Red Dirt Farm and Studio

Few sounds evoke that old country farm-house nostalgia as hearing rain on an old tin roof.

Red Dirt Farm Ramblings.

It is raining today and is forecasted for the next few days.  We need the rain, and I need a break from watering all my container gardens.

 Last night marked the third night in a row I haven’t slept.  I think I have had maybe 6 hours of sleep total in the past three nights.  I’m exhausted and this weather would be perfect for staying in bed, listening to rain on our tin roof and drifting off to slumberland.

But that ain’t gonna happen.

The galvanized water troughs that I planted up a few weeks ago are coming along nicely.

Crying Wolf.

I spent most of my days last week fighting off a predator of some sort.  I’m not sure exactly what.  I’ve seen it, I just don’t know what it is.  My first thought was that it was a fox, but no that didn’t seem right, nor did I think it was a coyote.  The second time I saw it, it was standing on the top of the 5 foot wood fence out on the north 40.  I walked toward it yelling and waving my arms and clapping my hands. ( yeah I know, I’m really scary)  The chickens and the peacocks were all sounding the alarms quite the ruckus was being made, the creature didn’t seem fazed.  It finally jumped down off the fence and disappeared into the thick underbrush in the woods.  The next day the birds sounded the alarm again and I saw the back-end of it taking off from behind the coop going slowing through the woods.  It had a long dark tail – not a bushy fox tail.  I tried to describe it to Mr. Cottage and he suggested it might be a Coywolf.  What the heck is that?  So, I’ve done some reading.  Some articles say there is such a thing and other articles say no.  Who you gonna believe?  It is supposed to be a coyote and wolf mix.  A few pictures I saw looked like it in the face, but not the tail.  I dunno what the things is, I just know it was here again this morning stalking the chickens.  I’ve had enough of this now – go away whatever you are.

Bear Poop.

Yes, Miss Linda – the bear poop has germinated.  Seems so far I have lots of sunflowers coming up, but then upon closer inspection, there is something else…

Any day now, Doris Day.

Doris Day went broody and her eggs are due to hatch, well any day now.

Yep, that is Doris on the bottom, she went broody in the most favorite spot behind the door in the hen-house.  Needless to say, the girls stood on top of her and in line waiting to lay their eggs for several days.  Then she got too mean and they found another spot to lay, but not until she had gathered an assortment of eggs from various girls.

Neglected Bathtub.

I’ve let this garden area in front of my studio get kind of shabby and messy.

I have this wonderful old bathtub that I turned into a fountain that once looked lovely and added a nice splashing sound to the area.  The pump stopped working and the water had turned all kinds of yucky.

I scrubbed it out, although the stains are permanent for the most part.  I added fresh water, a new fountain pump and now it is back to splashing and making me happy.  There is still more work to do though.

I threaded the plastic tubing from the fountain pump, up through the base of an old hand pump and out the spout.  I need to do some adjusting and tweaking with the tubing.

I like the splashing and it attracts birds and other critters too.

If only I could get some sleep…

Thank you for being here today.

xo Kim

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Red Dirt Farm