Here We Are

Its been awhile since we had our picture taken as a family. This week was when our yearbook pictures were to be turned in (thankfully I have nothing to do with that this year), so we took the camera and tripod out to a farmer's (who we didn't know) field to get a picture. We were scared that he would come running out with a shotgun but we were fortunate. This year instead of individual pictures of the four of us we did individual pictures of our eyes, it turned out really cool.
I think that they look great. I cant wait to see what format is used and how they look in a book.

More Chickens

The chickens came back, but it was a challenge to get them back in the coop. Some boards, a separate cage, a wooden shoot, and they were in. We had to board up the bottom to keep themin. The funny thing is that there are now twelve instead of eleven, and that is counting the rooster, even though he is really only half a chicken. I named him Shorty. Anyway, three of them got out again. Well, really only two, the twelfth was never put in because we didn't know she existed. Two of the three went in last night so now there it only one out, but there are still some doubt that she is even real.Shorty is about half the size of a hen, and his crow is so stupid sounding. Its sad.


The new coop is still underway, its going slowly though.

Hello,... No, Wait, Come Back!

We got our chickens this morning. Dad went and got them, however, he got eleven not five. None of them are white ether, they all look really different from each other, good for naming. The coop is not done yet so we had to put them in the old one. It is old for a reason. We now have eleven chickens running around the yard, and the neighbor yard, and across the road, and up on the hill. They are NEVER going to come home. They don't even know that this is home yet and that is part of the problem, they don't know where to go. It is dark out now and there is nothing we can do, there was really nothing we could do when there was light. They roost in trees, thirty feet up in trees. Like I said, they are never going to come back. We'll figure it out in the morning.

Great Leopard Moth

We are finding all kinds of odd creatures lately. What it says in my guide book: It is well named for its wing spots. The hairs on the caterpillar are very stiff, and crimson rings between segments show distinctly when the larva rolls into a ball. Feeds on plantain. Cocoon is spun in spring. Larva overwinters.

Ants in the Kitchen

This is a song composed by mom about the ants that keep showing up in the kitchen. It is sung to the tune of " The other day I met a bear":

The other day, I saw some ants, I saw some ants inside my pants. The other day I saw some ants, I saw some ants inside my pants.

I said to them why don't you come, why don't you come and eat some poison. I said to them why don't you come, why don't you come and eat some poison.

But then they ran away from me and right behind them was my poison, and so they ran away from me and right behind them was my poison.

And then they ate the poison up, then they died and I didn't cry, And then they ate the poison up and then they died and I didn't cry.

The moral of this story is if you are ants stay out of my pants. The moral of this story is keep the ants out of your pants.

The Things You Find...

...in Buffalo. In a parking lot no less.

Of course we had to bring it home. And take pictures of it. And play with its antenna things, its kinda like whack-a-mole.

As far as snails go, this one is the prettiest I've ever seen.

Haircut

I got my hair chopped off.

( Before)

( After )

I have been wanting to do this for a while now, and I finally worked up the courage to get it cut. I went shorter than I have gone in years and years. Summer is almost here and I wanted to be ready.

Here We Go Again

We are building a new chicken coop for the new chickens we are getting. My original birds are now down to three, since Elvis died about a week ago. Dad knows a guy at work who is getting rid of some of his flock. We are taking five. They are year old white leg horns, good layers but rather noisy. We'll see how it goes.Its behind the Barn.

So far so good....I guess.

I Think I Got It

I have taken the first step in the direction of blurry backgrounds/good pictures, I'm so proud of myself. My mom reads this blog called "My Charming Kids" and this woman is a amazing photographer. Awhile ago she did a post about how to get blurry backgrounds. Mom told me to read it and I finally got to it today. Its amazing what a few changed settings can do for you. It gave me a whole new look of photography (that I love). So this afternoon I applied it and had a bunny/feet photo shot. However, I think am the only one that knew there was a photo shot going on. I love being sneaky.

Spencer's feet, and one of my favorites.Samantha's footNaomi eating a dandelion.( she is also the bunny above)Mordecai; there is a whole photo set of him sitting in this brick. Esther exploring the camera and the yard for the first time. I am so happy at the way these turn out, I think I should go pro( or maybe not). By the end of the afternoon I believe I took Something like 50 pictures, I just can't help it.

The Count Is Down

Last year in June I had way more posts than this. I need to kick it up a notch. There just isn't anything to post about, other than I'm done with school forever, that is if I don't go to collage. I haven't decided if collage is something I want to do. I'm having difficulty seeing what the advantage of going to school is. Anyway, I'm still thinking about it.

All I Have

I thought that it would be fun to post a video every once in a while. So Because nothing is happening around here that is post worthy I thought I would put this on. Spencer filmed it several minuets ago. I know its silly but hey, why not.

The Lamprey Wranglers

Warning: this post is violent and is posted by a guest poster. Read at your own risk.

Friday Spencer was at an airsoft war. As they followed the creek looking for a place to cross, his friend Tim saw a large eel in a small hole at bottom of the creek bed. But after throwing a big rock in the hole, it was not one large eel but three small ones. Throwing more rocks and calling for help from Pete and Ben they managed to trap one of the eels under two big rocks. Thinking it was dead Ben went into the creek to retrieve its body to identify it. However it was not dead it attacked Ben and tried to eat him. After a brutal struggle trying to apprehend the creature Pete suddenly shouts in a terrifying manner "Ben drop it!! Its a lamprey eel!!" Ben almost dropped it but whips it to creek bank. Where it is quickly bombarded with a hail of airsoft BBs and rocks, all the while Pete is screaming like a little girl, "Kill it!!!! Kill it, crush it....I hate lampreys."

After it was dead they quickly proceeded to pursue the other two that had escaped down the creek. Spreading out in a fan formation the four friend started to scan the creek for a place a eel can conceal itself. Finally finding one in a deeper part under some hanging branches. Tim, Pete (who had changed his fear for the creatures into anger) , and Ben started to chuck rocks at it like depth charges. Spencer had his fully automatic gun, so when the rocks shot the eel out of the water he could spray a constant stream of plastic bullets into its flank. After chasing it in that manner for two hundred feet down the creek there happen to be a very shallow part and again Ben rushes out, and tries to drops a huge rock on the eel, but it quickly moves out of his way. But Ben with his lightening reflexes stomps on it. They never found the third lamprey eel.

(Lampreys are pests and programmes are in place to keep the population at bay. They are destroying fish populations and people are trying very hard to keep them out of lake, forcing them to dwell in streams.)

Precious Little Bunnies

Meet the new addition to our farm pets. Mordecai, is the spotted fuzzy guy, and the only boy. I claimed him. We originally went for two little girl bunnies but look at that face. We just couldn't resist.Esther is the solid white one in the middle and she is the fuzziest of the three. She likes me. Its cute how she snuggles up under your chin. Naomi is the one on the right trying to escape, she also nibbles. Because she has dark fur around her eyes, she looks sad all the time. They are a cross between a mini rex and a lion face, so they are fuzzy and they'll stay rather small. I am determined to make them the friendliest bunnies ever.