ring around the loafing shed

The horses get pretty excited about rain storms

They usually go running around

Here they made a good game of charging around the loafing shed

Sprout was really full of herself

birthday time

The ranch boss insists on making her own birthday cake

Gardening

Well I guess taking the plants out to the garden late is better than never. Tomatoes, peppers, sunflowers, herbs, a pumpkin and watermelon plant have been waiting on the windowsill and finally went into the raised beds outside.

I don't know if we will get another hail storm. One tomato plant that was outside survived the hail, battered but growing new leaves. It is always a toss up whether tomatoes will survive the season anyhow. Eventually we will make a greenhouse or something to protect them.

I don't know if we will plant much else beyond the raised planter boxes, seems late to even start.

lightning strike

We were checking fence and found a section of 14 gauge hot wire missing. The ends of the wire looked like welding rods. 

Lightning struck the fence at that spot, burned up a few feet of the wire and melted some insulators. 

Here is a really great pdf article about lightning risk management in the backcountry:

Lightning Risk Management

*

And then there were three

Here are the little bantam golden laced cochins

We went to town and that darned Feeder's Supply gets in so many interesting breeds of chicks that I had to get a Silver Spangled Hamburg. Hopefully she will lay white eggs for us along with the Campine and Lakenvelder.

She gets along just fine with the bantams

Summer Solstice

It is sunny and clear today so far but a bit breezy

Here are some recent pictures of the rest of the herd

Jippo is greying out

Too Tall

Farfalla is not as fat as she looks

Local Art

My sister Heather's art is up at the Fine Art and Frame Company Gallery in old town Fort Collins

http://www.thefineartandframecompany.com/

Heather is just leaving Paris for the States and we look forward to visiting with her soon