Porcupine

I was driving down the road and saw this porcupine so I quickly rolled down the window and took some quick photos, not my best but you get the main idea. I have been seeing a lot of Porcupines lately, alive and dead on the road.


He turned around and face me for a few seconds, but...


I believe they put their back to you so you are confronted by a wall of quills. This is OK for most predators but not so good against a car.

Bat Tube

This is a "Bat Tube", a device that allows bats to leave a building but does not allow them to return. This tube is installed in my new house (The Grange House)which has a bat problem. You can see here a bat that had just come through, taking flight.



Here is another bat that is crawling through.



One more bat coming through. Unfortunately, there are still cracks that the bats are escaping through. These cracks still need to be filled before the bat tube can work; currently if they can't get back into the tube, they can just go to a crack.


You can see another bat taking flight here.

What the....?

I took this photo of a bat on the ceiling of my new house. But for the life of me can't figure out if it is one bat, two bats, where is the head, what kind of bat. It looks like a bat wing with a black bears head sitting on it. The nose to the left, then the tan snout, and the eye is closed.

Any ideas?

Bats

I thought I better start posting on the blog before people start thinking I abandoned it. I have been lazy and have spent time posting on my other blog The Grange House. But last week I had a real reason to not post, I spent five days in the hospital with some complications from getting some kidney stones lasered out. I will also be spending next Tuesday and Wednesday in the hospital getting some more work done. So here are a few photos I posted on "The Grange House" but will work here also.


Here are two Brown Bats hanging out in my new house. There has been a disease going around called, "White Nose Syndrome" which is killing a large amount of bats in this area. Judging by these photos, I don't think these bats have this malady...at least not yet. The former owner said that he has counted 65 bats coming out of the building at one time. I have only seen three bats at a time but judging by all the guano(Bat poop), there are more than the three I saw. I can't wait until we can seal up the building and put in "Bat Tubes", devices that let the bats out but not in. There are enough places in the area they can go, old barns and such. I hope these bats have don't get this,"White Nose Syndrome". It is nice to have them around, just not in my house.


Another bat hanging out by himself.

Bovine Bangs

The boys and I went for a ride today and came upon this Scottish Highlander cow, it was so cute I just had to take a photo...but he could use a trim.

Happy Chickens

Leverett, MA - While looking for the Peace Pagoda I passed this stand selling eggs. I was intrigued with the "Happy Eggs" sign; so I stopped to take a photo. Just at that time the owner came by with another cooler full of eggs. I asked her for directions to the Peace Pagoda, which she informed me where to go.


She brought to my attention the, "Today the Chickens are Happy" sign. I forgot to ask her what makes the chickens happy and what sign does she post when they are not.


The Happy Chickens get to stroll around the yard.

New England Photos Extra - Maui

Hey There - Sorry I have not been blogging lately but I will try to catch up. I do have a excuse, at least for a week. My wife and I took a trip to Maui and caught up with my wife's sister and her husband who are there on holiday.

Here is a few photos I took when I was there; to keep with the New England theme I will post "One by land and two by sea".


Hakeakala Crater at 10,000 feet; inside a dormant volcano.


Breaching whale on a Whale Watch Boat.


Splash Down.

Jericho Settlers Farm

Jericho, VT - Last weekend we were up in Vermont and stopped by the Jericho Settlers Farm. The farm is a CSA(Community Supported Agriculture); this is where you can buy a "share" in the farm's crop that year. In return for your membership, you receive a box of what is ready to eat that week. The consumer gets fresh vegetables and the farm gets buyers for their crops and money up front; this way they don't have to take a loan out to hold them over until the crops come in(I heard this on a radio program). Jericho Settlers Farm(JSF) in addition to vegetables,sells meat and eggs. They sell Pork, Lamb, Beef, Chicken, and Eggs. More information: Jericho Settlers Farm



Below is the barn that houses the farm stand on the left and on the right is the Emile A. Gruppe Gallery.



Here owner Christa Alexander waters plants in the Greenhouse.




Lettuce grows out in the field.



"Hogs lookin' at you Pig"...I couldn't resist. A mother pig with some of her piglets. They kept on hiding behind the hay.




These pigs setting up for the "Missing Hog Formation" for a fallen comrade who gave his all for dinner...he was a real ham...OK only a few more zingers(I'm my own best audience).



A view of our mother pig and some Herefords in the background.



A "Chicken Mosh Pit", these chickens have a whole field to run around in but decided to group together, maybe it was the Speed Metal I was playing? OK, I'm done.



The chickens are raised "Free Range" following the Lambs or Cows who eat the high grass and when the grass is short enough the fence is moved and the chickens are moved in and fertilize the field. This Chuck Wagon with these nesting boxes hanging on the side is also moved. The chickens jump in when they want to lay an egg. The egg rolls down into a catcher. I also noticed quite a few eggs laid below the wagon.



I have not a clue what this is, it was hanging from an apple tree and I thought it looked cool. It looks kind of sticky, to catch bugs?

Note: I found out what this is, it is an Apple Maggot Trap". It is used to see if there are the Apple Maggot flies and tell if they need to spray. I don't know what they do on an Organic Farm?



There is just too much to write about this farm, log onto their website for more information: Jericho Settlers Farm

Roadside Hog

Last year I saw a hog in this very same garden, I'm not sure if it is the same one. So when I saw the hog there again I took this photo. I did not have my camera with me last year and within a few days they planted a garden in this very same spot.

RED SQUIRREL

Sorry I haven't been posting lately, anyway here is a red squirrel that has been harassing my cat.

FIRST FROG SIGHTING OF THE YEAR

This was my first frog sighting of 2008.