Hello Friends!
So we got snow the other day, around a month early. As I write this in the cool of the day, it is a toasty 80 F here in Widefield/Security, Colorado. They say if you do not like the weather, wait 15 minutes.
In anticipation for the winter, I have already scheduled for my sprinklers to get blown out. My experience with sprinklers is that you can’t be too cautious. I am already on a waiting list and probably should have called sooner.
I have been finding a lot of amusement out of my ducks this year. Earlier in the season, I started putting coffee cans in the low spots where the duckys dig on the mud. These little catchbasins get bigger as they dig around. When it rains It accumulates puddles of water for them.
It did not take me too long to become tired of these in my yard so I backfilled and focused on what grown boys and Khaki Campbell ducks long for… A big mud puddle.
Since that photo, they have dug the edges looking for worms, grubs and other ducky delicacy and it has grown considerably from it’s humble beginnings. For those of you concerned, they get fresh water daily.
Next month, they will be ready to lay! I may not get results until spring, but we will see.
The ducks seemingly eat nothing that I feed them. I wonder if these excellent foragers are what is causing a mass extinction of insects.
An insect free yard beats a duck free yard any day. This is the first year that I have not lost any birds to unrestrained dogs. Good fences make good neighbors.
The geese now, they eat about a pound of food a day between the two of them. I planted a plot of wheat to cut my costs over winter. We will see how it goes. I made deep furrows as we live in a dry area.
Well folks, I had to work today both here and with the incarcerated. Tomorrow is coming way too soon. Have a beautiful and blessed day!
Author: Benjamin
Benjamin Thiel is a community leader, urban farmer, and author of The Ongoing Tale at Brothers Campfire. He might know a guy...
I am constantly and consistently amazed at the things you do in your backyard. Good job. Keep up the good work.
Thanks!
Thanks for the good news!!
Absolutely! How is school and how are the cats?
Most of the cats are well. Feral who was spayed this morn bit & clawed me up pretty bad. She’s outside now. I hope her stitches didn’t rip!
Everyone else is well. Toonces is MIA again… will hopefully return in the middle of the night.
I passed my C++ exam. Got a couple pages into my next class before being overwhelmed with cat rescues.
It looks like you are working hard with all the resources at your disposal! I am excited for you. You are doing a good thing with the feral cats in having them spayed.
Thanks. I’m disappointed that I wasn’t smarter about the cat last night (gloves, and checking it’s location before opening the trap), and that I didn’t trap the kittens earlier. All I can do is learn from the experiences and hope for the best!
That is all you can do! You are benefiting your community! Leenda, It is always a pleasure hearing from you!
Big boys and their fun. Although I think everybody can enjoy mud puddles to some degree….. Ducks are awesome
There is mud for little sisters as well. The ducks are a lot of fun!
Wow! The ducks seem huge now.
Snow sounds cool!
They have grown, that is for sure. Snow is cool for many reasons. We have squirrels that can carry a plague. When it gets cold, the sick ones die. This keeps us a little safer.
Squirrels carry plagues? 😨
That’s scary. They could have made good pets 😃
A sugar glider would make a good pet. At least 2 people have contracted the plague in Colorado.
you mean the bubonic plague? That’s scary. Is it still as lethal as it was?
As far as I know, yes. It may be another deadly strain as well. This one is lethal. It is not common, but still something to be wary of. I believe it is fleas that carry it.
well then stay safe!
I will. You aa well!
The ducks have really grown. Good work, I look forward to seeing your wheat experiment.
I think they are full size. Thanks! I have planted red winter wheat and it seems to germinate a little differently. We will see. How is the Vlog project going?
I’m posting another video tomorrow, but the podcast itself will be just audio, most of them are and the videos are too stressful haha
I can see that. I feel that I sound like Kermit the frog when I open my mouth! Look forward to the video!
I feel like my voice sounds like grating high pitched gravel 😅
It is a worthy listen. I think you are clever enough to generate a large audience.
Thanks, we’ll see.
Or hear at least. 😏
Thanks for the backyard update. The fence looking sturdy and effective.
And free! Thanks for stopping by, Cassa Bassa!
I like your ducks 🦆🦆🙂
Thank you Sukanya! They are a highlight of my day! I have video footage on You Tube at Brother’s Campfire.
Oh I see 👀 a you tube channel , I’ll be supporting you there .
You can look under brothers campfire, body by bologna, or Marty the motivated mower! I look forward to hearing from you!
👍🏻👍🏻🙂
If you have any suggestions, that would be helpful as well!
Plenty of scenes from the backyard !! 😍
I try to encourage life to thrive in my backyard!
That’s is awesome and a great way of thought !! 👌
Thanks! How is Covid affecting you over there?
Earlier our state controlled Covid by break the chain process but now a days it increased and India is getting high counts day by day above 90 K every day !! Thank you for your interaction. Have a great day !! How is the situation there ? !! 😀🌹
In Colorado, we are doing a pretty good job with safety measures. I look forward to when we can put this past us. Sunithanthosh, it is my pleasure to interact with you, silly!
You are right, safety measure are the only way to protect ourselves, we can positively look forward for the best results of new vaccines !! Stay blessed and take care !! 🌹
You as well friend!
Awww beautiful photos. Look at those duks, they’ve grown and I love Ozzy. Soooo cute
Thank you Sanjana! have a beautiful day!
Wow snow and then 80 degrees lol crazy
Cool ducks – my grandfather used to raise pigeons. They were really cool – we used to race them which sounds boring but was really cool and exciting lol
I think raising pigeons is a very neat idea. I would race them!
Happy to hear you have a canine neighbor with whom you’re friendly! I love the ducks too! 🌞
Hi Lisa. I walk the rural areas on the outskirts of Colorado Springs solo quite frequently. The chance for me to encounter an aggressive dog is moderate.
If you look back on my last post, to unfriendly people sicked their dog on me, perhaps thinking I was homeless. My friendliness afforded an opportunity for the dog to react differently than originally intended by the owner.
While I expressed a lot of negative views primarily about dogs that are unrestrained, I own a mini Aussie and am on a lick your face basis with 5 other dogs.
The ducks now, we are close.
Thanks for stopping by, Lisa. Don’t be a stranger.🤠🔥🙋
I get the sense that I may have offended you, and that was not at all my intention. 🌞
Lisa, Working in a prison has worn some of the shine from my conversation. The last few days have been quite tough. Perhaps you would be willing to see past the rough edges in my conversation at times. You are a guest, friend, and I want you to virtually visit often from your corner of the world. I apologize for my tone. I hope the rest of your week is beautiful! 🤠🔥
No apology necessary – I’m happy I didn’t offend you! Hope the rest of your week is better! 🌞🙏👍
Thank you, Friend!
When I was younger, I wanted snow. Growing up in a coastal city, it snowed about once every 15-20 years. Most of the time, it wasn’t much.
Think it was somewhere between 1970 – 1973 winter where we had a decent accumulation. I know where we lived at the time. The city didn’t have snow plows because they weren’t needed. Life went on like it hadn’t snowed. Think it was around 6″. This was after spending a year in Nederland, Colorado where I had lots of snow.
In Wichita, the school district would probably close the schools now for that little snow.
I like the amount of snow accumulation where I live. I would say that two or three times a winter we can go sledding locally. In. October, 1997 we got more snow than we knew what to do with! That was a crazy snowstorm.
I live near the foothills. The mountains seem to get a lot more precipitation.
Thanks for sharing friend! I always like when you drop by!
Wichita winters are hit or miss with snow. It can range from none, a little bit to a fair amount. I pass by an overpass and some winters I see kids sledding or using a shield like device. Unfortunately, drivers forget how to drive in snow. I remember a few years ago, there were 400 wrecks during the first snow. A fraction of wrecks for the second one. The third snow saw 200 wrecks.
I appreciate your posts. I can enjoy the snow from afar.
Snow from afar has value as well, friend!
That is a lot of car wrecks.
It’s because the drivers forget from year to year on how to drive on snow and ice. I rarely got much snow in my hometown, but in the early 1980s, I moved to northwest Kansas and my uncle gave me plenty of tips on how to drive on snow and ice. The town was 20ish miles from the Colorado border and 20 miles from the Nebraska border. My first winter there we were cut off from the rest of the world with 8′ snow drifts. It took the state and county 3 days to plow a route to the town. It was also the first time I experience -20 F temps with wind chills of -50 and -70 F. I met frostbite both days. I didn’t lose any fingers or toes, but it killed my cold tolerance and made me more susceptible to future frostbite who became a BFF. The interesting thing is the town didn’t shut down with the 8′ snow drifts. Locals cleared the streets with tractors and the town had road graders help out.
Well Spoke! I have to relearn as well. I suppose it is best to keep it slow and take it easy!
Good work, winter is coming 👌
Indeed!
Davy Jones Locker, Matey!
I love to observe your backyard and ducks after a long time😊💫Hatsoff to your hard work and dedication.😂
Thank you. I have a lot of recordings of them on You Tube. Look Up Brothers Campfire or Marty The Motivated Mower!
lots of work in the snow with the animals.. love your pics and love of your animals. ❤️ Cindy
Thanks Cindy! I love being outside and close to the food I eat as possible. (Eggs)
Yes, of course. That’s so awesome!
So lovely!!! 🤗👏