Showing posts with label Simple Pleasures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Simple Pleasures. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
I mean just.....SPRING!!
I feel like Spring sprung upon me this year, I went away for a weekend and I came back to all this beauty!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
So You Think You Want Chickens?
1. Chicks are adorable, hens are pretty, if it's beautiful, it's a rooster.
2. Roosters are a pain in the behind. If you don't have a large free-ranging flock and predators, there's no point for a roo. Roosters attack and can draw blood through jeans.
3. Roosters really are gorgeous.
4. A rooster will not just crow at sunrise but will also crow during the day and at night. Especially at 3am. The crow is a warning signal to the flock not just a way to greet the dawn. Some crow constantly.
5. When buying chicks, get an extra one. Something always seems to happen to one of them or one turns out to be a roo.
6. Chickens are incredibly adaptable.
7. I spoil my chickens but not as much as some.
8. No matter how crazy you are, someone else is crazier.
9. Chickens will eat almost anything, including chicken.
10. Almost anything will eat a chicken.
11. They will peck at the color red, toenail polish, clothes, another chicken that has a cut.
12. When you have to isolate a hen for whatever reason, a large dog crate comes in very handy.
13. Chickens love pink toddler fingers.
14. Feeding chickens is a super fun thing to do.
15. If you have chickens, you're never short on a topic of conversation.
16. People will be jealous of your hens and will start thinking maybe they should keep their own.
17. Once a year, chickens lose all of their feathers and looked plucked. This is called 'molting' and is perfectly natural. Hilarious laughter often ensues.
18. Hens do not lay eggs when they're molting, sadness follows, when you see that first egg again it's like a gift.
19. When your first chicken lays her first egg and your husband sends you a picture of it while you're on a business trip, your colleagues will think you've lost your mind as you show it to everyone as if it was a picture of your first born.
20. The person who gets to eat the first egg will feel like they won the lottery.
21. Once you have eggs from your girls you won't buy store bought ever again.
22. Hens slow down their laying after their 2nd year so you'd better have a plan to bring in new chicks and do something with the older ones.
23. Easter Eggers (a mixed breed) can lay the most beautiful eggs, from olive green to aqua.
24. Chickens die. It happens. Sometimes you have to kill one and you'd better know how to (or have a neighbor who does). I've found one dead in the coop and had to put one down (lucky we have a neighbor)
25. Kids LOVE chickens. Chickens love popcorn.
26. Keep your compost bin in with you chickens for some very happy birds and happy compost.
27. Chickens will decimate any area you let them into, garden, lawn - the plants? Gone.
28. Chickens make great bug catchers.
29. With chickens come flies.
30. Chickens bathe in the dirt - the first time you see this you'll think they're having a fit.
31. There are great websites out there full of information, the best thing to remember is that a chicken is a farm animal. They may be pets and have cute names but they're still a farm animal.
32. Hens do NOT need a rooster to lay eggs. They do need a rooster to lay fertilized eggs that will hatch chicks. You'll be amazed at how many people will tell you you need a rooster.
33. Most modern hens have had the ability to set on a nest and raise chicks bred out of them since a setting/broody hen does not lay eggs.
34. You will have a hen that goes broody (sits on a nest trying to hatch eggs even if they're not fertilized). Try whatever you can to break the broody. I lock mine out of the coop except for at night and that seems to work. Sometimes.
35. Keep your chickens where you can watch them and they'll provide hours of entertainment.
36. Chickens poop. A lot. Have a plan. It's great compost addition but you have to age it before putting it on plants.
37. Hens laying depends on daylight - so in winter their egg production slows down or even stops.
38. Bad things can happen to good chickens, be prepared.
39. There are things chickens shouldn't eat, tomato vines, green tomatoes, potato skins, avocados to name a few. Check the list before you give your girls something. Mine ate the insulation around the pipes to the air conditioner.
40. If you feed your girls onions and garlic, the eggs will taste like onion and garlic.
41. Work colleagues may start calling you 'The Crazy Chicken Lady'. You will take it as a compliment.
42. Unless you're a carpenter or married to a carpenter, you may spend your anniversary weekend building the coop/pen for your chickens. It may or may not cost $500 and involve 4-5 trips to Home Depot.
43. The first night your fledged (with feathers not down) chicks are outside in the coop, you will worry all night about them. This does not change no matter how many sets of chickens you raise.
44. Sexing chicks is not 100%, you may end up with a rooster (I've had two over the years).
45. The more you find out about factory farming, confined chickens, the debeaking of chickens and so called 'free range' the more appalled you will be.
46. Once you get hens, you won't ever want to live anywhere you can't keep chickens.
2. Roosters are a pain in the behind. If you don't have a large free-ranging flock and predators, there's no point for a roo. Roosters attack and can draw blood through jeans.
3. Roosters really are gorgeous.
4. A rooster will not just crow at sunrise but will also crow during the day and at night. Especially at 3am. The crow is a warning signal to the flock not just a way to greet the dawn. Some crow constantly.
5. When buying chicks, get an extra one. Something always seems to happen to one of them or one turns out to be a roo.
6. Chickens are incredibly adaptable.
7. I spoil my chickens but not as much as some.
8. No matter how crazy you are, someone else is crazier.
9. Chickens will eat almost anything, including chicken.
10. Almost anything will eat a chicken.
11. They will peck at the color red, toenail polish, clothes, another chicken that has a cut.
12. When you have to isolate a hen for whatever reason, a large dog crate comes in very handy.
13. Chickens love pink toddler fingers.
14. Feeding chickens is a super fun thing to do.
15. If you have chickens, you're never short on a topic of conversation.
16. People will be jealous of your hens and will start thinking maybe they should keep their own.
17. Once a year, chickens lose all of their feathers and looked plucked. This is called 'molting' and is perfectly natural. Hilarious laughter often ensues.
18. Hens do not lay eggs when they're molting, sadness follows, when you see that first egg again it's like a gift.
19. When your first chicken lays her first egg and your husband sends you a picture of it while you're on a business trip, your colleagues will think you've lost your mind as you show it to everyone as if it was a picture of your first born.
20. The person who gets to eat the first egg will feel like they won the lottery.
21. Once you have eggs from your girls you won't buy store bought ever again.
22. Hens slow down their laying after their 2nd year so you'd better have a plan to bring in new chicks and do something with the older ones.
23. Easter Eggers (a mixed breed) can lay the most beautiful eggs, from olive green to aqua.
24. Chickens die. It happens. Sometimes you have to kill one and you'd better know how to (or have a neighbor who does). I've found one dead in the coop and had to put one down (lucky we have a neighbor)
25. Kids LOVE chickens. Chickens love popcorn.
26. Keep your compost bin in with you chickens for some very happy birds and happy compost.
27. Chickens will decimate any area you let them into, garden, lawn - the plants? Gone.
28. Chickens make great bug catchers.
29. With chickens come flies.
30. Chickens bathe in the dirt - the first time you see this you'll think they're having a fit.
31. There are great websites out there full of information, the best thing to remember is that a chicken is a farm animal. They may be pets and have cute names but they're still a farm animal.
32. Hens do NOT need a rooster to lay eggs. They do need a rooster to lay fertilized eggs that will hatch chicks. You'll be amazed at how many people will tell you you need a rooster.
33. Most modern hens have had the ability to set on a nest and raise chicks bred out of them since a setting/broody hen does not lay eggs.
34. You will have a hen that goes broody (sits on a nest trying to hatch eggs even if they're not fertilized). Try whatever you can to break the broody. I lock mine out of the coop except for at night and that seems to work. Sometimes.
35. Keep your chickens where you can watch them and they'll provide hours of entertainment.
36. Chickens poop. A lot. Have a plan. It's great compost addition but you have to age it before putting it on plants.
37. Hens laying depends on daylight - so in winter their egg production slows down or even stops.
38. Bad things can happen to good chickens, be prepared.
39. There are things chickens shouldn't eat, tomato vines, green tomatoes, potato skins, avocados to name a few. Check the list before you give your girls something. Mine ate the insulation around the pipes to the air conditioner.
40. If you feed your girls onions and garlic, the eggs will taste like onion and garlic.
41. Work colleagues may start calling you 'The Crazy Chicken Lady'. You will take it as a compliment.
42. Unless you're a carpenter or married to a carpenter, you may spend your anniversary weekend building the coop/pen for your chickens. It may or may not cost $500 and involve 4-5 trips to Home Depot.
43. The first night your fledged (with feathers not down) chicks are outside in the coop, you will worry all night about them. This does not change no matter how many sets of chickens you raise.
44. Sexing chicks is not 100%, you may end up with a rooster (I've had two over the years).
45. The more you find out about factory farming, confined chickens, the debeaking of chickens and so called 'free range' the more appalled you will be.
46. Once you get hens, you won't ever want to live anywhere you can't keep chickens.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Today I Am...
Thankful for a sunny winter day where it's warm in the sun and chilly in the shade and a wonderful morning spent at the park with a friend and our kiddos
Grateful to have chili ready for dinner and an egg-free cornbread recipe to try and happy to be sharing the chili and cornbread with a friend who just had a baby.
Ecstatic that my brother and his family (nephew! niece!) are moving here this summer - it's been decades since we lived in the same state much less area. I can't wait to have them here.
Loving watching J's imagination blossom and expand. The pretending and stories he is creating are amazing and wonderful to behold.
Appreciating the snuggles, cuddles and huggles (it's a hug and a cuddle) I'm getting from him. I have a super sweet snuggly boy and I'm savoring it all.
Enjoying gathering things for a new crafty hobby - card making - and itching to get started but,
Frustrated by my lack of ability to stick to The Compact - completely blew it this month with all my purchases for making cards.
Retraining my brain to think frugality first. Stubborn brain.
Reading 'Eat Pray Love'.
Content in this moment with where I am and what I have - for now.
Grateful to have chili ready for dinner and an egg-free cornbread recipe to try and happy to be sharing the chili and cornbread with a friend who just had a baby.
Ecstatic that my brother and his family (nephew! niece!) are moving here this summer - it's been decades since we lived in the same state much less area. I can't wait to have them here.
Loving watching J's imagination blossom and expand. The pretending and stories he is creating are amazing and wonderful to behold.
Appreciating the snuggles, cuddles and huggles (it's a hug and a cuddle) I'm getting from him. I have a super sweet snuggly boy and I'm savoring it all.
Enjoying gathering things for a new crafty hobby - card making - and itching to get started but,
Frustrated by my lack of ability to stick to The Compact - completely blew it this month with all my purchases for making cards.
Retraining my brain to think frugality first. Stubborn brain.
Reading 'Eat Pray Love'.
Content in this moment with where I am and what I have - for now.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Chickens
This was going to initially be a post about television. And then it was going to be about The Compact and how I've gone off the rails buying items for my new card making craft. But then my almost-three-years-old son went and did something. He reminded me of the joy in little things.
He woke up way too soon fom his nap this afternoon and immediately asked "can I put on my boots and go in the chicken coop?". Now I'd promised this to him at a play date this morning, "after nap you can go feed the chickens". I'm always amazed when he remembers these things but I shouldn't be. If he doesn't remind me of something, it's because he doesn't want to not because he's forgotten.
We put on his coat and his froggy boots, I opened the gate to the chicken run and let him loose on the girls. Per his insistence, I went back inside. That's why the first photos are all sneaky paparazzi shots.
He woke up way too soon fom his nap this afternoon and immediately asked "can I put on my boots and go in the chicken coop?". Now I'd promised this to him at a play date this morning, "after nap you can go feed the chickens". I'm always amazed when he remembers these things but I shouldn't be. If he doesn't remind me of something, it's because he doesn't want to not because he's forgotten.
We put on his coat and his froggy boots, I opened the gate to the chicken run and let him loose on the girls. Per his insistence, I went back inside. That's why the first photos are all sneaky paparazzi shots.
Filling up the bucket with scratch
Off to find the girls
They're down in the coop (there's a little pathway on the left to get to the coop)
Pouring scratch into the coop pen
Happy hens
Chicken tushies
I absolutely love the way J is enamoured of the hens (and always has been) and the way he has wanted to learn to feed and take care of them. He thinks they're wonderful. Most days I view them as a (mostly happy) chore, let them out in the morning, lock them up at night, collect eggs, feed, water, clean the coop. J gets nothing but pure pleasure from being with them, he talks to them, gives them treats, etc.
We've had chickens for about 5 years now and I don't ever want to live someplace where we can't have hens and have dreams of a larger flock that can really free range some day. We're going to get a few more chicks this Spring and J will name and help me take care of them - a gentle precursor to the 4-H program I will sign him up for when he's 5. Just a happy set of photos that remind me of how glad I am for a series of fortunate circumstances that led us to keeping chickens.
The egg we collected today - from YaYa (J named her)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Simple pleasures today.
Play dough that feels really good in the hands, walks in the sunshine on cold days, adventures and exploring, collecting twigs and branches covered in lichen to make wreaths (!), the view out the cabin window, sitting in the sun chatting with D while J digs in the dirt and plays with his trucks, puzzles at the table, hearty bean soup on the stove with crusty sourdough bread, my baby sleeping with his head on my chest, hot tea, the promise of thousands of stars tonight, interesting blogs to read, a wonderful new magazine discovered, warm, soft socks, J discovering the joy of a camera, The Rose Bowl, finishing my 2012 holiday ornaments in 2012, board games with J, watching Pippin joyfully run over the hills, bubble baths, cheese plates, this picture:
and this one:
Play dough that feels really good in the hands, walks in the sunshine on cold days, adventures and exploring, collecting twigs and branches covered in lichen to make wreaths (!), the view out the cabin window, sitting in the sun chatting with D while J digs in the dirt and plays with his trucks, puzzles at the table, hearty bean soup on the stove with crusty sourdough bread, my baby sleeping with his head on my chest, hot tea, the promise of thousands of stars tonight, interesting blogs to read, a wonderful new magazine discovered, warm, soft socks, J discovering the joy of a camera, The Rose Bowl, finishing my 2012 holiday ornaments in 2012, board games with J, watching Pippin joyfully run over the hills, bubble baths, cheese plates, this picture:
and this one:
All in all, a great way to start 2013!
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