In the "bad news" department, one of my Leghorn hens, Eliza, died Sunday. She probably suffered from bound egg syndrome; this happens when a hen cannot pass an egg. I hope I didn't stress her more by giving her a warm soak. That's supposed to help. But she wasn't used to being handled.
When one of my chickens dies, I generally burn the body in a bonfire. I either have to bury the chicken deeply to keep the carcass away from predators, or I have to burn it. Burning is easier for me, and it's less risky.
We're all a bit sad here at Casa Smith.
Things are going fine, otherwise. The girls are getting through their molts, and the egg production has picked up.
I'm hoping I can get through the year without another chicken death. I also hope I can get through the spring without buying more chickens!
***
February 9, 2013
My mother called today to tell me that my Uncle Tony (Anthony Rigaud) died this morning. His is the second death in two weeks--my mom's oldest brother, my Uncle Christie, died in January. His wife, my Aunt Agnes, died last year.
Uncle Tony was the most wonderful, funniest man I've ever known. He was married to my dad's sister, Patricia. Tony could fix anything, build anything, imagine anything.
Until Katrina.
My uncle opted to stay in his house in St. Bernard Parish with my aunt and my cousin, David. He had no clue that the levees would break and force them into the attic of their home. They had weathered many hurricanes, and, though this one seemed serious, he and his wife felt they could survive it.
They did, but not by much. They spent quite some time in the attic before rescue. My cousin started having seizures because he didn't have his medicine; he and my aunt went by helicopter to Lafayette. My uncle spent some time in the high school in St. Bernard before being bused to Texas. We thought we'd never find him, or my aunt and cousin.
After that, my Uncle Tony just seemed to give up. According to my mom and my daughter, he just sat in his recliner in the living room. He developed congestive heart failure--my aunt, also. I didn't want to see him that way.
I'll always remember him as larger-than-life, a big Italian man who could do anything, who always made me laugh.
I have missed him for a long time.
Showing posts with label chickens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chickens. Show all posts
Friday, February 08, 2013
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Heavy Rain!
This is what happens when we have a heavy rain for an hour or two.
I have a ditch on the side of my house, and, when we have a hard, strong rain, this is what happens.
The water rose to the property line, but, once the heavy rain stopped, the water began receding.
Below, one of my Leghorns laid an egg in the fire pit and sat there for about 20 minutes, keeping it dry.
We've had a worrisome morning. I'm afraid the girls are going to be swept away by the water, since they love to go down in the ditch to forage. Henry the roo has been keeping an eye on them, though.
Really, I don't know of anything more contrary than a wet hen. They've been fussy for two days!
Hope you stay high and dry!
I have a ditch on the side of my house, and, when we have a hard, strong rain, this is what happens.
The water rose to the property line, but, once the heavy rain stopped, the water began receding.
Below, one of my Leghorns laid an egg in the fire pit and sat there for about 20 minutes, keeping it dry.
We've had a worrisome morning. I'm afraid the girls are going to be swept away by the water, since they love to go down in the ditch to forage. Henry the roo has been keeping an eye on them, though.
Really, I don't know of anything more contrary than a wet hen. They've been fussy for two days!
Hope you stay high and dry!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Chickens in the Driveway...
I have a Barred Rock hen, one of the Henriettas, who likes to walk on the wild side. I constantly have to chase her from the front yard to the back, so I've named her "Miss Adventure" for her tendency to wander off in search of new pastures. At least I'm exercising more! Wrangling chickens is a demanding job!
Yesterday, while I was reading drafts from several of my classes, I heard something--not loud, but rather metallic. I thought, perhaps, the acorns were falling on the roof of the shed, which makes a nice pinging sound. I looked out and discovered that several limbs had fallen from the Oak tree in the middle of the yard. Not that unusual--limbs fall all the time. But these limbs fell on the Henriettas' chicken run, flattening it to the ground.
Poor Henry the Roo was in the run by himself, but he's okay. He did manage, though, to make it out into the yard with ALL the hens! He's having a great time chasing them. And he's awfully proud of his prowess, too, judging by all the crowing he's doing.
This is Lydia, a Barred Rock mix. Barred Rocks lay brown eggs, but Lydia's eggs are white.
Mrs. Bennet. She's a Red Sex Link. She lays brown eggs.
The Brahmas, aka The Dashwoods, Marianne and Elinor. They lay brown eggs.
One of the Henriettas--this one is a Buff Orpington. She lays brown eggs.
A view of the collapsed run and some of the limbs that brought it down.
Another view. You really can't see all the limbs in this, but I figure three large limbs came down, as well as a few smaller ones.
And yet another view. All in all, a mess, and a time-consuming repair.
Even my best-laid plans go awry. But, in the midst of reading/grading, I need a break. This wasn't quite the break I was looking for!
All's well, though. The run is functional, though they don't usually spend much time in it, except when I go the the University to teach.
Yesterday, while I was reading drafts from several of my classes, I heard something--not loud, but rather metallic. I thought, perhaps, the acorns were falling on the roof of the shed, which makes a nice pinging sound. I looked out and discovered that several limbs had fallen from the Oak tree in the middle of the yard. Not that unusual--limbs fall all the time. But these limbs fell on the Henriettas' chicken run, flattening it to the ground.
Poor Henry the Roo was in the run by himself, but he's okay. He did manage, though, to make it out into the yard with ALL the hens! He's having a great time chasing them. And he's awfully proud of his prowess, too, judging by all the crowing he's doing.
This is Lydia, a Barred Rock mix. Barred Rocks lay brown eggs, but Lydia's eggs are white.
Mrs. Bennet. She's a Red Sex Link. She lays brown eggs.
The Brahmas, aka The Dashwoods, Marianne and Elinor. They lay brown eggs.
One of the Henriettas--this one is a Buff Orpington. She lays brown eggs.
Another view. You really can't see all the limbs in this, but I figure three large limbs came down, as well as a few smaller ones.
And yet another view. All in all, a mess, and a time-consuming repair.
Even my best-laid plans go awry. But, in the midst of reading/grading, I need a break. This wasn't quite the break I was looking for!
All's well, though. The run is functional, though they don't usually spend much time in it, except when I go the the University to teach.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
A New Post, Finally!
Since FB came on the scene, I've been terrible at keeping up with my blog. FB is too easy; keeping a blog is difficult, and I've become accustomed to short, pithy posts, as opposed to long, considered ones. But I shall try to post once a week for my students' benefit.
Aside from the weather, I like summer. I usually teach one course online, so I can legitimately stay home all summer, interact with the chickens, and just generally do whatever I want. I drive when I want to, which amounts to maybe a trip into Shreveport to see my parents, or have lunch with a friend, or maybe I'll drive down to the Brookshire's in Natchitoches. I don't use up much gas during the summer; I've been known to fill up my car maybe three times in two months. Works for me.
Then comes the fall semester, and, depending on how many trips I have to make into Shreveport, I fill up my car twice a week. I have a seven-year-old Mazda, which gets decent gas mileage on long trips, but these weekly forays to teach my class seem to drink more gas than I like. I use three gallons of gas, at least, to make my round-trip each time I go into town. It seems excessive, and, considering gas prices, I tend to not drive any more than I need to.
I plant gardens in all seasons. The summer garden did well until the heat of August. I had a nice crop of tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins, but the squash and beans withered, thanks to squash bugs. The eggplant is just now starting to bloom. The same thing happened with the eggplant last year--in September and October, I had more than I could reasonably eat, so I gave a bunch of it away.
I try to garden organically. I don't use chemical sprays on anything I'm going to eat, and I expect some attrition--I don't mind sharing with the bugs, to an extent. When I do spray, I usually use a spray I've mixed myself from natural ingredients--apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, and castile soap. It works, most of the time. If it doesn't, I use Neem oil-based sprays. Again, organic.
In addition to the eggplant, I still have some greens and (mangled) brussels sprouts (the chickens like to peck at them), and I've planted some fall tomatoes, cabbage, and broccoli. A few of the watermelon vines are hanging on with blooms, but I don't think they'll produce anything. I have a number of herbs growing, as well.
The chickens have been laying fairly well, producing usually 5 - 8 eggs a day. From 10 hens, that's not bad. I'm glad I have family and friends who like eggs!
That's about it for this post. This tells you most about what occupies my time and my thoughts--though I didn't include all the grading I do. With three writing classes and a fiction class, I spend a great deal of time grading/reading.
It's a life!
Aside from the weather, I like summer. I usually teach one course online, so I can legitimately stay home all summer, interact with the chickens, and just generally do whatever I want. I drive when I want to, which amounts to maybe a trip into Shreveport to see my parents, or have lunch with a friend, or maybe I'll drive down to the Brookshire's in Natchitoches. I don't use up much gas during the summer; I've been known to fill up my car maybe three times in two months. Works for me.
Then comes the fall semester, and, depending on how many trips I have to make into Shreveport, I fill up my car twice a week. I have a seven-year-old Mazda, which gets decent gas mileage on long trips, but these weekly forays to teach my class seem to drink more gas than I like. I use three gallons of gas, at least, to make my round-trip each time I go into town. It seems excessive, and, considering gas prices, I tend to not drive any more than I need to.
I plant gardens in all seasons. The summer garden did well until the heat of August. I had a nice crop of tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins, but the squash and beans withered, thanks to squash bugs. The eggplant is just now starting to bloom. The same thing happened with the eggplant last year--in September and October, I had more than I could reasonably eat, so I gave a bunch of it away.
I try to garden organically. I don't use chemical sprays on anything I'm going to eat, and I expect some attrition--I don't mind sharing with the bugs, to an extent. When I do spray, I usually use a spray I've mixed myself from natural ingredients--apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, and castile soap. It works, most of the time. If it doesn't, I use Neem oil-based sprays. Again, organic.
In addition to the eggplant, I still have some greens and (mangled) brussels sprouts (the chickens like to peck at them), and I've planted some fall tomatoes, cabbage, and broccoli. A few of the watermelon vines are hanging on with blooms, but I don't think they'll produce anything. I have a number of herbs growing, as well.
The chickens have been laying fairly well, producing usually 5 - 8 eggs a day. From 10 hens, that's not bad. I'm glad I have family and friends who like eggs!
That's about it for this post. This tells you most about what occupies my time and my thoughts--though I didn't include all the grading I do. With three writing classes and a fiction class, I spend a great deal of time grading/reading.
It's a life!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Instead of grading papers...
I'm adding a picture to my blog and trying to motivate myself...I don't think the personal pep talk is working, though. I just want to nap.
I spent the day in Shreveport, helping Dr. DuBose with his talk, then went to a looooong lunch with two favorite frends. And, of course, I had to go to World Market and spend some money...by the time I came home, I was tired and too relaxed to give serious thought to anything.
Except...the hens are digging in the new run, so I need to "plant" some wire around the bottom, and I need to do that tomorrow. I also need to fence the new garden box to try to keep the cats out. They decimated two eggplants.
I received my "Farmgirl Sisterhood" badge from MaryJane's Farm. MJF is one of my most favorite magazines, so joining wasn't a hard decision. It's a great way to connect with other women who are interested in self-sufficiency; I learn a great deal from reading their stories.
Here's the badge, sewn on my bluejean jacket:
And, for fun, here's a picture of a cat in a cube:
That's Ginger Baker enjoying her new toy!
Hope you're having a great week. I think I'm going to bed early.
I spent the day in Shreveport, helping Dr. DuBose with his talk, then went to a looooong lunch with two favorite frends. And, of course, I had to go to World Market and spend some money...by the time I came home, I was tired and too relaxed to give serious thought to anything.
Except...the hens are digging in the new run, so I need to "plant" some wire around the bottom, and I need to do that tomorrow. I also need to fence the new garden box to try to keep the cats out. They decimated two eggplants.
I received my "Farmgirl Sisterhood" badge from MaryJane's Farm. MJF is one of my most favorite magazines, so joining wasn't a hard decision. It's a great way to connect with other women who are interested in self-sufficiency; I learn a great deal from reading their stories.
Here's the badge, sewn on my bluejean jacket:
And, for fun, here's a picture of a cat in a cube:
That's Ginger Baker enjoying her new toy!
Hope you're having a great week. I think I'm going to bed early.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Egg count to date...
These are the eggs (minus the two I've mentioned) that I have collected since Monday.
Rain sometimes affects the laying, but not today. I covered part of the run with a vinyl tablecloth to help keep the rain off the girls. The run was still muddy, but at least the rain wasn't falling on their heads.
I've been experimenting with treats. So far, they like seedless grapes, cooked oatmeal (I'll cook it for them, but I hate cooked oatmeal!), all kinds of greens, apple bits, bananas, wild bird seed, hot dog buns, lasagna, cornbread, pinto beans, and lentils. One of the great things about having chickens is that they will eat my leftovers. But I don't feed them meat of any kind. I do feed them eggshells, but I wash and dry them, then pulverize them with one of my food choppers. I don't want them to start eating their eggs.
In addition to layer pellets and treats, they receive grit (for digestion) and oyster shells (for calcium). I make sure they eat most of their pellets before I give treats, but I give treats two or three times a day. It gives them something to do--they chase each other all over the run, trying to steal the treats from another hen!
I pulled up a few carrots, cut some collards and bok choy yesterday and threw it all in a pot for soup. I love being able to walk into the garden and pick up what I need for dinner!
I cut the broccoli because it was beginning to flower. The weather's been a bit too hot for broccoli.
I have tomato, pumpkin, and herb seeds germinating, so I should be able to get a head start on my spring garden. Let's hope Punxatawny Phil was wrong about six more weeks of winter--though we really haven't had one yet!
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Chicken Obsession...
At some point, I'm sure I'll write about something else. But, for now, my chickens absorb quite a bit of my time.
I picked up four eggs today. Since Monday, I've collected 15 eggs, all white. I've found one broken brown egg, but I think Mrs. Bennet and Lydia, the two non-white hens, are low on the pecking order and are feeling a bit stressed about it. I hope they'll lay soon, but they are older hens and might be at the end of their laying time. Still, I'm not willing to slaughter them yet, especially since they are new to me. They might just need a bit more time, and I'm not in any hurry. To me, this is a long-term investment.
And what an investment! I bought a 50-lb bag of feed today, as well as some grit. Together, these cost me about $20, which I don't consider expensive. That's about what I spend on cat food, cat litter, and wild bird food. I've also purchased wood shavings for the coop, but a bag of that isn't expensive either. A bale of wheat straw costs about $4-$5; that's not expensive either. They eat practically any cooked leftovers, which reduces the waste that goes into my garbage. I'll also get some great compost for my gardens. And they are fun to watch and to talk to. They know when they see the "blue bucket" that I'm bringing them some treats. All in all, it's a mutually beneficial relationship. And I love the eggs.
I also enjoy watching my cats as they watch the chickens. It's great "cat TV"!
The hens don't need much prompting going in to the hen house at night, and, as soon as they hear me in the morning, they start making soft clucking noises. I've seen the sunrise every morning since they arrived; I'm usually a late riser. Plus, I've been going to bed earlier and sleeping better. Maybe my circadian rhythms are finally resetting.
I'm excited mostly because this is one more step towards self-sufficiency. Now, if I could just figure out how to get my gardens to grow in 115-degree summers, everything would be great!
I picked up four eggs today. Since Monday, I've collected 15 eggs, all white. I've found one broken brown egg, but I think Mrs. Bennet and Lydia, the two non-white hens, are low on the pecking order and are feeling a bit stressed about it. I hope they'll lay soon, but they are older hens and might be at the end of their laying time. Still, I'm not willing to slaughter them yet, especially since they are new to me. They might just need a bit more time, and I'm not in any hurry. To me, this is a long-term investment.
And what an investment! I bought a 50-lb bag of feed today, as well as some grit. Together, these cost me about $20, which I don't consider expensive. That's about what I spend on cat food, cat litter, and wild bird food. I've also purchased wood shavings for the coop, but a bag of that isn't expensive either. A bale of wheat straw costs about $4-$5; that's not expensive either. They eat practically any cooked leftovers, which reduces the waste that goes into my garbage. I'll also get some great compost for my gardens. And they are fun to watch and to talk to. They know when they see the "blue bucket" that I'm bringing them some treats. All in all, it's a mutually beneficial relationship. And I love the eggs.
I also enjoy watching my cats as they watch the chickens. It's great "cat TV"!
The hens don't need much prompting going in to the hen house at night, and, as soon as they hear me in the morning, they start making soft clucking noises. I've seen the sunrise every morning since they arrived; I'm usually a late riser. Plus, I've been going to bed earlier and sleeping better. Maybe my circadian rhythms are finally resetting.
I'm excited mostly because this is one more step towards self-sufficiency. Now, if I could just figure out how to get my gardens to grow in 115-degree summers, everything would be great!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
They're Odd, But They're Family
Well, this has been an interesting Father's Day weekend. I spent Saturday babysitting Skype, waiting for my youngest brother (he lives in Colorado) to install it and contact me. Then I spent the rest of the day waiting for two of my sisters to show up to drop off a load of stuff for me.
My sister Lydia has taken on my yard as a "project," I think, which I don't mind in the least. It's big (about an acre), and I can use all the help I can get. I've planted a few small gardens--I posted pictures of the herb garden she and I created--but I also have my vegetable garden, my camellia garden (flowers), the fence garden (an old piece of fence stuck in the yard for who-knows-what reason), and the front garden (the one where I dug up all of the spider lilies--and I still have those bulbs, if anyone's interested).
When her big red Suburban pulled into the driveway, I had no idea what lurked inside. Two plastic Adirondack chairs (for my birthday), two cedar poles (for the "secret garden" we're working on), several cedar planks left over from fencing her yard (for raised planters), some scrap lumber (I'll do something creative with it), a rack to hang my tools, a hose for the veg. garden (dedicated to that only), two hose hangers, a straight shovel (it's great), and a host of plants (some from the nursery, some from her housekeeper). I have ginger plants, coleus, wandering Jew, and those wonderful orange lilies--not tiger lilies--but the ones that spew out bloom after bloom on the same stalk, and three Esperanzas. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but I think that gives you an idea. A gardener's Christmas in June! Too bad it's so hot. Working in the yard makes me sweat heavily.
Today, Sunday, I went to my parents' for Father's Day. Usually, these kinds of celebrations cause the house to bulge at the seams, but, today, my father was surrounded by women, most of us single. My brothers were fishing and celebrating with their own children. When I got to the house, my sister had more stuff she forgot to give me--hangers for whatever, and an Off mosquito lantern with refills! And my mom insisted I pull up the remaining edging from her front garden. I'd gotten about half of it when I helped her clean out one side of her front flowerbed. I'm recycling the edging for my front walkway garden. I'll take a picture when I finally get it all in place (I managed to get three more pieces in place today, but was so soaked in sweat, I couldn't finish the job--and that was at 7pm. The sun was behind the trees, but I was so hot I couldn't stand it).
When I talked to my mom on Saturday, she told me to bring the pictures of the chicken coops I was interested in building. So, today, she plotted out how I should build my chicken coop using the shed structure in my backyard. I was thinking about tearing it down, but she sketched out how I could use it to build my frame and chicken run. I had thought about that, but thought I should make a fresh start. She then regaled me with tales about the chickens her grandmother had. My mom's grandmother, Annie, had intended to keep the chickens for food--not eggs, meat. But Annie got rid of the chickens because my mom and her brother, Chris, wouldn't eat the chickens their grandmother killed. The chickens had become pets to them. I don't want to eat any chickens I get; I just want the eggs and the manure for the gardens, so no worries there. I don't mind buying chicken in the store, but I'm not about to start killing them.
When I left to come home, they were hunkered in the living room watching Tiger Woods play golf.
My sister Lydia has taken on my yard as a "project," I think, which I don't mind in the least. It's big (about an acre), and I can use all the help I can get. I've planted a few small gardens--I posted pictures of the herb garden she and I created--but I also have my vegetable garden, my camellia garden (flowers), the fence garden (an old piece of fence stuck in the yard for who-knows-what reason), and the front garden (the one where I dug up all of the spider lilies--and I still have those bulbs, if anyone's interested).
When her big red Suburban pulled into the driveway, I had no idea what lurked inside. Two plastic Adirondack chairs (for my birthday), two cedar poles (for the "secret garden" we're working on), several cedar planks left over from fencing her yard (for raised planters), some scrap lumber (I'll do something creative with it), a rack to hang my tools, a hose for the veg. garden (dedicated to that only), two hose hangers, a straight shovel (it's great), and a host of plants (some from the nursery, some from her housekeeper). I have ginger plants, coleus, wandering Jew, and those wonderful orange lilies--not tiger lilies--but the ones that spew out bloom after bloom on the same stalk, and three Esperanzas. I'm sure I'm leaving something out, but I think that gives you an idea. A gardener's Christmas in June! Too bad it's so hot. Working in the yard makes me sweat heavily.
Today, Sunday, I went to my parents' for Father's Day. Usually, these kinds of celebrations cause the house to bulge at the seams, but, today, my father was surrounded by women, most of us single. My brothers were fishing and celebrating with their own children. When I got to the house, my sister had more stuff she forgot to give me--hangers for whatever, and an Off mosquito lantern with refills! And my mom insisted I pull up the remaining edging from her front garden. I'd gotten about half of it when I helped her clean out one side of her front flowerbed. I'm recycling the edging for my front walkway garden. I'll take a picture when I finally get it all in place (I managed to get three more pieces in place today, but was so soaked in sweat, I couldn't finish the job--and that was at 7pm. The sun was behind the trees, but I was so hot I couldn't stand it).
When I talked to my mom on Saturday, she told me to bring the pictures of the chicken coops I was interested in building. So, today, she plotted out how I should build my chicken coop using the shed structure in my backyard. I was thinking about tearing it down, but she sketched out how I could use it to build my frame and chicken run. I had thought about that, but thought I should make a fresh start. She then regaled me with tales about the chickens her grandmother had. My mom's grandmother, Annie, had intended to keep the chickens for food--not eggs, meat. But Annie got rid of the chickens because my mom and her brother, Chris, wouldn't eat the chickens their grandmother killed. The chickens had become pets to them. I don't want to eat any chickens I get; I just want the eggs and the manure for the gardens, so no worries there. I don't mind buying chicken in the store, but I'm not about to start killing them.
When I left to come home, they were hunkered in the living room watching Tiger Woods play golf.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
A raging case of poison ivy...
and it's my own fault. I didn't wear long sleeves. So, the calamine lotion stays close to hand.
But I've made some progress on my yard, which is my summer "task." I planted my puny little garden, which is growing slowly (I'll probably pick tomatoes in August at this rate!); but I also cleaned out the area around this odd piece of fencing in my backyard and the corner of the front "flower bed." I cut down an errant holly bush that was growing under the carport, and trimmed the azaleas obscuring the back windows.
I bought a cultivator--it's not quite a tiller--but it works well with my loamy soil and makes weeding a breeze. And I've been able to beef up my compost pile with all kinds of green and brown matter, not to mention banana peels, apple cores, and eggshells. I've mowed the grass twice--the last time, I finished the whole thing in about 1 1/2 hours.
My ultimate goal this summer is to build a chicken coop and get a couple of chickens. Don't know if I will succeed, but I'm going to try.
Mr. Lester's produce stand should be opening soon--if not tomorrow, then the next week. I try to go at least twice--I wait until the last week to buy my peaches. The later peaches are more ripe when they are picked, and I can make peach honey with them. I always buy my mom a cabbage, and I get some locally-produced honey. Mr. L's prices are usually pretty good, but I wonder how the cost of gas will affect him this year.
I haven't been doing much since I posted my grades--answering email, doing some work for the Norton Art Foundation--and I do need to get my summer class up and running. But I've tried to work in the yard everyday. I need the exercise! And it's good for me, too. Besides, the weather has been so pleasant. Who wants to stay inside all day?
So, go outside and dig in the dirt. It's the best therapy for overwork.
But I've made some progress on my yard, which is my summer "task." I planted my puny little garden, which is growing slowly (I'll probably pick tomatoes in August at this rate!); but I also cleaned out the area around this odd piece of fencing in my backyard and the corner of the front "flower bed." I cut down an errant holly bush that was growing under the carport, and trimmed the azaleas obscuring the back windows.
I bought a cultivator--it's not quite a tiller--but it works well with my loamy soil and makes weeding a breeze. And I've been able to beef up my compost pile with all kinds of green and brown matter, not to mention banana peels, apple cores, and eggshells. I've mowed the grass twice--the last time, I finished the whole thing in about 1 1/2 hours.
My ultimate goal this summer is to build a chicken coop and get a couple of chickens. Don't know if I will succeed, but I'm going to try.
Mr. Lester's produce stand should be opening soon--if not tomorrow, then the next week. I try to go at least twice--I wait until the last week to buy my peaches. The later peaches are more ripe when they are picked, and I can make peach honey with them. I always buy my mom a cabbage, and I get some locally-produced honey. Mr. L's prices are usually pretty good, but I wonder how the cost of gas will affect him this year.
I haven't been doing much since I posted my grades--answering email, doing some work for the Norton Art Foundation--and I do need to get my summer class up and running. But I've tried to work in the yard everyday. I need the exercise! And it's good for me, too. Besides, the weather has been so pleasant. Who wants to stay inside all day?
So, go outside and dig in the dirt. It's the best therapy for overwork.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
The Chicken in the Dining Room
Anyone who knows me knows that I really want a flock of chickens--well, "flock" may be an ambitious way of describing it. I want five chickens, all female, and I plan to name them after the Bennett sisters in Pride and Prejudice. But I'm not quite ready yet. I need to build a chicken coop first.
Yesterday, I was working around the house and trying to get my courses up and running on Moodle, since school begins in a week. I kept hearing a "cheep cheep." And, as frequent readers of this blog know, my cats are famous for bringing in birds in various stages of life, so I figured I had another live bird flying around. I checked the laundry room; I checked the kitchen, dining room and living room. Nothing. I was in and out of the kitchen and dining room, stowing away the Christmas tins and platters. I didn't hear anything for a while, so I hoped the bird had flown.
Later, I was working at my computer when I heard the "cheep cheep" again. I stood in the walkway between the kitchen and the dining room and heard it again to my left. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled around the dining room table. I found what I was looking for under a rocking chair in the corner.
A chicken--blondish, about 5 inches long--ran into the corner. As I reached to grab it, it took off into my study. I shut the study door and went to the garage to get a cat carrier. I figured that would be a good place to stow a chicken overnight and keep it safe from the cats. I got some bird seed (that's the closest I could come to chicken feed in a pinch), some water, and a kitchen towel, stowed all of that in the carrier, and then spent the better part of an hour trying to catch the chicken. I finally managed to herd it into the carrier where it spent the night.
That chicken was in my house all day, and the cats didn't lay a tooth on it. I can't figure that out, unless it just seemed to big for them to tackle. But if that was the case, how did it get here in the first place?
Darn! I should have taken a picture to show here. But, that's hindsight. I took it back across the ditch this morning. I should have kept it because it's owners didn't seem to care. They acted as though it was more of a nuisance that I brought it back.
So, lesson learned! I better get that chicken coop built in case my cats rustle any more chickens. As my mom says, "If it shows up again, it belongs to you."
Yesterday, I was working around the house and trying to get my courses up and running on Moodle, since school begins in a week. I kept hearing a "cheep cheep." And, as frequent readers of this blog know, my cats are famous for bringing in birds in various stages of life, so I figured I had another live bird flying around. I checked the laundry room; I checked the kitchen, dining room and living room. Nothing. I was in and out of the kitchen and dining room, stowing away the Christmas tins and platters. I didn't hear anything for a while, so I hoped the bird had flown.
Later, I was working at my computer when I heard the "cheep cheep" again. I stood in the walkway between the kitchen and the dining room and heard it again to my left. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled around the dining room table. I found what I was looking for under a rocking chair in the corner.
A chicken--blondish, about 5 inches long--ran into the corner. As I reached to grab it, it took off into my study. I shut the study door and went to the garage to get a cat carrier. I figured that would be a good place to stow a chicken overnight and keep it safe from the cats. I got some bird seed (that's the closest I could come to chicken feed in a pinch), some water, and a kitchen towel, stowed all of that in the carrier, and then spent the better part of an hour trying to catch the chicken. I finally managed to herd it into the carrier where it spent the night.
That chicken was in my house all day, and the cats didn't lay a tooth on it. I can't figure that out, unless it just seemed to big for them to tackle. But if that was the case, how did it get here in the first place?
Darn! I should have taken a picture to show here. But, that's hindsight. I took it back across the ditch this morning. I should have kept it because it's owners didn't seem to care. They acted as though it was more of a nuisance that I brought it back.
So, lesson learned! I better get that chicken coop built in case my cats rustle any more chickens. As my mom says, "If it shows up again, it belongs to you."
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