Dreaming What Ifs...

Progress Report

The chicks have entered "awkward adolescence".  The baby fluff is falling out and the adult feathers are coming in, leaving them looking a bit mangled.   

Henrietta Cluck is the bravest of the bunch.  She jumps on top of the water and stares me in the eye whenever I come close.  She tries to peck my fingers too.  Dave tells me its because she is looking for worms.  I think she is just trying to test my nerve.  "Are you REALLY not afraid of us anymore?"  I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that she has a sharp beak and beady eyes.

 Sherbert is the nicest of the hens.  Not only docile, as the experts agree on her species, but seems content when handled.  Obviously, she is the hen my kids fight over.  They have to take turns with her.  Next time I think it will be my turn.  Buttercup, who is braver than me, can move Henrietta Cluck.

The chicks outgrew the little box.  Well, in truth, I spilled their water and the entire cardboard bottom was squishy ruined.  So, we needed to toss their temporary home and move them into something larger.  A large Rubbermaid tote bin seems to be working just nicely.  At least they can't peck holes in the sides.

The Luxury Coup is turning out nicely.  We even had an extra window sitting around.  (a factory mistake left at our house when we had some windows replaced.)  Those chickens don't know what lucky ducks they are to have such a nice place to roost.  Dave has the nest boxes built - but they were built in the dark after the camera was put away.  Next time, I promise.

Dave has been working hard, but I have been too - see these trenches?  I dug them - all along the coup and the 8'x10' fenced area for them.  To be completely predator proof - we will bury the chicken wire 12" underground.  I dug that trench.  ALL of it.  And I have a sore back to prove it.
 
We just have a few items left to finish, including the priming and painting....which is being left to me and the kids.  Jammin' is thinking dragons...Buttercup asked if she could paint cats and bunnies.  We'll see. 

So, next week I hope to show pictures of a completely finished chicken coup....but of course, it depends on the weather.  "No Rain" is my mantra.

GAP

The tooth fairy paid a visit last night.

And the next tooth is loose too.  Soon she'll be lisping.

Mail Call Sunday Post #4

   Ready to see some more delightful postcards?  HA!  That's a loaded question because whether or not - I am going to share.

 

Postcrossing is free to join.  The only cost is buying postcards and a stamp for mailing.  (which, unfortunately for US citizens will rise an extra 2 cents beginning May 11th, 2009).

For me, the JOY I receive finding a postcard in my mailbox is totally worth the cost of the card I send!!!

Heidi sent this card from Finland.  I think Finland might have the highest number of people who joined Postcrosing.  I send to and receive from a lot of cards from Finland.  Heidi lives in Oulu which has a population of 120,000 (plus a university.)
 

I was excited to receive this card from Van in China.  His English was very limited but I did understand the card represents Monkey.  However, I am not certain which way the card is suppose to face.

Now here is a HILARIOUS card - just because from where it was sent.  My VERY FIRST U.S. card was shipped from Oregon City, Oregon - a whopping 70 miles (112km).  Not only that - I lived in Oregon City for 2 years before I married Dave.  Mary, the sender told me quite a bit about herself:  married for 51 years with 5 kids, 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.  She was quite intrigued to find out I used to live there.  We had a good laugh.  I think this is one of my favorite postcards!!

Another card from Finland - Camile said this represents the lit fires at Midsummer Night.  They build the fires on rafts and send them out onto the many lakes.  See why I LOVE Postcrossing?  I never knew people celebrated Midsummer Night in this fashion!!!

And Finally - my first "vintage" postcard from Kaliningrod/Konigsberg Russia.  Yura explained this was a view of the city stock exchange and green bridge.  I wish the postcard had a year so I knew when the picture was taken.

Thanks for sharing postcards with me!

When the Weather Shines

The Chicks come out to play....

And we fed them worms, grubs, and beetles. 

I never thought I'd get such thrilling cheap entertainment by watching little chicks eat worms. 

Or thought I'd have to chick-sit for hours in the sun to keep dogs, cats, crows, and hawks from trying to eat them.  (it was a good excuse to relax and read a book in the sun).

I don't know if Zeus is "protecting" the Caboose from the chicks or trying to get them before the baby does. 

But, Zeus's eyes did take on a wolfish gleam as he watched the chicks run around.

And while the sun shines - Dave got cracking on building the coop....or should I say Luxury Chicken Condo:

Let's just say that my idea of chicken coop and Dave's idea didn't quite mesh... I pictured something much less grandiose.

Actually, 1/3 of this will be coop - the rest will be storage.  We decided to make a coop that was easily accessible - so we can clean, collect eggs, and watch the chickens even when this land of rain gets dark and dreary.

Personally, I think Dave just wanted to build something....to show off his talent (and summers of building houses with his brother when he was in College).  At least it has given all the neighbors something to talk about.

How NOT to play Baseball.....

It is Never Enough

When Dave came home, ashen-faced and sad, my first reaction was he'd lost his job.

No, the news was worse.

Some good family friends were divorcing after 35 years of marriage.  Worse yet, the wife, Sue*, has been cheating on Dan*....for over a year.

Living a lie for an entire year.

They had making plans for their future.  Sue had whole-heartedly agreed to have a home built for Dan's parents on their property.  Sue took Dan's mother to home stores, helping her pick out wall colors, tiles, countertops, and flooring.    

Dan and Sue recently returned from a Mexican holiday - tanned and refreshed with stories of the trip.  Sue chatted with me over Mojitos a month ago, laughing with stories about the kids, complaining of the economy, and discussing Dan's parents....how they needed to be taken care of and she couldn't wait to have them. 

Yet, she'd been living a lie for an entire year.

Dan is heartbroken, shocked, and confused.  He told Dave how blindsided he felt.  But he still loves Sue.  He doesn't want 35 years of marriage to end. 

Sue seems blazế about the whole affair.  "I've been unhappy for a long time.  Our relationship was more like brother and sister.  I'm ready to move on."

Then why live a lie for an entire year?  Why let 35 years of marriage go so easily?

The other evening Dave and I discussed the events.  I remarked, "You'd think that after 35 years of marriage, they would have had it all figured out....but I guess you don't.  Obviously, marriage takes work every single day.  We can't get in a rut.  We have to keep working on this no matter what."

"Right,"  Dave agreed, "and if one of us is unhappy, we've got to tell each other.  We can't start cheating as an excuse to end the marriage."

Marriage isn't easy.  And obviously, how a marriage looks from the outside is not always the truth.  We can't see the daily toils that Dan and Sue faced or how they dealt with each other in privacy.  However, for Sue, ending hers after living a lie for a year seems all too easy...and cruel.  

* names changed

Mail Call Sunday Post #3

  It is time for another installment of my Postcrossing Postcards!

Sadly, one of my postcards expired.  The receiver never registered the card I sent...in fact, she hasn't logged into the system for almost 2 months.  I hope my postcard brought her some joy....

This card depicts an old historic picture from Martos in Southern Spain.  I love all the white buildings.  The town looks so well put together.  I think I'd like to visit there.

 

This postcard is so near and dear to our hearts!!!  Buttercup LOVES Pippi Longstocking and although Helmi, the sender, lives in Finland - she loves Pippi too so couldn't help but send the Swedish postcard to us. 

 

Miguel sent this card from Portugal.  It depicts some Sea-Salt harvesting.

 

Some of my Great-Britain friends might recognize this place; Reculver Towers on the coast of Kent.  Tamsyn used her own photograph as the postcard.  I think that is a very clever idea!

Finally, Gaby sent this picture from Germany.  She writes "the horse [is] from Volker, hero of the Nibelungen-Saga."  I don't know what that is - but the town looks enchanting and I want to visit.

A Few Word on Chicks

Baby chicks grow fast.  They are messy. 

Already my six little darlings are stretching their wings and trying to fly around their cardboard brooder.  Their tail feathers are growing in, giving me a peek into what their adult feathers will look like.

I was changing their water 4 times a day because they scratched so much bedding into the water.  Dave raised it up and now I only change it twice.  (they poop in there too).

Red heat lamps are best.  The chicks seemed much  calmer when we switched from the white heat lamp.  (too much bright light stressed them out)

I've gotten over the "Peck Factor".  At first I was very tentative sticking my hand into the beak area and would flinch if a chick faced me.  Chick pecking does not hurt....in kind of tickles instead.

Plus, having a fearless daughter put me to shame.  She has no fear of these babies.  She just reaches in and grabs whichever chick she wants to hold.

We only let her mess around with them once a day.  Anymore and I'm sure the chicks will turn frantic.  They try and get away from her, but she's fast.

We have one Major Rule with our chicks:  WASH HANDS after handling.  I'm extremely paranoid about the whole Salmonella scare.

 

The Caboose loves the chicks too.  He spends minutes several times a day smiling and screaming at them.  We can't let him get too close for fear he'll squeeze their little heads off.

If you haven't figured out yet, it seems that although Dave was the one who wanted these chicks sooooo badly and told me he would do all the work....... guess who is in love with them more?  Yes, that is right - me me me.  I love these little gals....

 If Henrietta Cluck turns out to be a Henry I will be very sad.

Dave said we'd just have chicken soup....but I think my heart would break.

Maybe we should have waited to name them until AFTER we knew for sure we had all hens....

CLASSIC

The dining room table was filled to the brim with delicious food for the Easter meal.  Fifteen people crammed themselves around the table, elbow to elbow, hip to hip.

Max, my mother-in-law quickly put a stop to any eating.  "Oh, we need to say Grace.  Who should say Grace?" 

She eyed the children.  "Oh, Jammin', do you know how to say Grace?"

My shy child slowly nodded his head.  I could see the wariness in his eyes.  He hates being put on the spot. 

"Oh good."  She smiled, "Will you say Grace for us?"

Jammin' nodded his head.  I was shocked.  I can barely get him to say a Blessing when it is just our immediate family eating dinner, let alone a table full of relatives all looking at him.

We all bowed our heads and waited. 

Jammin' took a deep breath - and with conviction said loudly and firmly,  "GRACE".

********************************

After the roar of laughter died down and tears of mirth wiped away, we had to explain to my mortified child what "Grace" really meant.  I don't know if he will ever be convinced to speak at the dinner table again.

Happy Easter

Six cute little chicks to love and hold.

To wake up at 4:30am and wonder if they are still alive.
To walk into the cold garage with bare feet and peek at them to double check.
To crawl back into bed but unable to return to blessed sleep.

To lay there and think about the needed chicken coop.  To worry about the light source being too hot.  To worry about the light source not being warm enough.  To worry about the water being soiled.  To worry about them pecking each other.  To worry that they might all be roosters.  To worry about the neighbors complaining.  To worry about giving them grit.  To worry about how often to clean their temporary home.  To worry about "pasting".  To worry about germs.  To worry over the fact that they are chickens.

Yes, six cute little chicks.  What have we gotten ourselves into?

(Three are Barred Rock chickens.  Three are Aracaunas, which usually mean Easter Egger chickens.  True Aracaunas are hard to come by.