Summer

Summer - Where has time gone? This must be the fastest summer ever. As I reflect back and prepare for this year of learning, I'm trying to focus on all the fun and summer learning we've experienced. We spent less time in water than our typical summer: swimming, fishing, wading - did we even play in the creek. I don't recall going hiking. I don't think we even spent much time visiting friends. We've made wonderful memories though. July and August were filled with camp, canoeing, playing in the garden, fair, helping others, and exploring at home. Home is becoming our focus this season. And will be this next season to come. I think I like it that way. Sometimes, we need to slow down and focus on home - being together - family.

 

 

 

As our summer adventure is coming to an end, we look forward to a family vacation, and one more camp for the older kids. Then, we'll settle in and prepare for winter - starting with filling that wood shed, above. But, for now, we're enjoying these last warm days of summer as we soak up the sun and ponder at God's creation around us.
All while focusing on home - being together - family.

Shearing Day

 

We had an incredibly busy day. It started with barn chores and rotating animals to our front yard. Then Hannah and I grabbed the clippers and worked on shearing the sheep. We are certainly not professionals. It took us 45 minutes to work on two little Shetlands. Have you seen YouTube videos of people shearing?! They're fast! When we had a small flock of sheep, we hired a shearer to come out, but it's really not worth it to come and shear two sheep. A dear friend gifted us her clippers, so we put them to use. We've been reaching the upper 80's lately, and these little sheep have been hot. They were past due for a good clipping.

Look at all that fleece. I wanna lay on Felix's back and cover up with his fleece. It's beautiful. Hannah and I had soft hands after handling all that fleece and lanolin.

We started on the goat stand, then flipped them to work the belly side. Hannah sheared Felix. I sheared Tiptoe.

 Felix has a nice white fleece.

Hannah shaved the sheep last year, so she's getting pretty good. Felix looks great. This was my first time shearing sheep, so Tiptoe looks funny. She could use a bit more trimming around the face. That's what she gets for not being very cooperative with me.

 

Once the sheep were sheared, I put them to pasture and started working on skirting and cleaning the fleece.

I decided to wash Felix's white wool. It turned out really nice. But, it took hours to get it all washed. There are some small flecks of hay left in the wool, but I'm hoping that it will pop out as I comb it. I'm still looking for a reasonable place to purchase combs, or possibly make combs. It will be fun to finish this fleece and turn it into roving. Tiptoe has a pretty tan fleece. I'm excited to get busy working with hers.



Not only did the sheep get a nice clipping, but Hannah's 4H goat and our dog, Abbey got clipped. They look cooler and nicely groomed.  





Once the wool was washed, it was time to load the horses on the trailer and head to a 4H meeting. We caught Da pulling in just as we were leaving. He, thankfully parked the car and drove the truck to the meeting. As we were driving we smelled the brakes and noticed black smoke coming from the trailer. We made it to the meeting and back home and decided to take the trailer to a friend for repairs. As we headed over, the brakes locked up while nearing an intersection. Da was able to do a quick fix by unplugging the electrical line to the trailer. We dropped it off to be repaired and headed home after a long day of working with animals.

Annie and Fred. Fred came last week. We'll write more about him later.

I am so very thankful that Danny noticed the smoke coming from the trailer and called to have it repaired. I am thankful that he drove with me, especially since I was a little nervous hauling two horses together. They did great and were well behaved! And, I am thankful that there were no horses on the trailer when the brakes locked up. Mostly, I'm thankful for my husband, who was there to take care of all the problems as they happened.

March

 March

The sun is nervous

As a kite

That can't quite keep

Its own string tight.

 

Some days are fair,

And some are raw.

The timid earth

Decides to thaw.

 

Shy budlets peep

From twigs on trees,

And robins join

The chikadees.

 

Pale crocuses

Poke through the ground

Like noses come

To sniff around.

 

The mud smells happy

On our shoes.

We still wear mittens,

Which we lose.

                          -John Updike

 

 



February song birds

February was an adventure - cold and snow, outdoor building projects, hauling wood - life and death - stacking hay on sub-zero days - frozen buckets and doors froze shut. 

Welcome March - warmer weather, mud, and garden planning. -Birds and dirt, growing animal babies,a calendar that's filling.

 

Capturing Hens before the Possum Returns (updated)

There stands a warm chicken coop full of restless birds eager for warm weather and bugs to nibble. They are warm though. And, although the goats and sheep have a warm barn of their own, they hug the coop hoping for a chance to sneak in and huddle with the chickens.

Everyone loves the chicken coop, except a few silly birds. They prefer to roost in the trees. Do you know what eventually happens to birds who choose to roost in the trees instead of in the warm protected coop? One of our hens found out. She met her match with a mink. How do I know it was a possum? Well, possums have a unique way of making themselves known. They have a certain way of leaving a chicken that is quite disturbing.

This group of birds is difficult to catch to clip wings and lure into the coop. They can't be persuaded with food, nice talk, or herding. Being the youngest of the flock, and lowest in the hierarchy, they simply don't trust the old coop hens. If the possum hasn't persuaded them, he's persuaded and motivated us to get them safe.

Hannah and I captured a few by knocking them out of the trees just as the sun set. Hopefully, we'll be able to reach these last stragglers and get them safe and warm. We certainly don't want anyone else loosing their head.

We have, however, not had a real problem with predators. Our flock mainly free-ranges and sleeps where they like in the warm months. We only recently locked them in the coop to encourage them to lay their eggs in nest boxes and roost there at night. Going on a daily easter egg hunt is fun, until, the chickens molt and we no longer can find eggs anywhere. Keeping them locked up a few weeks gives us the opportunity to take inventory and plan for spring chicks.

It looks like our poultry count is currently at 25 hens, 2 roosters, and 2 ducks. They range from almost four years to nine months. A few old hens will be leaving with our favorite staying as a "pet". How could we ever part with Lucy.  We plan to hatch chicks and increase our egg production within the next few months.

We are looking forward to an exciting winter and spring with lots happening around here.

Here's a great link about minks and chickens: Back Yard Chickens: Chicken Predators

* the post originally was written about a mink as predator; however, after talking with a dear friend who's had possum problems in her coop, she informed me that is was likely a possum who got our hen. Minks actually bite the head where's possums will consume the head trying to eat the crop. Learning something new each day.

A Family Project: Coat Hooks

There's a little place tucked in many homes called "The Mud Room". Our house does not have a mud room. It's more of a muddy space. During the cold and mud months, one finds their way into our home by walking through a muddy garage, up muddy stairs into a messy muddy entry-way. If you're lucky enough to visit in the evening when chores are finished, you may step over, better yet, trip over muddy boots and wet coats. It's kind of embarrassing, at times. I've wanted a coat rack for so long, but could never figure exactly what I had in mind. Finally, I shut Pinterest off and looked around the property for inspiration. Ahhh, Hannah's old bedframe. Perfect!

I tore the hardware off and sent Noah to the saw with measurements marked. That evening the family took a trip to Hobby Lobby to find each our own special hook. Antlers, birds, moose, and fun designs were exactly what we wanted. We told the children to pick something they really liked, because some day, their own children may be hanging their coats from the hooks they pick. We had a good time choosing hooks, laughing about choices, and finally deciding which to get. 

 Besides the hooks, all the materials were found around the house.

So, in order to conceal the bright silver screws that we had on hand, Hannah and I colored them with brown and black Sharpies.

It's perfect for our family - rustic, messy, and already beat up. Because, in this house, full of children, mud, and excitement, things get beat up pretty quickly anyway.

 I love this. A family project where everyone contributed. It's exactly what I wanted.....needed.

Now, to figure some way to keep shoes in order.