It's a beautiful day. It's raining! I love rain. It would be more perfect if I was at home enjoying the rain from my house instead of at work, but it's raining. I love rain.
I love the sound of rain on the roof. I love the smell of rain. I love gentle rain, without wind and thunderstorms and lightening. That's the kind of rain we have at this minute, it's falling straight down, gentle, soft...sigh.
I think I like rain so much because it's almost a rare item these days. We've been in a drought for so long that all rain is seen as a blessing.
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I'm taking two days off this week, tomorrow and Friday. Not sure what I'll do with two days to myself, but I think I will work on that last room in the house that is still stacked high with boxes and is totally unorganized. I've been wanting to tackle it, and think I will tomorrow. Of course, tomorrow, I also have to bake a birthday cake and make Carmel frosting for the first time ever. Mr. Andy turns 17. He's so gunning for unlimited texting. (Don't spill the beans yet, but he's getting it!) He also wants steak for supper, but since we are out of beef, he'll have to pick something else. Maybe I'll offer to cook venison steak instead... Miss Kat has her last track meet (I hope it's the last, we thought the one she had last Thursday was her last track meet.) She's mentally ready to be done, primarily because she has miss so many gymnastic lessons. So, my evening will be busy, with track meet and Andy's birthday supper.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Chicken mansion pictures part 2
The finished chicken mansion. Except Kev says it isn't finished. He says he has t build me better steps, and put the nesting boxes in, and make a better roost. Probably a double decker roost. The top little cupola on the house has fiberglass tinted window in it, for more light in the summer. Chickens need lots of light to lay eggs year round. See the little chicken door? And the window? And their ramp up to the door? And, yes, the trim will be that bright green. Shut up! I like it even if Kev says it looks like Christmas frosting on a gingerbread cookie. I'm thinking of putting up some kind of decorations above the chicken door, to pretty up the place. Cause we all know that women like their house to be pretty.
Here's a close up of the chicken door. Andy didn't open it up all the way today, but the girls can get out just fine. This is a close up of the deck that we made for the girls to sunbathe on. Kev thought that every mansion needed a deck.
This last shot is of the girls on the catwalk. They like to strut their stuff and gossip. They just "cheep, cheep, cheep, pick a little, talk a little" (Name THAT musical!) The catwalk is also salvaged from Grandad's farm. I'm thinking it must have been in one of the closets as holding shelves, cause that has to be what all those strips were for. It sure makes handy steps for the chickens.
I'm pretty proud of the chicken mansion. We used a lot of salvaged wood in it, and I'm just tickled that it's finished. The girls hope you enjoyed the tour! And, they told me to say "Y'all come back now, hear?"
Here's a close up of the chicken door. Andy didn't open it up all the way today, but the girls can get out just fine. This is a close up of the deck that we made for the girls to sunbathe on. Kev thought that every mansion needed a deck.
This last shot is of the girls on the catwalk. They like to strut their stuff and gossip. They just "cheep, cheep, cheep, pick a little, talk a little" (Name THAT musical!) The catwalk is also salvaged from Grandad's farm. I'm thinking it must have been in one of the closets as holding shelves, cause that has to be what all those strips were for. It sure makes handy steps for the chickens.
I'm pretty proud of the chicken mansion. We used a lot of salvaged wood in it, and I'm just tickled that it's finished. The girls hope you enjoyed the tour! And, they told me to say "Y'all come back now, hear?"
The much promised pictures part 1
Finally, the much promised pictures! I even had to make a special trip to town for batteries for the camera, because, apparently, I'm the only one who knows how to put them back in the charger. This first shot is of the floor that's made of lumber we salvaged from Grandad's place. It's thicker than the grainry wood I've seen, but it is tongue and groove. I wonder if it's from the barn, which blew away in the tornado. It's tight. It's locked together for many more years. (Please excuse the chicken poop. They aren't litter box trained yet.)
This shot is of my fancy schmancy step into the chicken mansion. Yep, nothing but the finest, most stable steps for accident-prone me! These were personally cut and set by my loving, wonderful hubby. He always thinks of my safety.
This shot is of the NEW and improved latch for the door. Need I say any more about the latch? The door will someday be green. I'm waiting for the wind to stop blowing before I finish painting. And for the smarty-pants people who are thinking, "Does the wind ever stop blowing in Kansas?" The answer is YES. it does stop. Usually between the hours of Midnight and 6 a.m. But, sometimes, it blows even then.
This shot is of my fancy schmancy step into the chicken mansion. Yep, nothing but the finest, most stable steps for accident-prone me! These were personally cut and set by my loving, wonderful hubby. He always thinks of my safety.
This shot is of the NEW and improved latch for the door. Need I say any more about the latch? The door will someday be green. I'm waiting for the wind to stop blowing before I finish painting. And for the smarty-pants people who are thinking, "Does the wind ever stop blowing in Kansas?" The answer is YES. it does stop. Usually between the hours of Midnight and 6 a.m. But, sometimes, it blows even then.
Oh, the camera was set for Sepia tones. I didn't notice that outside, in the bright sunlight, but, for chicken house pictures, that rustic feel is appropriate.
blogs and bunnies
Yes, I'm playing. I love the background, but lost all my little "extras." I'm trying to figure out how to get them back, but am not having much luck. (I knew I should have paid attention that day...in 1980 something when we were studying HTML coding...o yeah, it didn't EXIST in 1980 something when I was in school!)
I could restore the old template, but this one is so cute.
Speaking of cute...got home last night early. Kev and I discussed our rabbits, well, I talked, he listened. But, I suggested we move them out of the shop because they need more light than they get there, and that they need access to fresh grass and weeds and such and that maybe the reason the female hasn't kindled yet was because they didn't get much light, and so on and so forth.
Kev said he'd investigate moving their pen, or something to get them outside (real motivation isn't to please me, he just wants the space for himself.)
Anyway...I went out to feed and to play with the kittens (and to check them for ticks.I swear, we have more ticks here. I'm gonna have to buy some Guineas.) While I was out there, I checked on the rabbits too. Miss Kat was at a track meet, so it was my job to feed and water. Low and behold, Romeo, the female (hey, I didn't name her,) had made a nest. She had pulled so much hair, it looked like it snowed in her cage, and under her cage, and around her cage.
So, I quietly fed her extra, gave her clean and fresh water and gave her a treat of hen-bit (it's a weed). I gave some to the male too (but don't ask me his name, cause I can't remember. It's something like cuddles or something gender-neutral, unlike poor Romeo.) This morning, Miss Kat said she thought there were babies there, but they were covered up with fur and she didn't want to disturb them.
Romeo had babies last fall, but at that time, she was sharing her cage with that other rabbit, who's name I can't recall. Anyway, one of them killed all the babies and she didn't make a nest last fall and I didn't know she was even pregnant then. (I didn't know she was pregnant this time either, but I HAD given them ample opportunity one spring day when I took them out to a joint pen so they could "play".)
We'll see how this goes. Romeo could kill them all today, or tomorrow, or even next week. I hope not, I'd like to actually have baby bunnies to play with. But that does give me a whole new problem...what to do with extra rabbits. I know what Kev will suggest (food) and I know what Miss Kat will say (NO!) But, we won't count our rabbits before they are (hatched? cooked? grown?) And, Kev doesn't have to rush around and rig up a new cage...at least until Mom Romeo needs more space for her new larger family, in about, oh, 2 weeks.
I could restore the old template, but this one is so cute.
Speaking of cute...got home last night early. Kev and I discussed our rabbits, well, I talked, he listened. But, I suggested we move them out of the shop because they need more light than they get there, and that they need access to fresh grass and weeds and such and that maybe the reason the female hasn't kindled yet was because they didn't get much light, and so on and so forth.
Kev said he'd investigate moving their pen, or something to get them outside (real motivation isn't to please me, he just wants the space for himself.)
Anyway...I went out to feed and to play with the kittens (and to check them for ticks.I swear, we have more ticks here. I'm gonna have to buy some Guineas.) While I was out there, I checked on the rabbits too. Miss Kat was at a track meet, so it was my job to feed and water. Low and behold, Romeo, the female (hey, I didn't name her,) had made a nest. She had pulled so much hair, it looked like it snowed in her cage, and under her cage, and around her cage.
So, I quietly fed her extra, gave her clean and fresh water and gave her a treat of hen-bit (it's a weed). I gave some to the male too (but don't ask me his name, cause I can't remember. It's something like cuddles or something gender-neutral, unlike poor Romeo.) This morning, Miss Kat said she thought there were babies there, but they were covered up with fur and she didn't want to disturb them.
Romeo had babies last fall, but at that time, she was sharing her cage with that other rabbit, who's name I can't recall. Anyway, one of them killed all the babies and she didn't make a nest last fall and I didn't know she was even pregnant then. (I didn't know she was pregnant this time either, but I HAD given them ample opportunity one spring day when I took them out to a joint pen so they could "play".)
We'll see how this goes. Romeo could kill them all today, or tomorrow, or even next week. I hope not, I'd like to actually have baby bunnies to play with. But that does give me a whole new problem...what to do with extra rabbits. I know what Kev will suggest (food) and I know what Miss Kat will say (NO!) But, we won't count our rabbits before they are (hatched? cooked? grown?) And, Kev doesn't have to rush around and rig up a new cage...at least until Mom Romeo needs more space for her new larger family, in about, oh, 2 weeks.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Locked up
Still no pictures of the Chicken Mansion...I'm not sure where the camera is. I'll have to ask Miss Kat. She knows all...
But, I'll have to take some shots before Kev changes the latch on the door. Why is he changing the latch? Well...that's a long story.
You see, he put a padlock type latch on the chicken house. He thought it might be something we could latch tight that would be varmint proof. It is. it works well, very well. It works so well, that when you go inside, there are times that it will automatically latch behind you and then, you, the unsuspecting person will be stuck in the chicken house. Kev noticed that it would catch and told me to be careful, and to be sure and tell the kids to be careful. It's worked well until last night.
Do you see where this is going???
Last night, I ran out while supper was in the oven. Miss Kat ran out to take care of her rabbits and the kittens while I went out to care for the chickens. I fed them, checked their water, talked to them about their day, shut the window, etc. Then, I went to the door, pulled on the handle, and nothing. I couldn't open the door. To make matters worse, I really had to make a trip to the powder room. So, I walked to the window, opened it again and hollered outside for anyone, hoping that Miss Kat was in the shop playing with the kittens.
She wasn't.
So I hollered and yelled, hoping that they'd hear me in the house. But they didn't. Meanwhile, I really had to make my trip. I glanced around the chicken house, thinking that a section of the floor might serve...but, 1/2 is made of tight tongue and groove wood from Grandad's barn or something (it's like grainry wood, but much thicker.) Water just sits on this wood. I glanced at the other 1/2 of the floor, but it's chipboard, cheaper particle board that is ruined when it gets wet. Kevin would KILL me if I ruined his floor. So, back to the window i went, yelling and hollering for someone to rescue me.
About this time, Emily, our 110 lb. Chocolate lab came around the corner and looked up at me. her expression said, "what the heck are you yelling about, Woman?"
Seeing her, I said, "Emily, be Lassie, go to the house and get Dad. Tell him that Timmy fell down the well and needs help." She just looked at me and barked.
Brainstorm time...maybe, just maybe Emily would bark and Kevin and the kids would hear her and come rescue me.
So, I'd tell Emily to bark,and she would, then I'd bark again, and she'd bark. We went back and forth like this for a few minutes. Poor dog, she had no idea why I was playing this silly barking game with her, but it worked.
Kevin heard her bark. He asked Kat, "I wonder what Emily's barking at. Hey, do you think your mother locked herself in the chicken house?" He sent her out, I yelled, and the little turkey, she giggled.
She thought it was hilarious that her mother was locked in the Chicken house. She let me out, and I came in the house and ran to the "powder" room.
Did I get any sympathy for my traumatic experience? Not one bit. Everybody thought it was funny. Yeah, I felt the love.
So, Kev decided to change the latch to just a hook and eye latch. He figures it will be much safer.
But, I'll have to take some shots before Kev changes the latch on the door. Why is he changing the latch? Well...that's a long story.
You see, he put a padlock type latch on the chicken house. He thought it might be something we could latch tight that would be varmint proof. It is. it works well, very well. It works so well, that when you go inside, there are times that it will automatically latch behind you and then, you, the unsuspecting person will be stuck in the chicken house. Kev noticed that it would catch and told me to be careful, and to be sure and tell the kids to be careful. It's worked well until last night.
Do you see where this is going???
Last night, I ran out while supper was in the oven. Miss Kat ran out to take care of her rabbits and the kittens while I went out to care for the chickens. I fed them, checked their water, talked to them about their day, shut the window, etc. Then, I went to the door, pulled on the handle, and nothing. I couldn't open the door. To make matters worse, I really had to make a trip to the powder room. So, I walked to the window, opened it again and hollered outside for anyone, hoping that Miss Kat was in the shop playing with the kittens.
She wasn't.
So I hollered and yelled, hoping that they'd hear me in the house. But they didn't. Meanwhile, I really had to make my trip. I glanced around the chicken house, thinking that a section of the floor might serve...but, 1/2 is made of tight tongue and groove wood from Grandad's barn or something (it's like grainry wood, but much thicker.) Water just sits on this wood. I glanced at the other 1/2 of the floor, but it's chipboard, cheaper particle board that is ruined when it gets wet. Kevin would KILL me if I ruined his floor. So, back to the window i went, yelling and hollering for someone to rescue me.
About this time, Emily, our 110 lb. Chocolate lab came around the corner and looked up at me. her expression said, "what the heck are you yelling about, Woman?"
Seeing her, I said, "Emily, be Lassie, go to the house and get Dad. Tell him that Timmy fell down the well and needs help." She just looked at me and barked.
Brainstorm time...maybe, just maybe Emily would bark and Kevin and the kids would hear her and come rescue me.
So, I'd tell Emily to bark,and she would, then I'd bark again, and she'd bark. We went back and forth like this for a few minutes. Poor dog, she had no idea why I was playing this silly barking game with her, but it worked.
Kevin heard her bark. He asked Kat, "I wonder what Emily's barking at. Hey, do you think your mother locked herself in the chicken house?" He sent her out, I yelled, and the little turkey, she giggled.
She thought it was hilarious that her mother was locked in the Chicken house. She let me out, and I came in the house and ran to the "powder" room.
Did I get any sympathy for my traumatic experience? Not one bit. Everybody thought it was funny. Yeah, I felt the love.
So, Kev decided to change the latch to just a hook and eye latch. He figures it will be much safer.
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