The brambles on our property are wicked. They reach out when you walk past, grab an arm or leg, and take a bite. The thorns are sharp and strong, and they’re difficult to disentangle from your clothing. Nonetheless, it’s worth risking scratches (and ants running up your arms and legs) to harvest blackberries growing wild along the fencelines.
We picked a bowlful of ripe berries this weekend and used them to flavor water kefir and kombucha. The dark juice lent a nice color to the beverages, and the water kefir is delicious – refreshing with a definite berry flavor, not too sweet. Continue reading “Backyard Berry Bounty”
The first time we visited KY was nearly ten years ago, and a memory from that trip that makes us laugh when we recall it involves trying to figure out the source of a weird sound we kept hearing. It was a low, constantly-occurring, almost electrical buzzing, like high-tension power lines. But there weren’t power lines around where we kept hearing it.
In the PNW, you can find mushrooms in your lawn, growing on trees (and, if you have a moisture problem, even in your house). Mushrooms like it soggy – think dripping moss in the rainforest soggy. Slow-moving giant slug slime soggy. Squishy, oozing mud soggy.
As the pullets begin to lay, we keep finding oddities in the nest boxes. Today’s find is one we haven’t seen before – not a rubber egg, a giant egg, a fart egg, or eggs with seams, wrinkles, or striations – this one looks like it has a stem.
The second group of incubator ducklings (the “gang of five”) has been spending time among the juveniles and adult ducks. It’s entertaining to watch their interactions with the older ducks and drakes. The ducklings are quick to defend their territory against intruders (the curious adults and teens), “biting” back at exploring bills poked through the exercise pen. Good thing wire separates them.