Meat Chicken Project Update

We've recently lost 4 meat chickens to a predator that has a taste for legs and guts.

It started with a single bird vanishing.

The next night two birds were killed by reaching under the coop and pulling out legs.

After we beefed up our defenses with heavy logs and rocks bordering the base of the coop, the predation persisted last night with a weaker spot identified and worked over and over until another bird was killed and half-eaten.

That's probably $30 worth of chicken dinners, market value, that some predator has gobbled up. On top of the 6 we lost earlier due to disease/weakness of the breed, we are down to 16. We are probably 10 days from harvest and we're wondering how many we can hang on to. We didn't raise these birds for 'coons or 'possums or coyotes. We raised them for us.

This project has not been our most successful, though we have already learned a lot.

We won't horrify you with pictures, though we have them for the record. If you are seriously interested in keeping chickens and want to know what you might wake up to find if your coop is not predator-proof, email me.

Over the River and Through the Woods

This past weekend we initiated Drew and Garrett into the joy of the road trip, driving up to northern Michigan to visit my Grandma, Aunt Pat and cousins who Jim and I haven't seen in 5 years, and Garrett and Drew have never met. It was a bit of trial by fire, but, we were pleasantly surprised how excited the boys were about it, and how able they were to roll with the changes. (Well, with one rather glaring exception I think we all hope to soon forget...) It was a joy to take a trip that I got to take every year growing up; to visit family that we so rarely get to see; to have the chance to introduce them to Drew and Garrett and to share with the boys places and activities that are special to me from those trips. Grandma Char and Grandpa Mike drove up as well, and we had two whole days to stay, not including driving to and from, which was just about right. Here are a few of the highlights along the way (in addition, of course, to all the visiting we were able to do!)...

Roof Project 2010 - Update 1

Before.

During.

After.

And Aftermath.

A busy Saturday.

(Not yet pictured, the whole back side covered in underlayment in preparation for the new roof - A busy Sunday.)

Thanks to our "volunteer" workers! We couldn't have done it without you!

Next: The front side of the house.

Roof Project 2010

If any of you were around for the roofing project we did on the last house, you know we tore off two layers of asphalt shingle, filling more than a whole dumpster. We also installed all the underlayment, cut a ridge vent and covered all the many hips, valleys, and ridges with shingles. It was a 9 day frenzy at the hottest part of the year.

Well, we seem to buy houses that need new roofs. Well, at least each one we buy needs one.

This time it's different. We're doing the tear-off of cedar shakes and paying a roofer to install a metal roof. Cedar shakes are lightweight. There are NO valleys or hips, and just one ridge. It's going to be 70 degrees instead of 90. We think it'll take four days, so we're doing it over the next two weekends (9/4-9/5 and 9/11-9/12). It needs to be done before the winter because the current roof won't make it. Our roofer says he can do it in Sept if we can.

So wish us luck and safe working, and, if you are feeling adventurous and want to help out, we won't turn down the help! See our house.... heck see areas of our house WE haven't even seen yet, like whatever is under those cedar shakes.

One fish, two fish...

Fourteen fish!!! Or was it more?

Chickens in the Front Seat

The new girls arrived yesterday. Or rather, we drove down to the hatchery to pick them up. They are just a couple days old, and the cutest little fluffballs. That won't last for long: meat birds grow up fast and don't stay cute for long. But I suppose that's for the best, in the end.

They are currently set up in the Chicken Boat in our porch until they are big and hearty enough to survive the cooler nights on their own - maybe around a week or so. They all made it through the night last night and are looking fine. And so the adventure begins...

For those of you who are in on this project with us: meet your birds!

Road Trip!

Jim and I spent this past weekend doing something entirely impractical and it was glorious. For the first time in four years we took a road trip together while the boys hosted Grandma Char and Grandpa Mike for a sleepover. Before Garrett and Drew, road trips were something we loved to do, and every year we would take at least one long one. Since the boys came, though, we've stayed pretty close to home.

After so long, and in the middle of a busy Summer of too much work and too little time, with an even busier Fall up ahead of us, it was a needed and treasured break: from home, from responsibility, from being practical. And indeed, 900+ miles in two days to see a concert was not practical. But it was a wonderful trip and full of goodness that, despite the weariness, leaves me feeling renewed and in a better place heading into the crazy months ahead, not to mention daily life, for a while.

New Wine

Finished the bottling at 10:45 PM last night. New wine tastes horrible when bottled, but mellows with age and perhaps in a number of months it will be delicious. Wine is a project that requires much patience. This batch of Peach and Cherry was started in February. The jar on the right is dried peaches, a project of Annie's.

IT RUNS!!!!

A new battery, a bit of tinkering, and it RUNS! Our very own tractor! A John Deere 1974 112 with electric lift. It comes with a plow and snow chains. I didn't get around to fixing this up before the winter plowing season with everything else going on, but it's ready for hauling wood and rocks to prepare for the winter heating season and a garden fence.

My dad was there to share the joy. He's always wanted a John Deere. He ended up with a 1972 Wheel Horse that came with his house.
The John Deere sort of came with this house. We had to trade a mighty fabulous picture of Abe Lincoln for it, but I think it was worth it. Thanks, Tom and Michele!

Mother's Day at the Zoo

For Mother's Day this year, Jim took Monday off, which was a treat in and of itself. And, after a heavenly cup of tea and book in bed while the boys slept and Jim cooked breakfast, we headed off to the zoo. It was beautiful weather and Garrett and Drew were so excited to be going to see the "aminals". A good time was had by all, quite a nice way to celebrate together, finished up with a special dinner, tastier for all the walking and excitement.