers sing and chirp and carry on and sing me to sleep!

Equally love waking up to the sounds and melodies of the singing birds as they carry on talking away and the smells of crisp, fresh morning air.

Oh Can't Wait To Pick and Eat!

Doesn't our garlic look fantastic?! It survived the winter and has simply taken off with this mild Spring weather - BIG beautiful plants. This planting was done in a different spot than I typically plant the garlic in, and from the results so far it was well worth the switch!

A Good News, Bad News Item

Good News = Trixie loves to run, bounce and play on the pool cover. We can't wait to see what she'll do once the cover is removed, so stay tuned. Since she always on it and we've had no luck keeping her off we don't need to worry about cleaning the bird poop off any longer. She takes care of that for us, yuck for sure!

Bad News = Not sure why, maybe because the cover is green like grass, but she occasionally does her "business on the cover too.

The picture above captures the good and the bad news as explained here. We're gonna need a LOT of chemicals added to that water before I get the courage to jump in...

Sunflower Seed Bread

My coworker and friend Vlad, who I seldom see these days, surprised me last week with both a visit and a fresh loaf of Sunflower bread, yum-me!

This is simply delicious - toasted with butter along with my morning cup of coffee! Alas, it's just about gone but was worth every calorie and a nice change of pace for breakfast.

Dog Eats Floor...Film At 11!

Yup, she did! I left Trixie alone for maybe 10 minutes while I took a quick shower and when I returned this is what was waiting for me! She found herself a place smack dab in the middle of the kitchen floor; a highly traveled and highly visible spot, and decided it was a good time to start ripping the linoleum a part!

She has the run of the kitchen and has been left alone many times before, so why all of a sudden did she decide to do this is puzzling. She has a dozen different chew toys to choose from and is always playing with one. Plus, we're pretty lucky with her, as we've not really had any other chewing incidents to speak of - one or two but she is a puppy after all.

It's not too bad though, right?! You can hardly notice it, right?! I bet we can get many more years outta this old floor, right?! I was planning on replacing the floor too but we didn't win the big Mega Millions jackpot, alas...