Monday, July 5, 2010

Free range chickens

I guess I always hoped for this day but I had heard THE stories.  We finally let our chickens - all 6 of them - free range for the first time yesterday.

They didn't go too far - sticking mostly to one area and in the shade of several large trees.  They ate an incredible amount of weeds along side the garage - it was great - yesterday!  Today, with a new sense of freedom they ventured much further - right out to the front gardens - well - right INTO the front gardens.  Being a very hot day they were looking for shade like the rest of us and decided to make little dirt holes in the middle of the only-mulched-and-decent-looking-gardens-I-HAD!  Now there is mulch all over the grass!

Ahhh...but the girls are happy and so am I.  I think I can live with a little mess for the sake of Mildred, Myrtle, Edwina, Clemintine, Gertie and Bertha.

This picture was taken several years ago on a trip to visit family out west.  Too bad it doesn't come with sound effects - the sound would be Leah screaming as they attacked her for the grass!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Dreams come true!

Here I sit after nearly a week in our new home wondering if it's right to be so delighted with everything! We wake up every morning and think -WOW - WE LIVE HERE!!!  It feels like a bed and breakfast without the rest!

Out of every window there are views of trees and fields and gardens and beauty.  It's quiet except for the sounds of birds, the wind and the occasional tractor or hay wagon driving by since it is the height of the summer haying time. The house itself is all nook-and-crannie-like (or crooks-and-nannies I'm not sure)   The floors are crooked and creaky, nothing is level and everything is old and wonderful.  I LOVE old houses (and I will save the troubles-we've-had for another day!)

I can hardly believe how much we have accomplished in the past week.  Almost every box is unpacked that made it into the house - the garage is another story!  It looks like home and it's beginning to feel like home.

The kids got right down to the-important-things.  They built a swing in the tree in the front yard yesterday - today they hung the hammock.  Earlier today I went outside to see what they were up to and they greeted me with the words: maybe-you-will-want-to go-back-inside-mom.  Hmmmm...what are you doing?  In order to get the rope for the tire swing over a V in the tree they were using a crowbar as weight - yikes!  But this time Mom came to the rescue - with a silver medal in discus many years ago - I mangaged to get the job done in only four throws.  They cheered and now a tire swing hangs ready for some fun.

There is lots more work to do but for now we have telephone, internet and NO TV.  Hurrah!

Sorry no pictures yet - I can't seem to get them to load today!