duck pens, snow loads and gardening thoughts

we spent the day re-roofing the duck pen

since the demise of my serafina
i haven't wanted to let my ducks stay in the pen
so every single day i would convince falstaff to go into a tiny crate and i would schlep him into the basement

surprisingly he did this willingly!

the three remaining babies too***

ok they are on their second night in the duck pen BUT
we have roofed over with fencing......wire fencing
and they are in crates........
with the doors against solid walls

and the radio going

i have a few more things to do to the pen to feel that it is 'safe' again

including a better woodend inner coop


the roof looks really wanky.....like them crazy roofs on the houses from that town in california
i am hoping it holds a snow load
i think it will


in looking around my poor garden
i realized that again i didn't get the paths covered and that let a lot of weeds grow
next year or maybe during the winter
i plan on putting down cardboard and newspaper and then some sort of mulch
bernie talked about raised beds but i am not holding my breath

i am thinking however
my friend joey used what looks like a swing set....but is not for upside down tomato growing
i think i am going to lift that idea
without tomatoes in the ground.....i can devote their bed to garlic and maybe eggplants

the other thing is
i want a hoop house
i would LOVE a greenhouse with under soil cables for heat for my beloved peppers
but a cold hoop house for winter greens would be ok too

i have decided to put in elderberries
at least they are native
they will give me a lot of fruit
i won't (maybe) have produce envy............

what's not to like? the bird stains on the cars?
please we got them anyway ( i want to know WHERE them buggers are getting thos berries from anyway)

i would also like blueberry, cranberry, blackberry and peach
sounds like a reasonable array no?

i thought so

til next time
vi



*** we had the boys processed on friday night, it's not a good feeling but it is what had to be done
i could not find homes for them
i did try
so
instead of a life in a tiny cage which is what would have had to happen
they lived a great life for 4 months and then they will go to feed us