I received a neat challenge from Jo, The Good Life, to post the eighth photograph from my eighth album. Thanks to digital cameras and laptop computers, this was not as difficult as I first thought. I just hoped it would be an interesting picture. Of course, I knew in all probability it would be botanical- or grandchildren- related. I was thrilled it is this picture of my grandson, taken in June, 2004 when he was three years old. He is examining a hen and her chicks at Quiet Valley Historical Farm located near here. This is a working farm where you can learn about Pennsylvania's agricultural heritage. People there wear period dress and reenact the life of the family who lived at the farm in the 1760's. It is a great place to visit with kids!
I hope you don't mind, but I am going to 'kill two birds with one stone' so to speak, and make this post (with the hen and chickens) my entry for today's Camera Critters. Camera Critters is a great Saturday meme which I hope you will check out. You can click on the picture in the sidebar to go there.
In preparation for this post, I took a 'critter walk' around our property. I had a few surprises ...
I was thrilled to see the purple-martin house is occupied this year by a pair of purple martins, instead of the dreadful starlings that usually nest there.
The female martin was collecting straw to make a nest ...
... while her husband stood guard on the tractor shed roof -
He watched as she took each piece of straw and twig inside the house ...
... and later, while she was working inside, he sat on his front porch and rested (no comment).
I saw two other critters resting in the sunshine. My miniature horse, Dude, and his companion, Billy Goat, were fast asleep.
I was going to let sleeping critters lie, but they heard me approach, and thought I was bringing food.
I was pleased to see the three-legged deer at the edge of the top field. She has survived another winter! The local hunters have a code not to shoot her, but we are always afraid some outsider will bag her. It was probably a hunter who caused her to lose her leg in the first place. She has been visiting our property for the last three years.
I was returning to the house when I say this ruby-throated humming bird resting on the pasture fence. (Sorry the picture is a bit fuzzy - I couldn't get very close and my camera's zoom is not the best).
The little hummer was darting back and forth to the sweet, pink honeysuckle on the arbor and the flowers in the hanging baskets newly placed outside the garden room window.
I hope you enjoyed this critter walk with me.
Now I have to fulfill the rest of Jo's 8 x 8 challenge and pass it on to eight more bloggers. I hope they will accept the challenge, then give it to others:
Town Mouse
Muscari Musings
Eden, Ever After
Gardening With Soule
Gwirrel's Garden
Gardenless Gardener
Vintage Garden Home
Crystal Coast Gardener
Those of you who live on this side of the pond, have a wonderful Memorial Day. I wish everyone a great weekend.
Your friend in gardening,
Pam x
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