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 11, 2023

    A little cloud of sorrow hung over my week, as my beloved twelve-year-old cat, Button, died.  Colton got him for me a month after we married, so he was with us right from the start.  He is greatly missed.

    I am very glad to have Ginger following me around the way Button used to.  No, she isn't Button, but her antics amuse and delight me.  She is a good little companion, getting in the middle of everything I do.  I trimmed my mint this week and set some of the clippings in jars in hopes of propagating them.  We'll see how that goes- I think I need younger, more tender cuttings.  Here she is getting a refreshing drink of mint water.

    I also got my last remaining rose bush weeded.  Hopefully I can get that flourishing again.  Ginger thought to help, but she was on the other side of the fence in the garden.  I managed to capture the exact moment that she realized she could no longer fit through the fence like she used to.

    Our A/C went out this week.  It had been making some funny sounds, and finally it quit working.  Colton called my dad, who came over and helped troubleshoot.  He brought a bag of beef for us that he picked up on his way!  And he included some little treats for the boys.  Just pure kindness and generosity. 

    He and Colton were able to figure out the issue but needed a part, which the local A/C repair man didn't have, but he kindly let us borrow a part from his scrap pile to get us by until we could get what we needed (different size).  My dad made some phone calls and arranged for us to be able to get the part wholesale, saving us about $100, and who knows how much by doing it all ourselves.  When we return the borrowed part, I will send cookies as a "thank you".

    I've done a little clothes shopping this week.  I had intended to wait for the Tax Free Weekend, but as I was searching online to see what sales would coincide with it, I saw that one of the children's clothing stores (The Children's Place) was running a good sale, with an extra 25% off when you sign up for their emails.  As a bonus, they were having an early tax-free special for Texas shoppers.  I ended up getting the boys several shirts in their next size up for about $4.50 each.  Shipping was free and I didn't have to fight the crowds!  I also earned some coupons for $10 off my next $20 purchase, so I am very pleased with all of that.  We still plan to go to the brick-and-mortar stores tomorrow, as Colton needs some new clothes and will have to try them on.  I'm hoping it won't be a madhouse, but I expect it will.

    I ventured into town to get some grocery specials.  We usually do our grocery shopping in the next town over, which is thirty minutes away, because our town's grocery store is so expensive.  However, they do run some good sales, so I always check the flyer.  This week, I got a ten pound bag of potatoes for $3, bananas for $0.33/lb, and a pound of ground beef for $0.99 with a coupon.  I may or may not have bought two cartons of Blue Bell ice-cream that were half off.  See?  I do buy convenience foods and treats sometimes ;)  

    Fun fact: We visited the Blue Bell (a Texas company) factory in June with some friends!  I don't have too many pictures without us in them, but here are a few:

A display case in the Blue Bell Museum

Looking out the Museum window at an old ice-cream delivery truck replica

Display case in the ice-cream parlor above the factory

    Photos were not allowed in the actual factory part.  Top secret, you know.  But we did get to see them make the ice-cream and package it from the upstairs observation deck.  The flavor that day was Cookies 'n Cream.  A good time (and ice-cream) was had by all.

    Ice-cream is certainly not part of the gut-healing program I am on right now, so my recent purchases are waiting in the freezer.  Once I finish the program, I am allowed to maintain an 80/20 balance of healthy/not-so-healthy, and boy have I been dreaming of that 20%!  I'm almost there.  This is week 8 out of 13, and I have seen so much improvement.  I had a little setback over a food that didn't agree with me and that reminder of what I used to feel like is enough to keep me from falling off the wagon once the program is over.  I've had a taste of health and energy and I'm not giving that up!  Moderation, Kelsey.  Moderation. 

    I've been saving the supplement bottles from the program since the pills came in glass amber jars.  This week I took the labels off and washed them up.  A tip for getting sticky label residue off is to coat the surface in peanut butter or almond butter and let it sit for a bit before wiping it off.  The oil in the butter is what makes it work, so you might be able to get away with just olive or vegetable oil.

    I think I will store dried herbs in the bigger ones and maybe homemade vanilla in the smaller ones.  What would you store in them?  I'm looking for some ideas.

    I want to show you how big my grocery store lettuce grew in a week's time.  I can't believe it!

    Over the last couple weeks, I have been freezing bananas that get overripe before the boys can eat them.  I flash freeze them on a pan and then put them into a bag in the freezer for smoothies.  Really this goes for any fruit that is past its prime but still good.  The boys love smoothies in the summertime and I feel good about the ingredients and no waste, so it's a win/win/win.  To the blender I add:

    -2 frozen bananas 
    -A few handfuls of frozen fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, or peaches
    -A few generous spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt, for probiotics and creaminess
    -Milk, to cover

    I don't add any sweetener because the bananas are sweet enough.  I also add Amazing Grass green powder if I have it, which has two full servings of vegetables per scoop.  Hidden in the smoothie, the boys can't taste it.  

    I made extra one day and froze it into popsicle molds.  The boys thought this was the best treat ever!

    Hmmm...maybe I should do a cost breakdown and comparison for homemade smoothies for a Grocery Savings post...

    Upstairs in the loft, I started a few craft projects, but didn't get any finished enough for pictures.  I did get some tidying done up there, which will make completing those projects much easier and enjoyable.  I also got caught up on my ironing, finally.

    I did more deep cleaning in my bedroom, too.  I got rid of the clutter piles that had built up, dusted the rest of the furniture, washed the walls and baseboards, and laundered the bedspread.  One good thing about this heat is that my bedspread dried on the line in no time!

    Everything looks and smells so nice and fresh.  My bedroom feels like a restful retreat again.

    This cabinet holds our bedroom blankets and linens: 

    The frame on top holds a sign that my friend hand-lettered for me.  It says:

"Let the wife make the husband glad to come home and let him make her sorry to see him leave." 

- Martin Luther

    The wooden box was made by Colton's great-grandfather, and the vase belonged to his grandmother.  The vase holds dried baby's breath from a friend's wedding.  The hat, clock, and doily were thrifted.  The vast majority of décor in my home- if not all- has been acquired very inexpensively.

    There are still a few more things I'd like to do in my room, but it is mostly done.  I want to implement the Fly Lady system again, as it worked well for me when I did it before.  Colton starts back at his school nurse job on Tuesday, and John will be starting homeschool in September, so getting a good routine down is going to be crucial for keeping everything running smoothly.  

    I will be taking the week off from blogging as we adjust to our new schedules, but I will be back again on Friday!  I am also going to continue Thrifty Thursday and my Grocery Savings series on Mondays, but they will be on alternating weeks.  I have a few extra posts planned, so this will allow me to squeeze those in, as well.  I do love sharing in this space and appreciate you taking the time to read what I have written.

    I hope you have a wonderful week to come.  Happy homemaking, ladies!

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.

At the Cottage ~ July 21, 2023

    This month has seen some changes here at the cottage.  My aunt kindly offered us a set of wood framed beds for the boys.  They are very special, as they are the ones my cousins slept in.  We felt James was finally big enough to transition into a regular bed, so last week we picked them up.  They had been in storage for about 20 years, so I gave them a good cleaning and polished them up with my homemade wood polish: equal parts vinegar and olive oil with a few drops of orange essential oil for scent.  They came up beautifully.  I also got the construction themed sheets washed up that I bought on clearance.

    We'd had one of those mattress-in-a-box mattresses in their closet for a good year or so just waiting for this occasion.  We found it on Craigslist, new and sealed up in the box, for $100 (tax free).  This one became John's.  It is high quality and when we finally took it out of the package and it started to unroll, we found that it came with two pillows!  I have them stored away for guests until the boys' pillows need replacing.  In addition to this, I was able to find a mattress protector on sale for 20% off, so we really saved in the bedding area.

    All of this had sort of a ripple effect in their room.  As we moved things around, I cleaned smudges off the walls (Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are a new tool in my cleaning arsenal), cleaned the floors and baseboards, and washed the windows.  It looked and smelled so fresh.  The boys were thrilled to see their room all made over, especially James, as this was a milestone for him.

    John had his share of milestones, too.  He turned six and lost his first tooth!  We have been watching a children's baking competition lately, which he is really interested in.  I promised I would let him help me bake cupcakes for his birthday.  I frosted, as it was getting close to bedtime by the time the cakes cooled, but I let him lick the beaters, so he wasn't too upset.

    Can you believe I didn't eat a single cupcake?!  I am on week 5 of 13 in my gut healing program.  I hated to miss out on something for John's birthday, but this program has really helped me.  I am seeing improvements that I really did not think could be possible.  Among a host of other things, my energy levels have greatly improved.  As someone who has struggled with fatigue since my teenage years, this is huge.  I have been able to get so much done, and that without feeling stressed or worn out.  It's a big deal, friends.

    My father-in-law gave me a stack of newspapers that he had been saving for me.  I use these along with vinegar to clean my mirrors and windows.  I made up another batch of my shower cleaner this week, which is 2 tablespoons of citric acid for every cup of hot water put into a spray bottle.  This works wonders.  It is the only thing that worked on our glass shower doors- homemade or commercial- when we had them.  Now I use it to clean my shower because it cuts through hard water spots so well.  I wouldn't use this on stone or marble, as it would have an etching effect like vinegar, and I think it has a bleaching effect too, so I'd be careful on colored grout.  We have white ceramic tile with white grout, so it comes out like new after a good scrub.  A friend has used this successfully on widows, as well, which get hard water spots from the sprinkler.  Just be sure to test in a small spot first. 

    I am happy to say that my washer and dryer have been hooked back up!  The laundry room is still just a shell, but my dad came over and helped Colton rewire some of the electricity and move the plumbing, so now it is at least operational.  It is so nice to be able to do laundry at home again- the things we take for granted!  

    I have picked up crafting again, and as it usually happens after neglecting it, I was surprised by how much I had missed it.  I made over some free notebooks we got.  One is the shopping book I showed on Thursday, and the other one I plan to use as a journal to record little things the boys do and say, little milestones they reach, and things of that nature. 

    A few jokes they have been telling me lately:

What do you call a snoring bull?

A bulldozer!

What do you call a cow with no legs?

Ground beef!

    { Italics and exclamation marks are necessary because the answers are shouted with enthusiasm every single time. }

    Outside, most things are struggling to survive the heat, including me when I'm out there!  My plants on the patio that I have in pots are doing well, though, especially the ones that are partly shaded.  There is new growth on the foxtail fern...

    My lantanas have a few blooms.  I love the purple variety...

    The post you see in the middle of the barrel holds up string lights.  I have three of these barrels on the patio, so the lights stretch across.  We get to enjoy these more in the cooler months.  It gets dark so late in the summer.

    In March, we added some guineas to our flock of chickens.  We have started getting little eggs from them!  Cooked up, they are bite size.

    John has declared them "the best bird ever."  We'd like to get some more, as a snake got into the guinea pen when they were small and only two survived. They will have to go in my shopping book under the "Homesteading" section until the budget allows for their purchase.

    Despite the heat, I got some bushes planted in the front flower beds.  I've had them a while and they were starting to suffer in their nursery pots.  I finally realized it was because the pots kept getting knocked over and the dirt was spilling out!  So I figured it was time to plant them.  This is the culprit responsible for knocking my pots over.  

    Isn't she cute, though?  She's our little Ginger Kitten.  Of course, she helped me plant the bushes.

    As you can see from the photo, the bushes are yellowed and look a bit poorly.  Hopefully they perk up once they get settled in their new home.  If they do, I'll share some photos.

    I hope everyone has a lovely weekend and feels rested and renewed for the week to come. I will be back with a craft post soon...

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!

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?