Somebody around here has been doing a lot of work.

The photo in the header is how the pond looked in June. See all those cattails on the edges? Too many can kill a pond. They steal oxygen from the water and hold silt and crud and generally muck things up. The edge of the pond only has a few cattails left and all the weeds have been cut down too. We can see the edge of the pond all the way around. No new picture to show that. We have some monster fish in that little pond. Largest caught has been a bass about 4 pounds, (released to be caught another day), but there appears to be some bigger ones too. I watched a bass the other night come up and take a resting dragonfly for his dinner! This is how the pond looked a few weeks ago, even more, cattails have been cut down.

The pasture was also overgrown. Well not really if we had an animal out there. The field grasses are healthy and just what a horse or cow would eat while grazing the day away. Of course, we would still have to supplement with hay if we didn't want it eaten to the roots. But it has been mown.

We have chickens in the chicken coop and at least 2 have names. We had some help, from our very young real estate agent. When we were looking at the place, I told him if we bought it he could pick out a chicken and name it. So today was the day. He picked a chicken and named her Lucy. I put a leg ring on her so he could always tell which one is his Lucy. Next time he comes out, we'll see if she lays an egg.

Behind the house and chicken coop, we have a forest. Fairly thick with trees, but very little underbrush. We also, now, have a path into the woods, that leads to a little 'hunting shack'.

While all this outside work was being done I have been working on the inside. Love to tell you that I have been decorating and putting things in their new places, but nope. Cleaning. Lots of cleaning. We are waiting for the remodeling estimates to come in, to make a decision on the contractor and then it will be a mess for a little longer... before we can really move in. In the meantime, I keep finding things that need lots more cleaning!!!

So, now you are caught up... on some of the doings around here. A little more to most of the story, but unfortunately not enough time to tell everything. Need to start noting every few days the doings in the country!!!

Thanks for checking in... more later!
Beth

A Whole Week!

  

One of the best discoveries so far on 'the farm' has been the pasture.

At one time it housed a horse, possibly some cows, and a small corner a couple of pigs. What is in the pasture now? Weeds to most, but to me wildflowers.

What did I find in the pasture that makes me so happy?

Nature!!!

Lots of Nature.

Specifically... the field is full of Swallowtail Butterflies. Yellow and Black.

2 Swallowtail Butterflies dancing in the air

Yellow Swallowtail Butterfly on Red Clover blossom

Last evening I spotted a Tiger Swallowtail cruising through the yard. It didn't stop though. I think I spotted a Pipevine Swallowtail too but didn't have the camera... I hope this isn't a one-season thing. I would like to spend more time with them next summer. I have also spotted a Monarch or a Viceroy. It hasn't stopped close enough to be certain of the species or even a picture.

And the other is the hummingbird moth. Not particularly pretty, but a fun and difficult subject to capture on film.

Still shot of a hummingbird moth... wings are stopped 

The hummingbird moth gets its name because like the hummingbird, the wings move constantly at a very fast speed.

Same moth different flower

On the way back to the house I inspected the pond. Didn't see any amphibians creatures, but the dragonflies were in abundance.

Posing for the camera

and a bit of nutgrass.

 

Didn't realize when I took the picture, that it would be so blue and green!!!

I hope I don't discover everything in just a month... I am so looking forward to finding more secrets and fun things.

I posted about some of the neighbors on the store blog (www.ihaveanotion.com/blog) if you are interested in those too.

More Later- Beth

Nature!

Fair Warning its a bug!

Since moving to Kentucky we have had the pleasure of finding the nymph shells of the Cicada in the yard. Most years just a handful. In 2017 there were quite a few. It seems that the maple tree in the backyard is a favorite place.

I have been trying to find and capture a cicada either emerging or drying. Cicadas are notoriously shy bugs. If you spot one in a tree, they tend to move to the other side of the branch and stay out of sight.

The particular cicada we have here is a beautiful one, with black eyes and lime green wings and body.

Bugs are not my favorite thing... puppies and kittens yes, but bugs I find fascinating from a look and study point of view with a camera. Touching no thanks.

But the other evening, while gardening I spied a nymph husk on the playset (where we usually find them) and the adult emerging!!! Grabbed the camera and started taking pictures. I really wanted to stay outside long enough to see it move off its shell, but the skeeters and midgies were making a meal of me and finally had to call it.

I am so happy to have at least captured this much. And moving forward its all about the bug so feel free to abandon the ship.

******************************************************

Watching how slowly this process takes is amazing. 

Pushing out

The wings 

Expanding the wings

Wings really getting longer

Starting to dry

Stunning in clarity and color

Nearly ready to fly

Such an  amazing thing to watch over the course of about 30 minutes. The temperature outside at 6 pm was 89° and 65% humidity. Just plain hot and wet. 

More later... from the farm soon!

Beth

Its been a while!

An Explanation

As with most blogs... I've let this one languish because there wasn't much going on to document with words or pictures. Originally I began this blog in 2009 to keep track of my visits to South Africa. I am so glad I did because otherwise, I might have thought it was a dream. Visiting for 6 weeks at a time really did make it feel like an adventure. And when I wasn't adventuring I shared quilting and some of the daily activities. 

Adventures

Then the opportunity to move to Africa came along in 2010.  Being attached to the Embassy in Pretoria as Diplomats was something I figured happened to other people. (I was not the diplomat). Working at the Embassy was fun too. But for me, the real adventure was meeting with other quilters and the everyday working people of the country. I am so happy that I recorded so much of living and the experience of living among another culture.

Of course, that had to end.

So the blog turned to the adventure of moving back to the states, (late 2012), the experience of living in Northern Virginia. Connecting with some family and back to more quilting. Once 2015 came and retirement, a move to Kentucky. That move was an adventure in its own right... With little choice, we settled in Elizabethtown because we found a real estate agent that clearly heard our plea, then a house that met our needs. Once settled we knew it was not the right place. The house yes, the close proximity to others not so much. Granted it is not as close to neighbors as the townhouse in VA was, (as in sharing walls), but closer than we really wanted.

Retirement

Our original goal when moving to Kentucky, (the original plan was near Paducah), was a little elbow room, like at least an acre, but that did not happen. However, we did not give up on the dream and...

The barn, the shop and the house.

We are moving again!

The photo in the header is a tease! This is one of the perks. A pond! A stocked pond! With blackbirds nesting among the reeds, dragonflies, and butterflies.

A Dragonfly at the pond!

In the meantime we are packing, planning and dreaming of beautiful starry night skies, bird song, cows mooing and the sound of a rooster!!! A few hurdles remain of course, as with most home purchases... so if you have a mind to a little positive boost to the universe would be very much appreciated.

A Redwing Blackbird on the pond fence.

I will be sad to leave a few of the neighbors. In all the places I have lived this is the first time I have had a quilter as a neighbor!

A view of the pond and the loafing shed from the house.

So stay tuned... 

A new adventure begins on a little country farm!!!

More later.... Lots more later, but first the move.  Beth