About Me

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I am a 42 year old woman that is about as happy and content as one person can be. My husband of 21 years and our 15 year old daughter live on five and a half acres out in the country. We moved from the city four years ago and never looked back. I homeschool our daughter. We also love our animals. Our daughter has a miniature horse and two rabbits. We also have a border collie, two cats (again), two pot belly pigs, four peafowl, three emus, 2 llamas and an undetermined number of chickens, lets just say ohhh about 200. I have many breeds, from layers to fancy chickens. I love poultry shows, I love fowl in general as I have come to find out through having more than just chickens. Chickens will always be my first love though. I do show some of my birds occasionally.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

More Outdoor Work Done

I have to tell you that sometimes Dad (Dads Tomato Garden) will really get you started on the right foot for the day. He motivates me to get up and get going in the morning. Here is the result of some of his motivation...he he...I just hate shrubbery. I love flowers, but hate shrubbery, except for azaleas, I do like them..so trimming the bushes back was a job I wasnt looking forward to. I also weeded out the beds and came up on a cow ant. I wish I had gotten a picture of it. They aren't actually ants, they are wingless wasps. They are huge, and a velvety red. I don't know from personal experience, and never want to know, but I have heard that it hurts BAD to get stung by one. They are solitary so you won't be swarmed, but one is enough to make you take a few steps back.

 

 

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I made quite a mess on the driveway and the sidewalk didn't I? It is all cleaned up now though.

Saving...

That evening I was sitting out on the porch resting and Shelby came out...within a few minutes she had noticed something I was oblivious to...one of the baby swallows had fallen out of the nest in the corner of the porch. Poor baby! I told her to go get Ian right away and he would climb up there and put the baby back. Here is a picture of them...there are five in all...and it is already getting tight in there..I will try to get a better picture of them later. Once they are bigger I can get better pictures of them in the nest. No harm done, Ian got the baby back in the nest and all is well again.

 

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Alright, no more fooling around, its time to get going this morning. I feel much better when I have a productive day and get a lot done...I also sleep like a baby when I work hard. I sure hope we get a little sunshine today..been so long since we have had any amount of sunshine. We need it to dry things up a bit. Everyone have a wonderful day...see you tomorrow.

Here is a site that has pictures of all kinds of wingless wasps. The second picture listed is the male cow ant, also called cowkillers because the species sting hurts so bad. Also called the velvet ant. The pictures on down of the red wingless is the female, what I saw in the flower bed.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/velvet_ants.html

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Never heard of a cow ant. I wonder if we have them here? We have every other stinging thing. You are up and at 'em early this morning. i'm thinking of going back to bed. lol Have a good one. paula

Anonymous said...

I remember those red cow ants. They are very pretty but I wouldn't want one getting on me. We saw more when we were kids that I see now. Good for you getting the shubbery trimed back. I think those swallows are so cute. The try to dive bomb Ken and me when when we are fishing to close to a pier where they have built a nest under the piers. They have the sweetes song if you don't get to close to the nest and get them upset. Hope your day goes really well. Hugs, Helen

Anonymous said...

I agree about feeling better the days I go non-stop till bedtime.  I love to shower and then fall into bed.  I've never heard of a cow ant - based on the name though I don't think I want to encounter any.  I hate bugs of any kind - except butterflies of course.  I have the exact same gargoyle in my garden.  Great minds think alike!  :)
Lisa

Anonymous said...

AWWW! Now you got me missing working at horse stables and at the dog kennel. There was always Barn Swallows and nests!! I loved it.

Anonymous said...

looks good!
Becky

Anonymous said...

Kelly "Dad" really had inspired you to work hard ~ you sure got through a lot of work ~ The Shrubbery looks good ~ Glad Ian got the baby bird back into it's nest ~ I would not want to meet any of those wingless wasps ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

You did a great job!  Linda

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