a man and his hoe

every day is a good day

  • The Seasons Change

    NewSeasonOfGreens

    On a warm, sunny day like today, winter already seems like a memory. I must keep in mind that the last frost date here is around April 15, so there is always a chance for a cold spell or two. It’s a good time to plan this year’s crops and order seeds and dream of rows of verdant greens.

    The nearly daily bike ride to the post office and back is a good time to ponder what to grow and where. On clear days, Mt. Baker can see all the way down to where the road winds through the valley floor. It’s comforting to know that if I can see the mountain, the mountain can see me.

    MtBaker20150126

  • Chickens Can Solve Problems Too

    Breakfast150125A

    It’s breakfast time and the chickens are crowding around the feeders.

    Breakfast150125B
    Breakfast150125C

    Instead of huddling with the other chickens around the feeder, this hen has learned that she can have the whole feeder to herself by flying to the top of it and sticking her head into it. Which goes to show that chickens have some ability to look at a situation and figure out a solution that works best for them.

    Breakfast150125D

  • Having a Dog Is Like Being Married

    BakedSquashA

    You can be married to someone for a long time and still learn something new about them. It’s no different with a dog. We’ve had BB for nine years, and I had no idea he liked squash. I guess I had never baked one the way he liked.

    A week ago, I tossed a squash which was starting to rot into this month’s compost pile. The pile has been cooking at around 120º for a while and I thought the squash would quickly decompose. Today when BB was helping me turn the compost pile, he spotted the squash which has been slowly cooking all week, and he couldn’t get enough of it. He kept coming back and scarfing down chunks of it until it was all gone.

    BakedSquashB

    What else would taste good after cooking for a week in a compost pile?

  • Two Faces

    MiAsaFace

    No matter how many chickens you look at, each one has a unique face. Missa above has a short comb which leans to the right side of her head. She has a cream colored beak, and compact wattles.

    Nancy has a long comb which leans to the left side of her head. It’s so long, it nearly covers her eye. Her beak is black, and her wattles hang down. She also has distinctive, white ear lobes.

    Compare the faces of any chickens, and you’ll find many differences.

    NancyFace

  • Up It Goes

    SolarInstallA

    The crew came this morning to finish installing the solar panels on the roof of the garage. By mid afternoon, all the panels were installed. The next step is for the state to inspect and approve the installation. After that, our local utility company will install a meter to record the amount of electricity the system is generating, and to connect it to our electric system so that we can start using the power it generates.

    SolarInstallB
    SolarInstallC
    SolarInstallD
    SolarInstallE
    SolarInstallF