Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

Made three batches of blueberry freezer jam today, and I think too much cinnamon and nutmeg added this time. It is setting, fortunately. Taste test tomorrow!
Mary

 

[uchytil]

Made three batches of blueberry freezer jam today, and I think too much cinnamon and nutmeg added this time. It is setting, fortunately. Taste test tomorrow!
Mary

Gotta say we are loaded with blueberries this year, Plus the blackberries, raspberries, and blackcaps are loaded. Only picking backcaps right now. Even without the usual rain everything seems to be doing good. Must be the water table. I know the weeds are doing good

 

[Sally PB]

Gotta say we are loaded with blueberries this year,

My bushes are too! The most I've ever seen on them!

 

[RaZ]

It rained almost all day yesterday. Added another 0.99 inches to the 2+ earlier in the week. I've gone from the Sahara Desert to the Amazon rainforest in a week's time. At least it's not cold and snowy.

A friend was over yesterday to meet Winston and see the chicks. As she was fussing over the chicks, she points at one and asks what was wrong its leg. I picked it up to show her. Feathered feet. She was amazed at that. The look on her face was pure joy.

I've been keeping chickens for my own benefit & enjoyment and I like that sometimes others can get a small taste of that wonder. Same with my native plant gardens. They are loaded with butterflies, dragonflies, and loads of other critters. No manicured lawn here. Just a bit of Nature teeming with life.

 

[Riverdale]

'Up north', and Pictured Rocks. Mackinaw Bridge and island. Seney, and those old growth pines in that mid-Michigan park who's name escapes me right now...
Mary

Hartwick Pines near Grayling, right off I 75
Look for elk east of Gaylord
Polish Festival, Boyne Falls first full weekend in August
Danish Festival in Greenville 3rd full weekend in August
Just to name a couple things

 

[Riverdale]

Made some fermented dill pickles and fermented red onions yesterday. Maybe some kraut next weekend.
The raspberries are loaded, so are the blackcaps. We buy our blueberries, we'll dehydrate them this year.
Our roo is starting to crow (or trying to). He's 4 months, and we were laughing about it this morning.

 

[Folly's place]

True confessions: we have the Costco frozen organic blueberries, and they are great for jams and cooking. Blueberry pie coming up!
Mary
Maybe blueberry cobbler instead...

 

[Folly's place]

First try at making a cobbler, easy to make, and it was 'okay'. Must try other recipies! So much easier than making pies.
Mary

 

[1muttsfan]

Yesterday I took down the grating between the brooder area and the general area of the little coop. Mom immediately ran outside, 2 week old chicks peeping madly running behind, and plopped down into the dust for a long-awaited dust bath. The other birds in the pen were very interested in the chicks, but after an initial good look are mostly ignoring them.

I did have to remove the roost in that coop - Mom thought it would be great to get up there for the night, but the chicks could not fit under her on the roost, and were peeping in misery; one was standing on her back. Glad I went and checked them at dusk. Not my brightest bird, but she is a good mom.

 

[Sally PB]

I installed the "little door" last night. Yeah, I should have done it already. I'm behind on a lot of things, but this should have been a priority.

So far, everything is going very well. I think I'll leave the dividing fence up for another week. I want to see how Lark-the-Mean-Girl does around the littles.

A couple pecks, a couple squawks. But on the whole, very well.