by Susan | Jun 14, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Peep and Squeak are finally getting out of the brooder and experiencing the great outdoors. We put the big ducks in their run early and let the babies explore alone. We had to coax them into the pond. It’s a lot bigger than the bathtub! Then they began to loosen...
by Susan | May 21, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
The ducks have provided lots of inspiration for posts lately. Broody ducks, cute ducks, new ducks. No ducks. That’s what I found when I arrived home – no ducks. Nada. After checking with Paul who said, “They were just there a little while ago,”...
by Susan | May 20, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
The baby ducks started out with a basic chick waterer. I wanted to give them a waterer where they could dunk their heads, but keep things as dry as possible. After doing a bit of research, I cut a hole in the side of a gallon milk jug. I guess I should have cut a...
by Susan | May 16, 2013 | On the Farm
I locked myself into the chicken coop this morning. On accident. But that’s not what this post is about. Just thought I’d share. I arrived home late last night from a week in Pennsylvania only to have to turn around and leave again on business this...
by Susan | Apr 15, 2013 | Ducks
With a flock of four female ducks, two frisky drakes are a bit too much for them. And particularly for Dilly, our physically challenged duck. We are looking for a new home for Puddles. Puddles is a Pekin drake, almost one-year old. He’s a good duck – very...
by Susan | Mar 28, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Do you have your ducks in a row? I do. Until a few days ago they had never ventured into the drive, choosing to stick the the area right around the pond (still frozen in the background above). Tonight, I looked out the window and saw them hightailing it down the road....
by Susan | Mar 16, 2013 | On the Farm
Sometimes a girl just needs a little alone time in the tub. Take Dilly for instance. Dilly is our much loved, physically challenged duck. It’s been a hard winter for her without the pond. She finds it difficult to walk so she spends lots of time sitting around...
by Susan | Nov 8, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
After yesterday’s rude surprise of a frozen pond, the ducks proceeded with caution on this morning of the first snow. They didn’t race to dive in this morning. Instead, they walked around to the high side of the pond taking stock of things before diving...
by Susan | Nov 7, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Wintry cold set in over the past two days. Yesterday, Paul fired up the outdoor wood boiler for the first time this season – a week later than last year. The wood boiler is not something you crank on just to warm things up. Once it’s running it goes...
by Susan | Sep 16, 2012 | On the Farm
It was a gorgeous Sunday in our little corner of Maine today. I tried to spend as much time outside as possible. I helped Paul cut and stack wood, made bean soup, puttered with projects and parked myself by the pond or the porch every spare moment. Here are a few of...
by Susan | Sep 15, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm
Miri and Gilfy are our Buff Orpington and Barred Rock mix chickens, hatched in June. They are now living (temporarily) in a dog crate next to the big girl’s coop where they’ve spent the last few weeks becoming familiar with the Girls, the Banties and the...
by Susan | Aug 19, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm
It’s been a weekend full of puttering – a little weeding, a little landscaping around the pond, a little planting of new lettuce, spinach and kale. A little photography along the way. The Colonel ever watchful over his flock. Quackers checking out the...
by Susan | Jul 29, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
We’re having a much needed rainy day at Downeast Thunder Farm – nice soft steady rain has been falling all day. Perfect Ducky Weather – just right for bringing out the slugs. The ducks spent more time paroling for slugs and bugs than they did...
by Susan | Jul 26, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
Two nights after Project Ducky Unification got underway we had a late night disturbance. At 4 a.m. I awoke to the sound of frantic ducks. My first thought was that a predator had made its way into the duck house. A quick poke at Paul and it was clear that he was...
by Susan | Jul 12, 2012 | Ducks
Do you suppose they notice their reflections? Oscar’s double reflection as she chases off the ducklings.
by Susan | Jul 11, 2012 | Ducks
The ducklings have taken up synchronized bobbing, diving for pond goodies!
by Susan | Jul 8, 2012 | On the Farm
It was a weekend of two weather forecasts. Saturday was beastly hot and humid. Sunday was glorious – a perfect Maine summer day. I spent both days outdoors working on a myriad of garden and critter chores, sneaking in some reading by the pond and taking pictures...
by Susan | Jul 6, 2012 | Ducks, On the Farm
It’s been a week since we introduced the ducklings to the pond. Since then the big ducks have learned to tolerate the new ducklings and the babies have learned how to hold their ground. The other night I figured they were doing so well together on the pond that...
by Susan | Jul 2, 2012 | Chickens, Ducks, On the Farm, Turkeys
I spent the most glorious hour this evening sitting at the edge of the duck pond, sun dipping lower in the sky, with a glass of wine and my book. It was like a mini vacation relaxing away from work and the phone, watching the baby ducks negotiate their place among the...
by Susan | Jun 26, 2012 | On My Mind
We’ve had a bit of rain lately. Well, more like torrential downpours. I can’t remember the last dry day we had. My weeds are flourishing and the garden is waterlogged! Here’s a quick visual. This is our pond last week when we launched the ducks for...
