Teenagers and Blueberries and Ducks

Just when I think I have my yard figured out . . . not so.
At this point I think half will be in poultry, ducks, and
quail. The other half will be garden and orchard.  So far,
we have 4 apple trees, 3 kinds of grapes and fig trees
and blueberry bushes (3 types).  Blueberries are
exceptionally good  nutritionally speaking. And so are
quail eggs.  And duck eggs! Won't be much yard left
to mow!  There is small bank below the house that leads
to a road--that's where the sunflowers will go!

There are these runner ducks that are blue, or black,
(and other colors).  Not only are they pretty, but
they enjoy being OUT of the water--truly ducks out of
water--and as a bonus, one can turn them loose in
a garden and they will weed it as well.  They will eat
all but what you have planted.  Amazing.

I am really new to all this.  It has been a very long time
since I planted a garden.  And most planting is done
in the jiffy pots that can be planted directly into the ground.
(I didn't know this at and destroyed one squash plant
when getting it out of the tiny flimsy container.) But its
pouring the rain--I hope this batch of seedlings doesn't
get destroyed by too much rain.  Weather-wise, this has been
one strange year. 

About the teenagers:  I am referring to the no longer little
chicks--oh yeah, they are definitely teenagers now.  They
have graduated to outside--but only in the daytime. At
they come inside--yes still.

The electric fence arrived 2 days ago; it's not hooked up
yet, but my partner set it up in the yard so they could have
more freedom.  They ran everywhere; exercised their
wings, flew around a bit--only 2 feet off the ground.

The next thing they did was walk through the fence--they
are still small enough to do that.  Thus began the battle of
my partner trying to keep them inside the fence and their
teenage determination to do whatever they wanted to do.
And they wanted to peck the carefully nurtured tomato
plants--and that went back and forth between him and the
chickens-- hysterically funny.  He finally gave up (around
noon) and put them in the smaller fence, with the umbrella
over the top .  Trust me, these are spoiled chickens.  Any
critter/plant we have is spoiled.  Example:  the trees I
obtained via the Arbor Day Foundation are STILL in the
house.  He finally said the one that is 2 feet tall now can
go outside on the porch.  The tree is a Goldenraintree.
I have a Washington Haw tree nearly as high, so I'm
going to push for it more freedom later this morning.

Out of what appeared to be twigs, all have made it but
1--a redbud tree.  I haven't given up on it completely,
but I am getting at least 2 more redbud trees. I have,
from twiglets, 2 crabapple trees, only the one redbud,
2 Washington Hawthorn, 2 white Dogwood tree, 2
Goldenraintrees, and 2 Crepe Myrtle.  All for sum
of 10 bucks--but after lots of babying, I can see them
as trees in the yard.

I didn't want quail-until I ran across this site--
(Furbelow Farms) and read just how nutritious their
eggs were--and I was sold! 

I just went outside and rescued the 4 trays of
seeds just planted a few days ago,and were they
ever flooded.  Hope it clears up today and sun
comes out today.  Morning birds are singing,
Rain or no, it is a wonderful day!!

kate thorn