Sights from around Crooked Acres.
It took me a total of about 4 hours, but all the squash plants now have feed bags around them, to prevent weeds (I know it looks like a strong wind will blow those things away, but they’re held in place by landscape staples. We did this last year, to a lesser extent, and the feed bags did a great job.)
Delicata Squash. I have never had Delicata Squash, and I’m not sure why I had a packet of seeds. All I can guess is that I read something somewhere last year about them, and said “Hey! We should grow those next year!”
Cucumber! We didn’t plant many cucumbers this year, but I suspect we’ll end up with more than we know what to do with. I make a ton of sweet pickle relish every year.
Lemon Squash. Not named because it tastes like lemon but because when they’re ripe they look very much like lemons. This is another one I read about last year and said “Ooh! We should grow those!”
Pepper plants (and Joe Bob’s back end).
Helloooooo, Mr. Jalapeno!
And Mr. Banana Pepper! (I’m pretty sure that’s what this is – I’ve never actually grown Banana Peppers before. Do they always look this much like lighter Jalapenos?)
Turnips. I spent LITERALLY two and a half hours picking turnip greens yesterday, and only got halfway down the row. And then I spent another two hours cleaning and blanching them so I could freeze them. That is NOT going to happen again. I’ve read that you can throw them in a pillowcase, tie it closed, and then run them through a cycle in the washer to clean them. And that you can also freeze them without blanching them. Oh, and the best part? There are two humans in this house. Only one of them likes turnip greens. I AM NOT THE HUMAN WHO LIKES TURNIP GREENS. That’s four and a half hours of my life I’ll never get back.
Is it possible for tomatoes to ripen ANY more slowly? I feel like I’m not going to get my first ripe cherry tomato ’til mid-December.
Toasty the Rooster isn’t sure where all these baby chicks are coming from, but he thinks he’d probably better get a better-paying job to help support them. Lookin’ pretty ain’t gonna get the bills paid.
Baby chick, 3 – 4 hours old.
Another baby chick, only about an hour old.
This hen would recommend you step off, because if she needs to mess you up to keep you away from her eggs, she WILL. Don’t test her.
Mama hen. Two babies peeking out, and another hatching underneath her.
Hatching egg.
Nine hens, sitting on eggs. (You can’t really see the one in the top nest box.) We have about 14 chicks already; we’re about to be overrun.
“Come ON, Junior, keep up!”
Fred brought this chick in to show to me because it has such pretty markings. Then he let Logie sniff it. I would have taken pictures of that, but I was so worried about her jumping on the chick that I didn’t think to take pictures.
Mamas and babies.
Black Pig sniffs Pink Pig to make sure he’s not hiding any cookies.
COOKIE TIME!
“I haz mah cookeh.”
“Pardon me, Madame, are there perhaps MORE cookies?”
Every evening when Fred and I go out to the pond to feed the catfish, the ducks follow us out and eat as much of the catfish food as they can. Remember back in The Day when we had to chase the stupid things out to the pond and convince them to stay there? Stupid ducks.
“Hmmm….”
“I SEE you over there taking pictures of me, lady. Don’t make me come over there and mess you up. A girl needs some privacy when she’s having her snack and thinking deep thoughts.”
Someone pulled this (washed) styrofoam container off the counter, and Razzie found it and decided it was HERS. She carried it around the house and occasionally stopped to lick it. I let her play with it ’til she started trying to EAT it, then took it away. She was not happy with me.
Razzie and Newbery have located a box that’s JUST the right size for laying in and fighting with each other.
“Um. YOU need a breath mint.”
“Halp!”
They certainly do like to sit and look out the window into the back yard. The best of Cat TV.
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Smilin’ Joe and the squinty-eyed Look o’ Love.
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Previously
2011: Miss Dorfy loves her some Jake.
2010: No entry.
2009: She’s got a lot to say and BOY does she say it.
2008: No entry.
2007: So the dog has a safe and happy home, and since it ain’t with ME, I am thrilled beyond belief.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
We tried delicata squash last year and it is AMAZING roasted with a little olive oil. YUM. I’m jealous now.
Aw, thanks for posting that Robyn. I miss my lil buddy 🙁
The “Halp” picture! LOL
Baby chicks…hours old…touched my heart. I love the lovely brown and white colored one just like Fred does!
So many pictures that made me smile. Thanks!!!
Your chicks and chickens are great! and love the kittens in the Fancy Feast box..and Joe bob looks so sweet, lovely pics.
Ooooh!!!! Joe Bob’s front end AND his back end!!! It’s an extra-special edition of Crooked Acres Thursday 🙂
Baby chickens, baby cats… sounds like paradise.
Penny is deeply engrossed in Cat TV as we speak. She got the front room with a huge wall of windows, so girlfriend sometimes needs to be talked away from the view. Can’t blame her since she’s been looking at the walls of a cage for the past couple months.
Kitties, piggies, and veggies-YAY! Chicks are nice but not as much YAY for me.
Yes, banana peppers (when they’re small) look exactly like jalapenos just lighter, I knew exactly what it was as soon as I saw it before I even read beneath it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE banana peppers. My dad cuts them up and puts them in vinegar and then we eat them with all kinds of beans and stuff all year long. Also – when they’re fresh – they are FABULOUS with creamed corn. I use the pepper as a spoon for my corn sometimes… Yum. Can’t wait till my dad’s garden ripens now… And HOW can you not like turnip greens woman!?! It must be how you cook them. we eat our pickled banana peppers on them also. Do you make chow chow? my dad is still trying to replicate his mom’s recipe and we still haven’t gotten it quite right. She made the best. Mmmmm. hungry now…
We just got a Middle Eastern/Greek restaurant in my neck of the woods, and not only is their food fabulous, they run their sandwiches through the garden! Their falafel and shish tawook (all I’ve tried so far) sandwiches have not only lettuce and tomato and pickle, but also radish and banana pepper. Delicious!
Love Joe Bob’s back in the picture. There he is, beautifying the place… 🙂
A real ladybug!!! My son has spotted a few Real ladybugs here in Ohio, too. I hope they make a huge comeback and make the vile Japanese beetles disappear. They are nas-tay!
Just curious… how many chickens do y’all have now?
“Fred brought this chick in to show to me because it has such pretty markings. Then he let Logie sniff it. I would have taken pictures of that, but I was so worried about her jumping on the chick that I didn’t think to take pictures.”
If Logie jumped on that chick and “tasted”, she would have meowed…”hmm, tastes like chicken.”
Sometimes I crack myself up…YMMV. 🙂
Great photos, as usual.
Every time you show the piggys when they ask for their cookies..
… well, I want cookies too !!
Empathic cookies hunger pangs mebbee ?
xoxo
Gracie in the second picture looks like this face:
http://cache.ohinternet.com/images/1/13/Awesome.png
Man, I love me some Joe Bob! How cute are those baby chicks! Reminds me of Chandler and Joey with their chick and duck.
The Noms are awesome. Who needs cable when you’ve got their antics to keep you entertained?! (Wait, no. I need my cable.)
Wonderful pictures of the newborn chicks. Thanks.
Delicata squash is AMAZING… I cut ’em in rings (leave the skin on — it’s edible), brush with a leeeeetle olive oil, sprinkle with salt… roast at 400 deg. F. for 10 minutes, flip ’em, then 5-10 minutes more until they’re all caramelized and delicious… they taste as good as candy!
Oh, note: cut the squash into thin rings — like 1/4″ thick. Sometimes I use the mandolin if I’m feelin’ all fancy.