Canning Bonanza

It's canning season, and thankfully we are having a cool July because the kitchen has been steamy.  I have been putting up strawberry jam seasoned with pink peppercorns and balsamic vinegar, pickles both dilled and refridgerated, grilled tomatillo salsa, and apple pie filling.  My nieghbors' apple tree is sagging with fruit right now, and we are all trying to make the most of the bounty.  Here are some pics of the pickles and some apple snapshots.

New Chicks Getting Feathers

These two have enjoying their roam time in the yard now that they have gotten beyond the fluffball phase.  As you can see, their feathers are coming in and showing some of their adult color.  Gracie has beautiful gray with red-lined feathers and a rose comb coming through.  Sebastian is looking more female these days, but the final call can't be made for another month or so.  S/he has lovely brown spotted feathers and a single comb but her feet are the best dainty pale little twigs.  They are very curious critters and the scourge of Goldie, who tries to sneak in signs of her superiority whenever she can.  When they are not roaming they spend their days in a dog crate outside and their nights in a laundry basket filled with shredded bills, which they seem to prefer over straw - last night they flew into the basket and hunkered down for the night without any hesitation.

New Chicken Coop

As you can see, the chickens want a new home.  Without a huge brain, their imaginations are limited, and so they want only what they can see, which happens to be my living room.  Unfortunately for them, they cannot have my living room, nor can they continue leaving their droppings all over my patio.  It seems lately I can't step outside without landing on a slippery spot.  With two new additions joining the flock soon, I have to move them to the corner of the yard, to a bigger home with more space to forage (and digest, and void) away from the house.  Let me introduce the two newest members of the flock:  Here is Gracie and Sebastian, named in the male form to superstitiously keep it female.

So here is the beginning of the new coop - four huge posts cemented into the ground.  Much thanks to my husband for patiently holding the levels!

This used to be a veggie patch and produced a few tasty asparagus when we first moved in, but it is all clay underneath and very far away from the water, so garden no more.  Hopefully, it will produce food of the ovum kind from now on.

A week later...

Here is the coop, through the two phases of external construction.  First the framing was added, then the door, chicken wire, and roofing.  The door and roofing were re-purposed from earlier construction, as was the door frame.  The posts, chicken wire, and main frame for the roof were new.  Many thanks to my oh so kind neighbors for letting me borrow their miter saw and levels.

Still to come, an internal home for roosting and nesting.  I plan to use wood left over from the first coop to construct a simple raised box with a roosting post, a hinged door for collecting eggs, and a ramp.

Been Knittin'

I have been busy knitting lately, knitting in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and all over southern Cali.  Finished projects will be posted on Ravelry - see Link to This

Here are two views of the amazing Imagiknit in the Castro in San Francisco.  Loved it!!!

Of course none of this traveling and knitting would be possible if I hadn't set up that wonderful drip irrigation system - it is working beautifully and we have been harvesting tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos, peppers, and beans.  There are two great pumpkins growing, and the squash is finishing up.  We are still waiting for the corn to ripen, but in the recent heat, it shouldn't be long!