Fowl, containers and kombucha update

I decided to tackle this mess last weekend. Honestly, the main reason I'd been avoiding this area for years was because I was scared. With all the pots haphazardly thrown on the cart, I knew some creepy crawly things had probably made homes or a bazillion babies in egg sacs. What I was happy to find was the bird's nest below.

I've tried eggplant a few times, never to see a reasonable eggplant before the plant was decimated. I decided to tuck this eggplant in a corner of the container by my front door and so far, no flea beetles! It will be really pretty to see flowers (or dare I say - fruit) on this plant.

Drumroll...below, you see the "mother" SCOBY (brownish), with the daughter below it! In this post, I pondered whether the kombucha would garner more shock value or health value.

After diligently waiting about 12 days, I found the drink pretty darn cool. Fizzy with a head. Pretty crazy, huh? Though it started off with as sweetened tea, the finished product was not sweet. I felt it tasted a bit like sparkling apple cider. It literally warms the belly as it goes down - like i'd imagine some good old homemade moonshine might. But alas, in the end...

I just can't do it. I drank a few glasses and coincidentally, we started to have a fruit fly problem. I decided to make this effective trap, only I didn't have any cider vinegar on hand, and thought the kombucha would be perfect. Guess what? I've got the perfect recipe for fruit fly bait. After seeing a cup of kombucha in a plastic cup with a bunch of dead fruit flies it in, I just can't drink it anymore. Below, my older daughter tries it with her pancake (with a sauce made of strawberry preserves, lemon juice, and butter - yum-o!). This is her face after she states, "The pancake that was just in my stomach is now in my throat." I tried. We all tried. We will not be experiencing the long-term benefits of kombucha in this household.

Some mean old geese at my parents' house. They're not happy that I've come to take photos of the babies.

These are the more chill Chinese geese below. Unfortunately two were killed by predators last year. The Chinese geese are supposed to be very protective and loyal. I've noticed they seem to keep watch over the babies - see the bottom photo...

Above and below, the fowl habitat. My father just built a smaller pen for the babies, and there is also a fenced area on the pond for the ducks to swim around. They have quite the life!

Below, the new baby ducks and geese. Awwwwwww!!! You can see one of their grandparents hatching here.