Patience...Is it a virtue or......

Is it reward!! In my case this week it has been both!

If you read my blogs you will remember in the last one "It's Always Something" I had been battling with another pest after my chickens. Well....he came back and even though I was not prepared for the outcome, it came together perfectly. My husband and I were outside looking over the yard and I noticed "my nemesis" attacking one of my youngest roosters. He then went over to the door of the large chicken pen and went inside like he lived there! Well, I took off as fast as I could (my husband said he hadn't seen me move that fast in years)lol I wanted to close him in so I could catch him. It took a bit because he's fast and it's a big pen, but I caught him! I was so happy, but then reality started to set in....what in the world am I going to do with him??? For now, he stays the night in a small dog kennel. During the day, when I let my chickens free range I put him in one of the small pens (which is still pretty big). I've thought about taking him back to where he belongs, but they don't want him and he no longer has a flock to tend to.

He looks to me like he might be a Phoenix rooster or at least he has some part. He's feisty that I do know. *****Update*** We got in touch with his owner who told us he did not want him back so we found an older man a few miles away that wanted him for his hens! Nice how things work out isn't it??

Now for a peaceful bit of nature.....A few weeks ago my husband and I took a long awaited and much enjoyed trip to Arizona. We are not traveling people but we absolutely loved this trip!

We saw things we had no idea existed (that's our proof that we don't get out much) lol One beautiful thing we did see and KNEW was our wonderful honeybees! Not "our" girls of course but true blue honeybees! We asked everyone about them but they had no idea they were even there! A good thing in my book. The places we went were wide open areas and I'm 99.9% sure they didn't spray pesticides there, explaining their busy activity. We even asked around trying to find a beekeeper but no luck.
I did however find a "retired" beekeeper through the internet when we got back home. He told me that about 30 years ago people quit keeping bees, because of fear, laws, and then the african bees coming in. He told me that the bees we saw were wild bees and most likely africanized. I was saddened but I'm not so sure I want to believe all the hype that's coming from the media and people that just have a "fear" of something so innocent and determined to take care of her "family" (colony). The honey bee is the hardest working insect or creation known to man. The honey bee is mentioned in the Bible. She produces not only for her family but for ours. The honeybee is an awesome creature! Please take some time to study a little about them , they are not vicious and don't come to attack you intentionally. We need these little critters in our lives. They are in trouble and need for us to be aware of their decline. Don't kill them , just leave them "bee".(alone)
Even in the Arizona mountains cactus grows. You can enlarge this photo to see them.
This was a small river running through the mountains. I could've set up camp and moved there. Such a tranquil place.
Everyone we met on the trails wanted to know if we could feel the "vortex". lol I'm a believer in the "vortex" but I believe it rests inside our soul. You have to meditate and get in touch with your own "vortex". However......even though this is what I believe.....I don't meditate and I haven't been in touch with my "vortex" for quite sometime! And I know I probably sound like I'm out on a limb but to my defense it tells us in the Bible that we should meditate. I have to admit though that this is and would be a fantastic place to meditate and "feel" the vortex.
Such a beautiful place!

Until next time....study about the honeybees and get "in touch" with your "vortex".

TTFN!

Julie

It's Always Something!

To quote one of my all time favorite Actresses/Comediennes...Gilda Radner Wilder. I Loved her!

Anyway, it IS always something! We have put up with everything here after my chickens! Dogs killed quite a few, raccoons more than I want to think, Hawks....snakes eating the eggs but people I have to tell ya, this one takes the cake! We live in a community where people around us here have NO consideration for neighbors! We put up a fence to keep OUR dogs from roaming, but it seems that since that has happened the neighborhood has gone to pot! The cats around here have gotten horribly out of control, I fear we are close to a feral case with them! They are multiplying like crazy! I can't believe the irresponsibility of people! I guess I'm on my soap box today, but believe me I've calmed down!

Look at this fella here! He IS NOT mine and has NO business in MY yard! Can you believe this?? He has his own hens in his yard but is over here everyday! That is the entrance to my chicken yard where he is. I tried to run him in there so I could catch him, but he's on to me:-) That's why the blurred picture. Anyway, my poor Sunny (he is NOT a fighter) has done his best to keep him fought off, they both have some serious wounds. Fortunate for Sunny he has someone that cares about his wounds. So until I can get in touch with his owners or catch him, I will keep my girls and boys locked up! I am so mad about this! "It just goes to show you.....It's Always Something!"
Here's my boy, even his eye was swollen, he put up a good fight for not being a fighter, poor guy.

Cochins are big chickens and are the most docile of all to me. I really enjoy this breed.
Again!.....He/she has set up a living space! Can you see it? In the crack directly behind that little white jar....a snake. The same one that I caught eating eggs a few months back...you can read about it in one of my older posts. I haven't had it in me to get him out lately, too much happening around here and for now he's not bothering anything, just enjoying an egg now and then. Nothing missed.....
This is a gulf fritillary caterpillar on my passion fruit vine. If you have passion fruit growing please leave these plants and let the cold take care of them... I know they will look awful but the butterflies thrive on these plants. They eat the leaves. These vines grow wild here and I think the blooms are beautiful. You can also eat the fruit, if you have them and are interested you can google them or ask me :)
This is one of my joys......I love these little creatures....he was making his rounds on my window, going in and out of the crevices of the vinyl siding looking for spiders and insects.

I want to dedicate this post to my "Late" Papa T and two of his brothers, Uncle James and Fred.

Papa T., Thank you for Loving and taking care of my Mom, and for looking out for her, you were a great provider and I Love You, and Mama I Love You.

Uncle James...I danced my first dance with you when I was only a toddler, I still remember it like it was yesterday. I'm glad for the memories, thank you, I love you and Aunt Net.

Fred, I'm glad we are Bee buddies.....I Love you and Liz too.

Even though "It's Always Something" we still have the "Joys" that life has also given us. Sometimes we just need to take the time to "be still" and look around.

I Love All of You!

TTFN!

Julie