Chickens, Gardens and Old Animals

  I gave up thinking about cattle panels and went to Tractor Supply for 2 rolls of 50ft welded vinyl fencing. I put it up on Friday 1/7 by myself, and then turned the chickens into the garden. They loved the oat grass! I threw some scratch in the rest of the lot and they were tilling away at it.
  They were really easy to get back to the yard - I just called "Here chicken!!" and they came running like plantation ladies holding up their petticoats. They spent all day Saturday and today playing in the dirt for me.

  Ideally, I will still get some cattle panels on payday so that I can confine them to the actual gardening part of the plot, rather than under the cedar trees and in the briars.  They are very good about going back to their house to lay their eggs though (10 yesterday, 11 today!).

   I am trying to plan out my garden, but I still plan to let Mr. Old Neighbor use some of it if he wants, so I need to find out where he wants to plant.  I think I will plant a row of bought tomato plants and , away from them , a row of tomatoes that  I grow (hahaha) from seed. If they both make I'll have enough to learn canning and if only one does then I'll at least not be a total loss. If neither make I will cry.   :)
    I also plan to experiment with the soil for the tomatoes. I have heard a) put a Tbs epsom salt and Tbs lime in each hole as you transplant  and also b) put a handful of crushed oyster shell and stir into the soil with each transplant.


  Buford, my old Lab, is 14 1/2 years old.  He is doing ok for the most part, but his old hips and knees are getting so weak that he just collapses sometimes.  If I keep him on a regular schedule of his pain meds he does ok as far as not having a lot of pain, and he eats great.  I hate seeing him just waste away. He is pretty much deaf now, and it is hard for me to remember to be patient with him. I do love that old dog.

  Skye is 28yrs old and will be 29 on April 14 this year. She has done ok through the winter so far, but I am very concerned about her heaves this summer. Last year she had a lot of trouble even on 2 different meds (pills and liquid).  :(

  In other exciting news, my knee is been especially painful today. Last night it kept waking me up aching. Today it is taking my breath away with every step. I go see the ortho doc on Friday and it can't get here soon enough.