Red Dirt Farm and Studio

Life has been happening all so fast and full lately.   Some good, some not so good.  That’s life, isn’t it?

How about with you?  Are you out in the garden?  Making art? Taking care of your animals?

Father Cottage had surgery again this week, he is back home now, resting.  He doesn’t like having down time – then again I guess none of us do, when it is mandatory.

I had a tossed salad for lunch the other day.  When I tried to cut a rather large cherry tomato in half, it popped right off the plate and rolled across the floor.  Lickety-split, Miss Peanut claimed it as hers.  She licked it clean of all the salad dressing then carried it over to the rug and laid down and took a nap with it right beside her.  I went out to the garden and worked for an hour or so when I came back inside the tomato was nowhere in sight.  I assume she ate it – otherwise, I think I would smell it rotting by now.

My furry, feathered and finned babies bring me such joy and then on occasions sadness too.  In the past few weeks, I’ve nursed a sick chicken, then one that got attacked by a hawk.  I didn’t think either one would make it, I’m happy to say they are both on the road to recovery.  Last night I was up a good part of the night with our other dog, Boo – as they say, sick as a dog.  He seems a bit better this morning.

We buried our handsome Henry last weekend.  He was 21 years old.  I can mark so many life events that have happened while he was with us.  I miss him.

Handsome Henry, my sweet boy – rest in peace.

Our gardens are starting to bloom.  We’ve needed rain, which we are finally getting.

The hummingbirds are back and so it seems the gardens are buzzing with brilliant flashes of green, once again.

 I put my first planting of seeds in last weekend.  I planted several different kinds of sunflowers, zinnias, and nasturtiums.  I hope to do succession planting for several weeks this year.  The rains may keep me from doing that for a bit.

Metal sunflowers on my studio.  I made these at least 15 years ago, they still make me smile.

Clematis and Coral Honeysuckle.

Frost browned up the leaves on this clematis.

Lilacs scent every corner of the property.  Heavenly.

Vinca – periwinkle.

Sweet Violets.

Not so sweet Stanley keeps and eye on me while I cut flowers.

Ethel helps in the garden too.

Fuchsia, looking a little more pink than purple now.  The new chicken run is complete (shown above) and all twenty of the baby chicks are moved in.

Coconut says – hey Mom you hung this plant here for me to eat, right?

The gardens and animals and house projects are keeping me busy, so I’m not likely to post as much here on the blog these days.  I’m sharing short stories and photos here, a little more regularly if you care to follow along.

Thanks for being here today.

 xo Kim

I shared this post on our Simple Homestead.