Had a 3-day weekend, quiet at work for Herbie when gas prices rise.
Yesterday Herbie put the new end pieces on the post-hole digger and I went and dug out the 2 dead apricots and 1 dead plum and we planted the 2 replacement apricots. Watered them well, and again today. It's expected to rain tonight, tomorrow and Saturday, but I'll keep an eye on them as we've lost 3 already. They seem very finicky.
Herbie fixed the haybine, and I took the zero-turn out for the first time this year, mowing the new orchard, down the driveway and around the lower barn enclosure. The backyard didn't need mowing yet !
Found about 3 dozen eggs. Went to put them into the little fridge, and discovered someone is stealing our eggs. 3-dozen missing. Wow, if they are too poor to pay for them, why don't they just ask ? Not cool people, not cool.
Rigged an electric fence between the pasture and the lower barn enclosure as chasing Daisy May through the old apple orchard below the house to the West was getting old. Had to put up a bright yellow extension cord on the one side as chasing her around the trees and over Little Africas' downed roof wasn't fun either. Tonight I dragged the trough feeder from the veggie garden to the cows' pasture, tossed some corn in it while calling the girls from the middle pasture. They all came running, Dolly in the lead, followed by Little Red, Immanuelle, Eleanor and Seasaidh, but not Daisy May. Yesterday I had to chase her down with the buggy ! Uppity madam. So she's now in the lower barn enclosure all by herself, and she's not happy about it. Damn cow !
Eve, the first lamb this year, has taken to ducking under a broken section if the fence to graze with the ducks under the tree next to the braai. When I shout at her, she shoosts back through the hole. I've tried blocking it, but need to actually replace the whole slat, or re-attach the chicken wire which is lying on the ground after Prince pulled it all down, probably both. Damn sheep !
Still have geese sitting on eggs, found a dead gosling with part of a shell about a metre from the window-well they're nesting in, yesterday. And now a Buff Brahma chicken is nesting with the 2 geese. Chucked her off and she's commandeered 2 goose eggs !
My re-order of 10-hazelnut bushes was too late, so no butternut trees or hawthorn shrubs either. Get to collect the begamont tomorrow though. Have to add a piece of chicken wire to the top of my herb planters as the chickens jump into them and destroy the herbs, after sitting on the top ring, pooping into it ! Damn chickens !
My dandelion jelly hasn't set yet, and I'm thinking of opening all 42 of them and reprocessing with additional pectin. So much work, but that amount of syrup is just too much. Have no idea what to use it for as syrup.
Took Jackie in Noddy last week and went shopping up North. Bought a 9-lb bucket of smooth peanut butter and a 5-lb block of sharp cheddar for Herbie. Also stopped at a few nurseries, I only bought some onion starts, but Jackie filled the back of Noddy with beautiful plants. Last stop was a farmer friend of hers where we bought fresh picked asparagus, 3-lbs each.
Well, off to bed with me, goodnight.