Best of Serendipity (May 2026)

 My row of irises reminds me of the one my mother had when I was a kid.

Sometimes little forest friends come a little closer than they should.

Happy hens like spending the afternoon out!

Every feather on this little bantam's body grows in a different direction! 

Sun bathing... and dust bathing in their happiest spot.

Why was this baby out in the daytime? And, where was the mama of this tiny little thing!?

I don't know if this was the mama raccoon, but he/she was very interested in what was new in the hen house.

This year two hens got broody.  It's always so fun to slip day-old chicks under a hen after dark then watching the little family grow. Although both hens are raising the chicks together, it's been clear that the white one, Lola, is the mom and has relegated the black one, Elfie, to be the helping auntie.

I tried something a little different with my lettuce and spinach this year.  To say that it worked is an understatement!  

So many night visitors!!! As long as they just sniff and leave, it's fine.

When it gets hot each year, these huge turtles come from the pond to lay their eggs.  The female turtles dig with their back feet and drip liquid making a wet hole.  Then they drop in their eggs. 

Best of Serendipity (April 2026)

I've always wanted a pink dogwood!  Happy 62nd to me!

Elfie is such a good little hen!

The onions always come first!

Fast forward a few weeks, and the onions and garlic look great. They've come back from being beaten to shreds by hail a few weeks ago.

Everybody is doing her job lately!

Getting ready!

We've finally gotten to the point where there are no more rocks.

Who knows where he thought he needed to be going.

I love having irises!

I thought I'd try something a little different with the lettuce and garlic... it worked! Full sun and plenty of good soil make a huge difference.

Possums are so ugly that they're cute. 

Best of Serendipity (March 2026)

A hawk in the backyard causes a lot of stress in my little chicken flock. 

He's been keep a close eye on them.  

I'd rather he keep an eye on the slithery things! I know these are good, but I just don't want to see them!

I know I'm supposed to be glad to see these snakes. I know they're supposed to be helpful friends. But, I wish they'd stay hidden under leaves or behind trees to do their good deeds.

I suppose that when the garden pots aren't in use and stacked in a corner, they become home for other little friends.

That was the longest hail I believe I've ever been in.

We have a brand new little twig of a PINK dogwood tree!  Happy birthday to me! She stands in the very spot our scraggly wild dogwood lived its last days just off our back porch. 

Best of Serendipity (February 2026)

 

A little winter gardening.  The hens like fresh sprouts... barley & lentils.

As an experiment, we're planting onions & garlic a little earlier this year. 

These are my happy girls: Cher, Flo, Elfie, Lola, Fancy-like, Cupcake, Pauline, Eleanor

Pretty

Daffodils are the first sign that spring hasn't forgotten to come.

Best of Serendipity (January 2026)

I guess we can be pretty sure that the chickens aren't the only ones who use watering containers outside the back deck.

A fox?! Well, how about that!

 

This is such a funny little black chicken with a fuzzy black afro hair do.  Sometimes I worry that it covers her eyes and blocks her vision.  She likes to stay near the back porch and doesn't roam with the group much.

The hens went on hiatus for a few weeks while they were molting or growing old enough or mothering or getting older. But, they're back to doing their jobs!

All the birds come out to the feeders when there's been a big snow. 

After days of being cooped up, the hens were happy to be out again.  But, they avoided putting their feet in the snow.