This Blog

This blog is strictly for fun and more of a journal than anything else. We are not trying to tell anyone HOW to do anything. Just sharing our journey of doing what we enjoy.

I am always eager to get new ideas. I love Pinterest and get a lot of my ideas from there. I see something cute/creative for repurposing and JJ usually implements them.

I love the idea of repurposing things. Quite often JJ looks at me like he is pretty doubtful about some of the ideas...but I look at him with that same look probably even more often with some of his ideas! LOL

It is all experimental.

We will learn from our mistakes.

I'm thinking this should be JJ's  next project! *GRIN*

The Brood box

JJ made the  Brood box for the chicks out of recycled materials in the barn. The door I recognize coming from an old early american buffet that was once my Mom's. Nothing gorgeous nor a true valuable antique. Didn't have room for it when I moved out here to the boonies and it was mostly a junk collector.

He will have to fill us in on what else he used.

I have the tool box sitting on top just for weight to hold the top down in case an animal tries to open it up.

The chicks after 4 days in their new home.

On another note, JJ got the squash we bought Saturday in the ground this morning. He is so awesome! It is raining this evening and I'm hoping it will give them a good start. I wasn't able to get out there to check on the progress of the plants in the garden because of the rain.

The garden

We planted seeds and plants a week or two before Good Friday. Of course a big freeze happens right after planting! Dad always told me to plant after Good Friday. He could never wait though and each year ended up replanting the ones that didn't make it. Like Dad I don't ever wait and end up having to replant!

Sooooooo pulled up dead plants and replanted some things. The rain keeps coming and it seems like it is stunting the growth. I go out there and just sigh. Not sure if anything is going to do good this year with all the rain.

Finally this weekend I begin to notice a change. A few days without the rain perked things up. Baby broccoli is forming. The sunflowers seem to be sprouting good. The corn is about 4 inches tall. I thinned them out some which always just breaks my heart. I know it is needed though and they will thrive better when not crowded. I can see the catnip just barely peeking through the ground. The peppers and tomatoes are actually growing a little. The potatoes in our colorful tires are almost ready for the 3rd tire to be added. Garlic and onions are doing well. Watermelon and Cantaloupe plants look waterlogged still. One of the Grape Vines we planted seems to have survived the freeze, the other did not. I will need to replace it soon.

The first tire with potatoes emerging

The tires being painted,

One of the Muscadine Vines coming back again this year. The Deer love us for them! 

These little Strawberry plants came back from last year! We shall see if we get any berries from them this year.

The frustration of the garden not progressing as much as I would like caused me to go crazy so I just threw seeds out along the fence line. Watermelon, Cantaloupe, a couple of kinds of Gourds and Chinese Lanterns. Hoping for some surprises later! Sometimes the accidents end up the best.

I love going out to the garden in the mornings. All of the family (pets) join me. Topper and Cinder frolic, Havoc and Boudreaux explore the mulch pile and all of them roll in the dirt happily. It is peaceful. I sip my coffee and daydream of a lush garden with fresh vegetables and beautiful flowers.

Cinder

Boudreaux

Havoc

Anikan

Topper

The Adoption

Yesterday JJ (Pup) and I went to pick out chicks. We got up and moving early Saturday morning. Actually getting dressed early on a Saturday is rather rare for us (me especially).

We headed off eagerly to Fazzio's Farm supply. We went straight to the chicks. Okay I might have detoured through the vegetable plant area for a moment but then went directly to the chicks. So darn cute! We perused the different kinds they had. I really had no clue, I just wanted chickens, but JJ named two different kinds he wanted. He really wanted Marans but they are rather rare and I just couldn't wait any longer. With much teasing and joking around Pup managed to get us a discount on the Barred Rock chicks from 2.50 to 2.00 each so we got 10 then got 6 Americanas in various colors. We loaded them in the pet carrier we had brought with us. They had boxes to put them in if you did not have a carrier, which is good to know for future purchases.

1st day home!

We bought a feeder, water dispenser, feed, bedding and a flat of half yellow and half white squash along with the 16 chicks. Total cost around 80.00 I think. We had to make a stop at the dollar store for 100 watt light bulbs to use in the brooder box.

We brought them home and got them settled in. Tried to introduce them to Havoc (the Lab). Did not go over real well. He looked at them like they were snacks. We will have to see how that goes. The cats were curious, of course. They didn't bother them though and the brooder is strong enough to protect the babies.

I kept an eye on them, checking once every 30 minutes or so. I noticed they were all huddled together and there was a good bit of chirping. I had read that means they are cold so I moved the light closer and covered the screen part with old towels. It warmed them up and soon they were exploring the brooder more, eating and drinking. They seem happy and content and not chirping loudly at all anymore.

I went to bed last night hoping to wake up and find them all alive this morning. Yay! Success! They all made it through the first night! They seem happy and healthy. So far so good!