This post involves a little of each of the above and a little of the bees. First, Chamomile, lovely and beautiful little flower, but bet contained in a pot. My Sister planted a few chamomile plants for my bees, the bees ignore it, the chamomile spreads it little seeds everywhere like there is no tomorrow. I have spent two days digging out a patch that is about 20 feet long by about 10 feet wide. I don't want it in this particular part of my bee garden in front of my apiary. I have better plants to be growing in there, hee, hee.
The ducks, chickens, dogs and me have been having a blast in there. The fowls eat the worms, the one pittbull, the older gal, Kobie, just lays and keeps watch on the weeds and things, she is 14 and has done her time working with me, landclearing. Now the younger pittbull, Titan, is my partner in crime. He spends all day waiting for me to throw stuff for him to chase, diligent and hard working, never more than 5 feet by my side. All the dogs around here ignore the chickens, ducks and turkeys. They are one, they are all friends and pay no heed to each other. Titan is still a little leary of these fowls, especially after getting crap for almost getting into it with Richard (my turkey) a couple of weeks ago. Richard began to stalk him and Titan looked like he was going to give Richard a run for his money. He was reprimanded and now ignores Richard, who still likes to stalk Titan. Titan is the smartest and most obedient dog I have ever met, and I have no worries about him in attack mode, of children or anything, he loves kids to pieces and he is respectful of the fowls.
So they both do their jobs while I am digging and throwing. The ducks hang around waiting for the bugs and worms, Titan will sit down if they get too close to them, and looks rather sheepish. I can read his mind, his mind is thinking "oh man, I hope that those ducks don't want to take a peck at my toes", so he sits and waits for them to move on elsewhere before he takes up his stance of waiting for that beautiful weed that he knows will come flyin' his way so he can get it, or even better, that piece of wood that he knows I will unearth for him to chase. My pals outside in the workyards.....
Chamomile, caution to the wind on this pretty little plant!!!!
Kobi and Titan (Kobi the white one, Titan the tan one) waiting, hanging out, the ducks and chickens having the time of their lives. The small plants that you see infront of the wheelbarrow are the Sea Holly, they will be about 6 feet tall soon and covered with electric blue small thistle flowers that the bees love and so do other beneficials.
Titan, sitting, waiting for the coast to clear from the ducks so he can chase the weeds and sticks thrown to the wind
Still waiting, a little nervous
Today, where I have cleared the chamomile to plant more bee plants I will be sowing Bachelor's buttons, a few more borage and phacelia, sowing some anise anistata (I didn't start any in the greenhouse this year, so I am sowing seed). Along this fence line is one of the places that I am setting in the dahlias that DayValleyDahlias sent me the seeds for. I am going to plant the ones that the bees are particularly fond of here, the ones with the open face, the other, more specialty types have other places that I am planting them in. They are all growing like hot dams (where did that expression originate anyways, it never made any sense to me).
Enjoy the pictures, enjoy the day, have the best day in these days, and love life. Cindi