A classmate shared this with me. When I showed it to my family, they howled. I have to confess: Yeah. That’s me. One time when I was ID’ing plants during a walk Kate said, exasperatedly, “Ok, Mom, we all know you’re really smart.” Ouch. I try hard not to do it anymore, at least not out loud, but of course it happens in my head.
Can you see my not-so-little friend below?
An adult Cooper’s Hawk, checking out the chickens. Or, more likely, checking out the little sparrows that search for the chicken’s leftovers. Cooper’s Hawks are magnificent raptors and keep the ‘LBB’s’ (Little Brown Birds) in check. I have nothing against the LBB’s. I love them. But it’s that old predator/prey balance that is so important.
Doesn’t my garden look wintery with it’s white covers? Almost like snow. It has been chilly but not that chilly thank goodness. We’ve had a brief spate of something called ‘Tule Fog’ which is fog that comes, not from the Pacific, but from the Sacramento River Delta, though not usually this far west. It happens in the rainy season, when the ground is wet and the air cools rapidly at night - a radiation fog. It’s due to a temperature inversion which is something I hope to learn more about when I take my weather classes for my Environmental Studies degree.
On these chilly days, the chickens move with the light. Can you see them huddled in the corner of their coop, in that little patch of sun? It seems to me that we all crave the sun, on cold days even more. We get about an egg a week, how I wish I had ordered new chickens in the fall like I meant to. It’ll have to wait until spring, now, and I plan to get four more point-of-lay chickens, or slightly younger.
This is my final week for this term and also in the Horticulture department. It’s bittersweet. I’ve really loved learning from my professors and getting to know my fellow students. But I’m looking forward to powering through the other classes I need, so I can transfer to the local CSU in 2020. It’s been a little confusing, given my school history. Let me just say it’s been very handy to have a college administrator in the house. It makes me appreciate how hard it must be for folks who don’t have that resource. It’s not as straightforward as you’d think it might be. Thank heavens for good school counselors and advisors.
apparently Kate’s not too old to make snowflakes!
Concert season is in full swing and we’ve been to see several of Adam’s performances at the Conservatory and several at his school, as well as a church concert my Dad participated in. We have one more lined up, I think. Nothing says ‘holiday’ to me like music, so it’s been super fun (though busy!).
I’m curious to know what sorts of garden supplies/tools are on your holiday wish list. I have seeds on mine (natch) but also a hula hoe. Have you ever used one? I fell in love with it when I had to weed the greenhouses during my internship at school. It really works and doesn’t disturb the soil. Let me know what you are asking Santa for!