Trees

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.


A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;



A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;


A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;



Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.


Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

Jumbo Egg Surprise

If you have chickens, you're bound to get a jumbo egg sooner or later. When I gathered the morning's eggs I found this gargantuan orb beneath our Australorp pullet, Rosanna. I was so stunned I actually exclaimed, "Wow! Rosanna!" I didn't know she had it in her! I can't wait to show it to the boys. They won't believe their eyes. I'm sure it's a double yolker but won't know until I crack it tomorrow morning. I'm planning to get up at 5 a.m. (*gasp, wheeze*) like I did last week to make breakfast for everyone.


I tried to weigh this egg on our digital UPS scale but it was too light to register. I had to use my kitchen scale and near as I can figure this egg weighs around 2.6 ounces. The USDA says that a large egg weighs 2 oz, an extra large weighs 2.25 oz, and a jumbo egg weighs 2.5 oz. It's so big I can't keep it in the egg carton with the other eggs because I can't close the lid!

Rosanna is a sweet girl and a bit of an airhead. She's Derek's pullet and she was the first one to be named because she was the first chick in the brooder box to run out to greet us. Here she is as a baby.

























And here she is today with the flock (far right black bird) grazing in the grass. Don't the neighbor's woods make a lovely background?



I got another surprise today. I noticed a hint of pink amongst the cattails on the opposite side of the pond. Earlier in the spring I received a free packet of cosmos seeds that I sprinkled along the edge of the pond. I was hoping for a wildflower patch there. And wouldn't you know it? A few of those cosmos grew to maturity. How pretty!

Autumn

It's my favorite time of year. The smell of the woods, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the endless pallette of colors satisfy my senses. I love to walk late at night when everyone is asleep and let the moon light my way. I can hear the screech owls and great horned owls calling to their mates as they hunt at night. They always make me smile.

The tractors are out late at night harvesting the corn and soybean fields. I love to watch them as they lumber over the fields like giant locusts eating their fill of grain. The harvest dislodges the rodents that have been living in the fields, sending them out into the open to fatten the raptors for a long, cold winter.

One of my favorite trees near the house is this Eastern Redbud. Its heart-shaped leaves turn a bright yellow in autumn before they fall. It's a small, shapely tree with an oriental flair to it--a real standout in the twelve acres of land it shares with a large variety of hardwoods and evergreens. Its nearly black bark contrasts beautifully with its autumn hue and the bright purple/pink flowers it puts on in spring.