Flowers And Birds

The Snowball Bushes which were given to me by a friend, now deceased, were blooming up a storm this year. That's the neighbors' barn across the county road:

And they were incredibly beautiful, a fitting memorial to a beloved friend:

And the old fashioned yellow Iris, always later than the purple, began to bloom. These plants were on the old farm when I bought it, though I've moved them around and added compost to their soil:

The little bantam hens seem content and comfortable:

And their egg production is low this season, a blessing for me because I can't use them all, and not many people want small bantam eggs:

The Bridalveil Spirea in front of the house began blooming:

These too were part of the farm when I bought it, but were overgrown and not blooming heavily. I cut them back almost to the ground one year and, though it took several years, they rebounded in dramatic style:

This is the front of the old farm house, showing two of the Spirea and one Snowball bush. The funny looking ladder thing on the left is for the Mandarin Honeysuckle to climb on and the big bush on the right is a small part of the giant Lilac bush at the edge of the driveway:

The fantail pigeons are doing well although the one female who tried to make a nest on a narrow shelf below other nesting pairs still shows the poop stains she received for her poor choice of location. She's now nesting on the floor beneath a table, where she is mostly safe from the poop-storms:

And these couples made nests in cubbyhole near where I keep the egg cartons:

I've had three dead babies this year, but this one is doing well. I caught a parent feeding it one day:

They both became self-conscious at being photographed and stopped their feeding, turning their eyes on me:

Red Poll Cattle

Jasmine is the sweetest natured cow and likes to lounge in the grass:

Scarlett is the most reliably productive cow (along with her daughter, Rosella):

And they are all living a good life, a well fed life, a life of ease:

Rosella's little bull calf is cute and healthy, but I've been reluctant to name him. I finally decided to call him Winston:

And the herd often hangs out on the waste hay near the horses' corral. Apparently they still consider the horses part of their herd:

Violet is an attentive aunt to the little calf:

Jasmine and Scarlett were hanging out together in the springtime sun:

Rosella and Amy kept each other company near the stock tank, where there is also mineral supplement available:

Gracie opted to keep company with the horses:

Rosella and Amy moved over by the gravel road:

It is shady there, and the waste hay from winter feeding has accumulated to such a depth that it is soft and dry, a fine place to take a nap:

Scarlett is due in early August: