Auntie's birthday

My Aunt Leannna was born on Cinco De Mayo.  But she really isn't that big on Mexican food.  In our family you get to go all out on your birthday.  You get to put in your order for dinner, then your favorite dessert.

Auntie really doesn't care about the dinner side, unless you can take her out, and I am not strong enough to do the transfers without Charlie, so with him working, Auntie put in her request for the same cake I made last year for her.

This was a German Chocolate Torte.  It involves layers of dark chocolate cake, with layers of german chocolate/ almond fudge and layers of whipped cream.  She had a great time digging in and enjoying it last weekend. just thought I would share a day in the life!

Thursday morning's new baby chicks

These are the new babies chicks which appeared on Thursday morning.

This mama seems to be more relaxed than some, as she led her babies right through morning feeding.  There are actually six of the babies.

One of the chicks has the coloring closest to the mama, the others are a little darker.  The babies hatching now, depending upon which mama hen is hatching, are the last we will have from Sergeant Major and Golden Boy. 

Here, she led her babies away from me to the plough, then under the buggy to head back to the nest she has made under a trough past the North side of the doe pen.

The best part about new babies of any species is the new promise and possibility of a brand new life.  Our Phoenix hens are generally excellent sitters and mamas, who tend closely to their babies and defend them aggressively.  I look forward to seeing who these babies become, and watching what comes of the babies from the other couple of mama sitting on eggs.

A little bit redneck...

"Haboob Hits Tucson"  was the headline of my breaking news email yesterday afternoon.  Gee, ya think?  I had come out of my midday exam, and been hit squarely with an approaching wall of dust.  Normal this time of year for us Tucson folks, though very destructive and impossible to drive through.  Up past the Marana cotton fields, the storms are legendary for pileups as bad as the California grapevine area.  So I guess the sight at home should have come as no surprise.

Charlie picked up the kids for me, as I have a hard time getting out of work on time at the beginning and end of the semester.  Lots of little issues to handle.  So I got home and went out to do chores with the kids, only to find that not only were both greenhouse doors all twisted and missing chunks, but one of the side panels a hole in it over four feet ling and almost two feet wide..

The hole in the side panel- there weren't even any pieces to try to tape back together.  The items which had been on the shelf next to the side panel window had fallen in, onto the greenhouse floor, suggesting that whatever had gone through the panel had been a projectile coming from the outside.

By some strange miracle, the chickens had decided to leave the mess alone and not devour the vegetables and plants inside.  Maybe they thought if they got caught in the greenhouse they are always run off from, that they would be blamed for the mess.

Repairing the greenhouse will require parts, once I have to order in.  The doors, to be honest, this wasn't the first issue there, the high winds this winter have been quite tough.on them.  But I hadn't had a chance yet to call and order the parts, so I suppose now the list is linger.

In the mean time, out came the packing tape.  The right side door is now so bad it is propped closed.  I had previously put milk crates in front of it, but then this week Wyatt had needed some of them for the bantam pen redo.  The panels, we on the doors I had some pieces to tape the windows back together.  On the side panel, however, I just ran tape up and down and created a patch.  It is looking pretty redneck out there!


It wasn't nearly as bad as the tornado that took the one shed, and in the grand scope of life, these are small things.  But it is a little bit redneck- or maybe a lot.  Despite my rather redneck ways, I am not giving in- I love my fresh veggies!  So a little redneck perseverence it is!

My children really need to learn to close the door!

I have often posted about Jalympics.  She was named in the name the chicken contest a couple years back by a member of Wyatt's class.  She has been to petting zoos (one as the damsel on Knight Wyatt's arm and loves to sneak into the house or car to try to raid the groceries.  Her favorite thing to steal is still rice cakes.

I have often caught her sneaking into the house, and occasionally she has a friend, like Golden Boy or Fly with her.  On this occasion, she brought the flightiest of our hens with her- a Phoenix.  The phoenix don't usually come into the house, and don't care for being carried around.  But here she is sneaking into the kitchen.

Jalympics caught me get up with the camera to take a photo as I shooed her out, so she headed for the door, giving me that look over her shoulder to say, "You forgot to sit the rice cakes out for me, anyway."  The Phoenix, on the other hand, headed for the window where the house plants are at the end of the kitchen and spooked, leaving me with another mees to clean up!

Nevertheless, the mess is cleaned up, and I tried again to remind Wyatt why we have screen doors.  As I write this, Jalympics is standing on the hot tub just outside the window by the desk, giving me a lecture.  The young golden phoenix rooster is standing on the front porch railing, crowing and trying to get her attention, and she talks back to him in response.  I suppose we know who really runs this place!

Thinking things through...

I wrote recently about the passing of Sergeant Major. This little golden phoenix hen was one of his ladies.  The day after Sergeant Major passed away from old age, his son, Golden Boy disappeared.  Based upon the loud bang near the tree he shared with Sergeant Major and the ladies, we believe the cat we have been running off got him.

We have been a bit more tolerant of the ladies who want to be broody hens since then.  They have about a week of fertility from him, so whatever they laid and wanted to sit on in the week of County Fair, we have allowed them to continue to nest.

This little hen, however, seems to have not completely thought through her choice of a nesting spot.  She chose to nest in a flower pot.  I keep asking her each time I pass by, "How on Earth do you plan to raise babies in a tiny pot barely large enough for your own rear end?"  She however, just stares at me.  She is not at all phased.  I suppose that is the promised and optimism of motherhood.  Guess I will just keep my fingers crossed for her and move her when the babies are born.  Can't blame a girl for trying, right?

Month of the Military Child, Part Three

Okay, so I was really planning to share a few photos each day.  But the time running back and forth from the farm to the county fair has made things a bit challenging in that regards.

So here are a few more of what my military kids do....  They shoot archery...

They take chickens and goats to local school and help teach about animals and farming...

They use Phoenix chicken feathers to go punk for fun...

They load wagons full of poultry to weigh them systematically for their projects.  Funny, the chickens line up for attention from him!

They name little chickens Trooper after the "camo" feathers they have, then win showmanship ribbons with them...

There is always the outgrowing grandma part, too...

They take advantage of learning opportunities to improve themselves AND the things they believe in...

They PLAY.  They find ways to make every day fun, from walking Grandma's dog to training time.

Military kids aren't different from other kids, except that they may move more, be required to help at home more in a full family regularly missing a parent, or worry more, stand up for siblings while they all miss someone important at birthdays and school events, and more.  Give them some time and understanding.  They are giving you something very important- a share of their parent.  Enjoy your night!  I think I have some more fun photos for tomorrow!

Month of the Military Child- Part 2

So I got off task (surprising, right?) and didn't post last night.  But here is more on what it means to be a military child... in our house anyway...

Wyatt reminds us that no matter what the kids at school say about his Daddy, his Hopper always loves him...

Bailey and Wyatt love taking baby goats on visits to schools and, in the case f this photo, their auntie's assisted living facility.  Auntie thinks kidding season is about bringing her babies goats to cuddle!

When we can squeeze it in around the crazy commute, we go to Operation Military Kids events.  In this one, Wyatt was at the 4H High Ropes Course.  Bailey went too, she would like to be able to volunteer at these soon...

Being small business owners and small farmers, we like events that showcase history and local groups.  We went to downtown Saturday night last summer, and also to the King Tut exhibit.  Great night of local artisans and cool exhibits that spark the imagination!

We got hold of this antique incubator, and tried hard to make it work.  We failed to properly control the temperature but it was still fun!

Here is Wyatt at an obstacle course with Bailey's pygmy buck, Obediah.  Wyatt loves the bucks, and joins in whenever he can play with them, Bailey was somewhere with Nathan at the same event.

They do chores- or sometimes avoid them.  Wyatt was supposed to be cleaning chicken pens....

Both children were advanced to the regional science fair competition this year.  These military kids also love science, and not just as it relates to their Daddy's job.  Anybody recognize the researcher they are posing with here when they took their projects in?

Yep, all children are different, and the same all at once.  They want to be loved and accepted for who they are, and given just enough room to grow and explore.  More to come!  And don't forget to hug a military child.  It is true that they serve, too, though it isn't all they do!