Birds' Eye Views

One of my every-afternoon chores is to gather eggs from the henhouses.
And every afternoon when I open this henhouse door...


it becomes a scene from the movie The Birds!
A flock of starlings escapes the cold each day...
eating the chicken feed in this house and then leaving behind a large helping
of bird poop (which I then clean up, along with refilling chicken feeders.)
[Note to self: video this bird craziness!]

The funny thing is...
the chickens actually spend their afternoons in the large goat run-in.


And who could blame them!


At least here, with the atmosphere of a small cafe, they have a little peace and quiet so that they can gossip and chit chat.
Meanwhile, the henhouse seems more like a busy bus terminal in the afternoons...
certainly not conducive to a hen party!


Our cold, windy weather continues... with no end in sight.


We've been going through hay like crazy this winter.
Luckily, I have two more loads being held by a couple of local hay farmers...
so we will have enough to get through the season.


I saved a couple of moments for you as I went about morning and afternoon chores...
just to give you a little taste of my day....




And then, back in the house...
I finished these two aprons.
One homespun chore apron...


and one special order for a special blogger...


If you have never checked out Jeri Landers' Hopalong Hollow,
do yourself a favor and go look at her blog.
She is a incredibly talented Tennessee artist, author, gardener.
I have purchased all of her books... and believe me, each one is a treasure!
This apron is sewn from her own fabric designed from her paintings.

I had a request for a map of the farm so that you could understand the layout.
Here you go... it's a satellite photo from a few years ago
(we aren't important enough to be kept current!)


1. house and guest house
2. old log cabin at the side of the road
3.  duck pond
4.  front pasture
5. apple orchard
6. pig yard
7. barn, greenhouse, outhouse, and 2 dry lots in front...home of horses and donkeys
8. picnic pavilion and pizza oven
9. large garden
10. indoor arena
11.  3 horse pastures
12.  pasture for fainting goats with houses and run-in shed
13. dwarf goat yard and 3 chicken houses, pumpkin patch
14. blueberry field and fruit orchard (Dr. Becky's is to the left of 14)
15.  outdoor riding arena surrounded by our hay fields
16.  100 Acre Wood

Comments

daisy g said…
So great to see the layout of your farm. I imagine everything was deliberately set where it is. How fabulous to have an indoor riding arena. Do you ever ride Moonbeam? Enjoy your day!
jaz@octoberfarm said…
major farm envy here! what a place...you live in heaven! jeri is going to love that apron. her art is wonderful!
colleen said…
Some lucky starling you have there! I imagined everything on the other side of the house and out back. What fun it was to really see where everything is.
This N That said…
Moonie looks like a vacuum cleaner..Interesting to see the overhead of the farm...Starlings !! Yuk..I guess there is no way to get rid of them?? More mouths to feed..Happy weekend..xxoo
Country Gal said…
WOW ! Lovely huge property . loved your photos ,Thanks for sharing have a good weekend !
jerilanders said…
Oh good, there is my pretty apron! My hens are hiding their eggs all over the barn, not using the nesting boxes. But no starlings here. Your girls are enjoying their gossip in a very cozy place, a hay bin is so cushy. Yes, we are also going through hay like crazy, I wish they wouldn't waste so much of it, I keep telling them, " This stuff is $4 a bale! Take it easy, dang it!" You've got a heck of a walk from the house to the barn, that is why you are so slim and trim. Enjoyed the vids!
farm buddy said…
I was wondering if you have been affected by the gas drilling in your immediate area. Thanks.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Luckily, no, we have not. I believe we might be just a little too far south of the main Marcellus shale area. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we see none in our area.
Anonymous said…
I am not able to hear sound from your You-tubes sorry.

I am not connected to Google Plus or your other site for songs.

Your pictures are beautiful and your sewing.
Lynne said…
The map looks like the house is quite far from the animals/pastures?
I have enjoyed leaning more about BHA . . .
Ellen in Oregon said…
I never realized how far away from your home most of the animals are. No wonder you have the gators with all that distance to cover. Do you know how far it is from the house to the barn? I'm just trying to get an idea of the scale of the property. You can really hear the wind rushing through the trees on your videos. Starlings make such a mess,They can fit through the smallest cracks in a structure & are hard to keep out of any place they know food exists. I think those hens meeting at the goats run-in have the right idea of where the best meeting places are. The apron you made for your special client makes me think of springtime & Easter. Is that a little white cat on the pocket? The design is wonderful with all the pretty lace trim, I need to make myself one of those chore aprons & a gardening apron made of twill with lots of pockets to hold my clippers & small tools so as I go from containers to hanging baskets I will have what I need right on me & not waste time looking for where I set them down last. A gardening apron would be very useful don't you think. Pretty soon it will be time to start germinating your seeds for this year's flower & veggie gardens. Thanks for another jam packed post. Have a great weekend & stay warm.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Hi Ellen....it is about a quarter mile from the house to the barn. And yes, the gator is essential...especially for hauling water and manure. You are so right...a gardening apron would be a great thing!! I might have to experiment with that!