Mr. Snakey and something else

Dear Leslie,
While I was filling the water tank and collecting some wood planks to put inside the RTV I spotted a 6’ Black Snake moving from the forest edge to the first stack of firewood.  He was fully stretched out so I touched him about mid-body and he scooted under the pallet that holds the firewood. 
I checked the coop and the chicken tractor after watering the shrubs and no sign of him, but I would look first before reaching into the nesting boxes.
Love, 
Paul 

3:30 And then there were 13...
I took the doggies out for a walk down to the fire pit and we took the left hand curve of the path and found a Rhode Island Red hen dead in the middle of the path, about even with the burn barrel.  Looked like the chest was ripped open but no feathers were visible around the carcass, so not sure what hit it.

Sounds like a song

On the first day of July my true love gave to me...
Three loads of compost, (for the new winterberries and switch grass),

2 cherry trees full (a colander of sweet cherries from two of our own trees.  This is the first harvest from those trees, now about 5 years old,  2 year seedlings when planted, and standing about 7-8 ft tall.  Our sour cherry trees did not produce many cherries this year)

and the first little pullet egg of the new layers.

5 weeks old

It's time to go outside, but sleet was predicted for this morning and it's feels like we need an ark and a foghorn too.  They'll be in the tub for a while longer.

The meaning of "pecking order" is very visible when you watch chickens at play.

4 weeks old

3 weeks

The Rhode Island Reds are 3 weeks old and almost fully feathered.  If it weren't so cold and wet I'd put them outside for some bugging.

2 weeks old

This one, Jonathan's favorite, is much more bold that her sisters.  She tries to fly out of her box to greet me and doesn't tremble when I pick her up.