Well, Well, Well…

Hmmm … nothing like an eighty foot trench to require a little flexibility in getting around. Our well pump bit the dust just about two weeks ago. Those pipes are way down there. No – we didn’t dig it out by hand. And THIS time we did not dig into any lines – so no exciting geysers. We were without water for only two days. In eight days we managed to have a new pump installed (this time IN the well – submersible) and reburied the works.

Having a submersible pump meant adding a well tile… that big cement container there … Ya… just what I thought. Tile? If we need to dig it up in the future we’ll only need to get to the green cap. Then lift out a few bags of insulation. And we’re there. MUCH easier than digging down to find the well head. The submersible pump will be able to handle the heavier water demands of our swimming ducks. 😉

No matter how much work ducks are – I’m happy we have some sharing our space. They are delightful creatures. We’ve taken to picking up a container of fishing worms. THE best way to make friends with a duck!

The Wellies (Welsummers) are growing great guns. They are good flyers! I’ve found them on barn roofs, up on power lines, and up in the trees. They can also fly a good distance. Most of the time they are hanging out with the rest of the flock. They are bottom of the pecking order. Even lower than the scrappy Isabelle Orpingtons. They’re smarter though and manage to avoid most dust ups by scooting away at high speeds. Each night I still have to go into the coop – peel them out of their hiding spots on the edges of the nesting boxes – and place them on the perches with the main group. We’ve got time. By the winter months they’ll be happy to snuggle in close.

The Brahma hens are now happily free ranging all through the woods, up the hillside and down into the front paddock. They keep a close eye on my arrival and have trained me to bring them mealy worm treats. While the well trench was dug up I wondered if I would find all the chickens down in the dirt. Only the Wellies have mastered getting over the fence lines.

These four are enjoying the cooler days. The bot flies are still a bother so you’ll find them most afternoons hiding in the dark jenny’s barn. When the wind blows they like to graze in what was the front paddock … slowly turning into the front ‘pasture’. I’ll have to drag this area next spring. The jennies need as little exposure to pastures as possible. That kind of grass is too rich for their desert gene pools.

In the summertime the back paddock is the favourite spot. There is shade, food, cozy barns to sleep in and the constant entertainment of the chickens and ducks. I’m up on the roof of the jenny’s barn taking this shot. There sure were a lot of branches to clear off. Our summer windstorms brought anything old down. Nice view eh?

I’m putting this black fuzzy caterpillar right here … I wonder what it means when they are totally black? Most I’ve seen are part brown. There is an old saying that suggests the amount of black and brown predicts the type of winter coming. And every season when I see them I wonder … is it the amount of brown that predicts the amount of snow and cold? Or the amount of black? Seems I might have a chance at checking that out.

Lots of big storms rolling through as the weather starts to cool down. This giant sailed north of us a week or so ago. This month’s sunsets have been colourful too. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.