Is it the season?

Was greeted by a bloody sight when I went out this morning. Thought at first it was coyote and we had a big problem on our hands. A closer look revealed a much different story. Boots and Timmi got into it again and Boots got the worst of it. Looks like both horn buds were ripped off and he bled all over Timmi as they battled.

 I hope these things do not grow back. Boots' bloody head...

Timmi, looking like a bloody punching bag.

Poor Boots clearly has a headache today. Hopefully, they have worked out their issues as they seem to be best friends again.

Hattie will be disappointed not to work the boys today.

A bunch of bucks have been hanging around the last few weeks. Bob counted nine one morning. Four were in the field resting this morning, in the process of shedding velvet. Is it a coincidence that the sheep are acting hormonal at the same time the deer are agitated and rubbing their antlers everywhere? 

Where there's smoke

Air quality was 216 yesterday, 236 in Port Angeles. Very bad. Headache, eyes burning, hard to breath bad. We're spending a lot of time indoors.

This is the view this morning. The Olympics are there, somewhere, in that smoke. And air quality is about 170. British Columbia and eastern Washington are burning up.

It's a good time to work on tomatoes. I'm not thrilled with the varieties we grew. The San Marzanos are good so I'm drying and freezing them. They're cut in half and ready to go in the oven here. Doing this every week or so. The little bagged ones are an experimental roma type being developed by a university in Florida, I think. Got the seeds from a neighbor and they grow nicely but the flavor is disappointing. I'm freezing them whole for use later. The three round ones in front are an experimental beefsteak type. Some really grow huge, but as with the others, the flavor disappoints. The Siletz plant is ramping down production. There a just a few fruits left that are ripening slowly. They are about on par with the experimentals in flavor. I did like growing in pots. Will do again next year, but won't grow any of the same varieties. In the meantime. I'm freezing enough tomatoes to last the year and letting the ducks into the greenhouse to pick the low hanging fruit. They are crazy for tomatoes and quite clever at finding them.

I cleared the disastrous asparagus bed of weeds and am going to put peony poppies here instead. I put tarps over it to keep weeds out until seed is ready. If we get around to building a new raised bed this winter we'll give asparagus another try, but it needs to be raised well above grass level this time. 

We visited the local nurseries to find a particular trailing ceanothus for the front bed without luck, but found this luscious heather, Red Fred, instead and brought home two.

This is my favorite heather. The pink, orange and light green colors during bloom are outstanding. Winter color is brick red. I think it's Firefly but there seem to be several similar so I'm not sure. 

Bringing them in

I hate to just toss spent flowers into the compost and save them when I can for indoor arrangements. This Eyngium is holding on to its blue color long after being cut. I paired it with a smaller type of allium.

OK, the dill isn't dry but I brought it in because it smells so good. It volunteered in the veggie beds and the scent as you walk by is irresistible. (We broke down and bought a small table and two chairs for the kitchen nook because we didn't like eating at the kitchen counter. This is the table. We have a formal table but I just don't like the dining room. Feels too confined I think. Having a view of the flower gardens while eating here is a bonus.)

This is a giant allium, Star of Persia I think. It was here when we bought the house and there is only one that comes back every year but it makes a big impression. 

A collection of white and purple alliums.

Purple alliums in the entry. I saved a lot of them. Yes, I like alliums.

Poppies from last year and alliums. Poppy pods make great arrangements. I have only one peony poppy, a red one, growing this year and it came up on its own in the veggie bed. Hope to collect the seeds and distribute for next year. I've ordered seeds for cream and pink to grow with them. I'm going to clean out the failed asparagus bed that's full of weeds and grow poppies there. You can't grow too many flowers.

Double Trouble

I don't know who's in more trouble here, the tin quail or the duck girls. 

I found a tuft of feathers in front of the greenhouse yesterday and wondered if something had happened to one of the ducks. They aren't shedding so it's unusual to find their feathers right now. Then these two showed up in the yard this morning and I'm wondering if one of them tried unsuccessfully to snatch a duck. They are Cooper's hawks. The one on the left is definitely a juvenile. Don't know about the other one. 

I scared them off while approaching for more photos but they've been hanging around along with a daring raven and a few crows that are desperately trying to protect their territory from all the predators. Neighbors have a load of feeders out and there is always a flock of pigeons and small birds around that get picked off by the hawks. 

Evening Chores

The ducks swarm around as I pick up their bowls for cleaning. They want their bedtime tomatoes but the bowls and pool need cleaning and fresh water first. (Look how good the madrone looks, on the left behind the ducks. I love that tree.)

The red bark is peeling with new green bark underneath, just like a mature madrone. 

The ducks follow to help with cleaning. The pool is hidden in the raspberry patch. You can see the veggie beds in the background. The strawberries that were transplanted to the new tower are recovering after looking awfully dead. I think this tower is going to work.

The food pan must be inspected after cleaning. It will need cleaning again after inspection.

Then it's time for tomatoes and settling safely into their house for the night. 

Hattie has been waiting patiently for the duck work to be completed...

so she can fetch the boys.

They are invited into the back yard to eat whatever is growing in the weedy grass but they must behave or Hattie will be after them.

First there is time for a little nosing around just in case I have something tasty to share. This is Mocha who would be happy to let me scratch his neck the whole time while the other boys eat.

Boots approves my new knee.

Stomper pushes Mocha out of the way. I have no food so it's a quick hello.

But Mocha stays with me awhile.

Hattie never takes her eyes off the boys and is quick to move them if they get out of bounds.

We might have a walk out front then it's back to the pen.

Well done, Hattie.

Hot day at Robin Hill

It was too hot to take our sunny neighborhood walk so we went to Robin Hill instead. The car thermometer read 85F, the hottest day of the year so far. (This is the display in our all-electric Chevy Bolt. Excuse our dust.)

The dogs were happy to walk here even if it meant wearing collars and leashes.

I'm sure they appreciated the shady walk as much as we did.

And the many scents. Whatever is here calls for a nose dive.

Hattie takes a break on a sturdy bench. Lots of tongue hanging out.

Bob spotted this critter. I believe it's a barred owl. It was pretty dark in there, barely enough light to capture a few pictures.

It bobbed it's head in a circle...

but kept it's eyes on me the whole time.

Back to the car.

Should be called the dog mobile. 

Another bird sighting! A flock of white runner ducks resting at the roadside near Annie's Garden.

 They work the garden rows, keeping the bug and slug populations down.

It's time to feed our ducks when we get home. They follow me into the shed insisting on a taste test. I wonder if they would like meeting Annie's ducks.