It’s a beautiful day hitting 85 degrees here in Olympia, Washington. We inflated the Intex Recreation Swim Center Paradise Lagoon Pool, that we got from Amazon when it was just $12, and the kids love it. I’ll watch for the price to drop again and post again when that happens. Can you spot the chicken in the photo?
I harvested a huge colander of lettuce. Taco salads for dinner tonight and probably tomorrow. We also have another colander full of radishes! So excited to be harvesting a few things.
Here my sweet daughter harvesting our very first radish. They had playing in the mud obviously, which is one of their favorite things do in the summer. Maybe it’s because they spend all winter in the wet rain that they have to recreate that moisture mess all summer. 🙂 Either way, they clean up easily enough, even with dirt in their armpits. 🙂
The radishes grew OUT of the dirt this year. I don’t remember this happening as much last year. It might be because my daughter used the pressure-washer setting on the hose once when watering them? I have no idea, do you know? But they are delicious and SPICY!
We would have had a big bowl of snap peas, but we’ve been eating them all week, out in the yard, right off the plant – the best way, by the way. I have sweet memories of being four or five-years old and sitting in my grandma’s snap pea patch and eating them until I was stuffed. So glad my kids get to experience fresh snap peas, too!
This year’s garden doesn’t really compare to last years, but I’m still happy with the deliciousness we are harvesting.
My little corner of the yard. Cold margarita and a little sunshine, that’s all I need. 🙂
I haven’t done a chicken update in awhile, so I thought I’d better. I tried to get good pictures of each of them, but they are quick little buggers and they don’t really listen when I tell them to sit still and smile. 🙂 Go here to see them when they were babies (soooo cute).
Check out Miss Apple, our Rhode Island Red. We have been worried she is a rooster (remember that? Here’s the post). And at 17 weeks she is BIGGER and bossier than all the other baby birds. She struts around, has a huge wattle and comb (the red parts on her head) and she has ornate tail feathers. You’d think she was a rooster! I’m really hoping she isn’t, because as a fellow redhead, she’s my favorite bird. From what I’ve read, she should have crowed by now, but we haven’t heard it – so I’m keeping my chicken fingers crossed that she really is a she.
Dora. Our Leghorn at 17 weeks. She will lay white eggs. They say Leghorns are early layers around 18-20 weeks. She could start laying anytime from what I’ve read. We shall see, of course I’ll be excited to share when this happens.
This is Cleo the Ameraucana at 17 weeks. She will lay green or blue eggs. She is mischievous! All the other birds go right into the coop when it’s time to go back in – not Cleo and the other Ameraucana Chima, they run and hide. It takes two of us to get them into the coop!
Chatting near the water cooler.
This is Princess, she’s a Buff Orphington. We got her last summer and she’s a good layer!
The flock, a little camera shy.
And before I wrap up this post, remember last week I shared a photo of little eggs in our front hanging basket?
The baby chicks hatched yesterday!! They are UGLY. Their eyes are still covered and they are nothing but skin, peach fuzz and bold spots – all four of them. I believe they are some kind of sparrow.
Feeling awfully grateful this week with all that has blessed our backyard – between the beautiful weather, the garden harvest, happy and muddy kids, and baby birds, it’s been a great week in the yard.
So that’s what’s happening in my backyard. Humor me and tell me what’s happening in yours. Â Â What’s going on in your yard this week?
Love hearing about your chickens. We just got chicks for the first time this year. They are 10 weeks old now. Looking at pictures on the internet, your “Apple” definitely looks like a rooster. I have heard from other people, that a rooster may take a very long time to find his voice. As attached as we already are to our chicks, I totally understand how sad it is for you at the prospect of not being able to keep her/him. You may be able to find a home if Apple is a rooster. Sometimes the feed stores will take one as well. We would actually like a non-aggressive rooster. We live in the country, so would be able to have one. We may live too far to transport though. We live in Oregon, about 30 miles outside of Portland. I think you mentioned once that you are somewhere in Washington? You may as well hold on to Apple until you hear a “crow”. You won’t have to be concerned about the neighbors until then. I look forward to following your blog.
Alice
Alice – Thanks for your sweet comment. Everyone says she is a rooster. Wonder when he will find his voice?
Love reading about your beautiful garden and roosters!
I was curious as to what variety of lettuce you are growing? I’m new to gardening and love learning. This is my first year. I harvested the last Romaine aboout 3 weeks ago. I have yet to plant beacause I know some varities wilt in the heat. Looking at your harvest inspires me to plant some lettuce!
Thank you!
Jackie
I’m fairly sure your Rhode Island red is a rooster, we have a RIR hen and she looks nothing like that. She’s all red, no dark feathers, no long tail feathers. We do however have a white leghorn that we are wondering about whether or not it’s a rooster too, it’s got a much bigger comb and waddle than yours and has yet to produce eggs (even though the other two have been laying for a month now).
Oh no! I’m really hoping it’s not a rooster. That would make me so sad. 🙂
I agree, we have Rhode Island Reds and our girls look nothing like the one pictured. The tail feathers and body coloring are wrong for a hen.
Oh no! I’m hoping it’s not a rooster, but all signs are pointing to her being a he! Just waiting for the crow.