Showing posts with label "the Farm". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "the Farm". Show all posts

Monday, November 30, 2020

Fall 2020

I never think to post to this blog, or the pictures need to be edited... or I can't find them... But I am going to write several and at least post something monthly. Mostly pictures, because I have taken so many that I have not shared since moving to rural Kentucky. 

As usual, I have focused on the neighborhood, which is pretty much, all nature and well I haven't gone anywhere in a year.

There are fields and forests and little open areas, a creek, a dirt road, some dilapidated buildings old tractors, lots of interest if you care to look!

I'm going to kick this off with fall color. When we moved out here and I saw the field across the road, I knew there would be some great fall color... just not last year. Between the drought, the fall rains, and then the cold, the leaves pretty much just fell off the trees.


The only color in 2019 and most of the leaves are gone

This year's better weather conditions gave us some great Kentucky fall color.


Even on a cloudy day the colors glow



The other side of the field on a little brighter day




As you may know by now, the pond is my favorite place. 

The road side of the pond and dam, looking back toward the creek



A little volunteer Bradford Pear, with great color this year.

This little Bradford Pear was strangling under a heavy layer of vining Honeysuckle. We cut some of the honeysuckle vines off and gave it a little taste of Roundup and we got a nice bit of color from the Bradford Pear this year. I can see that there is another smaller one down the dam hill a bit further too.



Late in the day the field across the road

One late afternoon I caught the slanting rays of the sun low in the sky over the trees. You can see that the tops of most of the trees are bare.

So, that was fall this year in color. I love all of the seasons. Fall is not my favorite all the time, just right now. 



Beth






Sunday, August 9, 2020

A little Blogger help...

 Blogger has insisted that we all upgrade, if not now then by September for sure. I have seen where several are confused or having problems with uploading and moving photos and then unable to write under once the pictures are loaded. So I am going to see what is what... and try and help some out. This is down and dirty... and not a full tutorial, just some tips to show you that it can be done... just a little differently than you may have done it before. To help... blog text is small, tips/hints are large and in gray. BTW- I am not an expert, this is just what worked or has worked for me.

To start a new post click the +New Post button at the very top of the menu on the left. The new interface is clean, without a bunch of distractions...

The farm this summer has kept us busy. The rain has come in droves, so things are growing madly. The month of July we had more than 11 inches of rain. Most of it came in 3 separate, but heavy rain cycles, with a few worthless showers between. Fortunately, some friends offered us a drip irrigation system, which we had in place, to spread some water a bit more evenly between drenchings.

The first 2 pictures I loaded. Use the picture icon in the menu when creating a post, to find and add the pictures. After the photos loaded to the page, I clicked to the right of the 1st photo to put the cursor at the right, (it shows as a long blinking black line when you do this), it is not visible here. Click enter and the cursor moves down below the picture. Begin typing, then use the menu at the top to align text how you would like it to appear. In my case, the photos are centered, so the text was too. I used the top menu to align left, and kept the photo centered.

The garden in early spring too. You can see some of the tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and cucumbers, so far. We added lots more plants as they became available.


To edit a photo location or add a caption click the photo once. A small icon menu will appear; choose the alignment, add a caption, make it larger or smaller... etc. 

The garden has grown some, and we are looking at it from the other direction. Here you can see the carrots and corn on the right, the blueberry bushes, beans, onions, and tomatoes on the left side. There is more but distinguishing at this distance if difficult.

As in the previous version of Blogger, moving pictures is a pain. If out of order, I usually make them smaller and put where I want them, and then adjust the size back to the size I prefer to use in the post. If I want to avoid most of the difficulties of moving pictures, I will write the text and then insert the pictures where I want them. End of the fuss! The picture of the pond (below) was much larger, and the picture of the garden above, also smaller. I made them both small and moved the garden to the place above, then made it bigger. I hope you can follow this, I am trying to avoid using screen shots to illustrate. 


This is the pond in the spring.  Lots of cattails, algae, and clouds reflecting on the water.

I did notice that if I had any other pictures in the uploaded, that I did not use in the first go, they were not there for adding later. So I again, found the turtle on the computer, selected it to add to the upload and selected upload. Once loaded I selected it to add to the blog. Be sure to have the cursor where you want to add the picture or you will be moving pictures again!



Again, no room under the picture to add text so I clicked to the right, hit return/enter, and created this text and the text below about the turtle.
 The turtle is a marine turtle, not a snapping turtle. 
Other than this one time we have not seen one this large out of the water. We do see every once in a while a turtle head peeking out of the water in the middle.



March loafing... actually, this is before the heat when he would spend a good part of the day grazing. Now when it is hot he is in the shed on the right, called a loafing shed. He is seldom out during the heat, except to get a drink of water and the back to the deep shade of the shed. We think he does most of his grazing at night... not really sure because he blends in so well with the lightless pasture.

Another way to insert the pictures. Is to use the enter key to advance several lines, (at least 3). Place the cursor on the middle line and insert the picture. You will now have a blank line at the bottom as well as one above the photo.

All the tools behave as they have in the past, if you have used Blogger before. Highlight text you would like to format and use the icons at the top of the editor.

Please keep in mind that I am not a Blogger expert. This is what has worked for me... today and in the past. I urge you to play and discover... what works and what doesn't for you. 

Also, save often and use the preview button (both are on the right side of the blog). You will find the save button when you use the down arrow next to preview.

Hope this helps someone... or two.

Beth



Monday, May 25, 2020

New Residents at the Farm

So we are growing... getting to the point where we can really start to be a farm in more ways than just land with a barn and fences.

So, speaking of farm... we need a name for the farm... we've tried out a few things, but nothing sticks. Any suggestions??? We're listening.
Visiting Guests

We have some guests here. Our neighbors have 3 goats. They were in a temporary pen, that as goats do, they figured out how to escape. Not just one, but all 3. Our little pasture is securely fenced so we offered it for a temporary safe place for them to stay. We had an ulterior motive, in that we were hoping they would chew the pasture down and we wouldn't have to mow it. They have been here for about 6 weeks and are doing a poor job of it and we have had to mow once and may have to mow again. In their defense, they are rather small and it is a big pasture!
Manicured Pasture

We have added new residents! We have 2 of the three new residents in place. They arrived on Tuesday, May 12th, and were estimated to weigh about 25 pounds +/-. 
Piggie Ann

Iggy Piggy

Yes, they have names. I named them after people that do NOT hold a special place in my heart, and it just worked out. Actually, the names came to me while we were waiting for the house to become ours. The female is "Piggie Ann" and the male is "Iggy Piggy". The names are pretty close to their human names so they fit and roll off the tongue easily. If you prefer they have second names too. Pork Chop and Boston Butt!!!

Good Friends and security


Taste Test

It has turned into summer this weekend. It is a holiday weekend for the working people and for us, it means to stay home. Too many take "holiday" to mean a free for all and anything goes if it is fun. Often to include being ill-mannered, heavy drinking, crowds, and poor judgment. Just best to stay at home! I hope you have/had a happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

In the coming-soon department: we have another resident due here in a week or so. We've met him and he's got a name too! I'm going to keep that quiet... for a few more days... it'll give me something to talk about later.

More Later! Beth






Saturday, April 11, 2020

Its Been a While

Not that there are too many visitors over here... and blogs are becoming passe because Facebook and Instagram are so much easier and less wordy... that quick snaps are easier. I like to add the words... to explain the picture... So here goes... Pictures and Words ...

The new place came with some extras. The previous owner had some cats, but she left us all the kittens. Seven ranging in age from about 3 months to 6 months. At first we weren't sure where they belonged... and they were very afraid of humans. But after 2 days I bought some food, and we claimed all 7.
All 7 cats

We spent 6 months trapping the cats and getting them spayed or neutered (2 females and 5 males). Their names started out as numbers #1 thru #7, but during convalescence, true names stuck. I can pet 6 of the 7 when the food is given, One really really doesn't want companionship at all. He is Mr. Meany. He earned his name because he is a bit mean too. The 2 orange tabbies Tommy and Tutone I can only stroke at mealtime, but they are hanging closer during the daytime hours and actually arch to meet a hand when feeding. Patience was a terribly fearful female and would wait to eat until I left the area. However, during her convalescence, she discovered a kind hand and is nearly the first to the feeding station each morning. The other 3 were friendly and trusting pretty early on. #1 was the first to seek and step up to me at times other than feeding, and his name stuck. The Prince got his name because he would just lay in his convalescent crate... for food to be delivered and revel in touch, but he was also friendly before his procedure and was called #2. And Prudence discovered people and is a trip hazard when I go out into the yard. She LOVES to be stroked and follows me around when the dogs are not out too. None are friendly with anyone but me.

More Later... Hopefull not quite so much later. Beth