After The Storm

The last couple of days have been very stormy.  The high winds have blown the acorns out of the 100 year old oaks that surround the house.  They sounded like machine gun fire as they hit the metal roof of the house.  Today, all is quiet, but the yard is covered with a soft cushion of fallen Spanish moss. 

 This morning as I cleaned the duck house I found the first duck egg......in the nighttime water bowl.  I still haven't built the big duck house with nests, but time has marched on, and the girls need a comfortable spot to make a nest.  Most of the spring poultry is laying now.  I have collected a dozen eggs in one day.

 

Chicken and Duck Eggs

 The geese have grown into beautiful lawn swans that follow me everywhere I go.  They love to argue with the dogs, but choose to sleep right next to the dogs' kennel.
                                                                                               

The rescued chicks have grown into beautiful healthy chickens.

The guinea lost his partner when it flew into the dog kennel, but he seems happy to hang out with the chickens, and sleeps in the coop with them.

I had to remove the dog house shelter from the pen because the chickens refused to sleep on the perches, but preferred to huddle together in the dog house.

I got some new neighbors.  The dogs don't approve.

The strawberries have been planted in the field behind my house.

There is a "new to me" truck in the yard for hauling all the chicken feed and hay.

And the chickens have found places of refuge in the storm.

This place has become my refuge, and finally, my home.