I know, I know. Thistles are noxious weeds. Still, the flowers are so beautiful. This isn't a bull thistle or that troublesome and prolific outlaw Canada thistle. The leaves are prickly, and no doubt it shouldn't be growing in my pasture. Eradication plans remain on hold until positive identification is accomplished. Which I hope will be soon.
Photo by LauraP

Just me and my shadow

That's me in the middle, with the skeleton of the deer stand around me. Thunderstorms are forecast for the next few days, so today's probably the last chance this week to play with shadows.
Photo by LauraP

Deer stand extraordinaire--built by one of the farm's previous owners. We had to do some heavy trimming in the overgrown cedars underneath to open access to the ladder. Well worth it, I think, since it's a great place to hang out, take deep breaths, and think about nothing.
Photo by LauraP

The view to the west from the deer stand. Isn't my neighbor's pasture lovely?

Photo by LauraP

Not a lanigera

I haven't named this new bunny yet. I need to get to know her a little better first. Little No Name here is an American Chinchilla rabbit -- not to be confused with the rodent known as the Chinchilla lanigera, which you frequently find in pet stores. The lanigera type is of South American origin, and is highly prized for its fur . No doubt, the chinchilla rabbits got their name because of their similar soft, thick gray fur.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is adding rabbits to its conservation mission, and their 2006 proposed placements list includes 10 breeds. The American Chinchilla rabbit breed falls into the 'critical' category. This means there are fewer than 200 annual registrations of the breed in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 2000.

Two days ago, I was fortunate to acquire a young breeding trio from the only known American Chinchilla breeder in Missouri. They're gorgeous rabbits with incredibly luxurious fur, beautiful eyes, and a sweet, gentle nature. They're much easier to handle than my slightly neurotic New Zealand Whites.
Photo by LauraP

Not happy to be here.
Photo by LauraP

Eeek! These two junior American Chinchilla rabbits came from the same rabbitry, but apparently they weren't buddies. They spent the rest of the evening, hugging their respective corners
Photo by LauraP

My favorite seat at the kitchen table overlooks the hummingbird feeder. The hummingbird skirmishes heat up in the late morning after the morning glories along the fence close their blossoms against the rising heat. They're most active between the time of our evening meal until dusk. The neighbors, with their well-established feeders, may have a good dozen hummers buzzing around at any given time. We just get the overflow, maybe three or four at a time. Their bickering and territorial games are so entertaining, I haven't turned on the TV for a week.
Photo by LauraP

Warning: property protected by attack banties.
Photo by LauraP

This big old post oak straddles a fenceline between two small pastures. Right now, the wire gate is open, allowing free egress. I love the oak's shape, the untidy cluster of thick branches, some worn-out, damaged and nearly dead, others strong and healthy. We writers could shape interesting analogies around an oak like this.
Photo by LauraP

Morning glory blossoms line the fence outside my front door, pinks, blues, and this dramatic variety. The garden hasn't been tended for nearly a year, so these plants are volunteers from sturdy self-seeders. The orginal gardener chose well. Gorgeous flowers, sturdy self-seeders, drought tolerant, and much loved by the hummingbirds..
Photo by LauraP

This interesting fungus is growing on a stump near the barn. Again, I'd look it up and identify it if I could find the box with the nature books . . . anyone know what it is?
Photo by LauraP

The mint blossoms in the terrace garden buzz with bees all day long. They're too pollen-drunk to bother with us humans as we brush past them. Next summer I'll see how many different types of bees, wasps, hornets and so forth I can identify in the mint patch. Surely by then I'll have the insect i.d. books unpacked.
Photo by LauraP

Tansy blossoms on the terrace garden at the farm. The tiny brown seeds in the lower right corner are from the Queen Anne's Lace that bloomed last month. These seeds are encased in small burrs that create tangles in dog fur and itchy spots on my socks. The white flowers just behind the yellow buttons of the tansy are blooming sprigs of mint.
Photo by LauraP

Armadillos, snappers, oh my

Two days ago we spotted a young 9-banded armadillo in the front yard at the farm. I'd have taken a picture, but who knew they could run that fast? I have no experience with armadillos, aside from counting roadkill in the southwest. Will they be garden pests? Must I learn a whole new pest deterrent system? Or do they just pass through and leave things alone?

This morning, back at the old house, my daughter and I thought we saw a mouse crossing the road. Nope. Baby snapping turtle. My 18-year-old, going-to-college-next-week daughter put it in a cup with some grass and is researching snapping turtle care. I'm thinking of sneaking in while she's asleep and swiping it so I can turn it loose down by the creek. That's what I used to do with her toads & frogs when she was little.

A fun room for a 14-year-old, but those sparkly hot pink stripes might be a little distracting while I'm trying to write the Great American Novel.
Photo by LauraP

Five coats of paint later, my new office is more 'me'.
Photo by LauraP

Nope, that's not just a reflection. The water really is green. It's also inhabited by hundreds of tadpoles at all stages of development, plus a yellow-bellied water snake. We've been calling it Nessie. Any tips for relocating a snake?
Photo by LauraP

My second favorite daylily - an elderly man on the next street over ran a small garden center and traded me the starts for these in exchange for a division from my patch of old-fashioned double daylilies. Some past gardener planted these yellow-throated reds at our new farm, too. Kismet?
Photo by LauraP

Old-fashioned double daylilies grow rampant in my perennial bed. Twenty years ago, when I was laying out the gardens in the first house my husband and I bought, a cousin shared starter plants with me. She'd obtained hers years before from Aunt Adele, who got hers from Great-grandma Cruikshank's garden. I thought it a good sign when I arrived at the farm we'd just bought and found several of these in bloom there. The flowers at the farm are, I think, a slightly lighter shade of orange.
Photo by LauraP