In the Garden With Sow-n-Sow ...

JRT in the Mix

2011-10-19T12:42:00.001-04:00

Note to self: Don't let a Jack Russell Terrier have access to a room being painted.

Click photo for better view

I'm still working on getting my home office put together but each day a buddy has a chance to help, is one step closer. New carpet should be installed by tomorrow and windows have been ordered and will hopefully be installed by the end of the month. Painting is ongoing, with some four-legged help, as you can see.

I love the color on the wall, and Jethro doesn't look so bad either. He says it's his camouflaged look.

I'm not even sure how he did it, but he's got paint all over one side of his body and all down his front leg. The toes that you see in the bottom right belong to another culprit. Edna (another JRT - do you see a trend here?), grabbed the paint stirrer out of the can and dragged it to my living room. Yes, green paint looked great on that carpet too.

Time to Switch to Straight Talk

2011-10-13T20:01:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I don’t use my cell phone much, but when I need it, I need it. I can’t do away with it entirely, but I’m determined to lower my bill. My current plan is as low as it goes, and I’m still paying more than I think I should be, and it now doesn’t include text or nationwide service without roaming charges.

I think Straight Talk is the plan that’s going to save me the most money, while keeping the services I need. I’m undecided yet which plan to go with; the All You plan has 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 mb of web data, but I think I’m leaning towards the unlimited plan for $45 a month, which includes calls, texts, picture messaging and web use.

One of the biggest draws for me is that I can get all this with NO contract – no activation or termination fees either. Every other plan I’ve used locked me in with a two-year contract with a stiff penalty to bow out prior to that. I’ve fulfilled my contract as of this month but already paid my bill, so I’m headed out soon to find a spiffy new phone that has the apps I’ll need and will sign up before my next bill is due with my old carrier. I might even opt for The power of Android and get my butt in gear!

The Straight Talk Image... by LittleBard95

I’m determined to turn a spare bedroom into an office and have it paid for before the end of the year, so the two months of savings on my cell phone plan will go towards that goal. I don't know about getting my dog's nails done, but I intend to Feel Richer with Android. What would you do with money you saved if you cut your cell phone bill in half?

Old Stuff Given New Life

2011-09-23T07:12:00.001-04:00

I haven't been tending to my yard and flower beds like I should, but I got motivated to spend a few minutes in my front perennial garden the other day, thanks to a couple of friends. TS knows I like 'junk' and said he had found something interesting that I might like. Another friend has property that his family originally homesteaded and it's accumulated all sorts of things over the years. TS has been helping to clear brush back there and came across an old galvanized washtub that he thought had Marie Anne's name on it and asked if I wanted him to haul it over here.

How could I pass that up? It didn't take me long to know that I wanted to plant flowers in it, but wasn't sure where to place it. I started off wanting it in a corner of the yard up by the house, but it would be partially hidden from view from the road by the taller flowers in the perennial garden. Hmm, how about putting it in the perennial garden?

With everything else in there dying off at the end of the season, putting the washtub there with fall flowers seemed like a good idea. I drove down to the Save-a-Lot and grabbed four potted mums (3 for $10, couldn't beat that!), filled the tub with dirt and there you have it.

I think it's the perfect spot for it. I can still see it here from my desk and it's clearly visible from the road. In fact, every neighbor that's gone up my street as well as many gawkers from the main county road have craned their necks to see the pretty splash of color as they drive by.

The landscaping still needs a lot of work, but thanks to MJ and TS, I'm happy to have that little gem of a throwaway out there in an interesting way.

Can You Trust Your Dogs With Your Chickens?

2011-08-31T21:11:00.000-04:00

Do your dogs get along with your chickens?

I wasn't sure mine would, but I worked with them from the day I brought my first pullets home and before long, they were all getting along just fine. Molly, my large Golden Retriever mix, and Jethro, my Jack Russell Terrier, could be trusted in the yard with the chickens at anytime. With a little patience and plenty of supervision, your dogs and chickens can get along well too.

I Hate Fleas!

2011-08-31T13:57:00.000-04:00

I have to keep up with my dogs' flea treatment or it gets crazy around here. We were doing ok until I bought a new pup for a friend who lives with someone else who has two dogs in a place that's infested with fleas. Said friend brings his dog over to play with mine and oh boy, it took less than 24 hrs for my house to succumb to infestation.

I picked up flea meds for my dogs at the vet and even sprung for three extras for my buddy and his housemate's dogs, and bought the bombs to treat the house, which I also shared with him. Over $100 later and poor Molly was still scratching pretty bad after two days so I put another smaller dose on her to see if it would provide some relief.

I had a bottle of yard and kennel treatment left from last year that you hook up to the hose, so I treated the back yard last night and part of the front yard today.

We hate fleas!

I've never seen fleas like this in any one of the many other states I've lived in. I've had dogs that stayed outside a lot longer than my two do here in Ohio and never had to treat them for fleas at all. If treating the dogs, house, yard and washing all bedding doesn't get things back down to a manageable level, I'm at a loss as to what else to try.

Walgreens Antacid Liquid

2011-06-24T01:02:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I suffer from occasional heartburn and reflux/GERD and once an attack starts, chewable antacids don’t do a thing for me. I’ve had the most luck with a name brand liquid antacid, but it can be pretty pricey. My last trip to Walgreens, I decided to look at Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products to see if I could save a little. I found a bottle of Walgreens Regular Strength Antacid Liquid at a cost of $3.99 for a 12oz bottle, a considerable savings over another brand that was priced at $5.99 for a comparable product.

In my opinion, the Walgreens Antacid Liquid worked just as well as the more expensive products, and when comparing ingredients in both, I saw no difference between the two. I don’t particularly care for the taste and texture of any of the liquid antacids I’ve tried, but the Walgreens brand’s minty flavor wasn’t nearly as bad as others. It worked – and my digestive system didn’t care that it cost less!

Buying Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products has another bonus - A portion of the profits, up to $3 million annually, goes towards supporting wellness services in local communities through the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

Want a chance to win a Walgreens gift card? Check out these blogs who are doing giveaways!

Daisies and Purple Coneflower - Finally!

2011-06-22T13:19:00.000-04:00

Since my irises finally gave up the ghost, my front perennial garden has been void of color. We've had a lot of rain again this last week or two which helped the weeds along and prevented me from spending much time out there, so it's a real mess.

A couple of days ago I finally saw one of the buds start to open on the daisies. It's a start!

A single daisy coming to life

Not to be outdone by the daisies, my few Purple Coneflower are starting to come in. I thought I had two bunches of these, one on each side of the bed, but I'm only seeing one small group of them. I wish there were more to throw in a punch of color among the masses of white daisies that will be open soon.

Purple Coneflower finally coming in

More daisies popping open

I have no idea what's going on with my gladiola, but all the pointy stalks are there but no sign of shoots or flower buds at all. I can't remember when they came in last year, but that punch of pink would go a long way to rounding out the mass of greenery.

What's growing out your way?

Ok, Who Did This?

2011-06-12T16:41:00.000-04:00

My nine hens are still laying a good number of eggs, I'm getting anywhere from 6-8 a day, and have even had two days where I got 9-for-9 last month! They normally lay very large eggs, some that don't even fit in the egg carton, but every once in a while I'll get one that makes me say 'huh'?

Here are three that I picked up the other day The two eggs on the side were normal size, not overly large, and they still dwarf the center egg.

Who was responsible for this?

I asked the girls which of them was responsible for the egg that wasn't much bigger than a robin's egg, but none would own up to it. I suppose to fess up would mean signing their own death warrant, seeing as the new chicks on the block will start laying in a couple of weeks.
Can't blame them, I suppose.

Battling Mosquitoes After the Rains

2011-05-31T17:01:00.001-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mosquito Magnet for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love to spend time outdoors with my pups and chickens and of course there’s also the gardening to tend to. We’ve had so much rain here in south/central Ohio for weeks that I haven’t spent nearly the time outside as I’d have liked to, but I’m thankful for every small break of sunshine.

The mud is bad enough, but with the amount of rain we’ve had, there’s standing water everywhere, which will be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. My back patio floods and I’ve got a couple of big tubs out there to help collect some of the rainwater. I noticed yesterday that there were little wiggly things swimming around, so dumped it immediately. I’ve been diligent about emptying any other containers as I see them, but I’m sure many of the little buggers will have escaped my attention, so mosquito season will likely be horrible this year.

It’s a given that the mosquito population will explode with all the rain and flooding in so many other parts of the country lately. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, they can carry deadly diseases. I’m concerned about heartworm with the dogs, but the bite of the mosquito can be dangerous to humans as well as other animals, particularly horses and other equines. I hate using harmful chemicals and won’t apply traditional mosquito repellent lotions or sprays on my body and always used natural fly and mosquito repellents when I had horses.

This year I’m looking at the Mosquito Magnet Executive Mosquito Trap and Accessories as a solution to the problem. This device mimics the carbon dioxide emitted when we breathe, which is what attracts the mosquito. There are three models available that can service an area up to an acre – electric, cordless/rechargeable, and one that runs on 4 “C” batteries. They’re offering a free 18-month warranty if purchased by June 1.

I’m hoping mosquitoes don’t keep me from spending more time outdoors with the critters this summer. After the nasty winter and wet spring, I need to soak up some fresh air and sunshine and get some serious dirt therapy. What’s your favorite part of summer?

What? No Eggs?

2011-05-27T07:59:00.001-04:00

For the first time in the year and a half I've had chickens, I don't have a single egg in the house. How could that be?

For a while I had an overabundance of eggs as no one was stopping in to buy. Then boom - a week or so ago I had a lady say she wanted a dozen and when I opened the carton to show her, she said they're huge, I'll take two. An hour later another lady drove up and said she wanted two dozen, looked at them and said I'll take five if you have them. She had to settle for the four I had left.

That same lady stopped in yesterday and said they were the best eggs she'd ever eaten and wanted another two dozen. The girls were done laying and I had just washed the eggs and put them in the carton, so I had eggsactly that - 24 eggs.

My girls lay some pretty eggs

I had to settle for peanut butter toast for breakfast this morning.

Christopher Robin - SOOC Sunday

2011-05-22T09:44:00.002-04:00

I found another cool blog meme to link up to this week called Straight Out of the Camera (SOOC) Sunday. When browsing through pictures trying to decide what to post, I landed on the folder containing my photos of Christopher Robin.

Christopher was a young robin that I rescued after he fell from the nest. I actually started a blog about our adventures over a period of a week or so, but unfortunately I deleted it some time ago. Luckily I still had the photos, and here's my favorite.

Christopher Robin wasn't with me for very long, but he made for an interesting adventure.

Naked Chicks Celebrate World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD)

2011-05-14T12:59:00.000-04:00

Who knew that there was such a thing as World Naked Gardening Day? I'm here to tell you there is and it's today, May 14th. I'll not provide the link because it does contain some nudity, but if you've no problem with that, give it a google for a giggle.

I've lots of work to do in my garden, but I won't be tossing my clothes aside today to do it. My contribution to WNGD is to share a few photos of the other naked chicks in my backyard.

Amberlink Chicks

Golden Comet and Amberlink Chicks

More Columbine and Purple Iris

2011-05-11T12:57:00.001-04:00

After a much needed 48 hour break in the nasty weather of recent weeks, we had more thunderstorms come through south/central Ohio early evening yesterday in three or four waves. What a torrent! Quite a spell of hail too, but thankfully not very large. I guess the flowers liked it because I woke to an explosion of purple out front this morning.

I shared pics of the columbine and iris the other day; what a difference in just two days.

Columbine

Pretty Purple Iris

View from my desk

Still have quite a few iris left to open, so hopefully by the time they're done blooming I'll see my pink gladiola. They're just big shoots so far with no sign of flowers. Left to bloom still are the pretty white daisy-like flower (I'm sure some form of daisy, but I don't know what) that are just clumps of greenery yet.

(p.s. Keep an eye at the top right of this blog to watch for current giveaways I'm running)

FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired Pizza Review and Giveaway, With Bonus Cheese Tray/Cutting Board

2011-05-09T20:01:00.007-04:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Giveaway is closed and I'm awaiting for verification from the winner. Thanks for entering!

Have you tried the new FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™? I tried the Hawaiian Style pizza a few weeks ago and loved it, but wanted to try something different so grabbed the Southern BBQ Recipe Chicken this time. There are eight varieties but those two appealed to me most, but I’m sure I’ll be trying some of the others too.

I usually prefer a thicker crust on my pizza, but I really enjoyed the FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired. Most thin crust pizzas end up too crunchy and I feel like I’m eating a cracker, but there’s something about this crust that allowed it to bake up nicely without being too crisp. It only takes about 10-15 minutes in a hot oven, so make sure to keep an eye on it. With a crust that thin, it wouldn’t take long to overcook or burn.

The Southern BBQ Recipe Chicken pizza wasn’t loaded with chicken, but the flavor was good. The smoky BBQ sauce was a little sweet but not overly so and was the perfect accompaniment to the red onions and gouda cheese. I don’t generally like onions on my pizza, but had no problem eating this pizza without picking it apart. One drawback to the thin crust pizza is that it’s not as filling as a thicker pizza would be. I was able to eat this whole pizza myself through the afternoon.

You can see the other varieties at FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired.

I was impressed that the FRESCH-TASTE SEAL™ Packing used 30% less packaging material than other frozen pizzas, and it was easy to open from the top which ensures that the toppings stay on top of the crust.

This makes the second FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired Pizza I’ve tried and I’m satisfied with both. I’m definitely going to be trying other varieties.

Not only did I get a great pizza and cutting board for myself, but I was given the same for one of my lucky readers. One of you will win a coupon for a free FRESCHETTA® Simply Inspired Pizza as well as a bamboo cheese tray/cutting board.

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me which bamboo cutting board you'd like to win (either round or rectangle).
Additional Entries: Must leave a separate comment for each.
1 - Like FRESCHETTA© Simply Inspired on Facebook
2 - Follow FRESCHETTA© Simply Inspired on Twitter
3 - Follow me on Twitter and tweet this post with @Ldyjarhead in the tweet
4 - Follow this blog through GFC (in sidebar)
5 - Follow this blog through Networked Blogs (in sidebar)
6 - Subscribe to this blog via email (in sidebar)
7 - Share this giveaway on Facebook or any other social network
8 - Like Giveaways Galore on Facebook

(If you’re already following via any of these means, your entry will still count. Just make sure to leave a comment to that effect).

Giveaway ends midnight May 22, 2011 with the winning entry to be drawn the following day via random.org. To enter, leave a separate comment for each of the tasks you completed above. Please make sure that your email address is in the first comment so that I may contact you if you’re the winner. If winning entrant doesn’t acknowledge their win within 48 hours, I will draw again.

Note: Winner must be willing to give me their mailing address so that I can send the coupon and cheese tray. Personal information will not be used for any other reason nor shared with any other person or company. Due to mailing costs, only U.S. participants please.

Good luck!

Wood Violet, Iris and Columbine Show

2011-05-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

My perennial bed out front is filling out nicely. My pretty purple iris are budding everywhere and should be open fully within a few days (I hope!).

I have three bunches of purple iris like this

Almost!

I still only have the one columbine, but it's a pretty little thing. I'll have to see how they propagate and try to get more from this one plant if possible. I love the delicate orchidy-pink and cream color.

One lonely columbine

I had this purple stuff that was like a ground cover spreading through the bed and I originally thought it might be the wood violet I replanted a year or so ago, but knew something didn't look quite right. My gut was spot on as it's not wood violet, but I still don't know what it is.

I found more wood violet under the pine trees the other day and it's definitely not the same stuff that was already in my perennial bed. I transplanted a few again and they're looking all bright and cheerful in their new home, not droopy at all after a few days. I'm hopeful that they'll 'take' this year. That purple sure looks pretty in with the hosta.

Wood violet growing wild under the pine trees

Jethro was 'helping' and thought I might want his bone

Lots more pics of flowers and chicken stuff coming soon, just didn't want to put everything in one post. Oh, and a little birdie told me there will be a nice giveaway here on this blog in the next few days, so stay tuned.

Z Brings Us the Zinnia

2011-04-30T08:14:00.000-04:00

Z-day brings us the lovely zinnia.

I can't believe I made it from A to Z with this blog, but I'm ecstatic that it's finally Z-Day! Since I have three other blogs to finish today plus some other writing deadlines (and starting another challenge on Monday, Z to A with my local blog), I'm cheating with just photos here again.

I don't have any in my garden currently, but I think the zinnia is a lovely flower, don't you?

Photo by lynnc

Photo by me_a

Photo by MissFran

Photo by berenika

Photo by runrunrun

Thanks for following along with me on the journey from A to Z with gardening and chicken farming. It's been a fun month! If you're up for another challenge, I've started one for May (but I'll be doing that with only one of my blogs rather than four). You can find the link below my signature.

Click here to join in on the new Z to A in May Blogging Challenge.

Pretty Yellow Flowers

2011-04-29T13:16:00.000-04:00

Isn't yellow the perfect color for the first spring flowers? After a gloomy winter, such a bright color is a welcome sight and is a reminder of sunny days ahead (well, not right now in Ohio, that's for sure).

Forsythia blooming is usually one of the first signs of spring.

Photo by jlburgess

Followed by the lovely yellow daffodil, this from my own garden.

I wanted sunflowers, but since I forgot to plant them (again),

this picture of the pretty yellow giants will have to do.

Photo by kay82

No yellow tulips for me, all of mine are red. But aren't these pretty?

Photo by cendol

And I don't think these yellow fluffy-tops need explanation.

Photo by emoedgars

What yellow flowers do you like?

Click here to join in on the new Z to A in May Blogging Challenge.

Xeriscaping - No Need for It in Ohio!

2011-04-29T08:32:00.000-04:00

Xeriscaping is the art of creating a landscape or garden that doesn't need much water to thrive. Drier, more arid environments can benefit from xeriscaping, such as what you might experience in Arizona.

Although everyone can benefit from it if the positioning of their flower garden doesn't grant easy access to a water source, Ohio gardeners generally don't need to be too concerned with planning a xeriscape. I'm not sure what the tally is for the amount of rainfall so far this month, but I wouldn't be surprised if we've set a record.

In south/central Ohio, we've not had one day in the last few weeks without some form of precipitation. Some days it's been a light shower for just a few minutes, but the ground still hasn't dried up from previous heavy rainfall, so even a quick sprinkle causes problems.

There's no way to get a spring garden planted while experiencing so much rainful (and more expected), so xeriscaping is the last thing on my mind ... other than this post for X-day on the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

Click here to join in on the new Z to A in May Blogging Challenge.

Nobody Likes Me, Everybody Hates Me ...

2011-04-28T11:35:00.000-04:00

Can you guess what todays post will be for W-day?

Worms!

Worms are great in the garden as they provide a bit of aeration to the soil as they go about their business, and they leave bits of themselves behind which enriches the soil as well. When it rains (and we've had lots of that lately), they rise to the surface and provide a tasty treat for my chickens too. #Winning!

Photo by pennylayn

You can even have a worm garden and harvest them to hasten composting or to sell to other eco-minded people in your area. The worm most widely used in vermiculture (worm farming) is the red worm, not your garden-variety earthworm.

There are numerous places online where you can buy red worms and the simple supplies needed to start your own worm composting farm should you want to give vermiculture a try. When maintained properly (which takes little effort), there is no offensive odor. I don't want to link to any specific site as I don't have a personal testimonial for any of them, but a quick search should return dozens of options from which to choose.

I've got enough to do with the rest of the critters and chicken farming, so I don't think I'll be adding worm farming to the mix any time soon, but I'm not ruling it out for the future.

Nobody likes me, everybody hates me ...

Click here to join in on the new Z to A in May Blogging Challenge.

V is for Violet

2011-04-26T14:42:00.001-04:00

When I bought this place two years ago, I moved a bunch of flower beds around and tripped over these pretty little violet colored flowers in the back yard under the pine trees. On a whim, I dug some up and moved them to another bed to see if they would 'take', not even knowing what they were. I did a bit of searching and think they're Wood Violets, but I'm not 100% sure.

When I was weeding the front perennial bed a couple of weeks ago, I yanked out a bunch of stuff I probably shouldn't have, but there is still quite a bit of this pretty violet-purple hue hiding under some hosta and other plants, so I guess all is not lost. They appear to spread fairly quickly so I'm just going to let them go and see what I end up with.

Wood Violets or not, they're still a pretty punch of purple among the greenery and that's enough for me.

Click here to join in on the new Z to A in May Blogging Challenge.

Unrelenting Rain

2011-04-25T17:04:00.000-04:00

Definition of UNRELENTING

1: not softening or yielding in determination : hard, stern (an unrelenting leader)
2: not letting up or weakening in vigor or pace : constant (the unrelenting struggle)

That's definitely what we have going on in south/central Ohio of late. Unrelenting rain.

Gloomy days are bad enough for overall mood, but rain every day for a week, with one day break then rain again for another week is beyond just gloomy. There is nowhere else for water to go, the ground is well past saturated. My back yard and chicken pen are one big mud pit and with the little ones out there now, I have to make the trek several times a day to check on them. I am not having fun.

Worse still is that my house is lower than the yard so even a little rain makes a pool at the back steps and patio so I have to wade through standing water to even get to the mud, and the water seeps up under the house, creating goodness knows what kind of mold and mess under there.

We got a bit of a break today and the water has abated some, but we're expecting another storm tonight and more over the next 3-4 days. Enough with the unrelenting rain already!

I'm taking the A-Z Blogging Challenge, where I will post something from each letter of the alphabet on the corresponding day in April, except for Sunday, on (hopefully) all four of my blogs. You can see my other blogs in the sidebar - More of Marie Anne.

T is for Tulips

2011-04-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

Rather than laud the tulip with words, I'll let them tell their beautiful story.

Happy Easter ... He is Risen!

S is for Sisters Sharing

2011-04-22T11:04:00.000-04:00

Yes, even chickens share.

Production Red Pullets Sharing a Dust Bath

Bertha & Bessie Sharing a Nest Box

There We Go, That's Better

Golden Comet Chicks Taking a Nap in Their Feed Dish

Redbud Dilemma

2011-04-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

I have a gorgeous Redbud tree outside my back door. My dilemma is that I have a gorgeous Redbud tree outside my back door.

The Eastern Redbud is an ornamental tree that produces tiny magenta buds in early spring, making it as welcome a sight as the daffodil and forsythia after a long Ohio winter. A unique feature of the Redbud is that it will flower first, then bear attractive heart-shaped leaves after the flowers are gone, rather than the reverse.

I love my Redbud with its striking punch of color in an otherwise drab, chicken-filled backyard, but it's in a very awkward spot. The branches have to be trimmed back so as not to end up in the gutter or brushing the side of the house and its position just outside the door impedes foot traffic to the chicken pen and coop.

My Redbud is too big to dig up and relocate elsewhere in the yard, but I really don't want to cut it down either, so I'm stumped as to what to do. I do have another that was planted in the front yard as a sapling, so maybe I'll feel better about cutting the one in the back when that one matures enough to flower.

Eastern Redbud Outside My Back Door

A native tree as far west as Michigan, the Eastern Redbud makes a striking appearance when growing in the wild along roadways. The pinkish-red buds really pop against the backdrop of Buckeye State greenery and make my mundane drive to town just a little brighter.

Japanese Quince, Beautiful Flowering Shrub

2011-04-20T11:58:00.000-04:00

I'd never heard of a quince, much less a Japanese Quince, but I was quickly educated after purchasing this property two years ago.

This is what was in the back yard when I moved in:

Naked Quince

Not a very impressive bunch of dried sticks but within a very short time, it morphed into this

Quince Starting to Bud

... so I didn't give up hope.

Once I saw this

Quince Blossoms

... I had to know what type of shrub those beautiful flowers came from. My research tells me it is a Japanese Quince, a hardy shrub that tolerates most soil and sunlight conditions. It's done well in my mostly clay soil, and survived both drought and flood conditions with no ill effects.

I first thought it might have been some sort of rose bush because it has thorns similar to a rose, but didn't find any relationship between the two. The Japanese Quince is an early blooming shrub, one of the first things to pop in the spring, along with forsythia and daffodils. It bears a small green fruit that is very bitter to taste, but apparently makes a wonderful jelly. Two years ago I only saw one fruit, but last year there were quite a few. The fruit of the quince is smaller than an apple and quite hard. The chickens didn't even want to eat them.

My girls love to pull 'bug duty' around my quince, then rest in the dirt beneath it. Catching bugs is hard work, you know.

Not quite in full bloom yet, this is what my Japanese Quince looks like this morning:

When fully flowered, it's a beautiful sight with a lovely punch of color.