A good sign

Haven't written in a while, got a little busy with three kids at home, and no real schedule to speak of! The kids all went to farm camp for two weeks at Upland Hills and I drove them, so that took a chunk of time out of my schedule. But they love it there, it was their third year going, and this time for two weeks instead of one. It's a wonderful camp, full of baby animals, lots of crafts, activites, and swimming in the lake. My eldest son, who is 11, wants to be a counselor there when he's old enough. The farm is in Oxford, MI and the camp runs by the week in the summer. If you click on the picture of my daugher with the calf, it links to their website. So between camp, trips up North to Oscoda, work, fishing at Wing Lake and the swim club, time has really flown by. I can't believe that summer is almost over!
I am happy to report that the new chickens are adjusting quite nicely. They all mesh well with the ladies, and they seem to love the new outdoor addition to the coop. I noticed last week that the white one is actually an Arucana, and the black and white one is the Leghorn, so we ended up with one of each breed that I ordered, and two blue egg layers. One Maran, one Leghorn, one Salmon Faverolle, and two Arucana's. So I will have chocolate brown eggs, white eggs, blue or green eggs, and light cream eggs as soon as they start laying. A perfect easter egg variety in my egg basket!
Today, my son Dylan and I are running out there to feed and water them and get some eggs, and bring them a watermelon treat. They absolutely love watermelon on these hot summer days! Roger is working on our farm sign through a sign company that he uses at his office and he sent me the rough drafts yesterday. I think we found a winner. A simple white sign, with black letters, "Hentennial Farm" and circa 1870 at the bottom, with a black sillouette of a rooster in the middle. Simple. Old school. Original.
Maybe we will have the sign up by next week! I can't wait!
And as crazy as our schedule has been lately, we decided to cancel our trip during that last week in August, so now I am hoping we can spend some real time at Hentennial and maybe even get some work done. Even if it's just gutting the rest of the kitchen, and prepping the walls and floor. The hardest part of this renovation is finding the time. Time is fleeting, especially in summer. But it will get done, we just need to be patient.
Pics of our new farm sign coming soon...

It's a dog's life

Anyone who knows me knows about my intense love of animals. Anyone who has been to our home knows that we have a small menagerie living amongst us.
And luckily for me, my husband was well aware of my animal appreciation before he married me. I had 3 dogs when we met, and we have 3 dogs now. So not that much has changed, except now we also have 3 children, 2 cats, a tortoise, a hamster, a goldfish and the chickens. But let me start with the dogs. Our Goldendoodle, Bella, is an all around perfect dog. She is well behaved, very loving, very playful, and a good watch dog. She only barks if people come to the door, and she loves, loves, loves our children! Then we have Lulu, our Lhasa apso/Bichon mix, and she started out being my dog, but now she is very much Roger's dog. She has melted him with her charms and wit. Yes, wit. She is hands down, the funniest dog I have ever known. She does this thing when she is feeling friendly where she will drag her hind legs around the floor in circles, the whole time batting her eyes at her target. She also snores, and grunts, and is 100% trusting of us. She makes me smile a million times a day. Then we have Ozzy, the tiny Papillon who we rescued from his second owner who didn't want him anymore. And we cannot imagine who wouldn't want such a wonderful dog. He is perfect. Smart. Beautiful. Sweet. Good. He has no flaws. He came to us very malnurished, very sickly and thin. But we got him all fixed up, and now he is a gorgeous little guy. People stop me in the street to ask me what kind of dog he is. I have even had someone offer to buy him from me. I always tell Rog, I wouldn't give him up for a million dollars! He is the sweetest, most gentle little soul. The perfect lap companion and I can take him everywhere with me. And I can't forget to mention Scout, our recued cat who I got at "Meet your best friend at the zoo", 11 years ago. He was a tiny kitten, and now he is a majestic pure white cat. He comes and goes as he pleases, unaffected by dogs or any other animal that enters the home. Just an easy going, good guy. And our latest addition is the kitten, Mittens. She was free from a lady in Metamora, along with her littermates, so we took her home. She is sweet, and playful, and a fun little girl. She reminds me of Scout when he was little, and I know she will be a great pet for the kids.
So, my days, as busy as they are, are always filled with joy from these amazing pets. I wake up and the dogs are all looking at me, so happy to see me, licking various parts of my body and wagging their tails. It's a wonderful way to start a day! And they are always there if you need a lift. Always loyal, always ready for anything. They are the same way with our kids, the dogs love them immensely. Bella swims with the boys and watches them like a hawk. If they get too far away from her view, she swims out to get them. She is very protective, very noble. And if anyone is sick and bed-bound, the dogs will stay in that bed the entire time, keeping the sick person company, and sleeping next to them.
Of course there are times in the midst of chaos, where I imagine what it would be like without pets, without the added stress it can sometimes bring, but it would like not having kids. Unfulfilling. We manage it well. We work as a team. Our house is never boring or quiet or calm. But it is always, ALWAYS, full of life and love. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

For the love of chickens

Last weekend we finally got the ladies moved into the new outdoor addition to the barn coop. Rog got the rest of the roof on, and then Dylan helped with securing all of the chicken wire to the frame. It took about two hours to complete it. We also made an opening under the barn siding where the hens can go back and fourth through to the barn. Once we put them through the little door, they quickly started exploring their new outdoor digs. The seemed extremely happy to have access to the long grass, dirt and bugs, and to be able to come and go whenever they desire. Now we just need to do a little trim work along the roof and cut a door for us to be able to enter the outdoor part easily. But they are in. It's official. The "Chicken Ritz", as I like to call it, is open for business! So, our new little flock of pullets will be ready to move into the big coop in the next week or so. I just wanted them to be big enough so that the older hens won't pick on them. It's amazing how fast they grow. They are already fully feathered and looking like little ladies. The kids and Rog and I named the new ones and they are: Snow white-the Leghorn, Juanita-the Arucana, Peaches-the Salmon Favorelle, Shadow-the Cuckoo Maran, and Ester-the other one who we think may be a Wyandotte. My husband must really love me because this is the third coop he has built for me and my love of chickens. And he has also spent many hours building various other corrals for my pets, dog runs, bunny hutches, etc...he is a good man and he would do anything for me and my ever growing flock of critters! I am eternally grateful!
So, today the kids and I will go out and pick up a couple more hay bales and change their food and water and see how they are all doing. We seemed to have managed our Groundhog problems and haven't had any digging lately.
And now that the birds have a permanent and very fancy home, we can focus on all the other things we need to get done at the farm. The first of those being the kitchen and bathroom. We have a guy coming to look at the floor and give us a tile quote. Just too big of a job for us with so little time to do it. And we already have the tile, so that will help with the budget. The subfloor needs to come out and a new one put down, then the large grey tiles put in. Once the floor is in, we can order the two white cabinets for the kitchen and appliances. We also need to finish gutting the bathroom: Pull out old tub, and tiles and fixtures. And for the sink I want to get an antique dresser that we can cut the top out for a drop in sink. It will look better than any standard sink, and like it has been there forever. The house has so much character, and I want to keep that even in the remodeled areas.
Yesterday I picked up some amazing art for the house at the Antique Pavillion in Saugatuck, MI. I got a vintage round horse portrait, a tiny antique framed oil painting of a covered bridge, and a framed piece with Michigan State fair livestock competition ribbons dating to 1911. And I only spent $83.00 on all three! I love antiquing, I could do it all day long and never get tired. I love how almost everything you pick up has a story. And how you can find the most perfect item for your home that makes it about you, your passions, your interests, your dreams. Your home should be a reflection of who you are, it should tell a story about you and your family. Whether it's your main house, or a cottage, or a condo. It should say, "welcome to my happy place."

The Joy of Garage Sales

Well Rog and I got to spend our Anniversay night out at Hentennial and it was perfect. We went to dinner in Oxford at one of my favorite places, Red Knapps, and then drove to the farm and just enjoyed being alone. We put on some country music, sat on the sofa and split a bottle of wine. And we just talked. It was so nice to not have kids or dogs around, or any other distractions. Just us and the sprawling views out of every window. It's so peaceful there in the evening. Lots of birds singing, and one amazing sunset that is in full view from our picture window in the living room. And it was the second time we slept there, but this time in our new bedroom, and with no rooster keeping us up all night. I wouldn't have wanted to have been any where else in the world that night! The next morning we drove into Almont and had breakfast at the best little country eatery called Maria's where I swear I had the best omlet ever! Then we walked around the Almont Feed Store for a while and picked up a few things we needed. On the way back to the farm we got to do a little antiquing and stopped at a wonderful family owned antique barn in Dryden. Rog immediately found the huge collection of restored tractors and started chatting with the husband, and I explored the barn filled with various primitives. Of course the one thing I wanted wasn't for sale. It was a 6 foot long antique homemade chicken feeder with little perches that were attached along both sides and it was perfectly patina'd. She said to ask her again next time we come by, and maybe she would be ready to sell it.
So our 24 hour date was all that I wished for! I didn't want it to end.

This Saturday, we drove out to check on our new chickens and water the flowers, and on our way out we decided to stop at our neighbors garage sale. They live 2 doors down from us, which is far when you live in the country. We bought some little things we wanted: a military style backpack for the boys, a camping lanturn, a board game, a camper juice pitcher and a birdhouse, all for a few dollars. They also had a large barrel style Char-Grill bbq that they wanted $65 bucks for,so we offered $50 and they agreed. So Rog tilted it on it's back wheels and rolled it right down Dryden road all the way to the farm. It was so funny, watching him roll this huge solid steel drum bbq that weighed about 200 pounds, down the road. I had to take pictures! But ya gotta love garage sales! All of our best things at the farm came from one garage sale or another and we haven't paid full price for one thing! I also picked up a perfectly functioning vaccume yesterday for 10 bucks! And two gorgeous white rocking chairs last week for 60 bucks! Plus garage sales are a wonderful form of recycling! 'Tis the season...

Got chicks?

The baby chicks arrived on Tuesday, May 24th. The Southfield Post Office called around 9 a.m. and told me that they had arrived. So, I immediately hopped in the car and drove to pick them up. I had to go to the bulk deliveries entrance in the back this time. So, when I walked in, I told them I was there for the chicks, and he asked me, "Which ones?" I was surprized to hear that there was more than one day-old chick delivery. It is not very common in the suburbs of Detroit. But sure enough, I wasn't the only person who ordered chicks this Spring. So, he handed me my little chirping box and I was on my way. The hatcheries pack them in as small a box as possible so that the day-old babies can keep each other warm. They also put a little hand warmer pack in the box for extra heat. And there are holes on the sides for air. When I got home, I was anxious to open it and hopefully find all them alive. They were all ok and just peeping up a storm. So I carefully lifted each one out and placed them in our homemade brooder box in our living room. It has a heat lamp, newspaper on the floor, and a chick feeder and waterer. It's a pretty simple set up. They don't need much. Just heat, and food, and water. And it's best not to put down shavings until they are more than a week old, or else they can confuse the shavings for food and ingest it. One of our dogs, Bella, a large, goofy Goldendoodle, absolutely LOVES the chicks! She sits by the brooder all day long and watches over them. She even falls asleep on the floor next the box, never leaving their side. It's pretty funny actually, to see such a big silly dog, so enamored by such tiny creatures.
So, they all made the trip successfully. When the kids got off the bus from school that afternoon, the first thing they asked me was, "Did the chicks come?" And when I said yes, they all ran at top speed into the house to meet our newest family members! It's a fun day when baby chicks arrive. A true sign of Spring, and renewal, and the cycle of life.
We lost a few chickens last year to disease and predators, but it's always fun to get new ones each Spring. So, these youngsters will live at our house until they are at least 4 weeks old, then we will move them out to Hentennial into the "Young chicken" coop. It's separated from the other coop, so that there isn't any issue with pecking from the older, more mature birds. Eventually, this summer, they can move into the larger coop with the Ladies. The Ladies, as we call them, were bought at one day old as well, and the kids helped name them and raise them. They have become a wonderful hobby for our family. They provide fresh eggs for us each week and unlimited entertainment! They are: Mystery, Coco, Ruby, Frida, and Anna. The kids haven't named the new ones yet, but they are busy thinking of wonderful names for all 8 chicks.
We are looking forward to spending a lot of time at the farm this holiday weekend and getting more work done.
But I'm sure, as always, there will be plenty of time for play as well.

Pride and Joy

So, now we are building a large outdoor chicken run off of the barn for the ladies. We got the frame done, which was a bit challenging due to the uneven ground and the uneven barn which it is attached to! But now it's framed and ready for chicken wire and a roof. We decided to do a metal sloped roof this time, better for keeping the ground from getting too muddy, and for shade. And we made it tall enough to walk in, without hitting our heads on the top. I think the ladies will be very happy with it. It's a large area, half shady, half sun, and they will be able to go in and out of the barn at will. We also decided to keep the old, "starter coop" for our young hens coming in. It's better to keep them separated when you have very young birds with an older, established flock. That way you can ease them into the flock when they are big enough and they won't get picked on. Our baby chicks arrive at the post office on May 23rd. So we can't wait to get them home and put them in the brooder box. We won't move them out to the farm probably until the end of June.
Meanwhile, we are pricing materials for the kitchen and bathroom, and have a plan in place. The first job is to tear up the old subfloor, and start over. It's just too uneven, many layers and years of wear and dammage. Better to start clean and do it right. Then we will lay new subfloor, and tile and then work on the cabinets, and fixtures. It's a daunting task, but hopefully by the end of the summer, it will be 90% done. We also planted some hydrangea bushes along the back side of the house, and 2 rose bushes in front. We are hoping that they take root and we see some green pushing through this weekend. Roger had poached them from a tear down at one of his job sites.
So, the house, barn, and coop are all coming along nicely. It's been a little more than a year, and with most of the work being done by ourselves, I'd say that's decent progress. I look forward to doing more landscaping and gardening this Spring and Summer and staying out there for days at a time. Every time we go, it is the same feeling of pride and joy.
It never feels stressful, only happy. And it's a love affair that fulfills that deep passion for all things country! I wouldn't want it any other way...

It's baby chick season!

I ordered our baby chicks yesterday and I am so excited to get them in the mail. I ordered them through www.mypetchicken.com and I got all the breeds that I wanted. Our delivery date is May 23rd. That's the day that the post office calls and tells you that your "live" order is in! It's so much fun picking them up because all of the curious customers love to find out what's in the box. I always get a few questions and it's fun to talk about the mysterious peeping box with strangers. The chicks usually all travel well, and then need to go right home and put into the brooder box that we have set up for them. Just some water, some heat, some chick starter and we're good to go. Last year we had the brooder box in the office, but it got pretty dusty, so this year it's down to the laundry room.
I ordered 2 Easter Eggers(green and blue eggs), 2 Exchequer Leghorns (white eggs), 2 Salmon Faverolles(light brown and cream eggs) and 2 silver Cuckoo Marans (they lay chocolate brown eggs!) So, I am adding wonderful stock to my flock of 5 that we have had since last year. They all survived the long, cold winter and I am so happy that we still have them. So the kids will have new chicks to name and raise and play with and the ladies out at Hentennial will have some new family members later this summer.
We haven't done any work out there lately, just visiting the hens and keeping them fat and happy. But this Spring we plan to tackle the kitchen and bath and finally get it all done.
I am so ready for Spring. Spring time at the farm is almost as majical as Fall! And this year we will plant flowers and landscape and plant a vegetable garden. Nothing better than working in the garden with lots of chickens pecking around you! And chicken poop is the best organic fertilizer there is, it's garden gold!