~Update on the Flock~

I spent an hour or so in "chicken therapy" this morning after my walk,

and realized I hadn't updated on the flock since I got my first leghorn egg

and since the chickens were six months old. 

This is a new addition to the coop and was made by Mr. H.

It's the best chicken waterer ever!

The waterer holds several days worth of CLEAN water.

It's really awesome.  The chickens figured it out right away.

The slightest touch on the little poultry nipples gives a stream of water to the hens.

The girls are all doing well!

We had a little photo shoot this morning while I was sitting in the coop with them.

They all posed for me. :-)

Dottie West, the Rhode Island Red

Anne Murray, the White Leghorn 

Charlie McClain, the Welsummer

Jessi Coulter, the Silver Laced Wyandotte

and Crystal Gayle, the Golden Laced Wyandotte

I get a dozen eggs about every three days.

Good job girls! :-)

Veggie Lunch

For one serving, you will need -

fresh green beans

grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

1-2 garlic gloves, minced

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook beans until tender.

Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in oil.

Add lemon juice, cooked beans, tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings.

Toss to coat and enjoy!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

you will need -

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning  

1 28 ounce can muir glen organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

Saute onion, garlic, and seasonings in oil.

Add tomatoes and simmer for several hours, uncovered, as sauce thickens.

Enjoy over your favorite pasta!

makes 8 servings

Ranch Date

Mr. H. and I have a favorite tradition during the summer to take one night for a ranch date

during the week that our kids are away at church camp.

No one had been out to our ranch since all the Texas rains and flooding had occurred in May. 

We weren't sure what we'd find.  

First up, was a fallen tree across the road that we use on our neighbors property to get to our gate.

We had to off road it a bit through the pasture,

but we made it to the gate. 

We hadn't seen the grass so tall and green in many years.

We were anxious to feed the cows and then get down to the pond and see how it looked.

The cows sure didn't seem as eager as they usually are to get at their sweet feed.

They all looked fat and happy.  I guess from all that green grass that is so prevalent right now!

The pond looked so great!  It looked bigger than it has in 20 years!

Parts that hadn't held water in years, were now full.

When our kids were little, they called this area 

"Camp Camo."  Camp has some water in it now. :-)

Part of the road to the shooting range area of the ranch had eroded away due to all the water.

After we did a lot of looking around, 

we enjoyed being serenaded by the frogs and the crickets,

and just enjoying the peacefulness of sitting out by the pond. 

When we got home and I looked at my pictures, these two of the pond confused me

until I looked closer at the time I took them.

I realized that the last picture I had taken Friday evening was at 8:07 pm,

and the first picture I had taken on Saturday morning,

was at 8:07 am.  And I was standing in the exact same spot by the pond!  

On our way home, I told Mr. H. that I wanted to figure out what all the red wildflowers were on the side of the road that I had been seeing the last few weeks. 

Turns out they're just Indian Blankets,

but without much yellow on the edge like they usually have.

From the road they look completely red.

So pretty!

Graduation Celebration AND 18th Birthday Party!

My daughter graduated from high school and turned 18 in the same week.

Recently, we celebrated both milestones together 

with a come and go afternoon party for family and friends.  

She loves the color yellow and sunflowers, so I went with that for the theme.  

I ordered her birthday cake and cupcakes from Sam's Club.

The day that I picked them up,

they had graduation cookies available in the same colors as her cake.

I just couldn't resist. :-)

I made a good choice - they were yummy!

I served water, lemonade and coffee to our guests to go with the sweet treats.

I used my daughter's beautiful senior portraits to decorate with.

And I made several banners using this fabulous website.

We are hoping all her wishes come true! :-)