June is GONE!

Well - I'm not sure what happened - but June is OVER! WOW. I didn't FEEL that busy -but I guess we were!! The kids got out of school last week. We are now enjoying the lazy days of Summer 2008. A couple of weeks ago we went to a friend's wedding south of Buffalo. On the way home we went to Niagara Falls. What a site. It is a pretty awesome natural wonder. On the last day of school, some friends of mine organized a fantastic end-of-year party. We went out to Grafton State Park for a picnic lunch and time on the beach. Everyone had a blast.
Here is a shot of the beach. It was a beautiful day - and one of the few in recent memory where we had NO thunder storms mid-afternoon. The weather remains unsettled and a pain-o-rear.
The chickens are doing fine. I think we're about 11 weeks old. They're outside all day long. Before we went to the wedding we gave away 4 of the roosters - so our flock is down to 14 (10 hens and 4 roosters). The remaining cocks have only a couple of months left - IF THEY BEHAVE THEMSELVES!

Chickens - Almost 4 Weeks Old

OK - so here are the guys and gals in their BOX! Lets just say it's getting a bit cramped in here. David has added more TOYS. See Jr. here on "the perch". They really do like "the perch" and the little cardboard jumping shelf!! They even try to sleep on the perch. It is kind of funny... However, they are also flying more. We have had to help a couple of them down from the edge of the box - which is about 3' off the ground. To try to prevent concussion - we decided it was time for "THE BIG MOVE" today. Yup - off to the coop ya little buggers!

So - here they are... We watched for the longest time trying to make sure they found their cool new feeder and water container (the big galvanized ones). David is worried about his brood - and put in one of the chick sized plastic water cans too... Never fear - an hour later they were really going at the feeder. All 18 around it at once. QUITE A SITE!!
So - here is the proud PAPA~ The many windows on the coop make for easy viewing. This is COOL! From here you can see everything - and this window is low enough for the kids to easily look in too. You can see the brooder light - Supposed to get down into the 30's here tonight. BRRRR You can also see the "ADULT" sized perch David built.. It is quite the cozy place. Just after we moved them in I remembered that I had wanted to camp out iin the coop BEFORE the flock moved in - - OH WELL. That idea WILL NOT HAPPEN now. TOO much chicken POOP everywhere. Let me tell you - they wasted no time making their MARK on the place. I'd say - about 30 seconds!

Winter Break IS OVER!

Well, Winter Break 2008 is OVER! We did a lot. Yesterday we got our 4th Family Ski lesson in. Despite a LOT of rain this month - the conditions were pretty good. All of us are shot tho. Energy was at an all time low - and we didn't do a ton of skiing after the lesson was over.

Today we got back to church after being absent for most of the month. It was nice to be missed, and nice to start getting back into our normal routine.

David and Grace are enjoying their books. Grace is finishing up a section in a FARMING book. SHe is reading all about raising chicks and taking care of chickens. This well MAY be THE PROJECT for Summer '08. We'll just have to see! First - a chicken coop needs to be erected. And, here is what YOU ALL have been waiting for (HA!). My 2nd pair of socks. THE BEST part of these is that they cost 16 cents apiece! My dedicated knitting friend - Lore - bought a high class fashion sweater at Salvation Army for $1. It was probably originally a $60-80 item, not worn at all, and a very nice cappucino color (according to Lore of course). It's make-up is 80% wool, and 20% nylon - perfect for long-wearing socks. She washed it first. Then one day during Nor'Easters - she took all the seams out and then we unraveled and rolled it up together. She gave me the "haul" for the 1st pair of socks. I'm proud to report - that they took 40 grams each - and she should be able to get AT LEAST 2 more pair from the sweater. By my calculations - that is approximate of course and does NOT include LABOR - about 16 cents per sock! LOVE THIS - and am really enjoying my first taste of the lace patterns too. I purchased some nice yarn (on sale - but NOT recycled) and plan to start sweaters for the girls later this spring.. Grace's is acrylic worsted weight in shocking pink (like I'll probably need to wear sun-glasses during construction) and Ingrid's a really nice medium tone purple cotton witih lots of colored speckles in it. I tried to convince Grace to go for a nice soft fluffy pink instead - but she read the ingredients on the ball of yarn (angora and lamb) and opted NOT! "I'm not wearing bunnies and sheep Mommy!" Wonderful - this reading stuff ain't always the best gig in town!!