tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54830234612844695992024-02-07T17:11:01.199-08:00The Birds and the BeesShirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-50530603019248211892010-02-08T08:32:00.000-08:002010-02-08T09:06:14.974-08:00They're Back!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qMLKdnHQ5ts1diOf1MVqxIv_74k9BmxMjVqxbwMHrbpZ7759E7EZp3Z04PnlSz6UUAgH7Jb7UzrMisg6ATFeiDRbC3WwW1ccKrFXJ_AGx0EvG0UmpddIdA6pvQx4_pZ4EXfx7ZP2N9k/s1600-h/New+chicks+at+Maryann%27s+house+2010.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qMLKdnHQ5ts1diOf1MVqxIv_74k9BmxMjVqxbwMHrbpZ7759E7EZp3Z04PnlSz6UUAgH7Jb7UzrMisg6ATFeiDRbC3WwW1ccKrFXJ_AGx0EvG0UmpddIdA6pvQx4_pZ4EXfx7ZP2N9k/s400/New+chicks+at+Maryann%27s+house+2010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435918321884718530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A friend is enamored with a special breed of chicken, the Sicilian Buttercup, and the only way she could get these chicks was by mail ordering them. When you mail order chicks, you have to buy 25 at a time so the chicks stay warm in transit. I agreed to take some of the birds since Maryann did not want so many babies.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Maryann ordered a random assortment of chickens along with four Sicilian Buttercups, two for me and two for her.<br /><br />When the postal clerk delivered the box on Friday, one bird, a Sicilian Buttercup no less, was dead. That left us with 22 birds because the company sent us only 23 birds. I took 11 chicks as I will be raising two for Joe, our beekeeping friend. I took the weakest looking Sicilian Buttercup and despite my valiant efforts, the sweet thing died last night. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Concord Feed, our local animal food store, will receive their first shipment of chicks next week so I will pick up another bird for Joe. He wants a white and black one so I will get him the "Elvis" breed, the Light Brahma. I will give Joe his chicks as soon as this flock is ready to move outside.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Below is a photo of my birds. The Sicilian Buttercup is in the right hand corner. I will be raising two Silver Lace Wyandottes, a Rhode Island Red, two Buff Orphingtons, a brown leghorn, two Ameraucanas (these lay the green/blue eggs) and a barred rock.<br /><br /></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJRzHEsdTt2iJKoeMCgGbF3rZcf0rg7-06j_d34FdG_CmUL5MblsZgHaPuEmh6kCgjn-PHyKHA79b7fExK5BUWyApyNVv7R9VfGeabd46JrYYhlmKNUyszCuAnsjvTGEuQzUCqdylmMU/s1600-h/2010+Chicks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJRzHEsdTt2iJKoeMCgGbF3rZcf0rg7-06j_d34FdG_CmUL5MblsZgHaPuEmh6kCgjn-PHyKHA79b7fExK5BUWyApyNVv7R9VfGeabd46JrYYhlmKNUyszCuAnsjvTGEuQzUCqdylmMU/s400/2010+Chicks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435918528774938658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">During the past few weeks I have been planting bushes and vines to reduce the noise and visibility of the chicken yard. I am very excited about being a chicken mother again! I have been telling my old girls about these new babies so that they will be ready for them in a couple of months! </span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-73535249533614751572009-11-10T05:30:00.000-08:002009-11-10T05:42:51.262-08:00Easter Egg Hunt<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is a bit early to be celebrating Easter, but Brant is a kid at heart and he loves Easter Egg hunts. I didn't think he would find any eggs as I had already collected six earlier in the afternoon. Brant wanted to check things out so I told him to have at it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And guess what he found? An egg! And there was not just one, it turns out, but two!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoLeamN0iW_d5GLeVndeAiZRKEf7RX7aI46Re0Oasv7JURiDIgjpAL4ZsZcEey3SShPIdnF6v7EBULansBh7Rs3TRhLNREuw6eQAqhOn1YX-Tyj2BwVA0h2XjNy2-QAcxPKHYVn-83hs/s1600-h/brant+finds+egg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoLeamN0iW_d5GLeVndeAiZRKEf7RX7aI46Re0Oasv7JURiDIgjpAL4ZsZcEey3SShPIdnF6v7EBULansBh7Rs3TRhLNREuw6eQAqhOn1YX-Tyj2BwVA0h2XjNy2-QAcxPKHYVn-83hs/s400/brant+finds+egg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402467447259480658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthZfpRU_aH1qH1VS4Z0b66Nbtw0Jc-g00xmewfmt2h8-Hbbu7gUj4fMNzGlUDE9MxrvHR6DQlhITOIzPgqt4nGNIOw4GPATV0OKNGGWm5sHboZAbYJYkW-muqPuGsxZIEhtShywwDp_Y/s1600-h/brant+holding+2nd+egg+blurry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthZfpRU_aH1qH1VS4Z0b66Nbtw0Jc-g00xmewfmt2h8-Hbbu7gUj4fMNzGlUDE9MxrvHR6DQlhITOIzPgqt4nGNIOw4GPATV0OKNGGWm5sHboZAbYJYkW-muqPuGsxZIEhtShywwDp_Y/s400/brant+holding+2nd+egg+blurry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402469811455258786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is Polly's egg because it is white and only one bird in my flock lays white eggs.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboodBdhmgjwK2nh9d4YCQ_J9f69fCuqRipWIifAXwN-R44Pdy9oKgtDTIGIHsFS6P_0AD_1CeHMUCXtzAfjGLSHtXCuEM2UagBWQPA5Oms0LtBed8tuJQzT-Gcp6GGA7apz9LtK1i6bM/s1600-h/mom+shows+off+egg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboodBdhmgjwK2nh9d4YCQ_J9f69fCuqRipWIifAXwN-R44Pdy9oKgtDTIGIHsFS6P_0AD_1CeHMUCXtzAfjGLSHtXCuEM2UagBWQPA5Oms0LtBed8tuJQzT-Gcp6GGA7apz9LtK1i6bM/s400/mom+shows+off+egg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402467731018928962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is a Plymouth Rock checking out the hen house in the middle of the afternoon.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJZnl8rZqa7Vn227YW5XCyBFA_BEIo7hRUfeJU5RHtp48j-tcvEyN9BCdmP1hHf6xecWg3fQkEoiXUFa5T3NcoCGlrtMhrF6L1Av108QAGiUJVHitZMVeBnFJ4BuftKAAf174cqXULA0/s1600-h/chicken+in+house.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJZnl8rZqa7Vn227YW5XCyBFA_BEIo7hRUfeJU5RHtp48j-tcvEyN9BCdmP1hHf6xecWg3fQkEoiXUFa5T3NcoCGlrtMhrF6L1Av108QAGiUJVHitZMVeBnFJ4BuftKAAf174cqXULA0/s400/chicken+in+house.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402468044861223586" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-41327007193654767892009-11-10T05:10:00.000-08:002009-11-10T05:30:18.740-08:00Photo Op<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dave's profound statement when he viewed the photos that Paula took of Brant and me during their recent visit to the chicken pen: </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"It is okay to pick chicken up with your fingers."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is Brant holding an Ameraucana.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqifHJO0Bj2y_O4iGFeQvrP8cDCmxyFLQzyFMHHq6QOmvI0OXnELniLjm6JdYo5MLDdAa5VDEtnKYRg3jQavvD49S48JJIvXeSTNxDwzz8Ie3df_Vh2kYO-L7QqzdMuIVn065ka4Vp78A/s1600-h/brant+looking+at+chicken.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqifHJO0Bj2y_O4iGFeQvrP8cDCmxyFLQzyFMHHq6QOmvI0OXnELniLjm6JdYo5MLDdAa5VDEtnKYRg3jQavvD49S48JJIvXeSTNxDwzz8Ie3df_Vh2kYO-L7QqzdMuIVn065ka4Vp78A/s400/brant+looking+at+chicken.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402462857680810802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is a Production Red prancing up the hill to join us.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMiJkT8JzsgA7WCOh2mEWZuxHAiqPeB_JpDjXBjyAWxfM77Xf3v0gUhww13y8bJH35Uih6PCbtGKsyq42PYJww-4IxLf8RuOiEWiQSaUprTZQDOPoCSJ9leEOPIH6tTlo-6jyOYeX7-g/s1600-h/chicken+walking+toward+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMiJkT8JzsgA7WCOh2mEWZuxHAiqPeB_JpDjXBjyAWxfM77Xf3v0gUhww13y8bJH35Uih6PCbtGKsyq42PYJww-4IxLf8RuOiEWiQSaUprTZQDOPoCSJ9leEOPIH6tTlo-6jyOYeX7-g/s400/chicken+walking+toward+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402463473192001890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is what she saw - our fearless cat, Mr. Darcy.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5Leumugn3gvnmeUxbH9rf4xdEP7NYiR5vOc7Zynsh6DhD4Uf-IbPGMt7jBEdatMePXIAZS96ehLR1NTPICLBo_Lq7DoXZx6FdQ-9sWH5M0Gemn9Qxnr74c5mhNZKmveX0JTx35iB0y8/s1600-h/darcy+yawning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5Leumugn3gvnmeUxbH9rf4xdEP7NYiR5vOc7Zynsh6DhD4Uf-IbPGMt7jBEdatMePXIAZS96ehLR1NTPICLBo_Lq7DoXZx6FdQ-9sWH5M0Gemn9Qxnr74c5mhNZKmveX0JTx35iB0y8/s400/darcy+yawning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402463922008338530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Paula and Brant know how to ingratiate themselves with the chickens. They bring leftovers and the great thing about my ladies is that they seldom turn their beaks up at anything that is offered to them. This Ameraucana is enjoying leftover pumpkin bread pudding. As Paula points out in her food blog (<a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.dishingthedivine.com/2009/11/08/its-for-the-birds/">http://www.dishingthedivine.com/2009/11/08/its-for-the-birds/</a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">)</span>, this was not one of her favorite recipes.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWIncNKBtrhDpspJFCM31WLK5XRyOIaFc5l2xyCEMce4dBXrk9XwmpzlFEfiYzSbfwy0r-wdtxsInbSA2bY-L5sP9b0SdT-hzCcs2OreCRFkLgeQLS8QS5nwvO1LXWrjMAf-CtMOJ-3s/s1600-h/chicken+eating+pumpkin+bread+pudding.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWIncNKBtrhDpspJFCM31WLK5XRyOIaFc5l2xyCEMce4dBXrk9XwmpzlFEfiYzSbfwy0r-wdtxsInbSA2bY-L5sP9b0SdT-hzCcs2OreCRFkLgeQLS8QS5nwvO1LXWrjMAf-CtMOJ-3s/s400/chicken+eating+pumpkin+bread+pudding.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402464570985719986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-10594877320147013602009-10-29T18:19:00.000-07:002009-10-29T18:23:34.831-07:00Extra Extra Extra Large<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Check out this humongous egg! It is so huge that the extra large chicken carton I put it in will not close properly. I told Paula that this egg counts for two.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKm9Iq5bTxDKrOpg3ki7zSZ87ElBU-S5y63ygRXNe1gZEMqqn6oMbt13-o95WDXQfGKWjWNRCMLdJCHt8NJuvWOc1-cy8VwGKh0gvS6RM70SBAQZPo2yJQSkLFDtnnPXyVIJ8pDL1Zcs/s1600-h/Big+egg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKm9Iq5bTxDKrOpg3ki7zSZ87ElBU-S5y63ygRXNe1gZEMqqn6oMbt13-o95WDXQfGKWjWNRCMLdJCHt8NJuvWOc1-cy8VwGKh0gvS6RM70SBAQZPo2yJQSkLFDtnnPXyVIJ8pDL1Zcs/s400/Big+egg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398197364464056114" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-54036307078286236502009-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:002009-10-19T14:39:54.442-07:00Never Enough Fence<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After the 3.5 inches of rain we got last Tuesday, I noticed tons of new plants growing on the hill. Dave and I felt sure that the chickens had eaten every seed and we were quite concerned that the winter rains would cause a mud slide. Dave actually called several local government agencies to find out if we were eligible for free grass seed.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Since there is life in 'them thar hills', we decided that it would be prudent for us to fence off the area to allow the vegetation to grow. Of course, this means more fencing. We had most of materials on hand so Dave tackled the project Saturday afternoon. He needs to borrow a come-a-long and rope to stretch the fence tight so he will finish the job this </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Thursday when he has a break from work. The chickens will not be pleased but the new trees we planted last week and the baby weeds and grass will get a break from their pecking. Eventually we will let the chickens roam this area again but we will manage the amount of 'grazing' they do.<br /><br />The following photo may look familiar as I included many of Dave setting up the original fence in earlier blog entries.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWpkgaXv3KQgOcrVrIpKybwk3r4InuknFl_HPi1g06WV5LX1Kl7vwjNAgG1psBNON93MPxBgWzjeKWowl1YHkS2WlGySuTo57QrFWEsGuJbeh1Ud35JvldDOUqQkQVmzmqLlerUd5PPs/s1600-h/Dave+installing+fence-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWpkgaXv3KQgOcrVrIpKybwk3r4InuknFl_HPi1g06WV5LX1Kl7vwjNAgG1psBNON93MPxBgWzjeKWowl1YHkS2WlGySuTo57QrFWEsGuJbeh1Ud35JvldDOUqQkQVmzmqLlerUd5PPs/s400/Dave+installing+fence-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394425806237122146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The tree above the word hill in the photo below is our new lemon tree. We plan to cover the hill with other fruit trees this fall. So far we have a pomegranate, a lemon, a fig, and a white peach tree. The hill is composed of shale so we are not sure how well these plants will grow. I guess time will tell!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVr-gQFCE-OgthhyphenhyphenqxujBIIxM545sA__hiFlBhGa6j9CAldOpQW3SxPqZb3BZlOdCcKBaIY0d0RtcF87NDLZldZ1nmCThc1rNLNDZ0JdYINl2a6AzVlc2M6hanw46tR7QnpCqEWRESAOE/s1600-h/Fencing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVr-gQFCE-OgthhyphenhyphenqxujBIIxM545sA__hiFlBhGa6j9CAldOpQW3SxPqZb3BZlOdCcKBaIY0d0RtcF87NDLZldZ1nmCThc1rNLNDZ0JdYINl2a6AzVlc2M6hanw46tR7QnpCqEWRESAOE/s400/Fencing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394425692433577842" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-82451089252321459022009-10-14T10:27:00.001-07:002009-10-14T12:17:07.222-07:00How Long Will These Eggs Stay Fresh?<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >"How long are these eggs good for?" is one of the most frequent questions I am asked when I offer eggs to friends.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > In this post I will attempt to answer that question while also explaining why some hard boiled eggs are easier to peel than others. My source of information is the </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Chicken Keeping Secrets newsletter at chickenkeepingsecrets.com.<br /><br />When an egg is formed, the yolk and whites are enclosed within a thin membrane. A second membrane lies just inside the egg’s shell. In a fresh egg, the two membranes lie against each other. In an older egg, evaporation has had a chance to occur within the egg because of the porous egg shell resulting in more space between the two membranes. When you boil a fresh egg, the two membranes lie so closely together that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to peel the egg. Use for old eggs for making boiled eggs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><br />You can use a “float test” to give you an idea how fresh your eggs are. The older the eggs, the larger the air pockets between the two membranes. The more air the eggs contain, the more they will float.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Fill a bowl with cool water. Gently place your eggs in the bowl.<br /><br />(1) If the eggs lie flat on the bottom of the bowl, they are very fresh. These are the best eggs for eating alone.<br />(2) If the eggs stay in contact with the bottom of the bowl but one end starts to rise, these eggs are still fresh, just not quite as fresh as the one that lies flat.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >(3) If the eggs stand on end but still stay in contact with the bottom of the bowl, they are still perfectly safe to eat but they are better used for baking or cooking. These are the eggs to use for boiling, since the air pocket between the two membranes is large enough to prevent sticking when peeling the shell away from the egg.<br />(4) If the eggs do not stay in contact with the bottom of the bowl, throw them away as they are not good for eating.<br /><br />In the following photo, the brown egg is one day old. The white egg is a Safeway 'special' with a "sell by" date of October 30. As you can see, the white egg is already beginning to tilt upwards.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKXkun5xl9-6qjgSLNoXZdy5ZDoz90IBTqXvbDI4nwA_GEef6dSDAC11wVeoSqNdczVH124sIMbnmEeLTohPGmXEL4cRWPIlVFAQgPwsrF1i2EPDLDy6uW1qgoOeaoPL6pCnj1ggwkH8/s1600-h/Eggs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKXkun5xl9-6qjgSLNoXZdy5ZDoz90IBTqXvbDI4nwA_GEef6dSDAC11wVeoSqNdczVH124sIMbnmEeLTohPGmXEL4cRWPIlVFAQgPwsrF1i2EPDLDy6uW1qgoOeaoPL6pCnj1ggwkH8/s400/Eggs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392535604017899810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >The reason store bought eggs usually peel so easily is because they are not very fresh. You may not realize this, but eggs can be more than 45 days old before you buy them. I do not know how long the “farm” has to package their eggs for sale once it has been laid. But at the time of packaging, the “sell by” date is 45 days later! In short, most of the eggs that you scramble for breakfast are likely 2 months old!<br /><br />If your are lucky enough to get really fresh eggs, enjoy them as they are very special.</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-13334884058612172232009-10-14T10:06:00.000-07:002009-10-14T10:25:34.878-07:00First Rain of the Season<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our rainy season begins in late October and continues through April or May. Yesterday we got our first serious rain and I was curious to see how the chickens would react to it as they have never seen rain.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I expected, the ladies were not very happy. Like us, they do not like to get wet. As the torrential rains hammered their playground, they stayed underneath the hen house, the only dry area available to them. I checked on them several times and they were extremely delighted to see me. I felt sorry for them so I made them macaroni and cheese. Needless to say, they polished off this comfort food in no time at all</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">. I added flax meal to the cheese mixture to boost the nutritional quality of their eggs.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wzn_15rxEZU/StYIcCsH2jI/AAAAAAAABzY/27weOdFTBTQ/s1600-h/Polly+in+profile.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wzn_15rxEZU/StYIcCsH2jI/AAAAAAAABzY/27weOdFTBTQ/s400/Polly+in+profile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392506881674041906" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The rain finally </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">abated around 4:30 PM. The chickens cautiously made their way around the yard and scratched at the damp soil. I was glad that they had some play time before retiring for the night at 6:45 PM. Withthe days get shorter, the birds head back to the hen house earlier and earlier in the evenings.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLgfbQAuEAB-sW0q1igIm7LetAPuHhMUCnSM6uMjbsMM4746dj5rwXRfoma5qkjDaaRPgnGkNIkytFPBwL2KVW6AXX6f-3L4Rn-w0hqNS9m3nez5hvjXqZtQC_Y5lGdgB3C4EHDx_biA/s1600-h/Rainy+day+makes+for+wet+feathers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLgfbQAuEAB-sW0q1igIm7LetAPuHhMUCnSM6uMjbsMM4746dj5rwXRfoma5qkjDaaRPgnGkNIkytFPBwL2KVW6AXX6f-3L4Rn-w0hqNS9m3nez5hvjXqZtQC_Y5lGdgB3C4EHDx_biA/s400/Rainy+day+makes+for+wet+feathers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392506703910060962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here you can see the tail feathers of an Ameraucana being fluffed by the wind.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNAxjOu3vW_YJy2D0m-bNBENUjZ0Qr0CRQ6CTOirnNFfQzIcq85PabfPtg-g3w6c805qxt74jO40bJYfGNNl9MzFzc9PpzA-tL-CyNiz-7wvDBFvBeUDemn7RwVtwBeyZ78khy5xXZ5o/s1600-h/That+wind+is+fluffing+my+butt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNAxjOu3vW_YJy2D0m-bNBENUjZ0Qr0CRQ6CTOirnNFfQzIcq85PabfPtg-g3w6c805qxt74jO40bJYfGNNl9MzFzc9PpzA-tL-CyNiz-7wvDBFvBeUDemn7RwVtwBeyZ78khy5xXZ5o/s400/That+wind+is+fluffing+my+butt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392506571729795138" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-4258209376232007742009-09-29T17:40:00.000-07:002009-09-29T17:44:36.437-07:00Dinner?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipL85c3mCLVcvRXomZiXNhcsNrwnKJYIVSLUhDnQ5KvD9Xf-s2C1WIySh9xZzTK92iWOUVtefgEe05fweiDRmXSgGmTMTaStovOjkgfV3wdmMuat7zW7i3FwVa2p8juuOqSmsePnFdQc/s1600-h/Chicken+dinner+%283%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipL85c3mCLVcvRXomZiXNhcsNrwnKJYIVSLUhDnQ5KvD9Xf-s2C1WIySh9xZzTK92iWOUVtefgEe05fweiDRmXSgGmTMTaStovOjkgfV3wdmMuat7zW7i3FwVa2p8juuOqSmsePnFdQc/s400/Chicken+dinner+%283%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387054746999585810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I brought Polly into the house this afternoon to show her where and how I live. As a lark, Dave wanted to get a photo of me showing her the chicken rack we use for store bought chickens. Polly is such a lively, adorable gal. I would never consider serving her for dinner.<br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-72373156830376374182009-09-29T17:26:00.000-07:002009-09-29T17:40:22.987-07:00Haircuts<p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">Ms. Polly, the White Leghorn ring leader of the flock, was vexing me by sneaking through and over the fence in order to feast on the tasty treats in my compost pile. Concerned that one day she might venture even further or that some stray dog might find her, I decided that it was time to give her a haircut.<br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal">On Friday morning I Googled 'clipping chicken wings' and read the first article dealing with this subject. The process seemed pretty straightforward. I grabbed my super sharp kitchen shears and went outside to the compost pile. Polly is used to letting me pick her up and she was very calm as I snipped her flying wings. You can barely tell that her wings have been clipped. Later that morning I did the same to a Production Red who also likes to fly over the fence. It has been four days and neither bird has flown over the fence. Problem solved.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One of the Ameraucanas may be next as she seems to be overly interested in my neighbor's perfectly manicured green lawn.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxCod6APQOrAG4ZqRhIIGg_Uj4tD8UDVHjTrTGzriYcvBUB_tdrS_Q5it6PZFx37NkWyHqaYSna9ZJDBfZ4oyL6NCE8Hlc2UEH8y4jgdzIEsmJe3GncJf0dGHJgpOw9fRYqOwTlUT3f0/s1600-h/P1070367.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxCod6APQOrAG4ZqRhIIGg_Uj4tD8UDVHjTrTGzriYcvBUB_tdrS_Q5it6PZFx37NkWyHqaYSna9ZJDBfZ4oyL6NCE8Hlc2UEH8y4jgdzIEsmJe3GncJf0dGHJgpOw9fRYqOwTlUT3f0/s400/P1070367.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387053328776994770" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-51145447751661964972009-09-14T06:51:00.000-07:002009-09-14T12:23:44.521-07:00They have it so good!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I wonder if my chickens truly appreciate what a wonderful life they lead. I feed them high </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">quality foods and I keep the hen house so clean that it looks as new as the day Dave set it up.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am in Tucson, Arizona, visiting my sister Kathy who lives on an eight acre "ranch". Kathy raises llamas, goats, sheep, geese, Angora rabbits, cats, AND ten chickens. Now that I know </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">something about chickens, I was interested to check out her set up. I was not impressed at all and this is no fault of my sister. She lives in the desert where you have to deal with bobcats, hawks, and rattlesnakes. She cannot allow her ladies to wander wherever they please. Instead, she has to keep them locked up with complete overhead covering. Kathy lives in the county so she can raise roosters as well. Last week her husband made dinner out of their two roosters because they were pecking the heck out of her hens.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I thought having a rooster would be fun, but now I am not so sure. Roosters can be so brutal when they mount the hen. Here are some photos of 'battered hens.'</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOU7NPmtQdwX9aTtluZ9xlAli1MqmHfFljx39oW5wYFIzpIqse32RTIrNZtVgxrxQJtEZaD5Ms_yROXHavZRPxHdukjIc3d5yOF_Tg0VsHYtxHNf1bfQqMNLXex5HwonP0l8xxERdYHe4/s1600-h/Chicken+dinner2_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOU7NPmtQdwX9aTtluZ9xlAli1MqmHfFljx39oW5wYFIzpIqse32RTIrNZtVgxrxQJtEZaD5Ms_yROXHavZRPxHdukjIc3d5yOF_Tg0VsHYtxHNf1bfQqMNLXex5HwonP0l8xxERdYHe4/s400/Chicken+dinner2_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381325569019459666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaFx9K44EuvSeJ7qojswvKnbLrdfaVVmEdZooGRYeJ7gBdhxGV8mLXY87XwiSVUe2dqOzSFIAGZpuOm_G-CECIRp-ghmm55UX979KivrK5bLjglnPU361R5Xeq22B-3-5VcIYTjR4-vY/s1600-h/Battered+hen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaFx9K44EuvSeJ7qojswvKnbLrdfaVVmEdZooGRYeJ7gBdhxGV8mLXY87XwiSVUe2dqOzSFIAGZpuOm_G-CECIRp-ghmm55UX979KivrK5bLjglnPU361R5Xeq22B-3-5VcIYTjR4-vY/s400/Battered+hen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381363873221451746" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBczML3T729ooNwZ7bYyCoHU4FgfNMT3eYXLaMgql42wU2xFrMgAAcNnb_JOZwo-WypFXISj3ElZNa7ksvuhKgAld1OByJQcVYMwWIk-pHozm5fGNcy-Fa2xTrpauvvfhxQn904SwMpQ/s1600-h/Help+me%21_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 397px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBczML3T729ooNwZ7bYyCoHU4FgfNMT3eYXLaMgql42wU2xFrMgAAcNnb_JOZwo-WypFXISj3ElZNa7ksvuhKgAld1OByJQcVYMwWIk-pHozm5fGNcy-Fa2xTrpauvvfhxQn904SwMpQ/s400/Help+me%21_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381326436710655858" border="0" /></a><br />And here is a photo of the chicken coop. The cages on the left are for the Angora rabbits. The rabbits are living in the mother-in-law's quarters as they were showing signs of being overheated.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO4jxZTGgkETW59-dyf2LHH77P9ifNmqYWhte77YpgBM8Kav3JL_fEIrEiZwj0fAEl-pxI_Ynrmq_k5o3ka46K7IDSn9gWhHH0L0rYLh3RzNTUCrgpTRx7EqElKaubYznbhFv44EERxo/s1600-h/Chicken+coop1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO4jxZTGgkETW59-dyf2LHH77P9ifNmqYWhte77YpgBM8Kav3JL_fEIrEiZwj0fAEl-pxI_Ynrmq_k5o3ka46K7IDSn9gWhHH0L0rYLh3RzNTUCrgpTRx7EqElKaubYznbhFv44EERxo/s400/Chicken+coop1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381328646485117682" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-23748906628883397192009-08-26T04:20:00.000-07:002009-08-26T04:30:54.118-07:00Thanksgiving<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TWcW0HW59OIXGivjJiJLNwRFPw9oolFejhyphenhyphen08melu3zHhOjS5wcL-0dz9OAo7JWN9IzSzU2bvMrpFU136Yme9opuErvGHVWMd-IhoFo2hvGhHMFN4GRsVH7Ast7TV_6I785BpMmsZnQ/s1600-h/5+eggs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TWcW0HW59OIXGivjJiJLNwRFPw9oolFejhyphenhyphen08melu3zHhOjS5wcL-0dz9OAo7JWN9IzSzU2bvMrpFU136Yme9opuErvGHVWMd-IhoFo2hvGhHMFN4GRsVH7Ast7TV_6I785BpMmsZnQ/s400/5+eggs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374233179501880178" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I celebrate Thanksgiving every evening when I put our chickens to bed. I thank them for all the wonderful eggs they have given me and I tell them how pleased I am with them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Our ten chickens are now laying between 5 and 8 eggs a day. The Ameraucanas started laying two days ago when they turned six months old. I recognize their eggs because they are green in color. Even one of the two Bobbsey Twins is laying eggs. The twins are a month younger than the rest of the chickens. They are finally acting more like they are part of the flock.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Paula has been selling the eggs to her friends at church and in her book club group. These eggs are extra special because I feed the chickens organic chicken feed and supplement their diet daily with ground flax meal. For a while I was also feeding them 'dumpster' produce but I cut that out when I realized this was creating havoc with their reproductive system. A few chickens started laying rubbery eggs and in some cases they laid eggs with no egg shell at all. The birds were also suffering from diarrhea. So, despite the fact that chickens can and do eat pretty much everything, not every food is good for them.</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-2238688338466799212009-08-18T18:06:00.001-07:002009-08-18T18:34:54.297-07:00Our Chickens are Grown Up<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dave has been experimenting with various features on his camera. Here are some recent photos he took of our ladies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Below is a White Leghorn and a Maran enjoying corn on the cob that Paula and Brant grew in their garden this summer.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzZiraHlTDnRhp7kkD0OvzseeODH5hIb_wzxUz7tuIm5tmAF60zMGMRhfZF9lWawwSyC0OE99nL2FYKU0id0hRnOk1vloy-GbTL5_aAu-0GZJI1SE98mFNOW5ZCn_ihF5v33v3muWWoI/s1600-h/Two+chickens+in+corn+husks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzZiraHlTDnRhp7kkD0OvzseeODH5hIb_wzxUz7tuIm5tmAF60zMGMRhfZF9lWawwSyC0OE99nL2FYKU0id0hRnOk1vloy-GbTL5_aAu-0GZJI1SE98mFNOW5ZCn_ihF5v33v3muWWoI/s400/Two+chickens+in+corn+husks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371475750046123650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is a Production Red. This breed is a very good egg layer. Her eggs are light brown and larger than the eggs laid by the other chickens.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wzn_15rxEZU/SotSwjnaGMI/AAAAAAAABxA/I6Db4AsoHZg/s1600-h/Chicken_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wzn_15rxEZU/SotSwjnaGMI/AAAAAAAABxA/I6Db4AsoHZg/s400/Chicken_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371477974717176002" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One of our Ameraucanas and our Australorp are sitting on the gate. I had to put up a large piece of cardboard to break them of this habit because they would often jump down on the wrong side of the fence. Some evenings I just didn't have the energy to round them up. They like to make me chase after them.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICBH_3DWbBtY2aZfCWxW-VdNSXorBDXtDjD2nKobQ4HNSGHYE9pGgElFlBBcxrgQ89oBFfQwxr7TprmzecLp8W5R1FCpyLz2IKVFljDYvDiqur7DrtMorytc3D_XKDqrPH9jQuXkQTEc/s1600-h/Ameraucana+and+Austrolope+on+fence.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICBH_3DWbBtY2aZfCWxW-VdNSXorBDXtDjD2nKobQ4HNSGHYE9pGgElFlBBcxrgQ89oBFfQwxr7TprmzecLp8W5R1FCpyLz2IKVFljDYvDiqur7DrtMorytc3D_XKDqrPH9jQuXkQTEc/s400/Ameraucana+and+Austrolope+on+fence.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371476076570541266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A larger photo of the Ameraucana sitting on the gate. In the following photo Liz is holding this bird when it was only a few weeks old. What a difference a few months make!</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> We named one of the Ameraucanas after Liz because they looked so much alike. Now the Ameraucana has cheeks that puff out like a chipmunk's. I am not sure Liz would feel flattered to be compared to the chicken now.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMhRtYsBZlA78fMYQhyuZfHbt-Wxois1R36LVd1Jr7Kl0vMOaZvv_iTTWFCOnx87mLd66iQSXcDMAzMEJvmkbN46h55TFXvp8dK1i7bcfU_z1U4BdK3XxSbVYqKRDKfFd4mDNI0vhlL0/s1600-h/Ameraucana+on+gate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMhRtYsBZlA78fMYQhyuZfHbt-Wxois1R36LVd1Jr7Kl0vMOaZvv_iTTWFCOnx87mLd66iQSXcDMAzMEJvmkbN46h55TFXvp8dK1i7bcfU_z1U4BdK3XxSbVYqKRDKfFd4mDNI0vhlL0/s400/Ameraucana+on+gate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371475939349630674" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONSp0Qdf6_lYUc5tkyftJ8z84k8gL4SnfeuwMb7B_WUh3a_UxEYVefEpGIRAxWQ8iD6XTPqaeGtvzD2clpwfrvhYNrTtxQRnURnPQYfUwtSKL3LEGU43_QEIfDilDblSsztKMnwSo4SQ/s1600-h/liz+holding+chicks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONSp0Qdf6_lYUc5tkyftJ8z84k8gL4SnfeuwMb7B_WUh3a_UxEYVefEpGIRAxWQ8iD6XTPqaeGtvzD2clpwfrvhYNrTtxQRnURnPQYfUwtSKL3LEGU43_QEIfDilDblSsztKMnwSo4SQ/s400/liz+holding+chicks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371479706235980786" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-50461218738068478022009-08-01T21:59:00.000-07:002009-08-02T21:30:08.356-07:00DIY Tune-Up Project<span style="font-style: italic;">Dave -<br /><br />Do you prefer doing a process or a project? The difference is that a "process" doesn't have an end, while a "project" has a definite start and finish. Cleaning the house is a process; yes, you may think that the house is clean, but the fact is, within minutes of having everything spic and span, someone (usually me) is already creating a mess. Our jobs are also processes. While it may be Friday, you are not finished with work, but simply taking a two day respite before returning to the salt mine. Processes - only death will end them.<br /><br />A project, on the other hand, has a definite start and finish. Today I will be writing about a tune-up "project". Rather than take the old BMW K100 RT motorcycle in for a tune-up, I decided that this would be a good DIY project. The service manual clearly states that anyone with a couple of simple tools and the willingness to follow directions can tune-up a bike. Shoot! I have some tools and I have always been good at following directions. As I read the chapter on tune-ups, I jotted down things I would need: oil, spark plugs, coolant...I am feeling comfortable at this point...brake fluid, transmission oil, gear grease, fork oil...okay, I have to admit I am getting a bit out of my comfort range. By the time I finished reading the chapter, I had added gaskets, sealers, special crush washers, O-rings, a couple of special tools, and three types of filters to my list. Now I am very much over my head.<br /><br />Motorcycles are high performing, powerful machines and the oil and coolant that you use in your car will not work in a bike. I spent several hours surfing the web, learning about different kinds of oil and coolant, trying to differentiate between one company's marketing hype and another one's legitimate claim. Then, armed with a list of exactly the right oil and coolant that I would need, I headed to the store. The store didn't carry exactly what I was looking for so I headed to Store #2. Store #2 carried the same stuff as the Store #1. I realized at this point that unless I planned to special order these items, I was going to have to be satisfied with what was on the shelves. I continued on to Store #3 and Store #4 before I had everything on my list. When I got home, I was pretty much sick of this project and decided to spend the remainder of my day doing something else.<br /><br />Day #2: When I ventured into the garage the next morning, the bike sat there surrounded by bottles of oil, coolant, gear grease, and a sundry of other life-giving fluids and two bags of parts and pieces that I had picked up the day before. Here is a bit of information that I found interesting: modern motorcycles have all the same pieces and parts and systems that your car has. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLBAQjGGu5_6Z2IxCEkNoS1zsvxFXr-PTvi-a9rcDW2zK4Z_jvekKiG6yyJh6W3wzvGEOFePF7yvazBcU5LQ83a6wCQYhkrv6P15lYv-G2PxnadqfbnqTWmPX_vumH0a3lM0k0NlnK8/s1600-h/Can+you+say+PROJECT.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWLBAQjGGu5_6Z2IxCEkNoS1zsvxFXr-PTvi-a9rcDW2zK4Z_jvekKiG6yyJh6W3wzvGEOFePF7yvazBcU5LQ83a6wCQYhkrv6P15lYv-G2PxnadqfbnqTWmPX_vumH0a3lM0k0NlnK8/s400/Can+you+say+PROJECT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365417955899702802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Whoever designed this motorcyle crammed all this stuff in a very small package. Working on a motorbike is much like solving a Rubic's Cube - getting the pieces to line up is never as simple as it looks. In the case of the bike, changing something as simple as the air filter requires you to remove something call the “air box”. To remove the air box, you have to remove the gas tank from the bike. Stop! You can’t remove the gas tank until you remove the seat AND the left hand side upper and lower faring. So to change something as simple as the air filter, I had to virtually disassemble the bike. I am NOT making this up! To replace the coolant, the right hand side faring must be removed. The </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">coup de grâce</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > was the requirement to take off the oil pan to remove the oil filter. The day ended with the bike torn apart, but with the oil and coolant successfully changed.<br /><br />Day #3: Today I spent the day figuring out where all the little (and big) pieces of the faring, brackets, and fasteners were supposed to go. The manual was not overly helpful inasmuch as it simply stated something to the effect that reassembly is just a reversal of the disassembly process. Two things to remember in digesting this bit of information is that I took all of the crap apart yesterday and had not the foggiest idea of how I got to the point that I was at now. I started putting pieces together until I ran out of both pieces and fasteners. Actually, I did end up with a big piece of foam that certainly fits somewhere, but I will have to visit the local BMW dealer and ask a mechanic where it is supposed to go.<br /><br />With the bike back together, I was ready to tackle the tasks that could be completed without reducing the bike to a million little pieces. Replacing the spark plugs, transmission fluid, the rear end oil, brake fluid, and suspension fork oil turned out to be fairly straightforward. I was making excellent progress and then Mike called to ask if I would like to help him tune-up his bike. It was like Dante’s three levels of hell…forever another level when you thought things couldn’t get worse.<br /><br />Epilogue: The bike is back together and running better than ever. Mike (with very little help from me) changed the oil and coolant in his bike.</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > My tune-up project is finished. I must say that at times during the last couple of days I thought that my "project" was going to morph into a "process".<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdfNLGRnUGa-4NpNup8py6gf0DKkyBG2FSd_3XhdC2Ej9fVZtXnXEyw_sBMyzXDk5_GrekwiO4F16lLoaSs2d5s_MAU1T24yDR2ixk34m1NfWk9kHShGimEq4vTO500UVgbrNfsW6IuY/s1600-h/Cycle-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdfNLGRnUGa-4NpNup8py6gf0DKkyBG2FSd_3XhdC2Ej9fVZtXnXEyw_sBMyzXDk5_GrekwiO4F16lLoaSs2d5s_MAU1T24yDR2ixk34m1NfWk9kHShGimEq4vTO500UVgbrNfsW6IuY/s400/Cycle-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365422821725764146" border="0" /></a><br />Looking back, I think the project worked out pretty good. I enjoyed working on the bike and working alongside Mike. I did not have a hot rod to tinker with while growing up, so I guess the motorcycle is my hot rod.<br /><br />Special thanks goes to my neighbor, Richard. He is a knowledgeable mechanic who has a ton of really cool tools – many of which I had to borrow over the course of the last couple of days. Without his help and his willingness to loan his tools, the bike would still be in a hundred pieces scattered about the garage.</span></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-24454037998849273942009-07-25T17:54:00.000-07:002009-08-02T19:51:55.870-07:00Another Chicken Farmer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IL1I3OARG5szENW9uJQjw1r4V23UAN62EryJXQXFckWAFoqf13-8TZi8UwzvlNo0DULmjUdKLtBcSa9tsDAqSh7n01YKpK1pab_43tBcEGkdWt8svFi9HLgkDPeFdt79iWIO8oQjveI/s1600-h/Joe+Mueller.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IL1I3OARG5szENW9uJQjw1r4V23UAN62EryJXQXFckWAFoqf13-8TZi8UwzvlNo0DULmjUdKLtBcSa9tsDAqSh7n01YKpK1pab_43tBcEGkdWt8svFi9HLgkDPeFdt79iWIO8oQjveI/s400/Joe+Mueller.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362569201005712226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Dave - </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Do you remember our friend Joe? Flip back several "blog days" to when we initially got involved in honeybees. It turns out that Joe is quite a character. In late May he picked up four day-old chicks and was looking forward to raising them for eggs and maybe chicken soup.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNys7jlEDCeg6UAeJvJPESLyKv7-pILguDAVJU0_zdJ8WUgjbH-wVZEeiyAzifg9P3cOfegzwxaZqTl5tZerLZ5i4Ba-NnSgDOTQihtwhy7LBZREUCe7jxp3x0eFiBR6WwWyTS3yEfbM/s1600-h/Joe+%26+Shirley-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNys7jlEDCeg6UAeJvJPESLyKv7-pILguDAVJU0_zdJ8WUgjbH-wVZEeiyAzifg9P3cOfegzwxaZqTl5tZerLZ5i4Ba-NnSgDOTQihtwhy7LBZREUCe7jxp3x0eFiBR6WwWyTS3yEfbM/s400/Joe+%26+Shirley-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362739398489359810" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Shirley and I find it so refreshing to see our octogenarian friend taking on such a long-term project as chickens typically produce eggs for six years and can live several years after that. Joe is more involved in life than many people half his age - what fun!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Shirley and I dropped by to visit with Joe and his wife, Alice, to hear his chicken stories and to </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >check out his chicken coop. Joe and Alice live in your typical residential neighborhood and they have accumulated the usual stuff that staying in one place for decades brings with it. </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >It was </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >interesting to see how Joe made use of this junk to build his chicken coop.</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >He fashioned a couple of bolts and door fasteners f</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >rom scraps of wood. (Shirley and I, lacking this talent, opted to pick up a couple of metal fasteners at the hardware store.) The pictures tell more of the story.<br /><br />Here is his feeding box. Joe has it stabilized so the birds cannot tip it over.<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1xAKwMVNEgqJBPKtDRfw3iytvTwBDZx2ZdMd_Qf2Il5s3HsrQNHb1N2pfoPMzgjIQnpeYeye8tWrHgkSje8ayM-5S42ZifwhgsDnrQIoew3RnoVIL0XMozXACf2o9aLcoZrLZ6r3FE4/s1600-h/Feeder-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1xAKwMVNEgqJBPKtDRfw3iytvTwBDZx2ZdMd_Qf2Il5s3HsrQNHb1N2pfoPMzgjIQnpeYeye8tWrHgkSje8ayM-5S42ZifwhgsDnrQIoew3RnoVIL0XMozXACf2o9aLcoZrLZ6r3FE4/s400/Feeder-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362743182153459042" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here are his home made latches.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0ifhPguq7YFiiFhGRH3jKiFX_JSQhzv7lD0jOk1pNCynasrFwytMuH2UzCe9u_PTjE_Lumwc1Gu6tjo_AJ8l0ELs0Nzz29ilotsfj2Pu37fqPqjo2z-69CuwVYNpSjxpR1qrBfaeZ7I/s1600-h/Joe's+handiwork-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0ifhPguq7YFiiFhGRH3jKiFX_JSQhzv7lD0jOk1pNCynasrFwytMuH2UzCe9u_PTjE_Lumwc1Gu6tjo_AJ8l0ELs0Nzz29ilotsfj2Pu37fqPqjo2z-69CuwVYNpSjxpR1qrBfaeZ7I/s400/Joe's+handiwork-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362740798670365762" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwUyCOd9tAIqwbjIUpCP7q6Svol8hneZATQGJNZg5Dk8JzyYTs37ytGBs4_utUC2KFtDlROlZ15TOPDLpy47lX98nZTPzM00sma9jZ1jCROjaQP-sDAMXvW1hT0uEgr4L1e_esTNw6ss/s1600-h/Joe's+handiwork-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwUyCOd9tAIqwbjIUpCP7q6Svol8hneZATQGJNZg5Dk8JzyYTs37ytGBs4_utUC2KFtDlROlZ15TOPDLpy47lX98nZTPzM00sma9jZ1jCROjaQP-sDAMXvW1hT0uEgr4L1e_esTNw6ss/s400/Joe's+handiwork-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362742091673990354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Joe set up his chicken coop at the end of his shed. He replaced the roof with a skylight so his "ladies" would not have to spend their time in the dark. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tp2OjmHXDlG17e7SbKjcLIv0_AVhEnwCoiAx_MNNH5CobOmXOpzFk5bNouOhDffTpI1-JjS_Yb_Md9uEPGp5IbgpOwDgDYr1s5qTALNTBCDuCfP_wEapX5VtVsuF1J2wZOxX9naJLPw/s1600-h/Coop-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tp2OjmHXDlG17e7SbKjcLIv0_AVhEnwCoiAx_MNNH5CobOmXOpzFk5bNouOhDffTpI1-JjS_Yb_Md9uEPGp5IbgpOwDgDYr1s5qTALNTBCDuCfP_wEapX5VtVsuF1J2wZOxX9naJLPw/s400/Coop-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362743286354233730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Joe's chickens are thriving in their new home. We all agreed that two of Joe's four chickens are roosters. The birds are still a couple of months from crowing - the sure sign that the "ladies" are really not ladies at all - but the narrow feathers and long tail make it pretty obvious that the two are not ladies.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0jxcBjnQrMP133SKLMnqY584s0LgfxGLkchgFJzqrbMswLYUyr_PrAX03uMbU8TjzdlWd-UkExwydrB0vCrgkhCBjKgSLdL9TGx-LY8ZjvvPS7ya4Bt24S2jadEfPGVufbgNLbC8I78/s1600-h/Joes+chickens-3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0jxcBjnQrMP133SKLMnqY584s0LgfxGLkchgFJzqrbMswLYUyr_PrAX03uMbU8TjzdlWd-UkExwydrB0vCrgkhCBjKgSLdL9TGx-LY8ZjvvPS7ya4Bt24S2jadEfPGVufbgNLbC8I78/s400/Joes+chickens-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365564702397643394" /></a><br /><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-23720697593420438492009-07-19T10:53:00.001-07:002009-07-19T11:00:02.337-07:00Dumpster Diving Treats<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I went to the produce store this morning and after buying some veggies for our meals this week, I went around back to the dumpster to see if there was anything good in there for my birds. About a month or so ago, I had asked one of the store people if I could take some of their leftover produce to feed to my chickens. He said sure but the dumpster would be open to the public only on Saturday when the local enforcement code people were not likely to be snooping around. To my dismay, there was nothing in the dumpster and a guy was moving crates of fresh produce with a forklift so I could barely reach the dumpster even if there had been anything in it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As I pedaled home, I figured my dear chickens would have to make do with scraps that I could scrounge up from my own veggie patch.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Later in the day, I decided to give the dumpster another try. It was 103 degrees outside, but my chickens were worth the sacrifice. So I loaded my panniers down with plastic bags and returned to the produce store. The photo says it all.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjeJ6R2nu5MP2DfWxXCfF_fQGoU7vCS5he7f8_sXvr6G8bWO1bX2vU8_Uqf_Sij25R3G1PrDzSJwT_JWO27DhSUhq6jZoE6m-sOa6Nq1Tt3IGkmr295NSEU4HpG6RazltnldhtJI62NQ/s1600-h/Dumpster+diving+treats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjeJ6R2nu5MP2DfWxXCfF_fQGoU7vCS5he7f8_sXvr6G8bWO1bX2vU8_Uqf_Sij25R3G1PrDzSJwT_JWO27DhSUhq6jZoE6m-sOa6Nq1Tt3IGkmr295NSEU4HpG6RazltnldhtJI62NQ/s400/Dumpster+diving+treats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360231093424996690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">As you can see, my fridge is pretty full now. Those bags are stuffed with romaine lettuce leaves, cherries, two whole heads of iceberg lettuce, 2 whole heads of cauliflower, several stalks of celery, tomatoes, spinach, beets, eggplant . . . If you come to my house, be careful what you grab from my fridge. If it looks like a tossed salad, you may want to pass on this as it is likely chicken food!</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-29328201136362096082009-07-17T05:16:00.000-07:002009-07-17T07:27:17.284-07:00Update on Our Chickens<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Back to the subject of chickens.<br /><br />Since my last entry, we had to find a home for another </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">chicken; the Rhode Island Red was also a rooster. We gave him to an acquaintance who lives on four acres in Martinez. Needless to say I cried over losing him too, although I hear that he is adjusting to his new yard and family.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our ten remaining chickens are definitely females. We are collecting three eggs a day - one from a Maran (a small, dark chocolate egg), one from a Production Red (a little larger, tan colored egg), and just yesterday our White Leghorn popped out her first white egg! In another month we should be collecting six to seven eggs a day. Since these first eggs are so small, Dave needs three of them for a decent scrambled egg.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5geiUkEbrQhngCsOCkXChyphenhyphenwH2BlZna1ifXT-WzUTNwxIoi_fNHiyGCmh3VsuQeZ7m0sMxsZxLYbVYWaNbXupCg3TTVz4k4zuLfo0RK7fNy4jHowu6dIDl1ICQ5BOpoWd3Bzrppcw0qc/s1600-h/Pauli's+first+egg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5geiUkEbrQhngCsOCkXChyphenhyphenwH2BlZna1ifXT-WzUTNwxIoi_fNHiyGCmh3VsuQeZ7m0sMxsZxLYbVYWaNbXupCg3TTVz4k4zuLfo0RK7fNy4jHowu6dIDl1ICQ5BOpoWd3Bzrppcw0qc/s400/Pauli's+first+egg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359403431320061794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Without Elvis in charge, the chickens no longer move about as a cohesive group. I guess it takes a rooster to keep them in line. I often wonder if they think I am the rooster. They do not seem to he</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ad to the hen house in the evening until I go outside to remind them that it is time to go to bed. Bedtime is now 8:30 PM. Without Elvis, the birds find their spot in the chicken coop and quietly go to sleep. Several birds crowd into the three nesting boxes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Dave took several photos the other evening. As you can see, our </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">birds are getting bigger and look like chickens. This is a Maran.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6TYA589juUiXppIWO0EL-8j7wQ7frXbfA19jGVZ6vQD3j2ZIqdz24BMyFxM8aseXn6L3ITvNCav9ypKUHZ1PdwK_DnEV29BesLo9kI_RElaYcGzrXC4m7v7htkkZcUdlTV3jz8ZCLoM/s1600-h/Chicken+in+coop-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6TYA589juUiXppIWO0EL-8j7wQ7frXbfA19jGVZ6vQD3j2ZIqdz24BMyFxM8aseXn6L3ITvNCav9ypKUHZ1PdwK_DnEV29BesLo9kI_RElaYcGzrXC4m7v7htkkZcUdlTV3jz8ZCLoM/s400/Chicken+in+coop-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359406580152763602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is an Ameraucana. She will lay a greenish blue egg.<br /></span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4UDiv0nyB2V3CYMvYnFnHF4wsd-m4FCYvVhXj1s_p5zztYec3N9OVz0mI-Ak5PiZalhrCUCYWFVKuwyOp_XALGWs_sjlPX4ID2Ev7Xw5XQi970uRWhzKNshC265uKB6Ql68Mfqeu0xk/s1600-h/Ameraucana+on+gate.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4UDiv0nyB2V3CYMvYnFnHF4wsd-m4FCYvVhXj1s_p5zztYec3N9OVz0mI-Ak5PiZalhrCUCYWFVKuwyOp_XALGWs_sjlPX4ID2Ev7Xw5XQi970uRWhzKNshC265uKB6Ql68Mfqeu0xk/s400/Ameraucana+on+gate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359405912643450322" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Here is Polly enjoying corn on the cob before calling it a day. Every Saturday morning I pedal to the produce store and fill several bags with 'old' pro</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">duce to feed my birds. They really like pecking at the fresh kernels of corn.<br /><br /></span> <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDj0zFd9Ixp5rstIa4X0lckO_dqG5G8P9z79QxWMqWKqBK0ngNdkk1dXifICGzfn-rbudmatnpOuTFoM5ReNXl-8up2LcFM5in53IXAk4cVOGg4iIjsLvoQYiqdt61ysUCTrGGFWv-ZdA/s1600-h/Pauli.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDj0zFd9Ixp5rstIa4X0lckO_dqG5G8P9z79QxWMqWKqBK0ngNdkk1dXifICGzfn-rbudmatnpOuTFoM5ReNXl-8up2LcFM5in53IXAk4cVOGg4iIjsLvoQYiqdt61ysUCTrGGFWv-ZdA/s400/Pauli.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359406766969370018" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And here is me securing the coop for the night.<br /><br /></span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGDnJCEmnqst76QBk2PiEkqmRukraCgOhJKA_UKmIN0AqZxVc63F5Kcrsfm2tYnZ57gvJ075Qe_fhXmrBmvA9w21twxHLv-tgHMtB5vP1Dk0L9tJhWahBa0as86vi8nxoAobmIPxdusE/s1600-h/Shirley+locking+up+the+chickens+for+the+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGDnJCEmnqst76QBk2PiEkqmRukraCgOhJKA_UKmIN0AqZxVc63F5Kcrsfm2tYnZ57gvJ075Qe_fhXmrBmvA9w21twxHLv-tgHMtB5vP1Dk0L9tJhWahBa0as86vi8nxoAobmIPxdusE/s400/Shirley+locking+up+the+chickens+for+the+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359407977291440402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-618058400546952862009-07-11T18:34:00.000-07:002009-07-11T20:46:41.078-07:00Bike Restoration - The Final Chapter<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711126099/" title="bike by dwmadsen, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3711126099_cc559d2be8.jpg" alt="bike" width="500" height="308" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Dave -<br /><br />Finished! After assessing what we had on our hands (other than grease), the project morphed from a "restoration" project to a "paint, clean, and lube" project. Old parts are difficult to find and current design is certainly superior to the components found on bicycles 45 years ago. Overall, the project has been enjoyable. My next project will probably be another bike from the past, but probably from the '80s, not the '60s. I would like to find a chromoly steel frame (as opposed to aluminum or carbon fiber) and build the ultimate touring bike. Ah...something to dream about.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For a couple of other pictures of the finished project check out:</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711126071/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711126071/in/photostream/</a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711936730/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711936730/in/photostream/</a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711125933/in/photostream/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/34610497@N07/3711125933/in/photostream/</a><br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-8002556705990106912009-07-07T16:00:00.000-07:002009-07-07T20:21:25.899-07:00Bike Restoration - Part II<span style="font-style:italic;">Dave - <br />The bike restoration project sped along full speed until it abruptly hit a wall. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the wheels did not match. I'm not talking about some subtle differences, I'm talking about blatant differences - one has an alloy or satin finish and the other wheel has a heavy chrome finish. Of course no self-respecting bike mechanic would allow this, so I have been scouring the Internet for inexpensive used bike wheels. I think that I may have found someone that has what I am looking for. Of course I thought this to be the case last week and upon inspection the wheels were no better than what I have.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhJO-EgiiPIHD3VsngmlBbIbMB10p9YsUkhDIAtox6kLPnGoPhm5um8TqoEQFOUKgXKyzAZPqbYVG8F71SmFusjYZ1knswxsroYNjGohf_bQHvLRh_UOjet-khPI0IyIZgTHWH6U0yhA/s1600-h/work+bench.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhJO-EgiiPIHD3VsngmlBbIbMB10p9YsUkhDIAtox6kLPnGoPhm5um8TqoEQFOUKgXKyzAZPqbYVG8F71SmFusjYZ1knswxsroYNjGohf_bQHvLRh_UOjet-khPI0IyIZgTHWH6U0yhA/s400/work+bench.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355858009725342002" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;">I had the rear derailleur to clean and lubricate so I took on this job last week. As the picture shows, my work bench is the top of the trash container. While some would feel that this is no way to tackle a project, I have to say that it works well for a procrastinator like myself. The trash container goes to the curb on Thursday night so this forces me to finish what I am working on before then. It is my motivator since I would be at a lost if I had to disturb the reassembly order. <br /><br />Speaking of reassembly, I have fooled around with bike parts over the years but I have never encountered the complexity that seems to define British engineering. Those of you that own British cars can certainly attest to the nightmare-infused package of parts that the British refer to as 'engineering'. Case in point, most derailleurs have about 15 parts; this derailleur has 27 parts - not counting the 15 ball bearings in each of the pulleys. I reassembled the derailleur and ended up with two extra parts. I re-reassembled it two more times until I finally ran out of parts - I figured that at this point I was done.<br /><br />To date the bike has been stripped, primed and painted. No, it isn't perfect. I justify the $87 spent on sandpaper, cleaning fluid, primer, paint, and buffer pads as an "investment" in a project that Mike and I are enjoying. The alternative would have been to take it to a paint shop and just write a check for $155; what fun is that? (Of course, I am told that the professionally painted frame would have been really, really nice.)<br /><br />Once I have some wheels, it should be just another four or five hours and the bike will be ready to be enjoyed on streets, bike paths, bike lanes, and an occasional sidewalk.</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-23343093142120194622009-07-07T05:04:00.000-07:002009-07-07T05:31:00.625-07:00Egg-citing News!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My chickens are 19 1/2 weeks old. On July 4th, I noticed one of the Marans sitting in the nesting box, tossing strands of straw at her back. I thought for sure she was going to lay an egg but she didn't. None of our girls had laid any eggs but I figured this would change shortly as most chickens start laying around 20 weeks.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_NJ6WGoJWhmegF9YvNSWYtAbNtcjfwhexwQPpuDuL_zTmkUvm90MyLliVuIZ2ug9tvfxloAH5xIPyFDXGyfWF4iiPctdwUiF2RjO3vGU0Lzm0B_KbaDaHP-yLCQec6tPWZn0auqHf1A/s1600-h/Maran+pretending+to+lay+egg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_NJ6WGoJWhmegF9YvNSWYtAbNtcjfwhexwQPpuDuL_zTmkUvm90MyLliVuIZ2ug9tvfxloAH5xIPyFDXGyfWF4iiPctdwUiF2RjO3vGU0Lzm0B_KbaDaHP-yLCQec6tPWZn0auqHf1A/s400/Maran+pretending+to+lay+egg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355689920194365186" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When I checked on the chickens yesterday afternoon, this is what I found in the middle nesting box:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLS4A-PbfWDyOBBBQXww3YnjDSZYXmslyz9fXChu5AdD3b3P_VCLwlpGx09Vx7W_vO1saZ-IG-EZpOd-jWN9aHtujjVmzJ849TMWdU06KweHSxlh-wxQysvYk3vypAiAws1aZNRsdeJs/s1600-h/Egg+in+nesting+box.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLS4A-PbfWDyOBBBQXww3YnjDSZYXmslyz9fXChu5AdD3b3P_VCLwlpGx09Vx7W_vO1saZ-IG-EZpOd-jWN9aHtujjVmzJ849TMWdU06KweHSxlh-wxQysvYk3vypAiAws1aZNRsdeJs/s400/Egg+in+nesting+box.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355690033440253410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Our very first egg! Based on its color, this belongs to one of the Production Reds as Marans produce very dark chocolate brown colored eggs.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiKOf5ZGyMVm_gVJguwctWjQYvTq4owlbYPOSLaS-eNE_TSlsgs7Lcm-c5LHoQcCZB8Z9VNWHcVSUCP0cQn4ePOZHGv_O9dkiYqn9zUp8e561rCRCEwG3hdmIG7jM5cImKYhfHrV5gLA/s1600-h/Chicken+surprise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiKOf5ZGyMVm_gVJguwctWjQYvTq4owlbYPOSLaS-eNE_TSlsgs7Lcm-c5LHoQcCZB8Z9VNWHcVSUCP0cQn4ePOZHGv_O9dkiYqn9zUp8e561rCRCEwG3hdmIG7jM5cImKYhfHrV5gLA/s400/Chicken+surprise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355690115361481346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dave fried the first egg for his dinner and to our surprise, this one had a double yolk! What a fortuitous sign. FYI, the cholesterol in free range eggs is good for you so having a double yolk does not mean you are increasing your cholesterol intake.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjDAkpfTSD-8J4l54CoJfbUdrHAsH1kcdnbGMWZmUIDp3llUDOhUaxMYbvs-p2cTPrHY4T54p2tHfqyl8qi0UkTLcSftTI-DERuEC4q_r2_fHLJwUpOC3wAyOx-FXg_WuEJrYh5Su0tM/s1600-h/Wow!+a+double+yoke.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjDAkpfTSD-8J4l54CoJfbUdrHAsH1kcdnbGMWZmUIDp3llUDOhUaxMYbvs-p2cTPrHY4T54p2tHfqyl8qi0UkTLcSftTI-DERuEC4q_r2_fHLJwUpOC3wAyOx-FXg_WuEJrYh5Su0tM/s400/Wow!+a+double+yoke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355690249495717922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Check out our new rooster plate!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkHk2zGNtNWY6IByZ_7bUxXO1rU4zaQOHSHXpCI8dh6iz2Fdsn-3ND4i96FInM91kkXzDsPmT49CYJ0z2xmf8UQiOHfRNk9purOCKysKyBCfRxlo2Tp_5Xro2skaVkGDM3KWFX0iaoZc/s1600-h/last+bite.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkHk2zGNtNWY6IByZ_7bUxXO1rU4zaQOHSHXpCI8dh6iz2Fdsn-3ND4i96FInM91kkXzDsPmT49CYJ0z2xmf8UQiOHfRNk9purOCKysKyBCfRxlo2Tp_5Xro2skaVkGDM3KWFX0iaoZc/s400/last+bite.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355690350123951842" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Below is a photo Dave took of Amelia, Bedelia, and Fredericka sitting on the gate. We often find them here in the evening. So far they have shown no desire to jump to 'freedom.'</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfceuANCsu379cJDRdAW1QcBm0IuUd2by66P5r2ExeKr0xts8UR11m3Fm9V4JyB4qSxUkWQiYCGtTRlXe5nRc00ZDMtAoW5Yb38N4_cKVN1GspC5fHatrH0Y3WPAsIsbrAymCj5a5Tpbc/s1600-h/A+couple+of+Ameraucanas+and+a+blackbird.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfceuANCsu379cJDRdAW1QcBm0IuUd2by66P5r2ExeKr0xts8UR11m3Fm9V4JyB4qSxUkWQiYCGtTRlXe5nRc00ZDMtAoW5Yb38N4_cKVN1GspC5fHatrH0Y3WPAsIsbrAymCj5a5Tpbc/s400/A+couple+of+Ameraucanas+and+a+blackbird.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355690489370190834" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-41750397692951918322009-07-02T04:26:00.000-07:002009-07-02T11:42:09.713-07:00Chickens in the Family<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuhUVWmBOcPFuGqOMID0pk-y-FgwvKiRD2GHu8Hxpa2eVvqg7uD_0vLV7qClW3nXlwtfyjqqLZ7_-QI7d-0CoDzwstYtFoqwgWhadhiWUfYN70odi2U6Z6F52X22YPlmO65iZMvYlaM8/s1600-h/Bob's+chicks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpuhUVWmBOcPFuGqOMID0pk-y-FgwvKiRD2GHu8Hxpa2eVvqg7uD_0vLV7qClW3nXlwtfyjqqLZ7_-QI7d-0CoDzwstYtFoqwgWhadhiWUfYN70odi2U6Z6F52X22YPlmO65iZMvYlaM8/s400/Bob's+chicks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353823932617292162" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My father-in-law attended a family reunion this past weekend and when he saw this photo he decided to share it with me. Apparently Dave's great aunt and uncle (the Lloyd Kuckers) were also in the 'chicken business'. Picture circa 1940.<br /></span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-5028309154362953532009-06-27T21:15:00.000-07:002009-06-28T06:13:46.843-07:00A Different Project<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Dave<br /><br />Let's take a break from the farm life for awhile. Enough with the construction projects, the fencing projects, the bees, and the chickens. While these are interesting - and continue to occupy a portion of my daily routine - I have recently embarked on another project: the restoration of an old bicycle.<br /><br />Bicycles define our family. Shirley prefers to bicycle rather than drive. In fact, she drives the car about once a month. Shirley does everything by bike: grocery shopping, running errands, even attending birthday parties, church services, and funerals by bicycle. Our daughter and her husband ride their bikes to work and to run errands, and our son, Mike, has recently expressed an interest in becoming re-acquainted with a bicycle </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >- after driving his car non-stop for the last three years </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >.<br /><br />I have lost my fascination and craving for the lightest, fastest and newest bicycle. My bike is about 15 years old and Shirley's is even older. Our bikes are workhorses with comfortable saddles (seats to the non-cyclists), panniers (bags on the back for hauling everything from 48 rolls of toilet paper from Costco, the cat carrier with a couple of cats, to 50 pounds of flour), and low gearing to enable us to climb the hills in the East Bay.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUod5At1iZDoWSICBUp13JbunvPIgf_XAMqnRp34KCOYw4HBpcBA-xZwsO35k1Q44C_3tl0Irt5ZRYLbzKFG3-bBmvCNBYbhQxsmAaOrU5Ed4z8JPSeKa1rcap7ZWEAZvc9YOXMeppTg/s1600-h/picture.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUod5At1iZDoWSICBUp13JbunvPIgf_XAMqnRp34KCOYw4HBpcBA-xZwsO35k1Q44C_3tl0Irt5ZRYLbzKFG3-bBmvCNBYbhQxsmAaOrU5Ed4z8JPSeKa1rcap7ZWEAZvc9YOXMeppTg/s400/picture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352229056074268034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >But lest I digress too much, let's get back to the new "project". After weeks of checking Craigslist, I found an old Carlton (British bicycle) that was hand-built from Reynolds 531 tubing in 1964. This bike has seen better days and the technology, while functional, is certainly not on par with new bikes being sold today. But this is not a project about building some exotic racing machine. Rather, this is a father/son project. Mike and I decided that it would be fun to restore this the Carlton to its original condition. Our plan was to sand the frame, knock off the rust, scrape off the gunk, replace a few broken or missing parts, true the wheels, grease the bearings, oil the chain, and put some air in the tires. This goal was pretty straightforward until Day 1. The bike - being of British ancestry - was built to exacting standards. Unfortunately, these "exacting standards" happen to be the manufacturer's standards which are different from other British bicycle standards, French standards, Italian standards, Japanese standards, and the standards adhered to by the handful of bicycle manufactures that were making bicycles in the U.S. The threads are different and every nut and bolt seems to be a different size. I have come across two bolts that I have yet to find either a metric or standard wrench that will fit it, and the right side of the crank has reverse threads! Disassembling this bike was like solving the Rubic's Cube!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >So, over the next couple of weeks, I will take you through some of our work on this project. The following photo shows Mike prepari</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >ng the fork for a coat of primer and hopefully some new paint.</span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vOOQfOVDT6bTOxkiXCwGmfDT_3yimuBqDOvMdI3CQzTeiaYFKCN7-v5LvgQ_8xWzQHs7xPAHMXOYJT02-3eX8eMU9zhiQl-KeGLLcyLxb0lyxdadbrQMpOU8NqO9DhuwqWgegpR1ITw/s1600-h/Mike+sanding+forks.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vOOQfOVDT6bTOxkiXCwGmfDT_3yimuBqDOvMdI3CQzTeiaYFKCN7-v5LvgQ_8xWzQHs7xPAHMXOYJT02-3eX8eMU9zhiQl-KeGLLcyLxb0lyxdadbrQMpOU8NqO9DhuwqWgegpR1ITw/s400/Mike+sanding+forks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352228990514192754" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-58348643154025875692009-06-10T04:57:00.000-07:002009-06-10T05:25:42.879-07:00Alert: Swarm in the Area<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The other day when I was watering the blueberries on the hill, I noticed that one of the bushes was a-buzz with bees. Dave suspected that it was a swarm and later we noticed that the bees in this swarm were trying to 'break in' to one of our hives. "Our" bees managed to hold them off.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yesterday, Dave and I actually saw a swarm of bees attached to a bush on the hill. Dave called a member of the Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association to see if anyone wanted a swarm to fill an empty hive. Brad said he would pick it up for Steve Gentry, a local beekeeper who manages over 100 beehives around town. Steve is all into bees and beeswax products. He sells his honey for $9 a pound at the produce store and farmer's markets.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Diane, a friend, stopped by to visit at the same time Brad arrived to remove our swarm. It was a good thing she was here too as we needed something for this guy to transport the swarm in. She happened to have an empty 5 gallon paint bucket in her trunk that she was taking to the dump.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dave told Brad that we did not want to pay the usual $50 swarm removal fee. If no one wanted the swarm, we would let it be and eventually it would leave on its own. Dave and Diane went to Ace Hardware to pick up paint straining cloth. This is breathable material with a rubber band that fits perfectly over the 5 gallon bucket. Brad donned Dave's bee suit – a tight fit as he is a huge guy, Dave cut the limb, and the guy lifted the swarm into the bucket. All done. If we had had an extra bee hive we could have adopted the swarm ourselves.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Diane left shortly after the excitement was over and Patrick, our neighbor, came down to find out what we were doing. He was fascinated by the 'humming' bucket and the warmth the bees had generated in such a short time in the bucket. It is just our luck – this is the first swarm we have seen in our area and we cannot keep it because we don’t have an empty hive.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Number of bee stings - 1. Dave and I will need to invest in different gloves as the ones we loaned to Brad are not bee proof. Brad has been stung before and did not make a big deal about it.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXR0xyjeqpXVzOK8xfRj2jDmqoJ_hVOv6twlnpNbQWwXTeWx3SEfo31AhHsQWHvh8_h3O28pVdv0PACklSWlMpZtwa-nCIYCvCxXaqc632YKQy2cX0x5Y7zI17IzYoxjs0Pq170V4LSQ/s1600-h/First+sighting+of+swarm-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXR0xyjeqpXVzOK8xfRj2jDmqoJ_hVOv6twlnpNbQWwXTeWx3SEfo31AhHsQWHvh8_h3O28pVdv0PACklSWlMpZtwa-nCIYCvCxXaqc632YKQy2cX0x5Y7zI17IzYoxjs0Pq170V4LSQ/s400/First+sighting+of+swarm-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667412392891186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85wqahnKhwXmdQGKvU3o2IshyphenhyphenPuxzOFvtFeiFgXxBEj3L3axqueBgyTXO20w-xSoCPyV2g7GFFgtnjGsRstqCwv-7pjQ2d3kgTFT9UcPpeQMgBMJzR1XcFKeGpWjW8yOlBkEGtfTiw1w/s1600-h/Swarm-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh85wqahnKhwXmdQGKvU3o2IshyphenhyphenPuxzOFvtFeiFgXxBEj3L3axqueBgyTXO20w-xSoCPyV2g7GFFgtnjGsRstqCwv-7pjQ2d3kgTFT9UcPpeQMgBMJzR1XcFKeGpWjW8yOlBkEGtfTiw1w/s400/Swarm-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345668232372113298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaVxzNCL-9PJ-KIbn3AvPcw4CeVP5dNyoZ1zYsBKln8_obJfO-g0jWSR-LSbJ8mxUhlaKnSrZ0kOySVUWMJSJooB1sA_C32LlXPpNJ6PUGteYzD_OIQ_ecvHqGzVUjZNfCPjo1Fhqme8/s1600-h/Swarm-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaVxzNCL-9PJ-KIbn3AvPcw4CeVP5dNyoZ1zYsBKln8_obJfO-g0jWSR-LSbJ8mxUhlaKnSrZ0kOySVUWMJSJooB1sA_C32LlXPpNJ6PUGteYzD_OIQ_ecvHqGzVUjZNfCPjo1Fhqme8/s400/Swarm-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345668137503943570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF8tUYaKFALP0Q9XDt-AjsMxACy6MmYMViJmo1Fmw-CazOmP9U6BXAsNH4yCE_BTP2qPzvP1rXfcWd2SOrwitGsHVqMql5M0027fFtyiNyHWJSQ90xPQ155ISnC1qaQNLpc6XO9NvOmk/s1600-h/Swarm-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF8tUYaKFALP0Q9XDt-AjsMxACy6MmYMViJmo1Fmw-CazOmP9U6BXAsNH4yCE_BTP2qPzvP1rXfcWd2SOrwitGsHVqMql5M0027fFtyiNyHWJSQ90xPQ155ISnC1qaQNLpc6XO9NvOmk/s400/Swarm-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345668052947525266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8FDV-FzpiLg7MJ7CF91xTOz6kYYXIzh6OHvhqUN_jwQR7tJtiwS2JUVLq8olfwo2v9L7yIEDwq5fSbycT3d3jOueau-t2AFB7L27ArZDFLgfJSrqVrNjEF1WBMmUByxWkylEntcLRuM/s1600-h/Swarm-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8FDV-FzpiLg7MJ7CF91xTOz6kYYXIzh6OHvhqUN_jwQR7tJtiwS2JUVLq8olfwo2v9L7yIEDwq5fSbycT3d3jOueau-t2AFB7L27ArZDFLgfJSrqVrNjEF1WBMmUByxWkylEntcLRuM/s400/Swarm-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667963313527426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKkQxnEuVaZ23b4iebSToGeyqFd8Gqi8xHR-b6KX5za14tzPe6w2zSCIpYbYgXuSqSNFUK_fW9pA1ts9kf-32vbf69FwLSXP06LbbdJwoJa6QxeGKwys_-duh6bRc_KxOjdI09XpNIrQ/s1600-h/Swarm-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKkQxnEuVaZ23b4iebSToGeyqFd8Gqi8xHR-b6KX5za14tzPe6w2zSCIpYbYgXuSqSNFUK_fW9pA1ts9kf-32vbf69FwLSXP06LbbdJwoJa6QxeGKwys_-duh6bRc_KxOjdI09XpNIrQ/s400/Swarm-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667880610474834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmxh7oaJjnQgZ8QU_lJ6jMyRF-DQjG7wm9WNs_zpbchOdraXzWNr8M6vigMbj6ZEgFDLcBSNByve1rItz_S0uogf_Bt6soyu8iA1b_Ln8oliGO33KK2oY55KUcYXo2hT71qckPWPN7oQ/s1600-h/Swarm-6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmxh7oaJjnQgZ8QU_lJ6jMyRF-DQjG7wm9WNs_zpbchOdraXzWNr8M6vigMbj6ZEgFDLcBSNByve1rItz_S0uogf_Bt6soyu8iA1b_Ln8oliGO33KK2oY55KUcYXo2hT71qckPWPN7oQ/s400/Swarm-6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667770682893986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsNzRfOHy9b5tsxo4tsjXojszF2yUmDlv2jpH7EY3CNylj6ERE4P00gYDNyr7z1lN09zkXuHqRBplo1reAbgss2SYvo-ap3c8tsUOqhQ5gHSWFroYYGjD67cZURcvFer35TCiBE6w3VY/s1600-h/Swarm-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsNzRfOHy9b5tsxo4tsjXojszF2yUmDlv2jpH7EY3CNylj6ERE4P00gYDNyr7z1lN09zkXuHqRBplo1reAbgss2SYvo-ap3c8tsUOqhQ5gHSWFroYYGjD67cZURcvFer35TCiBE6w3VY/s400/Swarm-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667702606475810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzdhJkSYM_ZZAAq4MzZa0wFTNyaqM_S_8T4S6_2pxz2kP5Op8a9VP31dXkIEQVw9VbGQ2U_g8aW7U5ql17eszBnvLgotAKf9kWYK5KCpXBnWMduMV4_22KDyhuyu2AbiyAUkVtmyDGT0/s1600-h/Swarm-8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzdhJkSYM_ZZAAq4MzZa0wFTNyaqM_S_8T4S6_2pxz2kP5Op8a9VP31dXkIEQVw9VbGQ2U_g8aW7U5ql17eszBnvLgotAKf9kWYK5KCpXBnWMduMV4_22KDyhuyu2AbiyAUkVtmyDGT0/s400/Swarm-8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667627238855810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WuRVDd6Gu53QC3A__vBOdKW8D8UZc92zh43PHhz7NdwfTverP1DMGCMvv1i3-rLkFXYAdj_91JdxiJhHdDqd01ArPdGIFo2ZWDXDbxhvrMmPpkfo-63T5m_OPP-qV51UTV-hYzMK41c/s1600-h/Swarm-9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WuRVDd6Gu53QC3A__vBOdKW8D8UZc92zh43PHhz7NdwfTverP1DMGCMvv1i3-rLkFXYAdj_91JdxiJhHdDqd01ArPdGIFo2ZWDXDbxhvrMmPpkfo-63T5m_OPP-qV51UTV-hYzMK41c/s400/Swarm-9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345667551656156146" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-20717415980483271822009-06-09T06:01:00.000-07:002009-06-09T06:49:31.118-07:00Good Night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKI1QR3qckBVo2nKI6HoQcTRFPSoevDy5QT39wrwVpVQHbk5JWTInbrwX4Z0GSFAeeATk_h-TaTMCfVzOAQqn7xvlMUNM5LgyOaDlorJh3wxrS6N7cwDTsejr1xHq3AqCHLQGg4jJKC4/s1600-h/Scoping+out+the+sleeping+quarters+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKI1QR3qckBVo2nKI6HoQcTRFPSoevDy5QT39wrwVpVQHbk5JWTInbrwX4Z0GSFAeeATk_h-TaTMCfVzOAQqn7xvlMUNM5LgyOaDlorJh3wxrS6N7cwDTsejr1xHq3AqCHLQGg4jJKC4/s400/Scoping+out+the+sleeping+quarters+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345324117958389650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is fun to watch the chickens put themselves to bed at night. Unlike most children, they do not need any coaxing.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The chickens head for the hen house at about 8:20 PM. A few chickens actually go in a few minutes earlier - perhaps to secure the best roosting spot. Some of the birds scramble up the ramp, check out who is already roosting, then head back outside to dig up another bug or seed before calling it a day.<br /><br /></span> <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME_v4FSutsfm8ihyPgVmu9bN2U-Lvr98ynx9yvPyjfwYUv8wEIp2d4WWfeseAO3p_8jYz5VU9oupPBtEizTZTCB6aZZCllI54JPgN5kHc8OZksfR0Zcga8taVpuIMeCKKUPAb8NBGiug/s1600-h/Maran+checking+out+chicken+house.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME_v4FSutsfm8ihyPgVmu9bN2U-Lvr98ynx9yvPyjfwYUv8wEIp2d4WWfeseAO3p_8jYz5VU9oupPBtEizTZTCB6aZZCllI54JPgN5kHc8OZksfR0Zcga8taVpuIMeCKKUPAb8NBGiug/s400/Maran+checking+out+chicken+house.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345322593081744130" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Most of the older chickens think they belong to a private club and do their best to intimidate and prevent the Bobbsey Twins (as I have nick-named the two youngest chicks because they stick together like glue and look exaclty alike) from entering the hen house. After a lot of commotion, pushing and shoving, and sometimes even a little pecking, everyone finds a place to sleep.</span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J21XP2c0JxqjGuczel2atEUVujMEs83nMfEhg4qZ4PZB9Mvro7fv79kaysMQ8vsOT-wUkcHkthTTRGhe5ci5Vw6aaZkVrcklEkjdpDsJyYqX4eB2MP0z_VLfuROWPbEypllQU4W9LjQ/s1600-h/Bobbsey+Twins+settled+in+for+the+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J21XP2c0JxqjGuczel2atEUVujMEs83nMfEhg4qZ4PZB9Mvro7fv79kaysMQ8vsOT-wUkcHkthTTRGhe5ci5Vw6aaZkVrcklEkjdpDsJyYqX4eB2MP0z_VLfuROWPbEypllQU4W9LjQ/s400/Bobbsey+Twins+settled+in+for+the+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345322679707846738" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The chickens are calm at this time of the day, so you can pet them to your heart's content. Their feathers are surprisingly soft. I always wish our gals a good night and give them a heads up if there is something special going on the next day. Then I put their feed in the house and lock them up so they are safe from racoons, possums, and other nightly 'predators.'</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUsk67gZywrBseHjHOhE-HYr9lNogREi0cVoZIc1KdjdHYnfMYomBBtpofFWqEnNTGQb4nLp2FbSIHTaLSm32a0WViX3IfGgcMpu1Lc1JQn8Cb9L4pum2FbUZtd7nwyBOp-x10gDps8g/s1600-h/Packed+in+for+the+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUsk67gZywrBseHjHOhE-HYr9lNogREi0cVoZIc1KdjdHYnfMYomBBtpofFWqEnNTGQb4nLp2FbSIHTaLSm32a0WViX3IfGgcMpu1Lc1JQn8Cb9L4pum2FbUZtd7nwyBOp-x10gDps8g/s400/Packed+in+for+the+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345322832101820594" border="0" /></a>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-57234111623170401882009-06-09T05:54:00.001-07:002009-06-09T06:50:34.129-07:00Just Like Me!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My friends and family know how crazy I am about popcorn. As it turns out, my chickens enjoy popcorn too. Paula brought over a bowl of leftover herb coated popcorn. Since Dave and I prefer plain popcorn, I served this to our gals for breakfast. They scarfed it right up.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS4pIrCzxv5bi2EP5ILHj_tjhVLLsOoGTq92khYeU2On5ghjUzMEVBUXHix1MCuC1AY6CaQyebnQ3_rs4tljFY8FMQKe0_Vl5-Yi46d4NhpLLdPZaDWtFanuB6-gDlJ0RXIFUG19Yub4/s1600-h/Yummy+popcorn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS4pIrCzxv5bi2EP5ILHj_tjhVLLsOoGTq92khYeU2On5ghjUzMEVBUXHix1MCuC1AY6CaQyebnQ3_rs4tljFY8FMQKe0_Vl5-Yi46d4NhpLLdPZaDWtFanuB6-gDlJ0RXIFUG19Yub4/s400/Yummy+popcorn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345311467664805042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1pHOlVoo78ir3yTEl3thwUm5I6q9dkcp1EXdJvLUhOnITLHehKdTMQxt3jiSBBcr0LCrVCNUX5bOHdDWSMgwkix30FfKG7kCyhlS1msVk3V8rTJqdjWWduihRHTSYtyb4Xdr8hn05vk/s1600-h/Polly+likes+popcorn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1pHOlVoo78ir3yTEl3thwUm5I6q9dkcp1EXdJvLUhOnITLHehKdTMQxt3jiSBBcr0LCrVCNUX5bOHdDWSMgwkix30FfKG7kCyhlS1msVk3V8rTJqdjWWduihRHTSYtyb4Xdr8hn05vk/s400/Polly+likes+popcorn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345311364549385234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Our chickens also like to chew on the leaves of my rose bushes. I will take steps to replant those today before there is nothing left of them.</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5483023461284469599.post-56725169388240769492009-05-30T19:57:00.000-07:002009-06-02T21:51:52.202-07:00Fencing...done<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dave -</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><br /><br />I believe the fencing project is coming to an end. I refrain from claiming completion since these type of projects tend to have one more little task that needs to be done - just ask any farmer. Shirley and I installed the last two sections of fence; both came with problems - oh, why can't projects just go as planned?<br /><br />My first challenge was to find something to anchor the come-a-long that I use to stretch tight the wire fencing. Since my neighbor was not home, I solved my problem by tying a borrowed rope to his tree about 60 feet away. After securing the wire fence to the corner posts, I proceeded to set the metal posts. Here is where I ran into a stone wall. More accurately, it was not a stone wall, but rather a stone hill. I was able to drive one of the posts only a foot deep. Shirley's fixation on uniformity dictated that the post needed to be driven down another three inches to match the others. I flailed away for what seemed like an hour (okay, maybe five minutes...but remember that this is in the middle of the day under a scorching sun) trying to drive that post three...two...even one inch deeper. No way! Seeing the sweat pouring down my face, Shirley resigned herself to the fact that this post was going to be a couple of inches higher than the other two. With that, we called it a day.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Yesterday we stretched the last section of fence into place and secured it to the wooden corner posts. Uneventful - and this is a good thing. This morning we schlepped the metal posts, the pile driver, and the level up the hill and prepared to drive home the last three posts. Our hill is so steep (truly, about a 45 degree slope) that each step was a challenge. Fortunately, the underlying rock that more or less defines our hill was covered with enough dirt that we were able to drive the posts without encountering the problems of the day before. Job done. Time to head to the house for a cold beer. At the bottom of the hill - at the corner of the fence - the 4x4 corner post looked like it was leaning, not standing straight like it was the day before. Upon a closer look, the problem was obvious. The post had a knot and the tension from the fence was causing the post to crack. I realized that replacing the post would be a huge job requiring me to remove the post </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >along with</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" > </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >the 75 pounds of concrete anchoring it as well as splicing in two sections of fence so that the fence could be re-tensioned. Bottom line, this meant that my fencing work was NOT done.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I found a two foot length of heavy gauge uni-strut and screwed it to the post using five hefty 2-1/2" lag screws. </span><a style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGKK27VmrWKxglagv7prK0cUHB4l_J7yyfcTwIjWjShl58FWFlt5pgFOvNRZI5hJp8pXvIm50L2f_S0q8DAdnikF01Fy-faVUaDIk0E06gyE0yOSwcHzUJWVWaToecD-W_8S67fnzvr8/s1600-h/Uni-strut-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGKK27VmrWKxglagv7prK0cUHB4l_J7yyfcTwIjWjShl58FWFlt5pgFOvNRZI5hJp8pXvIm50L2f_S0q8DAdnikF01Fy-faVUaDIk0E06gyE0yOSwcHzUJWVWaToecD-W_8S67fnzvr8/s400/Uni-strut-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342186434777943618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >This band-aid approach straightened the cracked post and I deem that the post is now stronger than before it cracked - at least I have convinced myself of this since I have a clear understanding of what the alternative holds.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >So, is the fencing project really done? Well, I guess the answer depends on who you ask. Ask me, and I will give you a definite "Yes!". Ask Shirley, and she may also say "Yes" but in the same breath also mention that she would like the original 5' high fence removed. Ack! Did she say "remove" a fence?</span>Shirleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14602488992634846192noreply@blogger.com0