Momentarily organized

In the middle of thesis-writing, maintaining two gardens, and keeping Jason & I fed and clean-clothed, we did manage to accomplish one small task--painting the old metal shelf, screwing it to the fence, and bringing the last of the houseplants outside for their summer holiday....

So that's one more cluttered corner that's had a makeover!

And here are a few pictures of the up & coming loveliness of summer at our place:

The first sunflower, about to burst out in bloom...

...and a truly gorgeous salad waiting to happen...

...and last, but not least, a quick visual tutorial on how to chicken-proof your blueberry bushes.  The berry plants root very shallowly, and the girls love to dig up spots for dust baths.  Disaster! 

So, first, some long overdue weeding:

...and then a nice layer of peat moss, followed by some hardware cloth.  Take that, you digging fiends!

It is funny to watch a chicken brain at work.   There is all of that lovely, open dirt, right there, and yet they can't scratch it.  Or kick it up over their backs.  Or roll around in it in an ecstasy of luxurious, dusty bathing. 

So, they scratch a little around the edges, in a half-hearted, disillusioned way---and then take off after a moth without a care in the world.  Ah, to be a chicken.  [yet another thing I never thought I'd say]

Back to the thesis.