☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼ Duck Defense

Monday late afternoon I lost another duck! Around 4:00 pm I had been out with Runa.  All ducks were present and accounted for.  About 30 minutes later, in the house, Runa started pitching a fit.  I suddenly thought I better check the ducks!  One white one was gone without a trace!  Bumming.  Alien AbDUCKion!  I suspect the "alien" is either a fox or a Great Horned Owl.  I have been hearing an owl hooting nearly every night and often during the day but, the sneakiness suggests a fox.  I can't bare to have my ducks locked up all the time plus, I don't think it would be healthy.  So I spent yesterday morning tightening up my Duck Defenses. I rummaged around the house looking for things I could use.  First was to string up a distracting fence.

I have a drawer full of old CD's I have been holding on to knowing someday I would upcycle into a project of some sort. I added some jingle bells that I got at yardsale (but they don't jingle much unless the string is disturbed)  I hope the flashing from the CDs will make the area less appealing to the predators.

Next I put up this owl decoy that I glued the head back on the night before.

I had a couple bird scare balls that I hung up.

My masterpiece though is my "scarecrow" ME!

I stuffed some clothes with hay and added a mannequin head that I paid a dollar for at a yardsale!  I plan to move her around a bit and add a flashlight at night.  If this doesn't scare them I don't know what will!?  Runa jumped into her lap and licked her face when I was finished!  Glad I had the camera handy!!  She hasn't got a name yet...any suggestion!?

One more thing I added...from our 2nd bathroom....the pee bucket I dribbled some our scent around the edge of the woods.  We lived off the grid in our early years so using a bucket is sort of a habit.  Human Urine is a great nutrient additive for the garden or compost pile. We use it in our gardens and every Time we use the toilet we feel a bit like we are squandering our pee....hope this isn't TMI!  

Just one more thing...I ordered one of these from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E51X8Q8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So except for putting the ducks in earlier and letting them out later this is about all I can think of doing.  If anyone out there has had success with predator control that doesn't involve killing I would love to hear about your ideas! 

At least Runa seems to like the new addition to the family!

Just One More Thing (I sound like Columbo...for those of a certain age...TV) We have been on a campaign around here to train Runa to bark less.  Icelandic Sheepdogs are pretty barky.  This may have been a mistake.  So while I was outside shoring up my defenses I encourage Runa to have a barking fest.  Wish me & my duckies luck! 

☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼ Groundhog's Day

The gardens are growing as well as the weeds!  I had one little interesting set back...last week I headed up to the garden prepared to thin my beans, only to be surprised that most of their tops had been nipped off... a bummer!  But all was not lost since it was only the seedling leave where nip on some.  So my nature "friend" did my thinning for me.  I am pretty sure it is a groundhog that help itself.  So I put up some counter measures with a bit of snow fence and bird scare tape.  I replanted where the bean plants were completely gone..guess I will get a successive crop.

My defense system is working now for more than a week...the critter got some of my broccoli and cauliflowers too...ah well...

I went about my other gardening tasks which included a bit of rock picking.  When I was done I took the rocks over to the hedge row to dump them.  I threw them in and suddenly I was startled by squeaking and  squealing!  Guess I dumped the rocks unknowingly on someone!  That put runa into full alert!  She make it a practice to pester our friend when ever she is up at this garden with me.  The beans are growing fine again....but I am going to leave my fence up for a bit.

This is right where I dumped my load of rocks...hope squeaker finds a new place to live!

Other Garden News~~~

 Tomatoes are over their transplant shock!

Weeded my summer carrots and beet...can actually see them!

Summer Squash, Artichokes, & Crimson Clover looking pretty :)

....an occasional swing!

Maybe time soon to trim the trails!?

☼ Forest & Field Happenings ☼ & Shop News~~~

Finally, some sunshine!  Yesterday was a kick a donkey in the butt day...!  It started out slow.  I actually slept in until 8:00am!  My son got a summer job at the local grocery store 15 minutes away.  He is working in Produce so he needs to be there at 6:00 AM or 7:00AM.  The boyo and I are more owly than larky.  (DH is the lark...so over the long weekend I was up early with him even on the boyo's day off)  Anyways, I had a tough time getting going.  I felt more like sitting on a beach somewhere.  I had planned to put my pepper & eggplants in the ground but they looked a little sorry after a cold night of hardening off outside.  So I decided to take on the dreaded task of cleaning out the cold room....

Just one of those tasks that I tend to delay.  A lot of hauling outside, hosing and cleaning.

Also, the ducklings seemed a little crowded to me so time to disassemble the brooder.

The two tasked are linked.  I will use the cardboard in my blueberry patch and all the leaves I packed my winter carrots in from the cold room as mulch.   http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2013/10/tuesdays-tip.html

The Duckies were a bit nervous about the change.  They stayed in a huddle most of the day.  I made the change little by little and finally had to get in and handle a few and dip their heads in the water.  

By this morning they were completely comfortable again.  

Now they have some space to runner around as Runner Ducks should!

Cold Room Leaves & Onion Skins

Brooder Cardboard Mulch in the Old Blueberry Patch

I also did some hoeing in the gardens, planted some beans and beets.  I put the final coats of paint on the bathroom vanity...yes we are still working on our bathroom...guess I am behind on all the news!   My sewing room is in complete chaos!  I sold 6 puppets a few days ago and have been contacted by a community theatre to custom make some larger puppets.  So evenings when I have any energy left I am cutting out puppets.  May has been a good month in my shops!  On the way to the mailbox this morning with a bit of Vintage heading to Hawaii a Raven Croaked at me and swooped by....

So I took a little offering to the Raven Tree.  

All has been quiet and empty in the nest ~ seems the young have fledged.  

I do see a Raven now and then though.

Runa was pretty worn out from following me all day!

Cold Room Clean!!

Massive Amount of Laundry Dried!

Took a quick jump in the pond (my second) !

Sun in my eye!

Garden Galore!

Since Sunday I have sat at my computer each night and stared at a blank "add a new post" page for this blog.  I have just been too tired to type!  Even though daylight is burning I want to take a few moments to share with you what has been the source of my exhaustion.  So a little trip backwards in time.  The above photo is from this morning of yesterdays work: weeding, thinning reseeding what was washed away by the big rain.  This is the  everything else garden....meaning non-tomato or potato garden...the plot is called the Big Garden.  It was a great day yesterday, sunny but cool and windy so no bugs!

Saturday was WICKED hot but I was determined to get my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants in the ground.  This is a newish Garden I call Pond View Garden.

This year I am planting most of my tomatoes with plastic.  I would like to get away from plastic for environmental and cost reasons.  So I am experimenting with some tomatoes planted in winter rye as suggested in an Organic Gardening Magazine Article:  http://rodaleinstitute.org/2012/growing-vegetables-with-cover-crop-mulch/  I'll keep you posted how it goes for me here in Maine.

Some of tomato planting "secrets" include adding a scoop of worm castings and eggshells with each plant.  This year I forgot to save my shells but had an overabundance of duck eggs so each tomato got a cracked egg!

I started very early in the morning Saturday in order to beat the heat but since it is a tomato patch it was FULL sun....by 1:00 PM I was done in more ways than one!  The next day I was not well...sun poisoning I call it!  So I stayed inside and puttered about not being very productive.  By Monday I felt much better but still stayed out of the gardens~~we had a nice gentle rain~~perfect!  Fortunately, my seedlings all managed the transplanting just fine despite the heat!  Was blessed with a beautiful sunset on Monday evening!  Back to work now...a "bit" more to do out there before tomorrows rain and this weekend's GRADUATION of my boyo!