Really? Another 2 inches???

Candace's rain gauge has seen a LOT of action so far this summer!!  Yesterday another 0.5 inches fell, and today... 1.5 inches (so far) with another line of storms heading our way.  Yes, we've had rain.  Yes, we've had OVER our share of rain, but still not nearly as much as the extreme north of Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota (Duluth/Superior area).  Massive FLOOOOODING!!!  I feel for everyone who has to live through the damage all this rain is creating.  Thankfully, we haven't been flooded, although we do have water in the basement, but that's been an ongoing problem we've needed to deal with since we built in 2004.  

At least the dill seems to be liking all this rain!  Likewise, the raspberry bushes should be flourishing from all this water too.

Mama has been roaming with her chicks into a bigger expansive area lately.  There have been times where she has even completely left them to go off with the other hens and rooster;  just like pictured here, taken this morning.

Almost in unison, Paul and I were talking about this exact same chick.  His comment towards it was "Eww, ugly duckling?"

WHAT???  My thoughts were COMPLETELY opposite!  The coloring is amazingly unique and gorgeous.  So, what are your thoughts?  Whose side are you going to choose?  Paul's or mine?  Then again, you may simply be thinking...."Guys!  It's a chicken!  Who cares?"   :0)

Tonight when I arrived home from my day-long math assessment workshop, I grabbed the camera for my walk around the yard/garden.  The chickens were hanging out down by the pigpen area, eating what they could scrape up from the pig feed trough.  I spied Big Mama amongst them....with no babies.  At that point, Paul said it was time to gather up the chicks and separate them from Mama.  

So....after securing the help from Cassie, Caitlyn and Candace, we all (minus Paul--he was making bagels in the house) ran around the yard, trying to catch those seven lil' buggars.  

They are all now safe-n-sound in the remodeled chicken pen where we have the other 26 meat-bird chicks.  I'm a little worried about how Big Mama will react and I plan to keep an ear out for her tonight.... to see if she'll be clucking away, trying to call for them.  We've never had to separate a mama and chicks before.  This is new to me.

So, tonight.....my schedule has opened up since Cassie's softball game has been cancelled.  Maybe the New Year's Eve mystery WILL see a finish after all.

Know what?  I really need a name for that quilt!  Any suggestions?