CHICKENS IN THE CITY

My mom called me today. She was laughing so hard she could hardly tell me this story.

They live in the city of Rowlett TX. A neighbor 2 doors down apparently had 5 laying hens that he keeps in his back yard. We have all heard that some cities are going back to allowing their residents to keep a small flock and this is one of those cities.

Unfortunatly one hen escaped as all sneaky hens do now and then. She made her way down with the cardinals and the blue jays to my fathers bird feeder and bird bath.

Dad comes from a farming back ground. His mom raised laying hens in Matewan WV and sold chickens and eggs to the local store.

Well he was tickled pink and so was mom when they saw her. The owner heard them talking and making chicken noises and so the elderly man came down and knocked on the gate. Dad let him in and mom went back inside to let the menfolk talk.

There they sat...on the outside bench forming a plan. How to catch that chicken. Each being in his 80's meant it would take a lot of thought and discussion.

Finally they took action. (here is where mom started laughing so hard she could barely speak) She told me about these two old men trying everything they could think of including a ladder up in the tree where she attempted to take refuge...to catch this little sneaky hen.

They finally gave up, shook hands and parted company to try another day. Later Dad was standing in the alley....and down the alley was the other gentleman....like two gun fighters. In between was the hen....they eyeballed each other wondering if they had the energy to try again when she made the decision for them.

She turned her tail on my dad, and walked back to her gate and looked up at her owner as if to say, "Well, what are you waiting for. I am hungry. Let me in." which he did. He waved at my dad and followed her in.

I knew you guys would really enjoy this as much as I did.

INTERESTING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

J and D worked last night for a couple of hours. I never went out to see what they were doing because I wanted to see it in the day light. After they left I went out and took these pictures.






You can tell it is kind of a house or cave built from scrap wood and drawers etc. Although it was cute, I was slightly annoyed because I will have to dissemble it. Until I saw this.




A golden dragon in front of an enchanted mirror.

So what do you think? I have cool grand kids.

LOOKING FOR RAINBOWS

An amazingly wonderful friend mailed me this stone that he found while on assignment in Butte MT. He says that when you hold it up to the sunlight, there is a rainbow in it's depths and he thought of me when he looked at it.




My grandboys love this stone. When they are at my home, many times they take it and just hold it and rub it. Or they will do what they did this morning....hold it up to the light looking for the rainbow.



Thank you Todd

BAPTISM, BBQ, BOY SCOUTS AND BROWNIES

What a very cool day. I slept late...almost until 8! I got up and soon heard little feet come trotting down the hall with a declaration of hunger. French toast and spam for breakfast this morning.

Then we all just hung out, the kids played, my daughter and I talked (trivial stuff--nothing deep as wounds are still new), then she left for work and the boys and I headed to the Boy Scout store. I love this store even though it is very expensive. While there we got the boys den number patches to attach to their uniforms, and guess what nanna found???? I am so excited about this chair. It fits me...it is tall so I don't have to hurt myself trying to get out and it has a foot rest!



After that we went to the store and got a fruit and veggie tray to take to my sisters. Today is the day she got baptized. We all cried because she was the first. I know that she wished more than anything that Michael was there with her...he would have been very proud of her.

The grand boys waited with anticipation for her to come out of the swimming pool...they were polite and waited for her to get her hugs...then they asked if they could please go swimming. She laughed and said yes and off they went. They swam for 2 hours while we ate great food.

Then went to feed horses and then home. Tonights dinner was the home made BBQ beef using Rudys BBQ sauce from Austin TX. I have to go back because my oldest ate his in 3 bites!

Then we had Blue Bell Chocolate brownie overload sundaes made with Hersheys syrup...and yes this was too much chocolate even for me but not my grand boys. When they were done they brushed their teeth, then we read about The Emporers New Clothes and we laughed and laughed, then big hugs and kisses and I don't think they remember their heads hitting the pillow.

What a nice day. Now I am typing this with a warm kitty happy feeting my shoulder and purring in my ear.

DEHYDRATING SWEET POTATOS

I had to share this. I don't have any sweet potatos right now but i am going to try this with my last yellow hubbard squash and pumpkins.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Dehydrate2store


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SEED SAVING

I planted soybeans this year and because the pumpkins and squash exploded, only 2 plants produced. They were completly engulfed by the vines of both. So since I only had those I did not harvest but let them grow and produce pods. when they were done I pulled the whole plant and hung it in the kitchen to dry.

Flash helped me de-pod the seeds today so they could be stored for next years planting.




This little cup of seeds represents about 4 or more packets of seed packets from just 2 plants. Cool right?

TIME FOR SCOUTS....OH BOY THIS WILL BE FUN

BULL IS BACK!

I know you guys who have been with me for a while are going to say....WHAT? WHY?

Here is the deal. I have never been forgiven by my wonderful grandboys for getting rid of Bull. According to J and D he was a good dog who loved to play with them.

Due to work hours, Bull never got trained, teamed up with a neighbors dog and tore up my belongings and then the final straw was he killed a chicken.

I didn't tell J and D they just got to my house one day and he was gone. Big mistake.

Several days ago I got an email from his mommy saying she needed to find him a new home because he wouldn't stop licking their horses hooves and he keeps getting kicked. His brother got his back broke and Bull was close to it.

This was my chance to make right one of my biggest mistakes. I put together a kennel to put him in when I am at work.

Tonight was his first night in the house. He doesn't like it in the house. He is too big. But the boys are very happy.

And yes now you can see that he has grown very very large.

BIG SURPRISE TOMORROW!

NO I CAN'T TELL YOU YET; TOMORROW!

"LAZY" SUNDAY

I did it!!! finally. I have owned this shower curtain rod for almost 2 years and never installed it.

Why do you ask? FEAR. How can I be afraid of a little ole shower curtain rod? Well I am afraid of everything. Ya'll know that if you know me.


Today I have done 4 loads of laundry, started another dehydrater of yellow hubbard squash, and I actully made my bed.

I really need to go out and work on the winter bed but it needs more dirt and I don't have any.

I have a pile of papers which have to be burned. Old veggie oil which has to be put into the garage til I can mix it with sand in a lidded container. I will use that to winter treat my hoes and shovels. cleans and oils all in one dunking.

I need to clean off the front porch..small job and hunt down the new secret nesting place that the chickens have hidden.

I have 2 dozen eggs going in the incubator today. I am going to try my hand at hatching and selling day old chicks.

That is all for now. I am may update later.
But it is finally installed. And solid. Yes it took be about 2.5 hours to figure it out, and I had to uninstall it when I got the brackets on backwards. Now when I stand in the bathtub to shower it seems cavernous!

I FOUND OUT TODAY I AM A GIRL

I was re-bottling my homemade peach wine and reached under the cabinet to get my siphon, when a fat grey mouse jumped on my arm, ran up to my shoulder and then off onto the floor...to disapper under the dishwasher.

Yep I screamed like a girl. Then look around my empty house to see if anyone heard me.

I think we girls got the short end of the stick. We were created to be taken care of, and sometimes react like it.

good grief.

LONG DAY AND NIGHT

Night time is when I miss Michael most of all. The stress of work and bills is taking it's toll on my sleep. I was up at 4 this morning and it is almost midnight. I was very tired but when my head hit the pillow, all I could feel was my sisters heart breaking...seeing his face.

My sweet kitty always tries to help by snuggling but there is nothing he can do...or me either.

I don't know if I should find a grief recovery group of my own or now.

I haven't been to church in a really long time. There is one close to home that I will try on Sunday.

I have lost touch with my creator so completly I don't even know if he hears me when I do speak.

Right now for reasons I won't go into I find myself dependant on the stored supplies I have on hand and realize that although I am blessed, I need to plan better. My stores are enough to last about 3 weeks but it is incomplete. Too many repeated meals.

So while I am using the stores I will plan and list things that I missed. When things are better, then I will know what to start stocking up on again.

Winter is coming and I need wood most of all. I will keep watching craigs list but others are thinking the same way. It goes fast.

Keeping on learning