Spring Has Turned To Summer

The fantail pigeons have been getting bolder about going outdoors. Our beautiful weather (finally!) has helped, I'm sure:

The pigeons sometimes pick around in the gravel or the grass, much like the chickens do:

And speaking of chickens, my little flock of bantams is out and about all day, every day now that the weather is pleasant:

This hen was sunning herself, lying on her side to feel the sun's warmth. They also like to take dust baths:

I had a weed and rock patch in the middle of my side lawn. I put the rocks in a big circle and then planted a hardy Magnolia in the center. Around the young tree, I planted Iris, Rugosa Roses and Rose Mallows. If they all grow, I may have to move some things. Notice the chickens in the background:

Here's a little weedy patch - weedy but beautiful. Ignoring the blooming white Narcissus when I snapped the photo, I focused on the wild Dandelions and Violets:

The first of the Flowering Crabs began blooming just as some of the apple trees were beginning to flower. The second Flowering Crab had not yet begun. Both quickly burst into bloom and then it was all over. Spring was both late and brief this year:

I used to have a gigantic stump in the middle of my lawn. It was perhaps ten feet high and six feet in diameter, so covered with vines that it looked like a haystack. It occurred to me that it might be so rotten by now that I could simply knock it over with the tractor and haul it away, so I gave it a try:

Knocking it over was easy, but hauling it away was a lot of work. Nonetheless, I finished the job and will have an easier time mowing from now on:

I saw this hillside covered with white Trilliums along the road and pulled over for a closer look:

They were spectacular, with huge, white flowers:

This species, Trillium grandiflorum, is sometimes called  Large-Flowered Trillium. It's an appropriate name:

Peaceful, Warm Days For The Red Polls

The cows spent two weeks in the north field. They could have stayed longer, but I wanted to give the grass time to recover:

I don't understand why the north field grass grows better than the grass in the south field, but it does. The Red Poll girls were certainly appreciative:

They don't really have any protection from the elements in the north field, but they don't seem to care. But then again, I only put them over there in good weather:

And they thank the field for its nutrients by spreading manure wherever they go:

They had a peaceful and nutritious two weeks:

The two horses stayed in the south field where I could keep an eye on their mischievous ways:

I continued to bring the cows grain twice a day. I even sprinkled free choice minerals on each bowl of grain since I began to fear that the death of Amy's calf might have been caused by a selenium deficiency:

And the chickens ran madly to join us whenever I began putting down bowls of grain. Their strategy was to gobble up the grain in any bowl left unattended for even a few seconds. Failing that, they were happy to eat what the cows, sloppy eaters that they are, dribbled in the grass:

Besides the added nutrition, the grain helps keep the cows tame and friendly. They are always happy to see me:

But not so happy to see the chickens, thieving little buzzards that they are:

All in all, it was a wonderful two weeks. I moved them back to the south field, but the north field is recovering so quickly that I will probably move the cows back any day now:

The south field, for all that its a larger size, does not grow grass at such a rate as the north field. This is Gracie near the barn in the south field. They have plenty to eat, but it's not long and luscious like it is across the gravel road: