Insomnia.....

     The lack of sleep gives a person so much extra time to think. Being a female, somewhat of a fatalist and a worrier I have found that I don't really want this extra time to think things over. Last night found me wide awake and pondering my life. I started making a mental list of things I'd like to work on and improve, one of the largest being my approach to motherhood.

     Not many mothers want to admit to their friends that they aren't perfect. It seems moms at the park are in a series of oneupmanship that alienates the mom who thinks of themselves as "normal," and with fault. I am the mom who isn't afraid to admit that I tried spanking,it just didn't work at all, that my son eats chicken nuggets, more often than I'd like and that I've used bribes more than once to make sure an event goes smoothly. Those are things I see as somewhat normal, though obliterate my bragging rights at the park.

     The part of motherhood I want to focus on is being the mom I always wish I'd had. I want to listen more, with genuine interest. I want to play more, be goofy and make my son laugh. I want to eat every meal with my son as the conversations at the table are priceless! Those seem like simple goals but they aren't always that simple. Life has a way of pulling, pushing and tugging us in many different directions at one time. If the cell phone chimes many of us feel compelled to check our messages. Tweets and facebook status updates become, sadly, just as much fun to type as the actual event experienced. We live in sad times, but I'm trying to slow things down.

     Quitting facebook about a year ago has been a huge blessing in our home. I no longer care who is spending time with whom, which avatar grandma uses in her profile or the green envy when a friend goes somewhere or does something I wish I were doing. It's all just so silly. Instead I've made a greater focus on actual events, my own family, my own business, my own life. I still enjoy my twitter feed, but it's far less personal. I blog, but only when my son is otherwise engaged. I'm getting more done in actuality because I'm less focused on other people's perceived realities. And still, there's more I can do. I'm taping my new goals on the fridge and on my desktop. The time to embrace with one's children is right now, today. Tomorrow they may be leaving for college!

A day of history and adventure....

     Today we took a detour from our normal afternoon and popped on over to historic Ft. Tejon in Lebec, CA. It was nice weather for strolling these beautiful grounds and exploring the early 1800's buildings, many of which are still standing. This was a great training exercise for our guide dog puppy Moxie as there were other dogs and many people strolling the grounds of the site as well as various woodland critters, chickens and the like.

     <- Moxie poses outside the barracks

A view of the fort and the surrounding mountains of Lebec, CA ->

Summer nights....

     One of the best parts about summer are the family gatherings and time spent outdoors. This evening we were fortunate to have my husband's grandparents over for dinner. We dined on delicious sun dried tomato grilled pork, fresh brussels sprouts and brown rice, sipped a wonderful merlot and enjoyed the company of a wonderful couple. After dinner I was quite pleased to give a tour of our small garden with fresh picked sugar snap peas to taste. We let the chickens wander up to see us on the porch while we delighted in having our dessert outside on such a wonderful evening.

     It's truly the small things in life that one appreciates more and more with each passing year. The company of good friends or kind family, a nice wine and fresh clean air to breath. I am reminded tonight just how much beauty there is around us if we only stop a moment and take the time to observe. Gifts abound, not in the form of materialistic possessions, but in the wisdom of our elders handed down through generations.

The current cast of characters....

<- Mabel- Delaware- Leader of the flock, cunning, quick, likes to get up high to better her vantage point. No eggs yet, but she's thinking about it.


-> Ethel- Jersey Giant- sidekick to Mabel, quite the talker. Not interested in egg production, too busy growing HUGE!



Maude- Barred Rock- too busy for a photo op when there's grub to be had, docile, friendly, always comes running for treats. Makes an egg a day.

<- Harriet- Rhode Island Red (bottom)- timid, sweet, quiet
Dorothy- Buff Orpington (top)- sweet, a peeper
-> Gertrude- Australorp- escape artist, huge talker,


Just thought I'd give everyone some pics of the girls. We're still on the hunt for the perfect "Edna," an Americauna. She has yet to be located at the right age.

Things that make you go hmm.....

     I'm not always rational. I've come to find that those around me are often amused at what oddities come out of my mouth, what new hobbies I undertake at the drop of a hat and my misadventures. In my eyes I see nothing odd, just a slightly different view point than the rest. So, it would come as no surprise to those who know me that I am currently in search of a vintage travel trailer because I have the cutest pair of salt and pepper shakers to go in it.

     Yes, yes, I know that usually one would purchase a vintage travel trailer and THEN salt and pepper shakers, but really, what matters which which is first and what's second is now? There you go. So, I'm in search of a cute 1960's or earlier travel trailer which I hope to park in my backyard and use for guests. This bring me another thought; we never really have guests. Still though it could be a fun project and you never know when someone might like to come stay over.

     I'm on the hunt. I'll be searching Craigslist and my local freecycle. Funny that I passed up one of these babies just a few weeks ago because I wasn't sure where I'd put it. Duh, I have a slab of cement and a double wide gate. Bonus; I have a husband who just shakes his head and uses my folly for fodder. So, standby, you may be seeing a makeover post coming soon. That is after I figure out how to drag home said beast!

Purging the clutter.....

     I like stuff! I will never be a minimalist or one of those folks who lives with just 50 items. The truth is I enjoy living with trinkets from trips and antique knick knacks here and there. However, there comes a time when one realizes they have too much stuff. For me it was the realization that every kitchen cabinet, closet, under bed storage container and even our studio were full. It's time to let go of some of this clutter.

Round one of kitchen cleanup

     The hardest part, for me, is letting go of something I think I may use again in the future, or something I paid a lot for. I'm working on this mental block this week as I work to fill my car with donations. If I haven't worn it in months, it's probably time to let it go. If I haven't used that cute kitchen gadget, I probably never will. Even if it's from Pottery Barn that doesn't mean it's worth the thought, the storage space or keeping said item. Besides, perhaps someone else could really use these things and would be elated to score a PB find at a thrift store, as I have in the past.

     Do you struggle with purging your excess items? Do you find you have 20 serving platters but never throw a party? How many sets of dishes can one person use? This week I'm making it a goal to take it one cabinet at a time and get rid of at least five boxes of clutter. It's time to let go.

Raising chickens......

     Chickens can be quite the adventure. Just when you begin to settle into chicken raising and are lulled into the sense that you know what you are doing.... BAM! Tonight the hubby and I went to the backyard to move a dog crate out for the baby chicks. The small girls are getting sick of being moved into the garage at night and their coop has not yet arrived on the slow boat from England.

     I glanced at the chicken gate and there was trouble, in the form of three hens who had gone under the gate and were happily munching on my potted flowers. I realized this had probably been plotted out for weeks. To the left of the chicken gate the freshly mulched tree was now only partially mulched, the remainder lay strewn all over our landscape rock. Hey, at least one of the girl had been kind enough to deposit some fertilizer.

     After shooing the big girls back into their yard we went to assemble a temporary chick pen, accidentally releasing said chicks into the great big yonder. They took off under the deck. My husband and I commenced the chicken dance; basically waving our arms, chasing the three peeping chicks all around the yard. Those little girls can move and are much harder to catch. After quite a workout to catch the three I'm considering that my exercise for the day. Oy chickens!

** Note, there are no photos. My husband and I are trying to maintain some dignity and thankfully our four year old does not know how to operate a camera...... yet!**

Walk in chicken run.....

Run plans

     In two weeks we will begin our walk in chicken run. This project has required a lot of planning and tweaks as the space allotted is awkward. First we will be leveling the area and then the construction work will begin. What we hope to have at the end is a 6'x10' walk in run with a space for two Eglu Go houses, a door for humans and plenty of chicken "toys" and places to climb. Tomorrow we go to price supplies and I'll be sure to blog about progress in the coming weeks. Our goal is to complete this project in 1-2 days. 

Front with door

    

Happy Father's Day....

     Today is a very special day indeed, a day to recognize the wonderful fathers in our life. My dear hubby should win an award for all of his efforts. Not only does he work hard every day and support me being a stay at home mom, but he also does all the cooking in our house and is never too tired to help our son with his letters. After a long day at work he still has the energy for a good ole Lego war, exercising with me because he knows I'm trying to get buff, and a moment for a glass of wine out on the porch. He wears many hats, most of them a bit tight and constraining, but he never complains about a single one.

     My husband is a gardener and project coordinator, a chicken and dog handler, a spider killer, a bedtime monster slayer and a great story teller. He is a Sheriff Woody when one is needed, my partner puppy raiser, the head of our family and an example to many. He is smart and funny (even though he steals my jokes), kind and compassionate. My son and his dad have a bond tighter than epoxy and nothing is cuter than seeing my son's eyes light up when my husband walks through the door or the sad face he makes when daddy is working late.



     To you my dear husband and loving father of our son, on Father's Day, here's to you! To all of the dear dads I wish you a Happy Father's Day! There is nothing more wonderful than a man who cares, loves, protects and nurtures a family!

VIntage goodness.....

     While shopping on Etsy last week I came across the cutest hen egg dish from SavedbySalvage. I had been looking for the perfect egg dish to store my newly laid eggs right on the countertop. Most famers will tell you that you don't need to refrigerate eggs and I believe they taste better when you don't. Just remember this applies to fresh eggs as eggs from the grocery store are already weeks old. The hen dish arrived in the mail today and it's even cuter than I pictured.

     The other item that arrived was my Natural Home & Garden Magazine. This is quite possibly the greatest magazine I've subscribed to although I still love my Country Living and Sunset as well. Natural Home is full of great green tips, organic gardening advice, trends in eco living, recipes and so much more. This literally brightened my day and is going straight up to bath time with me later. If you haven't already checked out this magazine you should!

     It doesn't take much to make me happy these days. I have my health, my family and my fun home life with my chickens and my garden. Sometimes it's nice to sit on the back porch in the evening and curl up with a magazine or book and appreciate mountain living. It's a far cry from a few years ago when shopping and "running errands" took up so much of my precious time. I'm trying to slow down, take one task at a time and enjoy silence as much as possible.

Garden projects....

     Today was a beautiful day in the garden. The temperature stayed at 85 degrees and the sky was a cloudless blue. I weeded, raked and hoed the upper garden trying to make sense of the space. The hubby helped me plant our pumpkins, better late than never, and we started planting our genius Ikea shopping bags with Romaine and peppers. I really hope these bags work well as raised planters because at $.59 they are a great product!

Pumpkin patch

     Much of my garden is being attacked by an unknown pest. The leaves on my squash plants, some of my peppers and even some of my sunflowers are under siege. I've tried two different homemade remedies before purchasing an organic, vegetable safe, pesticide. This year is a big experiment for us and though I'm sad that I may lose some of the plants, I'm anxious to learn from every moment of gardening. There is always next year to further improve.

Ikea raised gardens

     We have broken ground on the walk in chicken run and I really want to get this project going. Though I love that the chickens are free, I want them to be safe when I'm not at home. Though the chickens provide food having a small flock means that we've grown quite attached to them. Both my son and myself have been thanking our Maude each day for the beautiful eggs she's been laying for us. It won't be long until we have three girls a layin!

Raising baby chicks......

     When we purchased our first chickens we opted for six week, fully feathered, girls who were ready to be outside. This was great as we brought them home and put them directly in the coop. A few months later I was bringing home baby chicks from the feed store, tempted by their cuteness and a challenge I had not yet faced. A simple brooder lamp and a dog crate worked well for raising the younger girls.

     Now, at four weeks, I'm realizing that the babies are probably ready to be outside. The weather has heated up and the girls, though not fully feathered, are getting big. Raising baby chicks is a lot like raising children; sometimes it's all about instinct. You can read all the books, ask for tons of advice but sometimes you just feel like a move is the right one. Tonight I've switched off the brooder lamp and cracked the garage window. Tomorrow I'll be working on temporary housing outside.

     Now, it will still be a while until we can have both sets of chickens together. The younger gals need to grow up a bit more. The older chickens have been able to see and hear the babies during the day while they are all outside. I'm hoping that the transition will be smooth. Of course, what does this mean? It means that the hubby and I need to get to building the walk in run!

Shop sale....

     My husband and I are getting all our materials together to build our new walk in chicken run. In honor of this fun building project I'm hosting a sale in my Etsy shop. Save 20% with coupon code "Chicken" now through June 30th. Enjoy savings on great vintage items. Remember, vintage makes a great gift!

Zoo, gardening, chickens, friends, wine and more....

     Sometimes the weekends are so busy, in a good way, that there is little time to blog. This weekend proved an exhaustingly wonderful few days packed with fun. Saturday we volunteered for one of our charity organizations, Guide Dogs of America, at the annual open house. We are puppy raisers for the Sylmar chapter and look forward to this event all year. We were fortunate to win a great gift basket at the auction and spent some time with the puppy raisers and friends we've come to know in our first two years with the organization.

A flamingo poses

The "Cheeto" plant

     The chickens laid their second egg this morning which was just as eggciting (had to) as the first. After our son gobbled up the goods were were off to the Los Angeles Zoo for the day with our very old and dear friends P&B. P&B were part of our wedding and so it's especially wonderful that we all live much closer now. We had a great day seeing all of the animals and identifying the flowers. Beware the cheeto plant, as P&B have named it.

Ikea bag for raised planters

      Of course, having to pass Ikea on the way home is never a good thing. I had to stop and pick up some of their signature bags to use as moveable raised planters. A bargain at $.59! It's amazing how many creative uses there are for Ikea merchandise. A trip to the "As Is" section yielded a very heavy duty shower curtain for $4 which will be put to use as a shade cloth/rain protector for our chicken run. Stay tuned because the walk in run is going to be quite the project!

Our first egg- a celebration.....

Maude's first egg

     This evening I walked outside to let the dogs out and check on the chickens. As I glanced at the coop I saw...... our very first egg. I will attempt to persuade you that I calmly walked over and scooped it up, but I'm not a liar. The truth is I unlatched that gate and ran as fast as I could to grab up that perfect brown egg. Then I promptly ran outside to tell all my neighbors as my husband was gone to the store.

perfect in every way

     With first eggs you just never know what you'll have inside. Cracked open we had a delightful golden yolk with plenty of white as well. The egg was perfect in every way. We cooked that bad boy up and had it as an appetizer. Delicious. I can now say with certainty that your own eggs taste better than any other egg. You get out what you put in. We've put in veggies and fruit, early mornings and a clean coop, plenty of free ranging and a lot of love. The egg tasted every bit of all of that!

Chicken raising good reads.......

     I am an avid reader and often finish three or more books a week. I'm currently reading a book on chicken rearing and a novel simultaneously as the mood strikes. What I love about the backyard chicken movement is that along with the clear cut informative books there are also a plethora of great novels and cookbooks being released as well. Many are geared toward the backyard farmer or small flock keeper with just a handful of chickens.

     The first book I picked up, and still refer to often, when I was thinking of getting chickens was "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens," and though I've read many books since I think the format and information covered in this book makes it an excellent choice. I haven't had a question that I haven't been able to answer with this book.

     The second book I had my eye on since the beginning of our chicken experiment was "Chicken and Egg" by Janice Cole. This book combines the story of first chickens with an eggcellent (I had to do it!) assortment of recipes for chicken and egg dishes that are all very unique. The pictures in the book are beautiful and we've been happily trying out the recipes now for a few months. This book is lovely enough for your coffee table and makes a very good gift!

     The last book, and the one I'm just now finishing, is "Chicken Coops for the Soul, a henkeeper's story," by Julia Hollander. This quirky novel is both packed with information and funny side stories about the author's first experiences as a chicken owner. This particular book is written by a UK based author and so, gives a different perspective on chicken owning and a lot of history about chickens. It's a charming book and definitely giftable for the chicken love in your life!

     What other chicken related books have you purchased and loved? Click here to see the antique shaker box on sale on Etsy!

Make a compost tumbler for $10.....

Trash can with locking lid

     Necessity has always been the mother of invention. So, when the hubby and I couldn't locate a reasonably priced compost tumbler I began researching options for making our own. The first, most commonly used option, is simply to create a compost heap or a compost pile within some chicken wire. This wouldn't be the best for our more urban garden. I worried that the smell and contents would attract raccoons and other critters which we're trying to keep away from our chickens and our yard. Plus, I didn't want a big smelly pile of compost.

Holes drilled around it for aeration 

     After researching different homemade options I came across a couple of genius ideas. Having just emptied an old trash can that had been previously used for weeds we had an empty round can sitting unused. As per instructions on a few sites we simply drilled 15 or so holes around the bin to allow for air circulation. Afterwards we added some leaves we scooped up from the street and a bunch of ripped leaves from a tree we had just pruned. Every few days I'll just tip it over and roll it around on the ground. Really it's no different from any other compost tumbler.

     In addition to our score (the bin had been sitting unused for five years) we've arranged for our neighbors grass clippings each week. We don't have a lawn so this will help us with green waste. We have all the chicken poop one could...um... want and we'll use a sealed food container for our kitchen compost bin and deposit the contents every couple of days outside. Voila, a $10 compost tumbler, and possibly a free one if you can find a used bin on freecycle or have one in your yard. You can't beat that!

Adventure awaits......

The view above the clouds

     My family and I are avid hikers. We usually go check out a few trails each week and we hike all over our local mountains every chance we get. Today, after a long day of yard work, we decided to go find a new trail. We headed up to Nordic Base at Mount Pinos and took the summit trail, one we hadn't taken before. The trail was roughly 2.5 miles to the top and about 500 foot elevation gain ending at around 8800 feet.

Perched on a rock

     As we drove up the mountain the fog was so thick at times we had to slow down to 10 miles an hour. However, at the top, we burst through the clouds to find a sunny blue sky. The hike was great, taking us through shady forest as well as open sunny space. The views from the top were incredible. We were literally above the clouds. This is definitely going to be a regular on our hiking list.

 

Tomorrow's battle, I mean project.....

     We live on a regular size lot in the more "town" portion of our rural community. This has meant that we have to be very creative when planning out our yard space. Our yard is also long and narrow and more of a side yard than a backyard. Though this has required a lot of thinking an rethinking we have managed to make the most of our small space. The last portion of our yard, which has remained untouched, is now ready to be transformed into another workable space. Our goal is to grow more food in this area.

The back corner

     Currently the furthest part of our backyard is overgrown with weeds. In addition to an overgrown plum tree we have a lilac bush which has become a flowering nightmare and is eroding our soil. This must be pulled out. The entire area has a truckload of weeds and plant debris to be raked and carted away. All of this we plan to tackle in one day, on Monday.

     The before photos are quite scary. The area is probably infested with spiders, which if you've read my previous post you know is not on my wish list. Our plan is to use all free and recycled materials in this yard space both to save money and prove, mostly to ourselves, that exterior improvements don't have to cost a lot of money. Wish us luck, I think we'll need it.

Spider War.......

"She waits" Nikon D90

     I am in a personal war with spiders. Many will tell me I'm nuts, but I believe they are stalking me. This morning I walked outside to open up the chicken coop and was assaulted by a web. The web was not there yesterday evening when I closed the coop which proves those evil spiders spent their night seeking to destroy me. I walked inside, sure that the spider was upon my person. While on a phone call it came waltzing over my shoulder as if it wanted to tell me a secret. I flicked that sucker as far as I could as I tried not to scream.

     The truth is, I'm afraid the spiders are winning. I am only more afraid of them this year than I was the last. The fear has been rising since childhood. They may have won the fight, but they have not won the war. Armed with my trusty vacuum cleaner, a spray bottle of homemade spider killer and my dogs on high alert I will comb over this entire downstairs in search of the invader. If you don't see my blog tomorrow, know that I have been forced to surrender.