Spring Follows the Ups and Downs of Our Little World...

Last year, we incubated and hatched lots of eggs, and kept or sold a fir number of chicks.  Somewhere in it all, we ended up with one single (hopefully) pullet in this age range. Not one of our better planning moments, but I had mandated that we turn off the incubator during the holidays, so there weren't any younger ones coming along to keep it company.

The little one, on the left in the photo below, was living in the house, mostly in the tough brooder.  As the only one, her interaction was with us, as well as with Shadow. As she had grown, she would get out of the brooder, go for a walk around the house, hang out with Shadow while watching Wyatt practice piano, and chat with me while I put on my shoes in the morning.

She has not been a tidy roommate, as you can imagine, but I just couldn't seem to come up with anyone for her to hang out with. Then, I found some black sexlinks, fully feathered, and near to her size at a nearby feed store. While I am normally not big on hatchery chicks, I needed someone to teach the little pullet that she was, in fact, a chicken, and help her transition to her pen. So Saturday afternoon, on my way home from work, I brought her friends and Wyatt got them all set up in the first step of the grow out pen. So far, so good...

While I was at it, Friday night, Wyatt helped me dig a hole for the lower section of this pond insert that Grandma didn't want anymore. He even helped me situate the bricks for steps.

The geese are truly loving their new pool!

The geese are also laying. Wyatt is concerned about the fact that some of the hatching didn't go so well last year, and because the first egg that Mother Goose laid was pecked by Miss Friendly. The clutch was at three eggs at last count, though it got dark quickly this evening when we got home and we didn't get to check. What would you do? Incubate or let them try to raise the little ones?

You saw the project Wyatt helped me with, but on Monday, as the boys headed off to pick up the feed store and Bailey and I were heading home from town after the gym, we knew this was to be our big project!

We started by pulling EVERYTHING out of the tack shed.

The only thing that remained was the shelf unit, which was pulled well forward and wiped down. The walls and floors were cleaned, and we organized and cleaned as things went back in.

It was dark when we finished, but so worth it to get things cleaned and ready for Spring, and especially to do it before the feed order went in.

And this was the end result! What do you think?

Well, with Sunday night closing out, and a new week beginning, more big projects await and more always being added to the list, it is time for rest and recharge before the coming week.

What is on your list for this week?

A Day in the Unfolding of the New Year

Trying to take on a few major projects while my work schedule is lighter, as well as help the kids with homeschooling and their own projects has kept me on my toes, but it has been quite rewarding. I will share more about the projects going on around here in the next few days. Okay, seeing how often I am too tired for blogging lately, how about I promise to do my best, but acknowledge they might be a bit late?

This blue Silkie pullet is one of a few new layers who have been contributing their first few eggs to the family here lately. This morning, she seemed bent on being broody, though she wasn't actually sitting ON the egg. Wyatt wasn't sure whether to be thankful she was making the collecting easy or explain how the whole broody thing worked, but since he was trying to get pens cleaned between storms, I think he was just happy for anything simple he could get!

Shine got to hang out in the house for a while with his buddy Shadow this morning. They haven't had as much of this time lately, since the rain and mud has led to some rather muddy hooves! On the flip side, at least the rain has the barrels mostly full again! Shine and Shadow sure enjoy the companionship, though, they were great friends when Shine was a house goat.

Later, Shine got to head down to visit friends at another 4-H club we compete with sometimes. A number of the youth are brand new to the group, but a few have grown up together showing as a group for several yers now. It is amazing to me to see them so grown up!

The older youth were examples and teachers, as they should be as Senior showmen. They also enjoyed laughing with each other and at themselves, I think!

Shine seems to be settling in to the showing thing, though he seemed to like raiding cookies from Bailey's pocket the best!

I think it is funny that after each trip off to training sessions, meetings and community outreach, both Shine and Shadow stop in the front yard to check all of the statues. 

I am not sure what they expect, but they are usually the only ones who move them!

FOr those of you following the saga of the lonely chick, I gave in this week and arranged for the little one to have some friends. A big thank you to Melanie for sharing some of her purebred Black Ameraucana stock with us, these will likely be te only new poultry stock until after county fair.The four little chicks have taken well to their new surroundings, and the slightly older Java of ours seems to also be taking well to having young charges to look after.

Some of the biggest news these days is that Miss Versie seems to be getting ready to kid. Bailey is spending lots of time out there, and we are tracking her progress. One interesting thing about her, Verse has taken in the last day to stretching out by climbing the fences of the maternity ward with her front hooves. I sure hope that means that the babies are settling well into proper position.

You can barely see Verse in this photo, she was in the corner of the pen after our last check. She really is a sweetheart. While I don't think kidding is truly imminent, I will head out there again in another hour and let Bailey sleep a bit. It never hurts to be on the safe side, these will be her first kids. 

On that note, I think I will squeeze in a short nap. While moping the kitchen is calling my name, I think it can wait a coupl eof hours and help me warm up after I traipse back out to the goat area in a spell. Hope you all have a wonderful night, I will share again when I can! Love to all.

Another Weekend in the Books...

For those of you who have been laughing alongside me, everyone is home, and settling back in...

Late Friday, Charlie and Wyatt rolled onto our property, and unloaded just enough so that Charlie could head in to town and pick things up for the duty he volunteered for- snack bar at the goat show. Originally when he volunteered, he expected to return on Tuesday, but for any of you who know my husband well... hunting season comes with lots of "surprises" and changing schedules!

Undeniably, though, Shadow Paws is SO HAPPY to have Wyatt home. They are so funny together!

Anyhow, the show was fun. Fortunately, folks put up with me asking them to verify which goat they are showing and the herd name multiple times, as I am terrified I am going to miss something and not get someone lined up when they are supposed to be.  Happily, the only ones missed were found before their classes!  I come home from these events not knowing how on Earth the show secretary/ organizer, Kate, can possibly be willing to manage all the paperwork required before the show and still show up with her own goats, not running for the hills by show day.  I don't mind lining folks up, and getting the submissions in to the association, but all that work she does!

Charlie had to make one last stop on the way to town, so other folks did pre-setup for the food booth, and then the food area turned into a man-cave of sorts, with other Dads pitching in to cook and help serve.

Wyatt came in and manned the raffle table.  After having done it last year, he doesn't need me at all.  He prides himself on pitching in without needing an adult, though when little ones come running through, I really believe he encourages them instead of calmly keeping them enjoying themselves constructively. I know that is just maturity, and that it will come with time and guidance, I will keep working on my patience!

The show was fun- a young man looked at me and told me it was the best day of his life. As Kate reminds us, they will have many best days, but I always hope the  youth will remember that this hobby of theirs is work- and lots of it- but at the root is it fun, with friendship and camaraderie.  Bailey did well in showmanship- 3rd of 8. This is only the second show with her new showmanship goat, who doesn't like to be crowded, and the youth just kept scooting up, so I think she was happy with that.  In a couple weeks will be a showmanship only show, hopefully she will continue to improve.

I still find there is a lot of anger in my heart for the people who made 4-H not fun for a while, and who continue to spread untruths, but as I sat in church this morning, I thought about how it frustrated me that I haven't softened my heart yet, and found that balance between standing up to people to demand the right, and practicing the compassion that I need to model for the kids and to not let those people change me. If you see me tripping over the juggling act, please be patient with me, but remind me to be the person I expect of me. It has been hard to practice forgiveness where people have hurt the children and not been held to account. But I know I will eventually be better for it.

After church, the children and I moved the guineas out to a pen where the Javas and Buttercups usually live. Those birds are temporarily living with the Buckeyes. I am hoping that it works for now so the guineas can establish their territory here, before any issues arise, because I am even more sure today that all of the Javas we raised have turned out tot be roosters!  Anybody need a Java rooster?

Wyatt and Charlie finished packaging up one of the two elk.  The other is still frozen, and they hope to finish it up tomorrow.  Bailey cleaned Glory's kidding pen again. No babies yet. A little more udder development, but based upon the breeding dates, we don't need to worry about them not arriving yet. Bailey will be keeping  close eye in between assignments this week!

Well, now the real work begins. Getting things put away, and getting the schooling back on track. I had planned for this couple weeks to be pretty light on school. After all these years with Charlie, I know to plan for crazy in hunting season, and he got to spend a lot of time on environmental science and orienteering with the kids while they were away.  I do think Wyatt's math books may have ended up in his grandfather's trailer, though, going to have to track those down in the morning!

Have a great week!  We will keep you posted about those babies, all the best to you all!

Busy , Busy, but a Little Forward Progress is Still Forward Progress

We recently added this shelf unit to the back porch. It is helping with the pickles. While I don't like the canning on open shelves on the back porch, it is better than a few of the alternatives, and will get by for now. You would be surprised at how many pickles my son can eat!!!

I have been back at it working on the upgrades to the farm stand sign. I was ready to head back to it tonight, but then all heck broke loose again. Never dull, right?

I really do like that bright blue. Funny, it seems to like me too!  Took all afternoon to get that round off my hands the other day!

When Bailey and I were out on Saturday, we turned a corner and saw this truck. We couldn't resist taking a photo for Wyatt. He loved Cars, and had the nickname Mater for a bit at football. (Apparently he has now been renamed Big Country- goodness!) Is this tow truck adorable or what???

The Buttercups and Javas are coexisting. Everyone is eating and drinking, though they seem to much prefer to be in different areas of the pen at given times. Judging by the eggs under the house, I am guessing the Javas are mostly sleeping inside the house.

Beth over at River Walk Farm was kind enough to give us some of her extra mosquito fish to help combat the mosquito larvae on the goose trough. Bailey handled them in the car, 

and when we got out at the gas station, the hen purse watched over them.

I don't know if you can see them swimming in there, but they seem to be doing just fine!

Well, it is time to get some shut eye and start the week over again. Have a great week!

Black Javas are Growing Up!

The black Java chicks came to us almost ten weeks ago. they were little tiny things then!  They have been in the chick area on the back porch, in their raised cage, growing up together.  I have been trying hard to guess whether they are young cockerels or pullets.  I really think there is still a chance one is a girl... okay, I hope, anyhow!

Today after a few other chores got done, Bailey helped me weight them.  They don't like the bucket on the scale any better than the rest of them.  It took quite a bit of cuddling and cajoling to get their weights with anything remotely approaching accuracy. 

I think this one was hoping to eat the plants in the windowsill...

In the end, the weights were:

#99- 45.09 ounces- 2.82 pounds- re-banded #49

#97- 38.10 ounces- 2.38 pounds- re-banded #48

#96- 38.55 ounces- 2.41 pounds- re-banded #77

Re-banded? Yup, their leg bands had become too small! 

 So they went from little red ones to nice big blue ones!

Sadly, the heaviest is the one I was holding out hoe was a hen... 

And I know someone was practicing their crowing this morning...

No one is quite so tough, though, once we are rocking them in our arms!

Bailey agreed that since the Buttercups had lost their rooster to old age earlier this year, and they lay white eggs, that the Javas, large brown egg layers with what seems to be a preponderance of males, could move in to the pen with them.

So when Bailey and I got home from morning errands, and Wyatt was doing his workout and Bailey was walking Miss Verse, I set to cleaning the Brahma pen and setting up the new water we bought them, and then cleaning and setting up the Buttercup pen so the Javas could move in. 

Then, after weighing them with me and helping with the leg bands, Bailey settled the Java juveniles in with the Buttercups.  Bailey snapped a few photos for me, but clearly they aren't hanging out with the Buttercups yet at this point!  Bailey is checking on everyone throughout the day, once we aren't hovering, I am sure they will settle in fine!

For those of you following the heritage meat bird project, the average weights of these birds are ten ounces more than the Delawares Wyatt raised a year and a half ago.  The Brahmas, however, still averaged a good 1-2 pounds more at this age.  Can't wait to see how this goes, as they are still half the age of what is considered maturity for the heritage meat birds.  These goofballs seem to go in spurts, though, so who knows! And I must admit, this is a very small sample size in regards to good science!

Kids and Animals Mark the Passage of Time

Sitting at the park yesterday, working on math with Wyatt Clay when a coach came by and asked him about homework, I thought how funny it would be when children began asking him what school he attended and, for the first time, he learned to start saying, "I am home schooled."  I left the boys at the park, and headed home to manage the animals and do the watering.  Shadow had gotten to stay inside with her brother, Vegas, during the day. The only thing we found out of place was a large stuffed Shamu, and he still had his eyes (the first thing she remove when destroying a stuffed animal.) As the dogs and I headed out to feed and water and collect eggs, I thought about all of the things coming full circle, and how children and animals really do mark the passage of time.

I am definitely not eighteen anymore.This photo is several years old, I believe the second Halloween after Wyatt was born. He has always been so big, the in-home day care talked me into dressing him up as BamBam, Bailey was a flapper girl in one of her dress up dresses (she has often been silly and fun in such a simple way), and Charlie went all out in his leaf suit. I had an old gypsy outfit, and was very nervous dashing out in it, you can tell what part of me never sees the sun! Funny, Charlie was between TDYs that weekend. 

As moms, we often note that when something happened, the younger one was around so old, or like looking back to losing Callie Jo, our first family dog, January before the first county fair when Bailey joined 4-H, and Remington coming come while the club kids were preparing the animals for show.  

In a military family, we have extra things, like oh, no, we were in San Diego then while Daddy's unit was flying against their F-18s. Or, no, we went to that chocolate factory in Phoenix when Daddy was up there on deployment briefings and we went to visit.  When I first started hiking with the kids, we used to go to this place a little North of here, where there are petroglyphs on the rocks. Back then, Bailey didn't mind posing for pictures. It was before the bullies.

I look back at photos like this, and am reminded if part of why we chose to home school. In the balance of trying to deal with bullies, and life, and meet the constant expectations of others with life where we live, there was no time for hiking and family fun in the driving and craziness of live.  This was a component, along with the refusal of the school to deal with the bullying, in our decision to home school.  There are so many important things to learn in life, and a number of them are not taught while spending an hour a day practicing standardized testing to prepare for a test after the regular lessons.  Hands on experiments and trying out random thoughts, chasing dreams and building things from scratch cannot be ignored.  Now my hiking buddies are as tall as me!

Right after 9/11, when I had just begin working for the Tohono O'Odham reservation, this little dog was hit by a car. Charlie was away hunting, I didn't even know Wyatt was on the way yet.  I brought the puppy home, hoping to bring it back to health and find its kid.  Hopper Spark would be Wyatt's first best friend, getting him through long stretched of not speaking and withdrawing from the world during Charlie's deployments. We lost her right as Wyatt was turning ten last Summer.  Wyatt and I still talk about how special she was, and how she loved him unconditionally, never complained and was such a special element is him rejoining the world. 

On one of the many trips to San Diego, while Charlie was working and we would go to Sea World and help some around my aunt's house, she licked out this great place, with the history she knew I enjoyed teaching the kids- about explorers int he area who had traveled all the way around South America to make it there, and these neat little tide pools. She had once worked nearby in bunkers built into the sides of the hills. The kids loved the stories!  You wouldn't think they would remember from being that little, but Wyatt still brings it up sometimes, and Bailey mentioned it while studying WWII last year.

Fast forward a tad to when Bailey joined 4-H. This was one of her first goats, Vital. Vital used to sit in Charlie's lap, when he was in town for 4H shows.  Such a silly goat, and a great ambassador! He boy, Obediah, took over as lead buck this year. Talk about the passage of time!

Maybe not the best picture in the world! Anyhow, Wyatt always liked the bucks better than the does. Our bucks are cuddly, though you won't want to go anywhere in the clothing you were wearing when you cuddled them!  Initially, we had Huey and Steely, they came along in Bailey's second year of 4-H. I will get to Steely in a minute.  Huey is a beautiful black buck with a great personality. When shown, the most common thing for people to say about him in the line to show is how strangely sweet he is. He was so well conformed, and folks told us to go ahead and breed him as long as he wanted to.  Typically, once his belly was full, he would be interested in girls more than anything else.  This year, when Bailey put him in with his best girl, Glory, he went to see what was in her food bowl.  Bailey called me over from the garden area, and said, Mom I don't think this is going to happen. I think he is retiring.  I told her to give it an hour, and just rake the next pen over and watch.  Yup, he laid down and ignored Glory, until Glory went to the fence and complained to Bailey. Obediah, his son with Vital, took over as lead buck.  He was all to happy to, and funny thing is, he and the new guy, PowerStroke, spend most of their day calling to ladies from their fence.  They give Huey first shot at the food, and pretend to head but him and are so gentle with him but play hard with one another.  A far cry from the days of Huey's rough and tumble play with Steely and calling to the does from the show ring.

Steely, Wyatt's smiling buddy, is shown with him below in the monsoon sunset.  When we brought he and Huey home, there was another we also liked, named Mr Wiggins, but he was Steely's brother, so we wanted to keep different blood lines for the bucks in our small herd. After losing Steely and Bailey seeing PowerStroke show for a couple years, the son of Mr. Wiggins, Bailey bought PowerStroke this year to round out the breeding stock. So, not only has Obediah taken over as head buck, but Powerstroke, Steely's nephew, has come to Patriot's Dream as well.

This was Bailey at her first county fair.  The little girl to the back left, who Bailey met st fair this year, went to leadership camp with her a couple years back, and they are still friends now.

This past year was year number seven in 4-H for Bailey. Despite the ups and downs, she loves learning about her animals, and loves to help the younger ones. When she went to meetings this year, the older ones were asked to teach more, and help the younger new members learn.  Working with the other kids is one of her favorite things, and this Summer she got to be a camp counselor for her first time.

This was one of the first baby goats born here at Patriot's Dream.  I just showed Wyatt this photo, and asked if he remembered getting along this well with his sister!

Well before Wyatt could join 4-H, he began asking for chickens. We kept getting stuck in the poultry area of the petting zoo at functions, and he figured out he could teach children about them, and look after them, but never have to speak with the adult. (He doesn't care for crazy show parents, but then again...) He spent a year taking care of the dogs where all I had to do was check, and then as his birthday came around, he wanted to start looking for birds for his own flock.  This polish was Sgt Winger, his very first, who laid in his arms the whole drive home from the other side of town.  After Wyatt had his established flock, and the economy went south, friends of the family would find abandoned birds in their rentals, and call Wyatt, leading to him learning about quarantining and flock management.  Before long, the flock grew, and grew, and now his eggs are sought after at the farmers markets and by local customers who come directly to us. While the research is all over the place, this week we make the transition to non-soy, non-corn, non-GMO feed, since we finally have a source again!  Looking at this photo, I can see where the pens are now that was once empty and how different things are! Remington, on the left, learned to be a flock protector then.

Remington, who came home at eight weeks old, right before that first county fair, while Charlie was on his way back from that long assignment to the Border deployment up at Silverbell Army Air, learned to warm up cold babies who fell in water buckets, helped raise a bottle baby goat (remember Nathan from the sidelines when Bailey was on the basketball team?) and shared her home and bed dutifully, even when she didn't want to. Plume Snowflake, here, followed Remi around the lining room during Christmas after getting wet and coming in hte house, nestling up to Remi until she cuddled it.

Remdog was my buddy, who adored the older dogs she was raised with, and who we lost the Christmas before last, but when Hopper passed so soon after, We moved back to being a two dog family and Wyatt brought Shadow Paws home.  Here she is with Vegas, about six years ago.  How do I know this, because she was still skiny, not fully filled out, and look at Vegas' face.

This photo really shows the passage of time.  Old man Vegas has been with us fourteen year, but the animal control estimated him at seventeen to eighteen year old.  Shadow Paws dotes on him, and makes sure he always has food in his bowl, the door opened on his whim and someone to play with or help him chase lizards when he wants to.  Wow, those photos next to one another sure say a lot about the goofy buddy presently at my feet.  Wyatt snuck some arthritis happiness in a treat for him this morning, hoping he feels good as the storms rumble overhead.

Speaking, of Wyatt, you saw him as BamBam, you saw him with his first chicken, here he is with his d'Uccle hen, Millie, when they went to sing Christmas carols with the 4-H club at the elder care facility.

These juvenile chickens he was holding a few months back are some of this year's new layers.  That little Brahma in the middle may have been one of his champion heritage meat birds this year, too.  Those chickens are in the 9-11 pound range at this point! And then hens are all laying, most of them up to full size eggs. some with eggs in the incubator in our work for determining the best breeding stock moving forward.  That Millie, above has babies in another part of the county (don't tell her, though, she might want visitation!)

This photo was from Wyatt's first year in football, when they were lucky enough to play at half time in a scrimmage on the field of the Arizona Wildcats.

Here he is about a year ago, back to back and out-sizing his adult cousin, Jamie!

And, as we begin a new football season, here he is this morning working tire drills, with Shadow Paws in toe, doing extra training for this season.  I am adding obstacles to the obstacle course daily for us, and this tire is five feet tall.  Where did my baby boy go?

Well, I am just back in from checking on the Javas out back. They came home about nine weeks ago as tiny chicks, and I just switched them to big chicken food mixed with the baby food, in preparation for their move out to the Buttercup pen.  The cycle continues, as always.

Got any before and after photos to share? This would be a great place and time. Maybe the first day of Kindergarten alongside the first day this year? Or any of those photos and stories that show the passage of time.  Your thoughts and experiences are ALWAYS welcome!

Hugs to all,
Erin