At the Cottage ~ August 18, 2023

    This week flew by so quickly that I didn't once pause to write things down!  Colton started back at his school job, so we have been adjusting to the new routines.  So far, all is going well. 

    I took a trip to our local thrift store to make a donation and, of course, I looked around while I was there.  The boys went with me and took some of their spending money.  Colton's dad gives them pocket change occasionally, and James has been itching to "go buy sumpin'" so I let him take his little coffee can of coins to pick something out.  He settled on two toy trucks for $0.50.  I let John take $3 from his own coffee can (we have very sophisticated piggy banks, don't we?) so that he could pick something out too.  He bought a puzzle, a book, and a caddy for some of his art supplies.  I am thankful that our thrift store has not gone up on their prices as most places.

    I found some things, too:

    The green velvet fabric underneath my finds was also a purchase from the same trip.  It looks to be about a yard and a half of material.  My plan is to sew some throw pillow covers with it.  

    There is a larger Fido jar not pictured, as well as a few books, and a lamp.  I have been looking for a lamp for nearly a year and I finally found one I like for $10.  I plan to make over the shade once I find some fabric I like.  Waiting for just the right thing to come along means I am a slow decorator, but I end up with things I truly like and I save money in the process.

    We also took a big trip to the city for Tax Free Weekend, as planned.  I packed all our food for the day so that we wouldn't have to buy any. 

 

    This was a concoction using what I had on hand that was diet-compliant for me and Colton.  It is sort of a combo of egg, turkey, and pea salads using homemade mayonnaise.  We ate it on a bed of lettuce and it ended up being very tasty, with the correct balance of protein, fats, non-starchy vegetables, and carbs.  We liked it so well that I repeated it later in the week!  I also packed strawberries for snacks, and sandwiches, appleasauce, pretzels, and cookies for the boys.  Our travel cups plus an extra thermos of ice water kept us all hydrated.

    The stores were not nearly as crowded as I had expected, but it was clear that the rush had happened the day before (Friday), as things were pretty disheveled and picked over.  We were still able to find what we needed.  Colton was able to get work slacks, jeans, and dress shirts in his new size.  He also got a new belt and a new pair of boots.  The boys got some new clothes, too.  It was all tax free and combined with sales, so the day was a success.

    I feel like much of my week was getting everything washed, ironed, and squirreled away in its new home.  I cleaned, culled, and organized as I went.  I started working on my own closet, too, but I still have a way to go.  I do hope to write about it soon, as it has been on my heart lately to prioritize dressing up at home and looking nice for my family.  The desire is there, but putting outfits together does not come naturally for me, so it is a work in progress.

    I finally got something planted in the garden: squash!  We were unexpectedly blessed with rain on Wednesday, so Thursday when the ground was soft, I went out at first light (the only time it isn't a million degrees) and made some rows in the garden.  I got one row of yellow squash and one row of zucchini planted.

    We are low on wood chips and our wood chipper is in for repairs (is it normal for a wood chipper, a washing machine, a water heater, a well pump, and an A/C to all go out in the span of two months, right after having to replace the tires on both vehicles???), so I used what little we had left to top the rows.

    I noticed that my sister-in-law, who is our neighbor, has a big pile of old hay near her house that the animals will no longer eat.   I asked her if I could have some and she said I could take all I wanted.

    The boys and I drove over and loaded up what I could haul and I put that in between my rows.  This will keep the ground from drying out and baking.

    My little chicks are getting bigger.  They are in that awkward stage of getting their feathers and not looking so cute.  I still have six, but half were camera shy.

    My bigger chickens during the morning feeding frenzy:

    Can you spot the two guineas?

    We got ahead in many ways this week, but I think that with the shopping and unexpected expenses we've had over the last couple months, it is going to very much be a "use what you have and make do" period as we replenish what has been spent.  I am fine with this, as I am happy and content to stay busy at home.  I certainly have plenty to do!

    I hope everyone has a lovely weekend...

At the Cottage ~ August 4, 2023

    This post might end up to be somewhat lengthy, as it was a very full week here at the cottage!  Overall it was a good one, except for one trial, which I am happy to report is finally over. 

    A couple weeks ago, John came to me in tears.  "Heidi pulled up all my flowers out of the pot!" he cried.  I looked out the window and, sure enough, one of our dogs had pulled up the flowers that he bought and planted as his own little project using some of the money he had saved.  I quickly went to try and salvage them, seeing that two still had roots.  When I got outside, I saw all the bushes I had just planted strewn all over the yard in bits.

    Truthfully, Heidi had been getting into trouble almost since she got here.  She chased our chickens (even killed a couple) and barked and ran at the livestock when they came near our fence, which is an obvious problem on a ranch.  I hate to confess, as I know this won't sit well with many, but I had been considering rehoming her for some time.  Her friendliness was a redeeming quality, but she was so overwhelmingly full of energy that the boys didn't even want to play in the yard because she would be all over them.  This really didn't seem fair to the boys or to Heidi, both of whom just wanted to play!  When the boys played outside of the yard, riding their bikes and scooters, she barked at them the whole time.  We got her to be a good family guard dog, but she loved strangers and hid from snakes- the complete opposite of what we wanted.  

    I never liked the idea of rehoming a pet, and I kept thinking she'd eventually outgrow some of her habits, as she was still very young.  Throwing in the towel just didn't seem fair to her, even though it increasingly felt like she wasn't a good fit for our family.  "I'll just give her another chance," I kept saying.  I felt as though it was more my fault than hers for not knowing how to train her or funnel her energy, and I really felt sorry for her for that.

    Then this week, "Mom, Heidi pulled up my flowers again!  And Daddy's fern!"  Then a few mornings later, "Mom, Heidi pulled up your lantanas and another pot of flowers!"  By this point I had really had enough.  I decided that for all our sakes, including Heidi's, she needed to go to a home where she would be loved and appreciated, not just tolerated and put up with.  I advertised her, and within about three hours, someone wanted her and arranged to pick her up the next day.  Immediately, I felt a weight lifted, but I still wondered if it was the right thing to do.  I prayed that the deal would fall through if it was God's will for us to keep her.  

    The next morning, Heidi's new owner messaged me to say that he was so excited to get her and that his little boy was going to love her!  He asked if she liked canned food because that's what his older dog likes.  She never got anything like that at our house!  So really I'm just overjoyed that she is with someone who is going to give her the love and attention she needs, and she will have a better, happier life with them than she would have with us.  It was a bittersweet ending to a stressful situation.

    Besides all of that, our week was full of good things.  One day, we took a trip to the next town over to do some shopping and run some errands.  I packed drinks and snacks for the children, as I knew we were going to make a day of it.  Buying those types of foods when you are out and about is getting too expensive!  

    First we went to the grocery store, as all of their school and office supplies were on sale, plus I had a coupon for $5 off of $25 for items in those categories.  I got lots of things we needed for the year and beyond, with a total savings of $8.  I still lack a few things (I was trying to get my total as close to $25 as I could), but those things are on sale at Walmart too, so I will wait until Tax Free Weekend to pick those up.  Of course we bought groceries there, as well.  I saved $11.47 on food by shopping the sales and using coupons.

    Out in the parking lot, there was a pallet of clearance plants.  A closer look revealed that some of them were Texas everbearing fig trees!  I bought two of them.  They looked a little poorly from being in the parking lot in 100+°F, but with a little TLC they perked back up.  See the fresh growth?

    The real excitement came at our next stop.  We needed to go to Tractor Supply to pick up some dog food, and when we got inside, we heard chicks!  The Tractor Supply in our town only gets chicks in the spring and fall, so this was a surprise.  Colton and I had just discussed getting more, as many of ours are getting older and none of our hens went broody this year (which was odd).

    "Can we please get some chicks?" John pleaded.  The answer was an easy "yes".  We decided on six Salmon Faverolle pullets (females).  I had never heard of them before, but when I Googled them and saw that they were a specialty French breed on the "watch" list, I knew I wanted them.  They grow to look so fluffy and beautiful and are supposedly one of the most docile breeds.  Here they are on their way to their new home:

    This particular Tractor Supply also has a garden center, and all of their plants were 50% off!  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  I got another rosemary plant, several bushes, and three peach trees.  We are well on our way to getting a little orchard set up.  All of these plants had been struggling too, but I've nursed them back to health.  Some of the bushes now have blooms.

    Once we got back home and unloaded everything, Colton and I decided to see if our local Tractor Supply was running any sales.  There were no plants, but we found gopher traps and bait in the clearance section (we are still fighting that war), as well as a shirt in Colton's new size and a hummingbird feeder that I will save for next year.  We even found some stain blocking primer in the brand we need for the inside of our garden shed, which is something else we had just talked about.  It was half price.

    Up in the loft, I got some crafting done.  The boys have been wanting some handkerchiefs like Colton's, so I made them some out of James's old crib sheets.   John used these sheets too, so by now they are nice and soft, gentle enough for little noses.  Cut into twelve inch squares, I ended up with eleven of them.  I serged the edges to keep it simple.

    I made some "un-paper" towels in the same way using some flannel I had.  The sticker shock the last time I purchased paper towels was motivation enough for me to make my own.  So far I only have fourteen, but I plan to make more.  I keep them in a basket on the kitchen counter.  

    John watched me as I sewed and got the giggles.  I asked him what was so funny, and he said it looked like the needle on the machine was dancing!  Wouldn't it do us a heap of good if we looked at the world through children's eyes sometimes?

    The new construction sheets I had bought for the boys' beds came in cloth bags made out of the same fabric.  They were awkwardly shaped with huge tags sewn onto the fronts and backs, so I couldn't use them as is, but because we use every part of the buffalo in this household, I took them apart and salvaged what I could.  I got two sets of velcro strips and several construction vehicles cut out.  I can use the construction vehicles as appliques, patches, or in paper crafting.  I played around with some ideas: 

    A plain gift bag embellished with a dump truck and tied with a strip of thrifted curtain "ribbon"...

    ...or a brown Kraft package tied up with twine and a dump truck gift tag for a little boy gift.

    Which is your favorite?  I think I like the tag the best.

    With all of the stress surrounding the Heidi situation this week, I got some deep cleaning done in the bedroom.  Setting things in order and taming the chaos in the form of cleaning is what I tend to do when "I am quite put out", as Lady Catherine would say.  I feel much more calm in tidy spaces and it gives me a productive way to use my energy.  I made up some dusting spray, which is similar to the wood polish I make, but diluted with water.  Most of the recipes for this online were about the same, so I just combined what I had to make my own version.

DIY Dusting Spray

1 cup distilled water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
*10 - 15 drops essential oil of choice (orange, lemon, lavender, tea tree, and lemongrass are good choices for scent and cleaning ability)

Combine all the ingredients into a spray bottle and give it a good shake before spraying onto wood surfaces.  Wipe clean with a soft cloth.

*If you don't have essential oils, you can submerge orange or lemon peels in white vinegar and store in a dark place for a couple weeks to make infused, scented vinegar with extra cleaning properties.  Just give the jar a good shake every few days.

    I used 15 drops of orange and 5 drops of cinnamon (yes, I used some extra drops) for a fall-scented spray.  I don't usually jump ahead to seasons before they get here, but this summer's heat and humidity have been so brutal, I needed just a taste of my favorite season!  I used a label from JES at Mistress of the House on Etsy.  My dusting cloth was one of James's old, plain white crib sheets cut into large squares.

    I put on Homemaker's Radio and tackled my nightstand first, which is really a little bookshelf that holds all of my "girly books"- the ones on homemaking, decorating, motherhood, biblical womanhood, and marriage.  My ever-growing collection had gotten out of hand, with books piled on top and stacked sideways in the gaps.  I took everything off the shelves, dusted, and put back my favorites.  The rest will be moved to other bookshelves in the home. 

    Some of my favorites:

    The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace

    The Lifegiving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

    The Nesting Place by Myquillin Smith (I have her set of three and like them all!)

    My collection of Emilie Barnes books

    Cottage style decorating books, mostly vintage, but including my new Hill House Vintage by Paula Sutton.  I used to follow her when I was active on Instagram and it fed my inner cottage-loving, Anglophile heart.

    There are others that I still haven't read, but I am working on that!  I recently enjoyed both of Dana K. White's books: Decluttering at the Speed of Life and How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind.  Her advice was practical and she wrote with such humor (if you can't tell by her titles) that I laughed out loud several times.

    I limited the top of my nightstand to my one current read so I wouldn't feel overwhelmed by that "silent to-do list", as the Minimal Mom calls it.  I've chosen Mother Culture for a Happy Homeschool by Karen Andreola. 

    Have you read any of these books?  What are your recommendations in the homemaking/biblical womanhood genre?

    By the end of my cleaning spree, I had cleaned my books and nightstand, swept underneath it and behind, laundered the curtains, cleaned the inside of the windows, and wiped down the walls and baseboards on either side of the bed.  It smelled wonderful and fresh.  I didn't finish the entire room, but there is always next week.

    How was your week?  As always, I hope you enjoy a lovely weekend.

My Bluebirds on the Ground Report

    Hello and happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans!  

    I just wanted to share that Annabel kindly invited me to write a guest post on her blog, The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm.  She has readers from all over the world, and some have been giving reports of what is going on in their area, as well as preparedness measures they have been taking to stay ahead.  I feel so honored to be able to contribute!  I hope you'll visit her blog and look around.  It is such a wonderful source of homemaking and preparedness encouragement, and I really think Annabel has the ability to turn everything she touches into something beautiful!  

    My post is here.

    I have also added a subscription service to my blog on the sidebar (it can only be seen when viewing "web version") should you like to receive an email alert when I publish a post.  Otherwise, you can follow along through Blogger (also on the sidebar), or you can simply bookmark my blog and visit whenever you like.  All of these options are free for those who want to follow along.  I do appreciate all of my readers and your lovely comments, so thank you!

Gentle Days

     We have been having some gentle days around our home lately.  Colton had knee surgery at the end of last week to correct damage from an old injury.  Everything went well, but his leg had to be in a brace all week with the doctor's orders to stay off his feet.  While he was going crazy with not being able to do anything, I was selfishly enjoying his time at home, taking care of him and delighting in watching him with John. With the weather turning cooler, we enjoyed many mornings and evenings outside simply relaxing.  Here is a photo taken right on the other side of our fence.  It is a little blurry because I had to zoom.

    A mother doe and her twin fawns have been coming out regularly to graze in the pasture.  They still have their spots...

    The mother was watching me from the other side of the brush.  I kept my distance so as to not make her too nervous.

    Despite the slower pace of the week, I continued to whittle away at my to-do list.  More jars were washed and put away. 

    I also started working on the pile of ironing I have.  With the same idea to do a little at a time, I made good progress.  Setting a goal like ironing three garments a day will soon see the pile gone.  I even got some of John's shirts ironed right as they came out of the dryer.  His little pressed shirts make my heart happy.

    With the loft freshly cleaned, I have my motivation back to start crafting again.  I'd love to reopen my Etsy shop, but I know now is just not the season.  It will come soon enough.  Instead, I've been working on a little something for Baby James.  I'll be sure to share when it is finished.

    I even managed a trip to the thrift store.  Our local thrift store is such a gem.  I can't believe it took me nearly 7 years to discover it.  The volunteers are so sweet, and I have befriended many of the ladies there.  They are always so helpful and know some of the things I look out for.  Many of the jars I'm washing up came from them, for free!  Just because they knew I would use them.  And I have received texts from them letting me know they have gotten things in that I've wanted or needed.  My latest trip yielded lace placemats, a piece of embroidery, and a wooden Melissa and Doug puzzle.  Everything only set me back $6.

    The lace placemats look vintage.  They have some spots and yellowing, but I thought they were too pretty and inexpensive not to take a chance on cleaning them up.  There are 14 of them!  One of the ladies at the thrift store said to try Borax and vinegar.  If any of you know of ways to get stains out of old linens, please share!

    After the thrift store, we went to Tractor Supply (our local farm and ranch supply store) to buy some feed.  We always check the clearance section.  This time we found huge bags of mealworms for the chickens, marked down from $39.99 to $9.99, plus an extra 25% off of that.  I bought two bags and am kicking myself for not buying more!  They are "treats" but also very good for the chickens, especially with winter approaching.  John helped me feed some to the chickens.  He also insisted on carrying the bag to the shed for me, because, he said, it was too heavy for me.  What a gentleman.  No doubt he learned it from Colton.  Children pick up everything the parents do, so be mindful to teach them good things!

    We also found socks for Colton marked down, which was nice as we had just started talking about stocking up on essentials again.  When thinking in terms of preparedness, food always comes to mind first, but there are other essentials too.  I had specifically mentioned socks, and there they were!  These will be put away until needed.

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."

 ~Proverbs 31:21

    Now that Colton's leg is out of the brace, the pace around our home will pick up again.  It was nice to slow things down (for me, not him, poor guy) for a little while.  Colton will be home for the next three weeks while he recovers, so we have several projects lined up.  Neither of us are in much shape to do too much, but we'll do what we can.  We laugh at ourselves for both hobbling around everywhere, a couple of old 29-year-olds, haha!

    I hope everyone has had a good week!  I'd love to hear from you in the comments.  What has been going on in your little corner of the world?

Calm in the Midst of a Storm

  These are certainly troublesome times.  Grocery store shelves are empty, people are fighting over toilet paper, public events have been cancelled, schools have been shut down, businesses are starting to close, and I have heard of people in our area already starting to lose their jobs.  It really is almost surreal.  On top of all of this craze, Colton is in quarantine at work and has been since Sunday because he came in contact with a patient (Colton is a firefighter/paramedic) who may have Covid-19.  And this is just the beginning.

  Yet, in all of this chaos, I have a certain calmness.  As I continue on with my daily work, I can't help but stop and give thanks to God for the life He has led me and Colton to live.  I know it's not for everyone, but it is certainly for us, and never have I been so thankful for our garden, our chickens, and the old-fashioned skills that we have learned.  I am counting my blessings.

An abundance of eggs from my chickens

   For one, I'm grateful that God put it on our hearts to focus on our outdoor projects first.

"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house."

~Proverbs 24:27

  Because of this, we have a more sustainable food source and don't have to rely so heavily on the grocery store.

Salad fixin's from last year's garden

   I'm grateful that Colton convinced me that we need a huge garden.  It has always been a dream/goal of mine to grow most of our food, but I also know it takes a lot of work and I doubted that I would realistically be able to diligently care for a huge plot, let alone preserve all of its bounty. Now I am seeing how blessed we are to have such a large space.  I'm also grateful that Colton got the water and gas lines put in before all of this happened, as it has allowed me to plant and carry on with my work with him gone.

Snow peas in our current garden

  I'm grateful that we have one million chickens and that my hoarding problem is coming in handy.  (Ok, I counted the other day and we actually only have 40, not including the chicks.)  That's a lot of eggs each day for ourselves and others who need them, including our pets if it comes to that, not to mention an egg-cellent (sorry, I had to) source of protein.  And I'm so thankful that no one wanted to buy my chickens when I tried selling some of them because I thought we had too many!

Happy, healthy, free range chickens

  I'm grateful that Colton is able to hunt and that he took the opportunity this winter to stock our freezer.  He is such a good husband, father, and provider.   I'm glad I got over my fear of pressure canning venison, and I'm glad that after we tasted the first jar, Colton decided to harvest two more deer the next morning so that I could can the meat and add it to the pantry.  Yes, it was that delicious.

Canned venison

   I'm grateful that we live on the ranch with Colton's family, as trying as it may be sometimes living in such close proximity to one's in-laws.  (Really, I love them and couldn't ask for better in-laws.  I know if I ever needed anything, they would be right here in an instant to help.)  We looked for a house in town when I was pregnant with John and a few times since so that we could have our own place, but each time God closed all the doors.  Now we know of a certainty that this where God has us, and I see more and more why that is.

  I'm grateful that living on one income has made me no stranger to frugality and resourcefulness.  "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without" is a saying that has served us well.  I know how to pinch pennies, stretch a meal, and find alternatives to things we need and want.  In times of scarcity, that knowledge is worth its weight in gold.

A frugal 'thank-you' basket of homemade bread, jelly, and zinnia seeds saved from my garden

   Yes, my heart is overflowing with gratitude for this life God has blessed us with.  But I will tell you, the peace I have does not lie in these things.  They could all be gone in an instant.  My peace rests in God Himself, and my point is that I can see His sovereign Hand at work in our lives.  That is what gives me an overwhelming sense of safety, security, and calmness in the midst of this storm.  All of the hard times we have experienced, all of the heartache, all of our failed plans- they were for our good.  God has been teaching us, refining us, preparing us.  It has been hard for me to see at times, but it is all coming together. 

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ~Romans 8:28

  I know the country life is not for everyone, and that is ok.  It is what God has placed on our hearts, but even if He had chosen a different lifestyle for us, the fact remains that He will always provide for our needs.  The truth is, no one is "self-sufficient".  It is God who sustains us.  This doesn't alleviate our responsibility to exercise wisdom or work hard for what we have, but ultimately, God is in control and He will always, always take care of His children, no matter what is going on in the world.  He is still able to take a few loaves and fishes and feed thousands.  Please, put your trust in Him, not a package of toilet paper (or a multitude of chickens, for that matter).

  "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." 

~Psalm 23

Surprises and Adjustments

  It has been an interesting week here at the cottage.  Sunday started off as usual with me getting outside a little earlier to feed the animals before John woke up.  He usually helps me feed but I do it alone on Sundays so that it goes faster and we aren't late for church.  Just as I was finishing up, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.  It was John watching me from his bedroom window.  It was the first time he had EVER climbed out of his crib!  Of course he was just so proud of himself that I couldn't help but smile.  I'm sure I also let out a sigh, knowing it was the beginning of a new chapter and that my little boy was growing up.

  Colton took the side rails off of his crib so that he can get in and out of bed without the risk of falling from climbing over.  We put up a toddler guard and hopefully sometime next week, we'll get his "big boy bed" set up.  He has done really well with this at night, but nap time is another story.

  Nap time?  What even is nap time?  A distant memory of a time when this mama could catch a break in the afternoon and feel rested enough to face the rest of the evening, a time when my sweet toddler was also able to rest and be pleasant for the rest of the day. 

  To be fair, even in his crib, naps were becoming less and less of a daily thing.   The hard part is that I know he's tired in the afternoon, and even though I can get him to stay in his bed, he just won't sleep!  Instead he lays there and sings and talks quietly.  Not a problem except that a couple hours later, he's overtired and basically impossible for the rest of the day.  Keepin' it real, folks- it has me flat.worn.out.

  I know it'll pass and we'll work out a new routine, but the adjustment period has me reevaluating my time and schedule, as well as what I realistically have the energy for.  I have made the decision to put my Etsy shop on "vacation" mode for a while.  While I do enjoy it, it takes quite a bit of my time.  I'm not giving it up for good, but I do have to prioritize, and my home and family will always come first.

  Another surprise this week was the realization that we bought the WRONG chickens!  Yep, we did not buy the Buff Orpington chicks that we thought we did.  First, I thought that the chicks were not as golden as I remembered.  They were a light yellow.  Not a big deal as it's been a while since I've raised them.  But then I noticed how they were growing so much faster than our Barred Rock chicks.  I mean, like three times as fast!  They were eating so much food and were just massive.  Then they started getting their feathers, their white feathers.  I realized we had Cornish Rocks, meat birds that will be ready to butcher at 8 weeks, not the Buff Orpingtons we wanted!  

Cornish Rock chicks

  Well I felt a little silly not realizing the mistake sooner, not to mention blogging about it on the World Wide Web.  However, Tractor Supply did have them labeled incorrectly, so we went back to the store and explained the situation.  Thankfully there was a worker there who knew the signs on the chicks had accidentally been switched, and they let us take six of the correct Orpingtons for free.

Buff Orpington chicks, for real this time (I hope)

  
  They said we could return the Cornish Rocks if we wanted, but as we have already been putting feed into them, we decided to just keep them.  We'll have a new homesteading experience raising and butchering meat birds.  Who knows?  Maybe we'll like it and want to do it every year.  With everything happening in the world, an extra meat source doesn't sound like a bad idea.  Nini certainly likes them...

Cornish Rock chicks in their new space

Nini, the Hunter

Chicken Math

  We bought new chicks today!  Because 40-something chickens isn't enough, already...?  The lady at Tractor Supply says I have chicken-hoarding issues.  But, really, I can explain!

   A few months ago, one of our two roosters escaped from the chicken run and never came back. While we do still have one rooster remaining, if something should happen to him, we wouldn't be able to hear that glorious crowing in the mornings. 

  Of course, that's not the only reason we keep roosters.  They are very good at protecting their flock and alerting the hens to danger. If a rooster senses a threat, he will crow (even if that threat is just a rogue feed bag blowing across the yard or the bathroom light coming on at 3 in the morning).  More importantly, he fertilizes the eggs. Should we ever want or need to hatch our own chicks, we'd need a rooster to do it. Just having one doesn't feel like very much security, so Colton and I planned to purchase some chicks this spring. 

A-tisket, a-tasket, I put my chicks in a basket

  My favorite breed of chicken is the Buff Orpington.  They are so gentle and friendly, even the roosters.  Having had some very aggressive roosters in the past, it is very important for me to have one that I feel comfortable with, especially with a toddler running around.  I knew I would be buying straight run (male and female mixed, as opposed to just female) chicks, so I decided before we ever went to the store, I was going to buy six.  That would give me a really good chance at getting a rooster.  Enter: chicken math.

  "Six straight run Orpingtons, please, " I told the lady.

  "Is that all?"

  "Yes," I said, so proud of myself.

  Then Colton chimed in, "Are you sure?"

  "Yes."

  "But, Kelsey, they have Barred Rock chicks, too.  You know you want some of those."

   Yes.  Yes, I did want some of those last year and I wasn't able to get any.

  "Colton!  We agreed to get six and that we already have enough chickens at home," I said as John continued his excited squealing.

  "But you really want Barred Rocks.  And a few more won't hurt.  We could get four of those."

  I tried, y'all.  I really did.  But Colton knows my weaknesses and he's just as bad as I am when it comes to this chicken-hoarding chicken-buying business!  We ended up buying two Barred Rock pullets (females), giving us a total of eight new chicks.  It was an early birthday present to me, Colton decided.  I think I can go with that.  Chickens are practical, after all.  And aren't they cute?!  

The yellow chicks are my Buff Orpingtons.  

The black chicks are Barred Rocks. When they mature, they'll have what
 looks like black and white stripes.  "Zebra chickens," my sister-in-law
 called them when she was little.

  Have you ever fallen victim to chicken math?