They're back

Sorry... more turkey news. But there are some interesting photos, so I hope I'm not boring you. I'm not fond of the turkeys myself... but I do like taking pics, and if I can get some great or unusual shots, I'll do it... even if they're of turkeys. ;)

I hadn't seen the hen and chicks for nearly two weeks. I was hoping they'd found a better place to live permanently... like over at the neighbors' or something. However, Saturday evening I happened to see them along our driveway again.

It was roosting time, and one by one, they were heading up into the trees. They flew effortlessly. Here goes one of them, as one on the ground awaits its turn...

... higher and higher...

... till it made it up into the tree!

Mom flew up, too, but they were pretty wary of me and my camera...

... so she called them all back down again and off they went.

There were two hens out there. I don't know if they each had some chicks or if they all belonged to the one. I saw at least six chicks, but I may have missed a few. They hide so well in the long grass.

Unrelated, but... down at my feet there happened to be a baby robin who kept calling over and over to its mama.

Do you know how hard it is to get a photo of it at the exact instant it has its mouth open in that call?! I took over a hundred pics of that little birdie! (Thanks to the continuous shooting setting.)

Okay, enough turkeys! (In more ways than one. "Calling cards" left behind on the deck railing lead me to believe that the young'uns are getting drinks of water from the birdbath early in the mornings. Ugh.)

I do have some sewing photos to show you... even some of an adorable little project Courtney made for 4-H! I'll try to show them soon. However, I'm testing a new pattern this week, and it needs to be done as quickly as I can (and you know I'm not a fast sewer), so that has to take priority. And on that note, I'd best get busy!

Belated update

I meant to post this shortly after my last post, but didn't get the job done. So sue me (as if there's anybody reading anymore besides Geneviève). :)  Anyway, here's an update to that post. These first two photos were taken the same day as those in that post, later in the day. The empty nest and eggs had been found by our pasture renter, and thanks to him (also unbeknownst to him), I managed to brave the long grass, tick potential and nettle to get the pics.

The nest had been hidden just outside the cattle yard fence next to a corner post, in the middle of a patch of nettle.

A closer look revealed the empty eggs plus two that hadn't hatched.

Three days later, I had stepped outside early in the evening, and I heard the mama turkey clucking to her chicks. I couldn't see her, but I happened to look up and saw the chicks lined up on a tree branch across the driveway! I ran for the camera, but by the time I got back, there was only one left up there.

I couldn't believe they were big enough already to get up that high to roost, but this last one flew down quite easily. Apparently their mom decided this wasn't the best place to spend the night, so off they went.

They grow up so fast! Look below at the second from the left one, how it's stretching its wings. It must be a male learning to strut already! ;)

Off they went, but only 7 of the original 9 chicks. Predators can be hard on them when they're that little, and no doubt it's hard for mom to defend that many at once.

They ambled in the direction of the garden...

... as I headed back to the house... and I haven't seen them since. That was a week ago.

Cuteness

I must show you some of what's keeping me occupied around here. I don't want you to think I've fallen off the face of the earth!

This is Buttercup, who has somehow managed to become a resident of the garage. She's an adorable little brat (but looks so innocent, doesn't she?) who keeps managing to get herself stuck up in trees and needing to be rescued - 4 times already! She has a LOUD cry that lets me know. LOL

Next we have Patches and two of this year's litter. She always keeps them hidden until they're about 6 weeks old and too wild to get close to. She has two others for sure, but I thought I'd seen five the first time. I had to be very sneaky to get this photo. But have you ever seen a cuter face?!

This is the face of the other one. Kinda reminds me of Annabelle a little.

I hung around (hidden behind machinery) long enough to catch them napping (while the others remained hidden also).

Then we have this little loner. She's Mia's kid. I'm sure there must've been others at first, but this is the only one left. Her crazy mother keeps hauling her in and out of the old hog barn via the fan hole in the wall. It's gotta be a rough ride up that wall and down the other side! She's such a fat little thing, I'm surprised Mia can still do it!

Just this morning I managed to catch a glimpse (AND get photos) of this little group crossing the yard.

Can you count the chicks? There are 9 of them!

Fortunately, I've only seen one other turkey around the yard in the last few weeks. It's a tom, who is apparently the father of this little flock. I don't appreciate him gobbling outside the bedroom window around 6:00 a.m.! Grrr!

I'll very soon be showing you some cute sewing projects, too. Two are done, and I should be able to get the other one finished up today. At already 90°, it's too hot to be doing anything outside today or for the next few days, so hopefully I can get lots of sewing done. I certainly have a lot of projects on my to-do list! They're mostly pretty quick things. Sometime in the next few weeks will also be a fun pattern test. I'm really looking forward to that one!