All the News that's Fit to Print?

There is always something going on around here! Had to share this photo- the green egg on the left came from one of the Ameraucanas in the big pen. Wyatt is saving it for his Papa, who says the double yolkers come from brown eggs. (Wyatt has read the info, he is trying to prove it to his Papa that it can happen to any hen, more likely as they age.)

Tuesday was my last day at the Marana Farmers Market. The market, until now run by the food bank, will move to a farm stand down the road, for a weekly farmers coop outside of the farms store.  While I plan to call them soon, I really don't know anything about it as of yet.

I took a moment leaving the market and heading off to teach to enjoy and take a few photos of the sunset. What a beautiful evening! 

I love the glow behind the telephone poles here.

My friend Mai traded me some of these baskets that she and some of the other girls are using for sprouting. For some reason, after being sick, and scrubbing and restarting my sprouting things, something in the equation had changed and they were not sprouting except very sparsely, so it was time for a change!

The baskets are a little big in weave on the bottom, so some folks use paper towels on the bottom, which can stick to the base of the seed bed, but Charlene has been using plastic needlepoint canvas successfully as a liner, so as long as I was redesigning, I thought I would try to do it right. 

After cleaning the baskets, I pulled out some of the extra large needlepoint canvas and began trimming to fit the bottom of the basket. The sides still have holes too, so some are using this system and putting the seeds closer to the center, or recognizing that they will have to water the trays and recover some of the seeds until the seed bed begins to root.

I trimmed two sheets down until they would fit in the baskets.

I traced the second onto a third canvas for the next round of seeds, but didn't cut it yet in case I decide I need to change it a little over the first couple days of watering.

This is how it looked before I added the barley.

The seeds in the basket/ tray.

The bottom tray all covered up.

The first two trays stacked. I will add to the bottom of the stack as I go and add to the trays in the system.

These were the old ones, they have been empties into the compost and are going to be switched to plant start duty I believe...

Wyatt has been sick, and Shadow Paws is a little stir crazy as well as really protective of her favorite human.  Wyatt is in the process of redesigning his room and bed, and had a box of tissues next to his bed with a box for garbage. 

While Wyatt was in the shower, Shadow decided to remove as many tissues as she could from the box. Gotta love our four footed friends!

Oh, I almost forgot- Mai also brought me a bamboo plant. While we are working on a big project, I cannot seem to decide where it will go, so it is being watered by the back porch so I don't forget about it =).

Last night we were out working on this special project again. Got a bit to go on it, and we need to get it primed and hopefully painted before rain comes in. So, how do you get the rain to finally come to the desert? Start an outdoor wood project at our house, and/ or plan an outdoor activity for the home school teens!

The geese felt the need to supervise our work and occasionally bicker in the middle of it.

We got hte wooden panel standing up, and were affixing it to the fence frames here.  The sunset through the doors was rather funny!

We got it attached on one side, still working on the other this morning, hopefully a little roofing done, too, we shall see!

There is always something to keep us on our toes and working around here, but we learn while we work and have fun together! Here's to hoping we get more done today, and knowing htat life will take us where it will. Have a wonderful Thursday!

Love to all.

Another Wild Week for Us!

Wow, I think Wild Week might be an understatement.  This week was a very busy one in the bi academic projects of the year...

on Tuesday, the kids competed in Science Fair.  (had to sneak a pic of Wyatt in his interview)

While Bailey awaited her two interviews, we wandered the Air and Space Museum where the science fair took place. I couldn't believe Wyatt managed to fit in the cockpit of this tiny exhibit!

This exhibit from a bomber group was one of Wyatt's favorites. He loved looking up inside at the bomb bay and the turret guns, and was fascinated at how they also performed humanitarian missions.

He says he would love to restore one of these.

This is Bailey's project on goat stifles. 

This is Wyatt's cycle generator.

His poster

the baby chick that hatched on Monday...

As Monday was my sister's birthday, she got to name her, and chose Gilberta.

With lots of rosemary on hand, lemon rosemary chicken went into the crick pot.  Weeks like this require crock pot time!

Shadow was pretty bored with poster making, and wasn't at all happy with me that Wyatt wasn't cuddled up with her for his school work.

On Saturday, the kids both competed in National History Day. I knew Wyatt was fighting being sick, but he had put so much into his project. I dropped them off for their presentations and had to go teach at work as part of an ALS fundraiser/ awareness event.  Then I picked them up to take them for a treat before the awards ceremony.

They were so ready to go home!

By the time we got home, Wyatt's fever was in full, so Bailey and I went out and split up the feeding and chores, though we did take a little break for a quick driving lesson. =). We also found the first Polish egg from the new pair tht came to us in January. We will see if anything develops with it!

Today, with Wyatt sick and me staying up much of the night with him, we stayed home from church and began to get some new things done. I will get you an update on some exciting new other things happening here tomorrow!

Our First Polish Egg!

On Saturday afternoon, when we returned from town and got started with chores and feeding and changing waters, we found a new surprise int he Polish temporary pen- 

our first egg from these new friends!

It was tucked safely int he incubator with a couple eggs from the Light Brahmas, to hopefully see them hatch together. As this is their first egg since they came here, likely their first eggs wince the cooler months, the likelihood isn't all that great that it is truly fertile, but since the Polish project is all about seeing what we can hatch for the youth of the 4-H club for next year, we will try anyhow!

We will keep you up to date as we candle and watch for hte hatch. Have a great week!

Monday Adventures

I woke up this morning to noises in the incubator, This little Light Brahma decided not to wait the full 21 days, and came along today!  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to need to move chickens around until Tuesday or Wednesday, but it just got me rolling a little early.

The little ones in the brooder are feathered out, and were needing to move outside, but I had been hesitating. When I went to teach Step, I told the kids there was a little one drying and that we could move everyone when I got home. While I was gone the ones int he brooder picked today to make their escape! The kids put them back twice, and when I got home, the largest Light Brahma and the Buckeye escaped for Shadow and I.  I suppose if I needed any confirmation that they were ready to move to the next grow out step, they gave it to me!

In order for the little ones to move to their next spot, the two new roosters bringing new blood to the Silkie program got to move in with the remaining Silkies!

The new boys are young, and Buff and Partridge. It was definitely time, generation-wise to bring in some new boys, so the older hen, Trooper decided to give these boys the lay of the land. She used the top of her head and nudged the more dominant one backwards to the pen fence, then gave him a piece of her mind.

After that, the young roosters kept to themselves, enjoyed the snacks and treats, and did what the girls wanted.  I love it!  THey will settle in in another day or so.

While the kids were working on science fair, and I was watering before starting dinner, I got bust with the pruning on my list.  This is the Pichu plant that I posted for advice the other day. Folks told me to hurry up and prune it just above the new growth before the plant wakes up much more, 

so I did! I hope I did it correctly! We shall see, since only time will tell. This is the first time we have grown or overwintered Pichu fruit.  I did save some fruit though, so plan to harvest some seeds later this week to start for the next ones.

What do you think? This is the other, smaller Pichu plant. It struggle last year, as the puppy liked to sit in the pot with it.

These are the little tiny new leaves of it.

So I cut just above the leaves. Not sure what I think, though, since the stalk is rather leaned over. This is the finish trim, any thoughts or advice?

I also got a couple minutes to add dirt and expand the new little asparagus patch. I think I need to water better with both of them in the record heat.I will add some more dirt and move that low pot to the other end, too, I think.

Charlie helped Wyatt with his science fair pedal powered generator. The wheel doesn't always want to set up, so they did a few trial runs so he will be ready to set it all up and explain it tomorrow at the fair.

And he did a few trials proving that he was generating and storing power.

I also added the two new jars of soaking barley to the fodder system as well.  The fodder is growing slowly right now. I am not sure whether the issue is the heat int he window, or something else, but the aren't moving much beyond the sprout stage. I will have to keep watching and working with it.

Well, another busy day in the books.  Tomorrow looks to be another busy day, lots to do with the kids, and fun times ahead.  But for today, I made a little dent, got to talk to my sister online on her birthday, and even got to face the fact that my eleven year-old is now taller than me. Just another day in this crazy life, but more blessings along the way.

You all have a great one, we'll check in again soon. Love to all!

Friday Saturday Fun Time and Chore Time!

A happy beautiful morning to everyone!  I love watching the sunrise while I do morning chores!

These are the little tomato starts growing along int he kitchen on the window seat.  They are growing much more slowly now, I will be so excited to move them outside!

Bailey, Wyatt and I went to the Desert Museum on Friday with the 4-H Photography group. We had a great time in beautiful weather.  This is a sculpture by where they do the raptor free flight display.

This mountain lion seems to love attention!

With the rodeo in town, folks are moving their wagons to town for the parade, we followed these two from the hills by the museum.

A very happy (and decorative, thanks to his love of the stamps around the museum) boy passed out on the road home.

While I was out watering and doing chores, I caught the rising moon and sure enjoyed the beauty.

This is my little asparagus patch. I am thinking of expanding it to the left.

more of the moon rising as it grew dark

my "tattooed" boy being silly

We enjoyed a sunshine cake as a family.  I used the hearts my mom tried, and thankfully Charlie and the kids didn't mind that it came out fo the pan a little lopsided.

The barley I had soaking was ready, so more of the newly scrubbed fodder boxes went back into service!

Saturday, I stewed tomatoes and canned 7 quarts of tomato sauce!  Then, I found another box of tomatoes... yup that's me!

I am also trying a green bean salad experiment. We will see how it goes!

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday! Love to all!