backyard flowers

A sunflower from a plant that sprung up near the roses. It has multiple buds on it, which I didn't know was possible, but Kelly Bigbee from Farmers Market of the Ozarks told me that it might have come from a bird feeder with black oil sunflower seeds. 

a firefly on a sunflower leaf 

I think this is clematis? We tore out a crazy mess of honeysuckle and vines to put in scarlet runner beans, red malibar spinach, strawberries, and flowers. I was pleasantly surprised these grew back.

pretty peas and garden update

Peas are so cool, don't ya think?

These are an heirloom variety that are supposed to have blue pods.  I can't wait to see them. 

Our knockout roses are going nuts! 

Everything is planted in the main garden: six types of tomatoes, 10 or so types of peppers, scallop squash, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, peas, beans (pole and bush types) spinach, garlic, parsley, sage and thyme.  
(I know.  I need rosemary.)  We also have a bed that I scattered a bunch of different flower seeds in.  And another with scarlet runner beans, red mailbag spinach, cilantro, zinnias and snapdragons.  And one in the 
front for Love Lies Bleeding Amaranth--google it.  it's awesome looking.--and sunflowers.   We had tons of cherry tomatoes that reseeded in the garden and have given a bunch away, but still have about a dozen.  

New Chickens!

Yesterday I brought home 3 new chickens!  It got dark on the way home so they were asleep in the cardboard box when we got there.  This morning I got up early like a kid at Christmas to get some photos before work.  

One of two Ameraucanas.  

Hester, the other Americauna and the only one we've named so far.  

This one is a speckled sussex. She's supposed to look "more striking" with age. They're all about 10 months old and already laying.  

nieces pieces

A few photos from my family's visit to Springfield last weekend:

Malory

Presley and Ashlyn 

(Sorry you're not in here, Weston.  Maybe if you wouldn't close your eyes and/or hide from me I could get a decent shot of you.  :)

more cattle

I went to a livestock auction yesterday for a story on the FDA's new guidelines aimed at reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock feed. The light was pretty awful inside and when I tried using flash, it freaked the cows out. As we were leaving, I noticed people backing up trailers to load their purchases and got this shot. I like the the way the cowboy is perfectly centered.

R.I.P. Rocky

Something got Rocky the other night and nearly got Red, too. She has few tail feathers left, but survived.

Jaxon Yates

Yesterday I photographed fans at the St. Louis Cardinals exhibition game against the Springfield Cardinals, including Jaxon and Brady Yates, above.

Today, while covering voters at the polls in Battlefield, I photographed the same kid! I didn't even realize it until I asked his mom for names afterward. She said Jaxon was so excited about having his picture in today's paper. He took it to school to show his class. We'll see if he gets to do that again tomorrow...