Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Jalapenos

 These pics are of El Pinto, beautiful place to eat in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  This place was fantastic, would highly recommend.  Our waiter was so friendly and helpful, he was a college student and gave us detailed directions on how to find several areas we were interested in seeing.  My love of plants and flowers couldn't resist taking pictures of all the beautiful flowers.   The hanging jalapenos are my favorite, they are called ristras.

Santa Fe, New Mexico Downtown
 

SUMMER SIZZLE

THIS IS I'M SURE THE FINAL SUMMER SIZZLE FOR THE YEAR HERE IN MISSOURI. I WILL SURELY MISS THIS SUMMER AS LAST WINTER WAS SO COLD AND LONG. THE CANNAS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND HAVE NEVER STOPPED BLOOMING. THE RED ROOFED BUILDING IS MY CHICKEN HOUSE. AND OF COURSE MANLY OUR RESIDENT ROOSTER ALWAYS WANTS A CLOSE UP. HE IS A SPECKLED SUSSEX AND VERY HANDSOME, IN THE BACKGROUND IS ONE OF HIS TWELVE LADY FRIENDS.

THIS IS MY KOI POND, I MISS THIS THE MOST IN THE WINTER, BUT I'M SURE THE FISH NEED THEIR REST AS WELL. BUT I TAKE THESE PICTURES IN THE SUMMER SO I CAN DROOL OVER THEM ALL WINTER, WAITING FOR SPRING AND SUMMER. THE NEXT PICTURE IS OF THE KOI POND WHEN WE CLEANED IT OUT , WE DO THIS IN THE FALL AND THEN LET THE FILTERS RUN FOR ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH TO STABILIZE THE GOOD BACTERIA AND WE HAVE GROWN SOME NICE SIZE KOI.  YOU CAN SURE SEE THEM IN THIS PICTURE. THE TWO TUBES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE POND ARE LARGE PVC PIPE THAT WE USE FOR THE KOI TO GO IN FOR THE WINTER OR WHEN SOMETHING THREATENS THEM. THEY SEEM TO ENJOY THIS SHELTER ON HOT HUMID SUMMER DAYS. WE HAVE 7 LARGE KOI AND TWO SMALL GOLDFISH THAT I HAVE HAD FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW. THE KOI ARE AROUND 30" LONG AND THE GOLDFISH ABOUT 8" LONG. A VERY FUN HOBBY .

AFTER VIEWING THE PICTURE ABOVE ITS HARD TO BELIEVE ITS THE SAME POND, AMAZING WHAT PLANT GROWTH AND WATERFALL CAN DO FOR A POND.

The Cats Meow!!

The shop cats have found a way to get warm!! This lovely pair is Buddy ( grey tomcat) and Patches ( the black and white tomcat). They are great mousers and good friends. They also know like most of us that their is more warmth when you share your bed . They love to have their pictures taken and are very loving cats.  We don't know what life would be like without them.

It's the end of January and the time seems to be flying. We have been busy here at the Flying Rooster Ranch and Greenhouse. We are planing our garden and ordering our seed, we are a very small operation just the two of us and it keeps us very busy planting and growing . Everyone should have a greenhouse that they can get into in the winter, so nice when it is cold to be able to be in short sleeves and playing in the dirt. My mother and  I are always excited to try out new seed and see what comes up in the garden.

I went out yesterday as the snow had melted some from the koi pond, to look down and see if the fish were still alive, they were and were swimming around although pretty slowly. I can't wait for it to warm up and see how much the young koi have grown. As you can tell I get cabin fever pretty easy this time of year. Love the outdoors in the summer time.

We are now planning on getting some new chicks for the chicken house this year as I gave away my older layers this fall and I am starting over this spring, so the chirps of baby chicks will be in the air in April. I am still trying to decide what I want to try this time. Any suggestions? I have had Barred Rocks, Astralorps, Buff Orpingtons, Polish , Sultans, Japenese Bantams, Rhode Island Reds, Silkies, and Cochins and probably a few I have forgotten to mention. I want a good egg layer through the winter and some I can dress out for fryers. Must be a fairly gentle breed for my young grandson and my mom like to go and collect the eggs and let the chickens out to roam the pastures.

Well till next time, happy winter daydreaming!!!!!!!!!!!