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You may recognize the plant in the photo as poison ivy, bane of many a gardener and outdoors enthusiast. Touching it can cause allergic reactions like painful contact dermatitis. I know not to tangle with this formidable vine, so I look but don’t touch.
Continue reading “Haiku: Revealing Red”
After receiving the shipped eggs for Lavender Ameraucana hatch #2, I knew the odds were against getting chicks to hatch from that terribly damaged group…and it seems I was right. Being determined to build a flock of these lovely birds, I had already ordered another set of hatching eggs from the same breeder and this year’s hopes rest squarely on group #3.
Continue reading “In The Incubator: Lavender Ameraucana Hatch #3”
It’s been two weeks now since the shipped American Bresse eggs went into the incubator. 9 were left after the first candling (at day 7). Their incubation is now 2/3 complete – just one week to go! But how many will make it to lockdown?
Continue reading “Update: American Bresse Eggs Second Candling”
As mentioned in my earlier post, there were signs that the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail was approaching the final phase of its growth before metamorphosis. Little did I know that what happened after its dramatic color change would be quite a shocker…just in time for Halloween, the headless caterpillar!
Continue reading “Update #2: The Legend Of The Headless Caterpillar”
After a stretch of confusingly-warm weather, Fall has landed like a ton of bricks: last night, temperatures were only slightly above freezing. Along with the precipitous drop in temperature, the trees are rapidly shedding their leaves, birds have migrated (goodbye, hummingbirds – see you next year), and even on sunny days, the light has a soft, muted quality that murmurs that Autumn has arrived.
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Frost, Fallen Leaves, And Fungi”
The shipped American Bresse eggs have been in the incubator for a week, so they’re a third of the way through the incubation process. At this point, I like to do the first candling to identify which eggs are developing (and to remove ones that aren’t). Read on to find out how many eggs are still left in the incubator!
Continue reading “Update: American Bresse Eggs First Candling”