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.

Sunday

So it is finally a pretty Sunday...problem is I feel terrible. Ears are stopped up, throat really hurts and can't breathe. It must be allergies but I still feel bad. I may just have to go back to bed which I really do not want to do.
I am so excited I have taken the plunge and ordered lavender, black and blue orpington eggs. The site that I ordered from shows some really pretty, healthy looking birds. Here is a link to you can see what I am talking about. These are not from the place I ordered from but are the same color. (http://chirpychicks.com/lavender_orpington.htm).  Now I have to figure out how to brood them and get them grown enough to get outside before it turns cold. I have attached a link so you can see what the lavender birds look like....I know they look silver/grey but they aren't,,trust me.
Booked a cruise for November. I am sure by then I will be really needing some time off.
My poor boy Jack cut the heck out of him self right above his eye. Too close for comfort.
New chicken house is looking nice. I really need to get the babies out there, they are getting too big for the area I have them in and it needs to be cleaned desperately, actually all the houses are ready for a good cleaning.
I am going to start posting eggs recipe's in the next few weeks and would like others too also...Try what I post and let me know if you enjoy them or what changes you think they need. Actually please post any recipe you love and we can do a swap.
Thanks for stopping by......

Brutal heat

I should have been on here before this but it has been so hot and with trying to keep from losing any more birds I am filling waterers, moving fans ect. Despite all the heat my girls are still producing eggs. I have heard from others their birds quit laying. Just to much stress on their bodies.
My baby chicks are getting big and need to be moved pretty darn quick. The guy who is building the new house is about done and it really is cute. However I can't put them out until there is a proper fenced in yard because they are still small enough to be pick up by owls and hawks.
I am sure everyone is sweltering....the pool water is too hot to go in!!! I have been sick from the heat for days now. I had a heat stroke some years ago and now can over heat in a second. But frankly I have not had a choice.
Working on paper for school. I have two weeks left and that will be that...second master in psychology this time. Why I did that I have no idea. I do love to learn though and will really miss reading the studies and I love to write. But I also love to quilt and I need to get caught up with my group plus I have two quilts to finish.
Well I will close for today. Would love for you all to join the blog and put in your two cents lol. C

Day 2

Thanks to those who have checked this out. Don't forget to subscribe please. All you have to do is check the "follow" button. I would love for you to tell your friends also. The more people who visit and join the farm the more fun or relaxation we can have. Just think of this as a place where friends can come together and share thoughts, ideas and info.

Well it is so very hot here. When I got home it was obvious all the birds were stressed by the heat. I noticed Prince laying down. This is not a good sign. I opened up his yard and let him and the girls out and he still was acting poopy. I knew he needed to be helped so I went and got what watermelon I had and cut it up and brought it out to him. The sugar and fluids seemed to help bring him around. I had some frozen vegetables and so I brought them out and they all pecked on them and I think that helped also.

Up early, five, out with the girls. Filled up waterers and fed everyone, made sure fans were running correctly. By the time I made it up to the house I was drenched. I am telling you it is so muggy there is water running down my windows....honest!!

Hey over the week end I made some forcasia bread. It was pretty easy just takes time. I will post the receipe this week end so if any one wants a good receipe for Italian bread give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Well that is about it for right now

Post 1

Okay here I go. I want to say I am excited about this experience and hope you enjoy it also.

I think first I will introduce you to the chicks and the dogs.

I currently have three chicken houses and yards.

First there is Prince. He is a full blooded Ameraucana rooster. His girls are Ameraucana, Welsummers and there are two Buff Orpington. They are all just about two years old.

In the back house/yard are Buffs, Plymouth Rocks and six Speckled Sussex's. They are all a year old.

In the smallest house is Merlin (1 year old), a really pretty Welsummers rooster with his three girls (four or five), two Ameraucana one red sex link. These girls are from my very first flock.
Also in that area are  two adolescent chickens. One white Phoenix, I think it is a hen and a Welsummers/Ameraucana mix rooster. these are about five months and in the next brooding pen are black copper marans, buff and white Orpington and four Ameraucana chicks. One I know for sure is a rooster because the little devil is already crowing!! These guys are about three months.

Next are my dear dogs. There is Jack who is a lab/sharpei mix. Someone dumped him on my lawn when he was a baby. I think they wanted to get rid of him because he had cherry eyes and they couldn't afford to have them fixed. I did not want another dog but I will tell you he is one of the best dogs I have ever had. I love him, but he sheds a lot!!
I also have five Scottish terriers. I had breed Scotties but stopped after I had a really bad time with the last litter. I still have my stud and the momma and also three pups (two years old).  Two boys, Fergus and Angus. Angus is Fergus' daddy. Then the girls are Bella, Maggie and Fiona. Bella and Fiona are white scotties Maggie is traditional black. I will add pictures later so you can actually see them.

I want to add a egg recipe to the blog about once a month and would like everyone else to also if you find one that is different or that you think is really good.

So a little about me...I am not a young chick lol. I have learned a lot from life. I have four children, three girls and one son. I also have four grandsons and one grandaughter. I am divorced. The divorce was not pleasant and I will share my lessons learned later.
I work full time and run the farm alone. It is a lot of work even though it is small. It is however my passion. I love the land, the animals and serenity that is there.

As mentioned above, and you can see the picture of him (Murphy), the farm is named after Murphy. He was my first scottie and I loved him almost more than life. I still do and there is not a day (literaly) that I don't think of him, wish he was here and wipe away a tear. I miss him so. He was the best friend a person could ever have. He loved me and I loved him. I would give anything to have him back, but that can not happen. so I have great memories and sometimes feel him around me. I think I can almost see him standing there looking at me or laying at my feet.
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