Just stuff

Here I am trapped at my desk just like it was a work day (well, I was working). Too hot to be out, even hot in here. But I got my back yard cleaned up this morning, the stuff put away, the leaves put in the compost bin (even turned the compost for good measure), some of the soil leveled a little bit, a bit of washing down. I have planted some fall beans, carrots, chard where the tomatillos were. I'm like a kid, out there spraying the bed to keep it damp, peering hopefully for little bits of green. Dug my shallots, dried them in the sun for a few days, and I have a nice big bowl of eating sized ones and enough little ones to plant when I get a space for them. Shallots grow like bunching onions, which I didn't know. I thought each little bulb grew into a big bulb, but the grow into a cluster of shallots. I won't plant them so close next time! I made a bunch of jars of dried oregano, and ate a few tomatoes. It was a good morning, except . . .

A bad thing happened, probably this morning. They get really quiet when it gets dark, so I doubt this was last night. One of my little finches, the fawn hen which lays a egg every day, pulled a thread from a spool hanging near the cage - I cleaned the cage yesterday and moved it too close to my thread rack. When I went to check on them, fortunately fairly early this morning, I found her hanging upside down from the swing, mostly touching the floor of the cage. She had gotten the thread wrapped around her leg and the swing. I can't tell if her leg is broken or dislocated. She is in a box covered with net and facing the cage so they can all see each other but she can be quiet. I'm sure her mate misses her, they fly as a pair and always sit next to each other. The bird guy at the vet's was off today, so I can take her there Monday. Awww.