BP Oil Disaster...How Big Would it Be If It Were Here in the Buffalo Area

The BP oil disaster started over 80 days ago and you would have to be living under a rock to not know about it and to not be deeply troubled by how devastating to the environment that it is. The images of sea creatures and birds dying slow, oily deaths is heart breaking. We don't even fully know just how devastating to the earth this will be longterm, we may never know, our kids may never know. Very sad! Watching it on the news every night does not let one appreciate just how big the area is that the spill has covered, so far. This amazing link using a google map allows you to move the spill to where you live to see just how big it is. http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/#loc=East%20Aurora%2C%20NY%2014052%2C%20USA&lat=42.7441063&lng=-78.6341996&x=-78.31559608437499&y=44.825797869658054&z=6

It literally covers all of Lake Ontario to the north and east and stretches all the way to Detroit! I had no idea. It really puts into perspective the sheer size of it!  Try putting your zip code in. And this has only just begun. If a hurricane hits that area, it will literally be raining oil! If you are interested in donating to help the wildlife please follow this link to a very reputable site: http://www.nwf.org/Oil-Spill.aspx

Chicken Update

No this is not a post about England giving up a soft goal against the US in the World Cup today to allow them to tie 1-1.  USA, USA!!!  Soccer anyone?

The chickens at COTW are getting to be big girls now.   They are 1 month old now and for a week they have been living in the coop in the barn, having moved out of our basement.  In the past week they went from that awkward teenager stage to looking like small chickens and actually kind of pretty now.

This is our Blue Silkie...so cute!

Our Golden Polish...
Our White-Capped Black Polish...

Our White Cochin...last week in the awkward stage...

 

This is our mystery breed....they send you one with each order.  Not sure what she is yet.  But stinkin cute!

This is the temporary pen that they stayed in for the last week.  It will become their roost eventually.  

My Dad and I worked on building the door to the outside run yesterday.  The nesting boxes on the right won't be used for quite a while.  

Not so sure about that scary outside world.  They now have the option to go outside during the day.  They opted not to, yet.  

View from the outside looking in.

Pigs Love Lettuce!

Morgan destroyed this head of lettuce.  At one point throwing it up in the air like a dead animal.  She still has yet to refuse anything we have offered her.  She has the most well rounded and healthy diet ever!

Bee Update

The hive had been here for 2 weeks now and the crew has been hard at work.  I opened up the hive for the first time yesterday to see how it was doing.  From all signs they appear to be doing very well.  Lots of comb, honey and new bees being made.  Not quite ready to add a new layer on the hive just yet.  Still working on the frames they have.

Let's keep some bees...

Things That Glow: Part 2

Finally got some photos (not easy to do so not a great photo but you get the idea) of the millions of fireflies behind our property.  Truly breathtaking!  To learn more about fireflies (aka lightning bugs) click here

This little girl landed on my arm!

And our first bon-fire of the summer.  Nothing quite like one on a beautiful summer night with good friends!