Part 2 of "Sad Day"

So... after hours of no chickens being seen or heard from, slowly they started showing up...who knows where they escaped to, but so far 6 have made their way back. One that I thought was dead, came back to life...although we'll see if she makes it... and the rooster (whose feathers were everywhere and I was certain had been drug off into the field) actually made it...barely... he has 1, literally 1, tail feather left, a large gouge out of his back and is missing two claws... he definately fought for his ladies lives! What a guy!... So we are not completely wiped out. Broody Blackie and 4 others are still missing... I talked to the owner of the dog... that didn't go super well... but we'll see... I just hope we don't have to shoot her dog...
We had a funeral tonight for the dead ones...Michael dug a hole and Elle requested we sing Amazing Grace, BaBa Black Sheep and Twinkle Little Star... so we did...

The simple life...

Really... does it get any better than this?!This is Betsy and Hanks farm. Just amazing... How can anyone want to live in the city?

What a garden! Betsy has a GREEN thumb.These are their sheep... we are planning to get some next spring.. cute or what!?

This is an ingenious way to make water easier for the meat chickens! Hank is a master of creative, simple ideas.This is batch #2 of their meat chickens.I love the country...No words...

This is Jesse... the coolest 7 year old ever. He is so well mannered, so sweet and still a total boy's boy... barefoot running through the bushes and climbing trees, rough and tough. Just got back from a 3 week trip to the YUKON! I hope my little man grows up to be so tough and loving.

 The girls! They are just the sweetest! Pretty, fancy dresses and bare feet. They share, they look to take care of the little ones, they are polite and are HUGE helpers on the farm.

Who needs a TV?Awwww.... the simple life.... Thanks for sharing Betsy, we had so much fun!! =)

A Sad Day

It happened at about 10:30 this morning. (my son's birthday!) A dog came in our yard (the same one that has been knocking over and going through the trash at the rental house- it wears a huge red reflector around it's neck so it is obviously the same dog) and killed almost all our chickens today. The rabbit escaped and is alright (we have a free roaming rabbit). But sadley the chickens did not. Out of 27 chickens, I have found 9 bodies and 5 others have now shown up alive. (They were no where to be seen after the incident). So there are still 13 bodies unaccounted for. I haven't walked the fields to look for more...it was getting a little too much for Elle. The others were in the main yard.
 The kids and I went searching for where the dog lives to notify them that their dog will be shot if it comes in our yard again and to ask for payment for the chickens. After 45 minutes of walking up and down roads, knocking on doors and asking people about this dog with a distinct red reflector on his colar, I found the house where he lives. There he was, happily in his yard-with no fence what-so-ever. I could have been more understanding if he had just gotten out, I mean hey, that happens...but come on! No effort AT ALL!? The owner was not home...  Ugg, I will have to return later... what an unpleasent first meeting that will be....I hope they are honest people who take responsibility for their pet.

Not sure if you "had to be there"...

Funny Elle story... not sure if it's a "you had to be there" but I'm going to post it anyway if nothing else as a documentation for her for later.. =)
Last night Michael and I were talking about having his Granny over sometime soon for dinner and to stay the night as she really gets lonely on her own and really enjoys our kids and stuff... however, she does get REALLY disoriented at times and we recently heard a story of her staying at Michael's parents house and waking up thinking she was at her place and started yelling at everyone to"get out of her house" and was quite upset and forceful. And on top of it all, this is a Granny that has always had a gun... and was always proud of it, waved it around, took it with her everywhere....
Anyway...so Michael and I are discussing this and my concern was just if it'd be a safe situation for the kids. (you know, what is she going to do if she wakes up to a baby crying in the room over?!) and I ask him "does she still have her g-u-n?" (I spelled it since Elle was in the room- not really exactly sure why, but just trying to sort of disguise the conversation we were having about whether or not she should stay the night) and Michael was saying "no, no, I don't think so" and then Elle chimmed in with this new found (maybe not so new, but more frequently used...) forcefull, teenager, everything you say is rediculous, attitude, "mom, it's okay if granny has her e-b-i-l, she can still come over." HA! She just picked some letters she knows and spelled something for an "accurate" dispute to what I had spelled and said! Oh, she cracks me up! AND while I was typing this story... I am at the dinning room table and she is playing with play doh at the same table. She is trying to ask me to get it out of the containers for her and I am not listening to her since I have already given her a spoon and told her to "get it out herself", and then I hear her... "mom... you're not listening to me. If you don't listen to me, I am going to call nana (my mom) and tell her she can't come over (she is due to be here in about an hour) because you are being reeeediiiiculous." Oh my.... what am I going to do with that girl!?

ask and you shall receive...

I called Comcast this morning. I actually got someone super helpful and nice. I didn't have to put my "bulldog" voice on or anything. I just simply asked how we could lower out monthly payment on our phone and internet. I questioned each charge on our bill and without too much prodding (sp?) he offered us a "loyal customer" discount which is essentially $5 off each service for 6 months. We have internet and phone service for both our house and the rental, so it was a savings of $20/month! It was that simple. I just thought I would share so you could try too if you wanted. I also have come to realize how many people don't know that they can just ask for fees etc to be removed and companies WILL. We had a tenant give us a bad check (on accident, they are actually great tenants and usually pay on time) and thinking that money was in there...we got overdrawn too... I checked our account online that night and it was good, the next morning that check had been rejected and 3 other small checks had gone through- each one over drawing our account and a $30 charge... I called and explained and they removed all the fees... $90! We still paid for the NSF check that was deposited but that was taken care of by the tenant.
I hope this helps someone save a little money! It seems to be tight for everyone these days! Just know that companies now more than ever want your business and want you to be a happy customer. I love my Comcast service and my Key Bank service...

Finished Woodshed!

Here it is! Now we just need to fill it with wood...I even made a fire in the woodstove...brrrr... fall is taking no time at all to get started.Don't you love my flower basket!? Bark and Garden Center in Olympia... $10!!!

Brick work took about 30 minutes, It was fun, I had never done it before. Metal rood was salvaged from a feeding structure that was in the field...still in pretty good shape... a little rust, but I like it... makes it not look so new... (I was always the kid-and adult- who hated new white shoes... quick- Get them dirty!)

Now we just need to seal the cedar, prime/paint the posts, hang a rustic old latern from it and fill it up!

Eggs for sale!

The pullets are now laying "legitimate" sized eggs! So we haave SO MANY! YEY! now maybe they will pay for their food cost! We feed them only organic, no GMO, no soy feed, the free range (literally... in fact, I had one come in the side door into my kitchen this morning!!!!). $4/Dozen is a STEAL. Let me know if you are interested! =)

Woodshed project..winter's coming fast!

Elle figureing measurements...Writing them down...

Elle: "16 18 and 27 pounds." !!! "pounds"??? Oh dear... so close...

This used to be a mound of dirt with some flowers in it until last night. I dug it out while Michael went to Home Depot and got bricks. We laid the brick last night and then worked on building this all day..."LABOR DAY" is right! =) It is now finished, but it was dark out when it was completed... so finished product will be up tomorrow. We are so excited to have a place to keep our fire wood dry and by the house this winter! We had to go to the barn every other day last winter to haul it up...

Christian telling dada about the nails he just spilled.

The brick was the only thing we had to buy! We ended up having all the lumber we needed and left over shakes from our porch upstairs. We even pulled the old galvanized roofing off of a lean-to that was left in the field by the previous owners. We had just the right number of screws, finish nails, etc... it was amazing! I love the finished product! 

 She sure LOOKS like she knows what she's doing! =) Gotta love what she chose to wear for "construction day"!

Hillbilly Slide

We ran a tarp down the hillside in the pasture and then stuck the hose running down it. Worked pretty well for us adults...we got a running start and slid down on our stomachs... not quite a steep enough hill for light little kids... then we got some dishsoap out.... MUCH slicker! =)

Ever wish your ladder could sit on your roof?

Michael built this incredible platform this weekend. It ties off to a post on our master bedroom porch and very safely holds a ladder. Finally he could finish nailing off the siding on this side of the house! (a year later!) What a great thing to have though, for reaching the eves, paint touch ups, chaulking, etc... If you look careful enough you could figure out how to build one for yourself. =) We put padding on the bottom of it to (glued on with Gorilla glue) so it wouldn't scratch the metal roof.

Hanging baskets

I LOVE my new hanging baskets! I FINALLY primed and painted all the posts and beams on the exterior that needed to get done and then we hung the hook and Elle helped me fill the baskets with flowers and hang them. It has seriously transformed the look of our house!