The New Normal

I thought there would be an adjustment period having one less kid around the house every day. But there has really been none. Greta and I have settled into a nice routine after big brother goes to school in the mornings. She likes to come out and help me feed all the animals, her favorite being the Minions. She's very good at getting the dry cat food out and filling each dish without spilling. As a reward she gets to take a ride on the gate (am I the only one that thinks that sounds incredibly redneck?!). The horse pen gate swings back and forth and she climbs up and I swing it while she giggles and screams. It's the simple things in life that make me smile.

While we were out feeding this past weekend I noticed the Morning Glory bush had a new bloom that I'd never seen before. I planted two different varieties on the trellis but all I've seen this season is the small purple variety blooming. So when I saw blue I had to go investigate. Looks like the other variety finally got a bloom out. It's a really large blue flower. It was so beautiful I had to take a picture. The poor trellis and bird feeder are now completely covered to the point it looks a bit more alien like than plant like. 

See? Sure is an invasive (yet beautiful) vine.

What it looked like at the beginning of the season.

These beauties have been blooming all season.

New giant blue variety. So pretty!

The chickens have been lacking in their laying duties for several months now. I have to give them a little slack since this has been one of the hottest summers in a decade or more. But now that the weather has started to change and we are getting some cool weather I think the "laydies" should get back to work. To help jump start their internal clocks we got the light in their coop back on the timer. It is set to come on early in the morning and go off after it gets dark outside. I hadn't checked the nesting boxes in about a month since they simply stopped laying so I thought I'd sneak a peek today and this is what I find. Guess they are back to laying! Yea! Store eggs are just not the same.

Coop light, worth it's weight in egg production. 

Guess I kind of veered off course, back to our day. Greta and I usually jump in the car a couple times a week and run errands. Today it was the feed store and grocery store. I have to travel a bit farther to get my feed these days. The Purina dealer near us went out of business so we had to switch the animals to non Purina feed since the next one is about an hour away. The animals don't seem to care one way or the other so it's a win win. By the time I pull into the driveway Greta is usually asleep so I park in the shade and let her sleep in the car. Apparently nap time is back on!

The girl is so much happier with a nap in her which makes ol' mom a much happier person. All in all our new days are fun and productive.