Chickens – Page 3 – Asbery's Echoes

Eggs and Frogs and Fish

Look what we found this morning! I know it’s crazy to get excited about a couple of eggs but when Joe brought the first one in to show me I got so excited and yelled for Eric to some see! Of course an 18 year old boy doesn’t understand why his mother is acting like a fool because her chickens are doing what chickens do! But, he’s used to me and humors me. Most of the time! And then I felt bad because Drew isn’t here to share in the excitement! So of course I had to take a picture and send it to Beth to show Drew. I know he’ll be excited to check for eggs now – at least until the newness wears off!

Speaking of Drew – Beth has been sending me lots of pictures and it seems he’s having lots of fun! This is the longest he’s spent away from home and he’s far enough away that there’s no running to get him if he’s homesick but I’m sure he’s staying so busy that he’ll be fine. Joe and I on the other hand are probably missing him more than he’s missing us!

Anna and Marley – my uncle’s granddaughter and great granddaughter – they definitely got the Houseal fishing gene!

We spent today in Burlington at the annual Houseal Fish Fry. My mom and her two brothers are avid fishermen and we all love to eat the fish they catch. Uncle Terry and Aunt Judy host the fish fry every year and since Uncle Donnie and Aunt Susan spend their winters in Florida this is our annual family get together. Terry has two beautiful ponds – one for fishing and one for swimming. It was a beautiful day, cool with a nice breeze. It was a little too cool for swimming so there was a lot of fishing and 4-wheel riding and lots and lots of visiting. A fun family get together that we look forward to every year.

A Road Trip, A Visit, And A Walk Around The Yard

This weekend has sure flown by. We decided to road trip on Friday and head up to northern Iowa and check out the campground we’re going to be staying at over Labor Day. Where we have had excessive heat and no rain, they’ve had excessive rain and storms. They were working on cleaning up downed trees and downed power lines and it was raining while we were there but they were super nice people and I think we’re going to have fun staying here!

Saturday saw us heading south to Lake Rathbun. My sister was camping and asked us to come spend the day. So, off we went for a nice, relaxing afternoon and evening spending time in another campground! We have camped at Lake Rathbun but never at Island View and what a beautiful campground. We would like to stay there sometime – it was so nice. Beautiful views of the lake, huge sites and playgrounds in the middle so you can sit at your site and watch the kids play. Perfect when you have littles!

When life is not coming up roses look to the weeds and find the beauty hidden within them.” –L.F. Young

Today the temps and humidity broke a little and Drew and I and the chickens took a nice walk around the yard. My flowers are really suffering from the heat and lack of rain but the wildflowers are abundant. Drew picked me a beautiful bouquet that we’re enjoying in the house. I am amazed at some of the beautiful wildflowers in this area. Many consider them weeds but they brighten up the landscape with so many beautiful colors. I love them!

Free Ranging

Blackie didn’t get to roam quite as much as the others – she got to sit on Drew’s lap and be cuddled and loved! She seems to enjoy Drew – she doesn’t give much of struggle to be picked up!

Drew was so excited yesterday. His dad let him let the chickens out to free range for the first time. They loved it but were a little “chicken”! They didn’t wander far from the coop. I’m sure that won’t last long and soon they will be all over the yard. Poor Isee was put in her kennel so they could roam but after awhile we decided to go ahead let her out and she was perfect. She tried a couple of times to check things out but as soon as someone called her off she was fine and soon forgot all about them. Not bad for a bird dog! The chickens went right back to their coop when Drew went to put them away and they were exhausted – they all sat down and fell asleep!

I won’t be posting again until after the 4th. Lots to do the next few days and hope to stay away from electronics and just enjoy these next few days!

Crazy Chicken Lady

A little chicken creamer holding cinnamon sticks – belonged to my Grandma Houseal.

Now that we have chickens – I’ve been collecting chicken stuff! Apparently my Grandma Houseal must have liked chickens too. I know I have a set of chicken and rooster figurines put away somewhere too that belonged to Great Grandma Houseal. I think I’ll bring them back out. My kitchen is small so that’s probably all I’ll find room for. Unless I decid to stitch the another pinkeep!

I’ve had these displayed for a long long time. They also belonged to Grandma Houseal. Love the cute little chickens on the lids.

And I fell in love with this valance. Black chickens with a burgundy one thrown in here and there – perfect!

And I just had to stitch up this cute little pinkeep. Now to find a place for it! Aren’t the little chicks just darling??!!

It’s Only Wednesday

For some reason this evening it feels like it’s been a long week and it’s only Wednesday. That’s usually how I feel when Joe is gone. The first day or two are fine and then I’m just ready for him to be home. Friday can’t come soon enough!

It rained today. A lot. Drew’s class trip was today and they were supposed to visit the county park today and I volunteered to go along but that was canceled. They still got to see how pizzas were made at the Pizza Ranch and enjoy pizza for lunch, visit the Public Library, go bowling and then ice cream at the local ice cream shop. All done in between the rain drops! I helped at the bowing alley and they had lots of fun and were so well behaved!

In between running Drew to school, running into the bowling alley, then running back into town to pick Drew up from school, I managed to get the kitchen and bathroom painted. It helped that I didn’t go to Belva Deer this morning and t-ball practice was canceled this evening. Next I want to paint my kitchen cupboards. That will be a major project. And I don’t plan on starting that until after school is out. Just too much to do to jump into that right now.

So tonight, since it’s chilly and rainy outside and Drew and I are both tired, it’s a good night to snuggle up under a blanket with Drew and stitch. And what am I stitching? Chickens of course! If I have chickens outside I might as well have them inside too!

Another Busy Week Ahead

My chives are getting ready to bloom. I planted them last year but I don’t know what to do with them. I need to read up on their care. The blooms are pretty anyway!

It seems like yesterday went by in a blur. I am so ready for school to get out and for things to slow down. I don’t do busy well. Looking back I am amazed that I survived having the older three kids at home and involved in everything that they were involved in. I don’t know how some of those parents do it who have children involved in everything they can possibly be involved in. I find that it takes away from home and family time. Sitting on the sidelines is great and the kids learn so much being involved but there just needs to be home time too. Family time. Slow time. Joe left yesterday midmorning for California. He’ll be home sometime Friday afternoon. I have to remember to remind him to stop at Hy-Vee and pick up Eric’s graduation cake. It’s an extra in case we run out of cake balls. Drew had soccer practice after school. I’m thinking they have had plenty of practices for them being kindergartners but I guess that means the coaches were really involved so I can’t complain. He has his last soccer game this Thursday but starts t-ball practice on Wednesday. I’m already thinking maybe that’s too much but I guess one day of overlap isn’t too bad. He’s not sure he even wants to play t-ball. We’ll let him try it and see how it goes. Eric loved baseball, Aaron not so much. They’re all different. Our only rule is if you start it you finish it. But if you don’t like it, you don’t have to go out for it again the next year.

If all goes well, this will be pretty by summer. The wave petunias will cascade over the pots and look so pretty! Ignore the pallet in the background. I had Joe bring it out so I could hose it off. I’ll be using it in my decorating for graduation.

Today is the only day that we don’t have anything going on. I’m going to try to get the housework caught up and the laundry done because I won’t have much time until after the weekend now. Tomorrow is Drew’s class trip and I’ve volunteered to go along. Out to Belva Deer for a picnic lunch, then bowling at the local bowling alley and ice cream at Walker’s. Should be a fun day. Then t-ball practice. Drew will be exhausted. Thursday is soccer. Friday will see us at the church decorating for Eric’s graduation party. I’m hoping to get everything set up Friday afternoon and evening so Saturday we can focus on cooking. I’m looking forward to the party. We have friends we haven’t seen in ages coming and family members all getting together. It will be fun. With Eric’s party and all that entails, we haven’t made any plans for Mother’s Day. We’ll just wing it I guess. I think we’ll all be ready for a nice quiet day. Maybe a picnic later in the day out at Belva Deer. That would be the perfect Mother’s Day for me!

Doesn’t every chicken coop need a start and a horse shoe for decoration?

Esther and Beaky. They are past the cute little chick stage and not quite into the grown up beautiful chicken stage. At this point they are kind of homely but we love them!

The Girls Are Growing

Meet Beaky – the largest of the brood. She is so pretty with her black and white feathers.

Not sure who enjoys the new coop more – Drew or the chickens!

Esther, Ethel and Blackie. I cannot tell Esther and Ethel apart. Wonder if I will ever be able to? Little Blackie is the smallest of the girls and she has a sweet temperament right now. Drew likes to cuddle with her!

Birthday Boy

A battery operated pencil sharpener. You never know what he’s going to ask for!

Wow – Drew is 6! Where has the time gone? It’s amazing how fast time flies. There was no school for Easter so Drew go to sleep in on his birthday! He opened up presents at home on when Dad got home from work and we took him out to supper. Of course he picked his favorite restaurant, Bubba-Q’s in Ottumwa which worked out great as we picked up the chicken coop while we were there. They have the best barbecue ever although Drew always orders the macaroni and cheese! He got to open more presents on Easter and we had birthday cupcakes for dessert after out Easter meal. Lots of fun for a six year old!

Drew loves Play Mobile and he had been asking for the tree house forever. I love Play Mobile too – I would have loved to play with this stuff when I was little!

Later we went out to the shop and put together the chicken coop. We were actually able to put the whole thing together without any arguing – a small miracle for sure!

Its so cute – cant wait until morning to put the chicks in it! I think they are going to love it!

We Have Chickens!!!!

Drew’s sixth birthday is coming up this week and we couldn’t decide what to get him. So, we asked him if he could choose between three things, a new bike, a trampoline, or chickens what would he want the most. His answer – a battery operated pencil sharpener. I do not know why he wants a battery operated pencil sharpener but he does. And he will get one so he has a present to open on his birthday. Along with the Playmobile treehouse that he has been wanting and I picked up a long time ago.

But – much to my delight he also chose chickens! I’ve been wanting to get chickens for the past couple years and Joe keeps saying no. Drew asks for chickens and what do we get – chickens! I can’t remember what breeds the two black ones are. I’ll have to ask when I’m back at the store buying bedding. The other two are Rhode Island Reds. Drew named his, the black ones, Beaky and Blackie. I named mine Esther and Ethel. Now if I can only tell them apart. A whole new adventure for us. This should be fun!

A trampoline would have been a good choice – it would keep him entertained this summer. If we were to get one it would be our third. Storms, wind and trampolines don’t go together. And he’s outgrowing his bike so he really needs a new one. Bikes and camping go hand in hand so we’ll see what happens there. But chickens – they provide fresh eggs, and they teach responsibility and they are fun to watch. I think he made the best choice!