Speaking of domesticated animals
September, and fall is nearly here. I usually have some project for the upcoming season, but this summer's been so here and there with one damn thing or another that I don't have fall plans yet.
Maybe it's a time to stop things, as a change from always embarking on them. Life keeps on presenting new embarking without looking for more. To be continued.
Chicken saga also continued. Gary and I saw a whole gaggle of chickens out pecking, which he loved. But he's dogsitting two granddogs, as well as Billie, and he's worried about the chicks wandering among them, not sure what would happen.
He tracked down the owners, turns out they've erected a chicken shed on their patio and they've had the chickens several weeks, but hadn't let them out. He cautioned them about our foxes and redtails. Now he's looking around for greens, unsprayed, to give them. They're the granddaughter's pets Never a dull moment.
We worked on houseplants between catching escaping dogs, and eating a plate of chicken biryani, rice, some very hot veg dish and that crisp spicy snack stuff Indians love. A neighbor brought it over to share.
We reminisced about H and worried about her husband J and son J. Gary started moving out stones ready to level for my new patio, and I pointed out the couple of self planted offshoots from the Russian sage that he can have.
He and I are going to visit Hs widower next week. And there's my audiologist visit, and the knitting group and handsome son's visit, and the doors to be returned. I don't think I have time for a project.
I did pick the last of the sweet peppers and roast them with olive oil and garlic powder, to crisp chips, to go with the last of the shrimp for lunch. Then I dropped the seeds into the container that used to hold the non potatoes. Maybe they'll sprout next year.
I pulled more dead foliage, so the garden is looking winter ready, or something. New sprouts of the crushed giant Russian sage have come up from the debris of the wall repair, right where my future patio will go. Gary has wanted one of these for years, no longer obtainable. So he's going to dig up and transplant them, very happily.
In the course of pulling foliage I unearthed my long lost bird bath.
Frogs have been known to occupy it when I've left an inch of water for butterflies.
The Chinese owner of the chickens sent over these leaves, doesn't know the English name for them. She makes a tea with them.
Can anyone identify them? Hibiscus? We both need to be careful to identify it in case it reduces blood pressure because of being on blood pressure medication.
I had a dramatic experience some time ago, ending in the hospital, after drinking delicious holy basil tea. It's used to reduce blood pressure, which I didn't know and I ended up with a serious overdose and plunging pressure.
Happy day everyone, do you have projects for the seasons? Aside from those grand ones like reading The Iliad, and the lesser known Anatolian poets, or maybe the care and feeding of neighborhood poultry.
White rabbits! Maybe your fall project is recuperating from the spring and summer.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know the back story on the chicks. Welcome back, birdbath! It'll be interesting to see if the pepper seeds germinate next spring. Not sure if they'll tolerate winter freezes.
Glad you and Gary have plans to visit H's husband. What does BilliethePup think of her dog cousins?
Chris from Boise
I don't know about the pepper seeds, but around here a lot of squash, pumpkin, etc, seeds plant themselves and tolerate winter freeze, so we'll see.
DeleteBillie is a perfect nuisance to the terrier, nagging him to play. The Golden is glad, because usually the terrier nags him to play, so he's getting a break. He's using it to learn how to open the gate and let the others out.
White rabbits!
Keep calm and carry on seems a good starting point for autumn.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea!
DeleteSo many things on the to-do list. But no chickens. Are those permitted in your complex?
ReplyDeleteThey're not permitted in any town around here! Only a matter of time before there's a hullabaloo.
DeleteNot a clue about the leaves and I never make seasonal plans, I just roll along through the year.
ReplyDeleteThis might be a season when I don't make plans either, seeing how they rarely work out.
DeleteIf your Indian snack mix was bhuja, instead of having crisps as a snack at 10 in the evening, we started having bhuja. I don't know if it was any healthier though.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they are hibiscus leaves. Drink holy basil tea instead of prescribed medication? Maybe not. It is uncontrolled.
The idea is that holy basil is more for people who don't have a BP issue, so they don't get one, I think. It's delicious tea, though. I must look up bhuja and see if that's what I have. Another Indian friend used to give me little bags of it all the time.
DeleteMy 'phone app suggests that the leaves are Beefsteak plant, Korean perilla, Perilla mint, Chinese basil among other things - probably completely erroneous.
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising the things one cannot eat with certain medications. Years ago, my mother-in-law said she was told not to eat grapefruit because of her blood pressure tablets. I don't think people these days are always warned of harmful interactions.
Grapefruit interferes with a lot of medication, but you don't hear so much now. On the other hand, I don't see grapefruit on sale much either, so maybe it's waned. Thanks for checking the leaves.
DeleteMy grandmother always had chickens. I loved those critters when I was young. We aren’t allowed to keep them in our area. Sad!
ReplyDeleteWe aren't either. Only a matter of time before these are declared outlaws.
DeleteI often cared for a neighbors chickens. They can be contrary critters! Why is Russian sage unattainable? I have one I planted 20 years ago. it just keeps keeping on. My plans are to continue playing catch-up on the outside projects.
ReplyDeleteMine was the giant one, and it was doing fine till the landscapers tore it out while I was out. Nurseries around here only stock small and midsized plants, because small yards. Even catalogs are mainly catering to small yards.
DeleteI can't identify those leaves but I think I'd err on the side of caution and simply admire them but not imbibe them, just in case.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be interesting to see the saga of the chickens evolve if, as you say, there might be a ruckus over having them.
I hope everyone keeps quiet. They're a little girl's pets.
DeleteI just muddle through the year and don't change much for the seasons. Still try to take several walks a week, do some cross stitch, play solitaire on the computer, read books, read blogs, visit friends/family. It's a good life when I write it out like that! :)
ReplyDeleteI usually mark the change of season in some way. This year might be different.
DeleteMy phone app also says Beefsteak plant and that may be correct as it says they are used for their "distinctive flavor in Asian cooking" and for their "valuable essential oils." And there's this- "Moreover, beefsteak plant contributes to the arts with its leaves ability to produce a brilliant magenta dye, used in crafting traditional
ReplyDeleteJapanese candles."
So! Quite a plant! I do believe you may need some.
I am so sorry to hear that those chickens will probably be forced out of the community.
Projects? Plans? I shall have to ponder that.
I noticed that the color was likely to be a dye, so that's interesting. I've put them in water to see if they root. Thank you for checking.
DeleteI hope everyone keeps quiet about the chickens .
My plant app concurs with others who have commented that those are beefsteak plant leaves. I also read that contact with the leaves or oils can cause contact dermatitis, so use caution if you have sensitive skin! (everything makes me break out -- a juniper plant gave me a delightful rash just a couple weeks ago)
ReplyDeleteGood precaution. I've put them in water to see if I can root them as a houseplant.
DeleteA good thing to consider moving into the next season, not having projects defined. I seldom have one either. But do have a special outing maybe once a month with friends. Next week I'm going to meet again a woman who's home had been damaged by last years storm, and who has been living in Assisted Living the last 3 months. I imagine how my life would feel if I'd gone through that!
ReplyDeleteThe disruption of having to move from a damaged house is huge. I hope she's holding up.
ReplyDeleteNot allowed chickens in most towns here--even when I was a kid. But our next door neighbors planted hedges and fenced all around their back yard so they could sneak in chickens--lol! They had chickens for years when I was a kid. They accidentally ended up with a rooster once. Had to get rid of him quickly as he was a dead giveaway--lol! ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's funny! I wonder if roosters are the objection to chickens? I don't see the problem with them. They even eat bugs for us.
DeleteThat is definitely Perilla. I have grown it before and would add the leaves to just about any veg that I sautéed. Great stuff. I need to get it going again! And I will try it as tea.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Now I hope I can get the leaves to root. It's a new one on me.
DeleteSometimrs its inspiring to not have plans for a season and go wirh what the cosmis gives you. You are such an active person (body and mind) that you will see opportunities in places yoy might not consider if following a plan.
DeleteI'm interested I a project ,not a plan. But maybe one will occur to me, yes, you're right there.
DeleteI have never heard of perilla or beefsteak plant, so it's been interesting to read these comments.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found your bird bath!
Me neither, so I've learned some things. Thanks to knowledgeable blogistas.
DeleteMy church has a lot of autumn projects that I've signed up for. I'm just hoping my work life and income stays stable enough so there's no contradiction.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll tell us more as they unfold.
DeleteChickens in the burbs is unusual to me. I don’t know what our local bylaws are as it never seems to come up.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a pet you'd think of. I expect some people might want eggs, too.
DeleteI didn’t know those leaves but I looked them up on Google. I found a link with info.
ReplyDeletehttps://thecookscook.com/guides/what-is-perilla-shiso-kkaennip/
I love to be around chickens. Thanks for another enjoyable read. Happy September!
Thanks for that useful link. It seems to be a really good culinary plant.
DeleteThe project will find you when you -- and it -- are ready. Until then, enjoy all the new opportunities for action that pop up in your path. SLowly venturing back into blogland after my break. It's good to 'see" you again!
ReplyDeleteAfter all of this. Your project will be to rest and recover
ReplyDeleteBut I’m sure you will find something to keep you occupied
We always do
More on chickens - our CC&Rs (neighborhood property restrictions) when we moved into our older neighborhood in 1991 were "2 birds allowed". We assumed they meant two caged indoor birds. So we got day-old four chicks, who grew into hens, gave eggs to all our neighbors, and had anyone official asked, we planned to say we had 'two pair o' keets". Of course no one asked...Subsequently, after much discussion, the city of Boise zoned for up to six hens (no roosters), and we have (more or less) abided by that.
ReplyDeleteI do hope no neighbors squeal on your local flock.
Chris from Boise
That sounds reasonable. Some neighboring towns are not so reasonable. My town also bans pigs other than on farms. Quite a few of my neighbors used to have large yards and one fattening pig, so they were sad when the reg changed as the town grew. That was before I lived here, but they still talked about their pigs.
Delete