The week end is over already !!!!!

I swear it seems like I can never get anything done on the week ends. This week end I spent time running back and forth to where the babys are checking on the temps. in the brooders. I am so worried I will do something wrong and cause them harm that I can hardly think about anything else.

None of my girls are laying many eggs. They look like heck so I believe they are all molting. I get so disappointed when I go into the house and expect to see a lot of eggs, or even a normal amount, and there are only a few. My older, four years, girls hardly lay at all any more.

I still have not gotten to cleaning out those houses but I have to even if I have to take leave to do it.
I feel like I am spinning my wheels and never getting any where. I hate this feeling. I want to quilt but I never have time. I have to clean out the houses, but never have time, however I have to get this done even if I have to take leave to do it. Need to straighten up my house but never have time. So where is time GOING?

While time seems to be flying in one sense I just realized this morning that the babys are only a week old. The way it seems they should be at least three weeks by now. UG

It really rained last night which was such a gift. I still haven't been able to get my poor trees in the ground so the water was very much appreciated.

Got some pears sliced up last night. Going to try some pear perserves. I don't think my pears have much flavor but maybe after cooking they will. How will I find the time? I have to get the jars steralized tonight so I can jar the jam.....

Well that is about it for today. Stay safe and of course peace and love.....

Sort of a sigh of relief

Good morning..Yesterday I worried all day b/c one of the babys, the last to hatch actually, was so very weak!! He/she look a mess and not well at all. I thought and thought and finally it hit me, I am embarrassed to even reveal this, he was not strong enough to navagate in the big brooder with all the other strong healthy chicks!!! I could hardly wait to get home, honestly expecting him/her to be gone. I rushed home ran in the door and there he was so frail and at least looked fearful. All the others were up running and eatting and growing (they sure grow fast).
Immediately I started reading the small clear crate and as soon as the temp got up to 98 I moved him/her in. I put in a couple others with him so he would not be lonely (they do get very stressed at this age when taken away from their buddies) and said a prayer.
Well of course I was up and down all night checking temps watching how he was doing. I had showed him where the waterer was and now that the others weren't knocking him out of the way I noticed he was actually drinking and seemed very thirsty. I tried to get him to eat but never saw that happen. But he was more relaxed and actually layed down. Poor little baby..
Well this moring he was still there. I actually saw him peck a bit and eat a dot. His feathers are fluffed up and he looks like a baby chick. So while I am not ready to proclaim that he will make it, it sure looks better than it did yesterday at this time.
Nothing else of note to pass on. When I have babies the pretty much consume my life until I know they are well....another three week of anxiety....I wish you peace and love    Caio

Garden Daddy: ONE OF THE STANDARD COCHIN PULLETS LAYS HER FIRST EGG

Garden Daddy: ONE OF THE STANDARD COCHIN PULLETS LAYS HER FIRST EGG

A valuable lesson

When I got home yesterday I had about 12 fuzzy little faces looking at me through the incubator!!! The other bator had four more.. Then I looked at the temp. and the frigging temp in one was 102. I grabbed those baby's out put in the brooder tub and when temp went down a little closed them (the bator) back up. I know you aren't supposed to open the tops but I knew they could not live long in 102. Then I noticed one that was in a egg where she had tried to pipe but the membrane was dried out and she couldn't peck through it. She was peeping loudly. My heart ached because I had promised myself I would not mess with the eggs, and let nature take its course, but this was not a nature issue it was a machine caused issue. Soooo I got some tweezers, disinfected them and pulled a little hole for the baby. Soon I realized the shell was dried too and that she was a little stuck to the dried membrane so I pulled off some more shell and membrane, enough that her head and lttle body was visible. Set it down and said a prayer and closed the bator up. I would do no more, she was on her own from here on out. It was her battle to win or lose. When I have helped chicks I learned that part of that struggle they go through twisting and pushing to get out of their shell is really important to straighten them out and strengthen their muscles so they can stand. Low and be hold when I went back about two hours later there she was straight and standing!!!! Praise the LORD.

I have learned a really valuable lesson through this, and that is you can help or you can help too much. I then had an epiphany ....this struggle to live and be strong is a metaphor for life, but especially for those who are raising kids.... watching our kids go through struggles is very hard for a parent to do, giving a little help is okay but when we make it too easy for them they do not learn the lesson, nor do they gain the strength they will get from going through the struggle on their own and being victorious. This just blew me away folks. What a life altering realization for me. Especially since I am a therapist and I watch parents protect their kids to the point that they either can not make it through a struggle or wait for someone else to open the shell (struggle) for them. At this point they truly are crippled and in all our good intentions we really have killed them. It was our anxiety and worring about them that got in the way of them being able to stand tall on their two feet!

Praise the Lord it is cool today

Well it is Labor Day. Baby chicks were moved into their house, stayed in their for all of yesterday. Today I opened the doors and it did not take much time for them to find their way outside!! Out the door or down their ramp.
The other girls who they will be sort of sharing their yard with were very curious and stood around the outside of their yard behind the fencing watching.....So far so good.
Boy I got stung by at least three wasps yesterday. Did not realize they were under one of those hot wire caps on a fence post and man they got me.. I put white vinegar on it and while that stopped the pain my hand is swollen up like a balloon and my gosh it itches like crazy. Any remedies any one? Yow. I try not to itch but that only works for a short while.
Gotta get going....Peace and Love to all.

Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Two old standbys, deviled eggs and potato salad, join forces to make a true crowd-pleaser.

35

10 servings

- Mark Boughton Photography/Teresa Blackburn Styling

Ingredients

·         2 1/2  pounds (about 5 large) russet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch chunks

·         1/2  cup mayonnaise

·         1/2  cup sour cream

·         3  tablespoons Dijon mustard

·         1  teaspoon salt

·         Coarsely ground black pepper

·         3  stalks celery, diced

·         3  hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped

·         1/2  cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish

·         Prep Time - 10

·         Cook Time - 25

Instructions

1.    Place potatoes in large saucepan; add cold water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.

2.    Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Combine potatoes, celery, eggs, parsley and mayonnaise mixture. Mix gently with a large rubber spatula. Garnish with additional parsley.

Recipe by Jean Kressy

Nutritional Info (per serving)

·         Calories 180

·         Fat 8g

·         Saturated Fat 2.5g

·         Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g

·         Monounsaturated Fat 2g

·         Cholesterol 65mg

·         Sodium 410mg

·         Potassium 460mg

·         Carbohydrates 25g

·         Fiber 2g

·         Sugars 2g

·         Protein 5g

The poor horses from next door.

September 1st. Fall is hopefully just around the corner

Hi to any one following this.
Well it has been quite a month. I had a birthday, received my second masters degree and saved two horses lives. I think that is pretty good for an old lady.
New chicken house is ready to inhabited and I will move birds this week end when hopefully it will be a bit cooler. Kevin has done a great job and will finish up the small touches in a couple weeks.
On the 29th one of my little Scottie girls, she had been living with ex-sister in law, went up to be with Brenna and Murphy. She had Leukemia and got very ill very fast. Bless my little girl.
As I noted above I was able to save the lives of two beautiful horses this week. They were literally starving to death. I will insert pictures. I still don't know if they will live but they are safer than they were.
Finished my second masters degree this is in Psychology. Now I must pay for it.
Firming up issues with vacation which is set for November. Really need the rest and to just get away.
I have baby's in the incubator. They are lavender, black and blue orpingtons. Due to hatch the 12th. Really hoping they all hatch.
Got messed over by PayPal and a seller. Bought a incubator and the seller never sent but of course took my money. Still haven't gotten it back and will be surprised if I ever do. So let this be a warning......PayPal isn't as safe as it purports itself to be.
All my dogs got their shots to the tune of $300 but that is what it means to be a responsible pet owner.
Job is very boring but pays the bills and allows me to have this wonderful farm that means so much to me.
Went to the eye dr. and cataracts need to come out. Good maybe I will be able to see better.
Still have a quilt that needs quilting which I should be able to get to soon  :)  Want to start another one. I have a few ideas swimming around in my head. This is the fun part for me.
Have to get to cleaning the chick houses out for the fall/winter. That is such a job but very fulfilling when it is finished. Pull out everything scrub down spray with disinfectant and refill with shavings. Scrub down or replace nesting boxes, make sure there is DE. Put up plastic over areas which will leak cold air ect.. worm chicks. I usually start giving them scratch about this time of the year so they can add some weight on for the winter. During summer they get fruit, they love, love grapes!!! Just go nuts for them.
If this year so far is any indication of the weather for the winter we are in for a nasty time. I figured out last year if I fill the horses watering tanks with water and put in the heaters and put in chicks waterers at night they won't freeze. So those have to be scrubbed down well also. (I am thinking out loud here)
Oh and I am so excited, the baby's outside have blessed me with 1 buff roo, 1 buff hen, 3 BCM roosters and three hens, 1 beauitful Americana roo and the same coloring hen, one white orpington roo (I think) and one white hen. It doesn't get much better than that!!!
I am going to add recipe this month and if any one is reading would love input if you recreate.  PEACE and LOVE everyone.