Gregory Peck and the Coxcomb

This handsome guy is our California White rooster -- Gregory Peck  (the name I've given most of our roosters over the years. )

Now that the garden is over, John lets the chickens out in the afternoon and they have begun to find their way to the porch in search of stray dog food or sunflower seeds.

I admit that some stale bread helped ensure Gregory's cooperation

He was wary . . . but he hung around long enough for me to get some good shots of what T.H. White called "mad marigold eyes" and a nice silhouette of his intricate comb.  Which reminds me of a story. . .

Oftimes in a hard winter, the tips of the combs will freeze, turn black, and fall off. It doesn't seem to bother the bird but is does detract from their beauty.  

One year, after such a cold snap, a friend of mine who was living with us (a literary type who probably had in mind the word 'coxcomb,') went around telling folks that it had been so cold that the chickens' cocks had fallen off.

 

Shadowing . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capturing the Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Full Farm Experience

John returned from the feed store yesterday afternoon to find that Silverbell had calved -- a husky good-looking bull calf ...

Silverbell is a veteran mother and we hadn't anticipated any problems . . .

Still, it's always nice when things go smoothly . . .

The calfie is getting his first drink here . . .

And, as you can see, Marigold is all excited about the blessed event. . . 

 

And on Wednesday, we dispatched 25 chickens . . .
the other side of the farm experience . . . 

 

Camera Safari

 

 

 

 

Surf's Up . . .

The last of my California pictures . . .

A month ago I was marveling at these beautiful beaches and rugged cliffs . . .

So different from the Florida and other southern beaches I've visited -- 
there are whole stretches of this gorgeous coastline that are agricultural . . .

Instead of condos and hotels crowded along the shore,
 there are fields of pumpkins and artichokes . . .
 

modest farmhouses, and farmstands . . .

You probably can't imagine how much I wanted this little cookstove. . .

 

And every so often there would be a beach access road. . .

All this beauty. .  .

I was mesmerized, watching the waves break on the rocks . . .

I swear, these pictures are just a sample -- the tip of the proverbial iceberg. . .

I should have taken videos and captured the wonderful sound . . .

But I didn't.

I did get pictures of some of the plants growing near the beach . . .

All unknown to me -- I might as well have been in New Zealand. . .

The yellow one reminds me of yarrow and this one below looks like a teasel . . .
but I don't know . . . 

California poppies? 
I think so . . . 

I love the rocks -- another difference from the flat expanses of sand I'm used to. . .  

Such drama!