Lookie what I found, part two

I've been hearing a strange barking sound in the woods behind the barn for about a week in the early morning and in the evening around dusk. I did a little research on YouTube and found the source of the sound.

(the first 30-40 seconds is the red fox's cry or bark)

I've surprised the fox behind the barn a couple of times and figured she is trying to figure out a way to get to my hens. Well, this evening I found out the primary reason she's hanging out there.

When I first surprised them, there were two kits. When I came back with the camera, only one of them ventured out. All that gravel you see is what the groundhogs have dug out from under the concrete floor of the barn. Obviously we should have been paying more attention to how bad it was on this northeast corner. The kit is actually inside the fence that surrounds the perimeter of the backyard and encloses three sides of the barn. The opening also goes out into the woods and that's how they made their way inside. I temporarily blocked the opening inside the fence while leaving the back open so they won't get trapped inside without their mother. Obviously the electric fence wire is not working. The kit was actually chewing on it while I watched.

Three of the hens were just a few feet away while I took pictures. Can you say sitting ducks?  I really can't believe that I haven't lost any of them. I'm sure the mama must be hungry and also trying to feed her babies. It would be hard to begrudge her a chicken dinner. I just hope there are plenty of non-egg-laying critters out there in the woods to keep them happy and well-fed.

A walk with my father-in-law

Visiting my in-laws in southern Ohio (also where I grew up) is always relaxing and their home in the country sits on top of of one of the longest unbroken ridges in the United States. It has the unappealing name of Greasy Ridge, but it is really lovely in Spring. They own twenty-two acres, fourteen of which was my father-in-law Carl's homestead. A few years ago they acquired the eight acres bordering their property when their friends who owned it had both passed away. The rickety old house where his mother lived until a few years before she died was torn down and replaced with a rustic farm house when they retired and moved back home about 15 years ago.

Dad keeps his own hiking trails mowed, so it's like having your very own state park...without all the crowds. I love walking there. Enjoy it with me.


My mother-in-law, Phyllis, has a very green thumb. Her bleeding heart is huge and gorgeous.

The redbud trees were in full bloom and were so beautiful lining the roadsides. The hills are so pretty this time of year when redbuds are alongside the dogwood trees.

There isn't much left of this one, but it's putting on a wonderful show.

The bridal wreath frames an outhouse on their neighbor's property.

The petals are so delicate and they shine in the sun.

This one is on the property that they added to their place. Someday we may build a home there. It has lots of fruit trees, crape myrtles, a gorgeous mimosa tree...it's a lovely setting.

One of the many apple trees there.

The plum trees are blooming as well.

One of my favorite spring bulbs is the paper-white narcissus. I have them in my garden, too.

Fungi on a downed log in the woods.

A log bridge that Dad built with my nephew Alexander.

A yellow violet (oxymoron?) near the end of our trail.

Back in the yard again and the lilacs in full bloom against the brilliant blue sky.

I hope you enjoyed our walk.

A "Grand" Parade

Our Easter parade took place in the front yard, starring our "grands".

Gaige forgot to wear his cool new shades that he found in his Easter basket at home and had sun grins. It didn't hamper him from finding lots of eggs in his fancy Kroger "basket" though.

Lauren is sporting her new glasses that change in the sun. She just started wearing them recently to correct a lazy eye. She only wanted the real Easter eggs and not the fake plastic ones...even though the fake ones had real candy and money hidden inside.

Nathan couldn't wait to run to the next hiding spot and he brought along his own Easter bunny to help find the eggs.

Kaitlyn didn't care which kind of eggs she found as long as she got her equal share.

Matthew was soooo excited! His mommy would throw a plastic egg near him where he could easily find it, and he would squeal with delight every time! It was the cutest thing

The lame cake that I threw together at the last minute. I only had about two hours after arriving home from Cincinnati to get the house cleaned and the food started before the family showed up!

The bouquet of daffodils that David picked for me from the woods between the front yard and the road. Don't pay any attention to the browned edges of some of them. That happened because I had to dowse the flowers in cold water to get all the little black bugs off them! There were hundreds of them!