Hippychick

Unfortunately, these girls are not mine. Fortunately, though I was able to see that they got taken to a good home. I did the taking actually. One of the carpenters I work with had chickens but didn't want them anymore. I don't remember how I discovered this but I knew that Rurality or Peapie or Country Experience would want them so I said bring 'em on! There were nine in all and Rurality has recently suffered a great chicken decline so this replenishes her stock pretty good. Maybe I'll get a few eggs out of it!

Ain't this one purdy! Forgive the horrid southern vernacular but something about chickens makes me want to talk that way. The guy said this was a Speckled Sussex. I want these kind! Supposed to be very friendly, happy chickens too.
My coneflowers attract a wide variety of bees and butterflies. I don't know what this bee is but I have not seen a single regular honeybee this year. Not one. That makes me uncomfortable. They were late showing up last year but I did see them eventually. Everything seems to be getting pollinated fine due to the large number and variety of bumblebees etc. but I like to see the honeybees.
I have a small collection of coneflowers going on. I have the tag that came with these white ones but can't recall the name right off. If you want to know I can look it up. I have a yellow variety too. Edit: this variety is White Swan.
Anybody know what this is? This is the first year that I have noticed this flower around here and they are only on the edge of the drive where there is spotty sunlight. It's a vine (I think) and the flowers are about 1 1/2" across.

I had a nice time this morning going to our local farmer's market. I bought several things since my own garden is a veritable wasteland at this point. I stopped by a local plant nursery and found the perfect rose bush to plant above the stone wall I'm building now. I didn't buy it today but will go back soon and get it. The lady that runs the place kinda irritates me. She follows you around everywhere; like you're going to steal something. Yeah, I'm going to snatch this 20 lb. potted hydrangea and run for the truck! OK, I could do that but gimme a break! And it's not like you're going to smuggle something out under your clothes either. Ouch! I know she is probably just trying to be there in case you have questions but it drives me nuts. I like to just look and if I want to know something I'll come find you.
Later, I managed to find and bring up 2 more very large stones for the wall I'm building. It was too muddy to do any work over on the wall so I thought I'd stay on the gravel drive and do a little cleaning and clearing with the machine but it suddenly got dark and big rain drops started falling. I throttled that thing all the way up and headed for the house but those machines were just not made for speed. I could have walked faster! And do you know, leaning forward doesn't make it go any faster!? I could hear thunder above the noise of the excavator and I'm like, faster dammit, faster! Something about that metal arm sticking up in the air makes me nervous.
I think it is going to rain most of the day tomorrow so I may go visit my mom. I haven't been up there in a while. Hope ya'll are having a good weekend.

*Soho / this song was hot when I was in college (we won't talk about how long ago that was) and I hadn't heard it in years! love it!