Our new chickens

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged. Towards my last blogs I spoke of being a better mom, and hence, I got much busier “being” with India. We have gardened and swam and now have 13 chickens. She loves to hand feed them, her “Grandma Bernadette,” as she calls her, taught her that. The produce manager of our health food store didn’t want to free range her chickens anymore because of all the planting they done around their yard. So, we inherited 10 more chickens!!!! They look really rough and there was some fighting w/ the rough rooster that did not join the pack. I guess they’re also molting, so they’re kind of ugly right now.

From what I can tell, this is what we have:

Little Red Riding Hood

2 Barred Rock, we named them Victoria and Little Red Riding Hood, can you tell who named who?

They are so soft and fluffy, like a Victorian woman with her corsette’s and hoops. I bet Victoria the most while we feed her. She seems the least bothered by our stroking her smooth, black and white lacy feathers. They’re in the heavy breed family.

Victoria

2 Red Star, one is Red and the other one is still unnamed. They are unimpressive. Once their feathers come in and they’ve had enough greens, they may look prettier, I don’t believe they’re know for there beauty though.

 Red

 Red's Sister (she's kind of dull)

Golden Polish, 2 Roosters and one adorable hen.

Long Talon

Oh, now, these are FUN. The roosters are a bit rough as there was a third rooster they kept as a guard dog, he sounded MEAN. He’s no long here to beat up on the must be brothers. They seem like nice roosters, but if you’ve read my past, you know I’m ALWAYS leery of roosters. One has only 1 LONG spurr – the other looks like it’s been torn off or something. The other has a cloudy eye and even, shorter spurrs. They have a shorter, lighter crow then our Black Cornish. It took them a few days to start crowing, and now…5am, if I’m not sleeping deeply, which I RARELY do, I am AWAKE!!!!

Cloudy Eye

The hen is a DOLL. Maybe that should be her name, Dolly. She’s tiny w/ a big wig on her head and blue feet. She’s been the hardest to pet (only because I haven’t tried to pet the roosters – they seem pretty shy as far a petting. Fine by me!). She was over by the nesting box eating and I easily grabbed her and put her inside. She didn’t seem to mind being picked up at all. I can’t wait to hold her! I’m sure she’ll soon become my favorite if she let’s me hold her on my lap.

Dolly

Our golden honey birds are hard to figure out – they’re molting. They might be Welsummer’s. I’ve spent way to long on the internet trying to figure them out. Nope – they ARE Buttercups – willow green legs. Yes, my time has paid off! I’m not sure why it’s so important to me, I guess it’s like knowing someone’s name. I want to know who these chickens are, their breed is part of who they are, just as much as the name we give them.

Golden - above (I'm really having trouble w/ these pictures today!)

Honey

We named them Golden and Honey. (Buttercup would be a good name…) They are very shy, but I did manage to pick both of them up and put them in their laying box. They didn’t stay, but at least I picked them up.

Chiquita

Our local Hawaiian girl is Chiquita and she is a tuff tita. There will be 7 of the 10 up roosting, and one by one, she pecks them all down!

Pecking order. If you name your chickens, then you might agree that it’s hard to see them determine their pecking order. I know my mom has seen some terrible things in her coop. It’s HARD to introduce new chickens, as they pick on the weaker, smaller ones.

In this new bunch of chickens the roosters are NOT at the top. I believe it’s a combination of the local, Hawaiian girl, Victoria and Red Riding Hood and a close follow up of the Red ones. Then Dolly and the roosters and the Golden Girls are last. I noticed as they free range the Golden Girls and the cloudy eyed rooster will often go back in the pen and eat. I try not to get too involved in their business, as it is mother nature. I just wish everyone would be nice to each other.

We have a roaming dog that took one of the Black ones and got the tails of the rooster and one hen. We’re going to the beach today, so I’m not sure about having 2 different groups together without me here and the threat of the imposing dog lurking near by.

Jonathan’s had enough of the poor black hen and rooster being cooped up in their little pen. We’re going to see if the roosters all get along, as he really is such a nice rooster. The girls always eat before him, so, we’ll see. Lola, the one that escaped from under the metal roof never went back in the pen. I know from past experience that if I keep trying to get her in, the other two will escape and it was most important for me to get that rooster in the pen.

The wife...

So, Lola has been living the free life. She roosts in the Avocado Tree and comes down and mingles when she feels like it. She was in the big pen as soon as all the chickens were out. I’ve seen her chased away from a group a few times. Once, when they were all penned up I saw her banging her chest against the wire and I think it was Dolly inside doing the same thing. The hens seem more aggressive than these roosters. The roosters haven’t gone near the ones in the black pens.

This is Lola, on her way to check out the new chickens. She's such a lucky, free girl!

My Birthday

I woke up to this email from my mom and then the next one from my grandma, it made me cry...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Where did all the years go? 43 years ago today I was getting into the car about this time, mom, Marcia, me and you heading to the hospital.  I was so excited but wondering what was going to happen.  I didn't have any child birth classes only Rosie next door helped me a lot with my breathing techniques.  We would practise together and she gave me a book to read.  I had done my homework and now I was ready for the day.  When we arrived they didn't know which one of us was pregnant, but I stepped forward said it is me.  In to the bed I got and Mom and Marcia had to wait outside the door while they prepped me.  They shaved me and checked me and that was about it.  I had informed them that I didn't want any drugs.  So for the next few hours we all sat and talked, probably I listened as mom and Marcia rambled on.  About 11:00 or 11:30 mom said that she was hungry and off they went to get something to eat.  I was fine by myself, the thought of food didn't set very good with me.   All of a sudden the back pain came on and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Mom came back and when she saw the pain I was in she put a pillow behind my back and pushed to help relieve my pain.  In those days you couldn't get out of bed, but I think I was dilated too much anyway.  Shortly after that I went into the delivery room with the nurse.  Mom and Marcia couldn't go any farther.  Dr. Travis had been called and came from Anoka, 35 miles away.  I remember doing my breathing and concentrating on the clock for my breaths.  Just me, the nurse and Jesus in that room.  I remember praying to him and asking him to help me not to use any drugs.  When the doctor came I said something really stupid to him, something like you old rattle snake.  The nurse had been coaching me to not bare down, don't push and by the time he got his gloves on and took a look he said push.  30 seconds you were born.  12:30 p.m.  August 21st  1967.  What a glorious day that was.  All the angels were singing and everyone was elated, even my doctor whom had walked me through this journey.

So even though I can't be with you today, I still relive your birth and wish for you the best.  My best probably looks different than your desires, but one thing I've learned through the years is that you were a gift from God for a short time.  Now it's your life to live.  My prayer is that you live it well, for the things that really matter.

Happy Birthday Honey!  love you so much, mom


Happy Birthday first born grand daughter.  Does not see like it was 43 years ago that you and the only other baby, a boy, shared the nursery.  What a doll we brought home and such a joy. Love you, Grandma! 


Oh......sniff, sniff! I'm seeing if my mom will scan me pictures of WAYYYYY back then. I'd LOVE to see what she looked like, no one knew she was pregnant!!!!


I found this blog and I'm going to make this cake today. When we lived in Vegas it became a tradition to get a Nothing Bundt Cake. Once Jonathan sent me one when he was out of town, I think my mom was visiting. She sent me one the next year for my birthday - it's the BEST!!!!  

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/2008/09/nothing-bundt-chocolate-cake.html

A darling give away...

There is a great apron give away on this fun site: http://bluebirdnotes.blogspot.com/2010/07/cherrieskindnessand-charming-giveaway.html

Go check it out and let me know if you win!

Moooooo.........

From “chasing the chickens” to being chased by a cow, life is very excited out here in the country. Our wonderful neighbor, Keith, that gave us 3 hens and a rooster, has offered to help us milk his cow! We’ve been talking and plotting and planning and struggling to figure out how to get fresh cow or goat milk. We don’t care, as long as it’s not pasturized and homoginzed. The Milk and Honey Farm down the road was selling it. Goat was $35 a gallon and cow was $20 or $25. As many of you might now, it’s illegal to buy raw milk. We’re supposed to be happy with the milk that’s sold in the store, with all the things they do to it and the animals that create it. I read in my Nourshing Traditons book that powdered milk is added to skim, 1% and 2% to give it body. Powdered milk is treated with high heat and really isn’t a healthy thing to consume (similar to hydrogenated ingredients). I’ve been off milk for years, once I read about all the flem and allergies and difficult to digest qualities of milk. Then I’ve read about all the wonderful things in raw milk and how people got better and felt better after switching to raw milk. Think back to small farms, they milked their own cows and drank that will no problems. It’s big commercial, unsanitary and in-humane farms that have the problems with safe milk to drink – hence the pasturization and homogenation. Juice is even pasturized. What vitamins and minerals withstand that process? Juice is left to simply be sugar water. It’s sad. But I have happy news!

Keith said to come by and we’d see about milking his cow, she had a calf a few months ago and he’s been grazing for awhile now. Keith is a farm boy from Iowa and has lived 40 years in Oregon, my now found love after Hawaii. I’m nervous, as I’ve never milked a cow and my friend’s have talked about miniature cows, so if you get kicked, it doesn’t hurt so bad. You know how little comments can stick in your brain. I really hadn’t heard of people being kicked by cows, I know they can, I just haven’t heard about it like I’ve heard about horses kicking. It turns out in all of Keith’s years with cows, he’s only been kicked once and I think it actually was a good reason. I don’t remember the story right now.

I asked Jonathan to come and take pictures. I feel calmer when he’s with me. I dragged him out snorkeling with me so I could stop hyperventalating. He calms me and I feel safe with him. He came.

So we get there and Keith has Rosey separated from the herd and her baby. Everyone is happy and content. He has a little fencing rigged up to move into a corrall. He has grain for her, which she never gets or she’d not want to only eat grass. We’re suppose to shue her in. She keeps turning around looking at us with her big brown eyes. She’s HUGE.

She’s a Red Angus, also known as Hornless Angus. Isn’t she pretty? I think he has the prettiest cows I’ve seen. They’re coats are glossy and they’re plump and they have the sweetest faces with their pink noses. I could look at them all day. And the baby, he jumps and runs and is so playful. If I lived here I’d really not get anything done between watching the cows and the funny ducks with their one black baby.

Like the chasing chickens story, I’m not sure if I can relay what happened to it’s humorous degree. Keith has the grain and his daughter and India are at one side and I’m at the other and we’re shuing her in. She’s backing up, going forward, looking at me. She starts to make bolting movements which is REALLY scary when you’re so close and it’s a small area. Did I mention she’s huge, she really is. Keith is trying all kinds of things and nothing is working. She’s never been coralled before. He goes to get a rope and she moves forward into the corral to get the grain. We don’t know how to move the fence and secure it with the piece of wood he has waiting. I know she would have backed out and gotten away had we tried. I know I was too scared to move that close to her hind end. She kicks her left leg (I still remember which one it was). Keith returns and she’s backed out. He stands right by her left leg and slapps her but. We all silently look at each other. He’s as comfortable with her as I was with my tiny Chihauah, Tica.

Out comes the rope. This goes on for a bit and then she really starts to buck. I felt like I was about to watch a bull roping escapade. Around and around things go. Keith backs the tractor up to serve as a longer wall for the corral. The rope is around her neck now. Jonathan puts the camera down and it helping Keith do, I don’t know what, but something. It starts to get lively ane we start backing up more and more. The next thing I see, Rosey turns and starts to run with the rope around her neck. The rope gets caught around her leg and Jonathan’s tied it to something. She’s kicking and darts around the tractor pulling the rope tight as Jonathan is about to be smooshed between the rope, cow and tractor. He high tails it out of there somehow and Rosey is off in the pasture with the rope around her neck mooing at the top of her lungs. We live ½ - 1 mile away and our neighbor that wants to milk her with us heard her go on and on. He wondered how the milking was going when he heard her. We were all glad to be alive with no bruises or broken bones.

We let Rosey in with the other cows and went upstairs and had some of Keith’s home brewed beer. It was a night! I wasn’t sad to not be going home with any milk. I was glad to have my whole family all in one whole piece!

Keith said we’ll have to tame her a bit. Feed her, get close to her, pet her. He tamed a wild cow that had never seen a person in 2 weeks. What a man. I believe he’s in his 70’s with a wife and daughter of his own. He’s willing to help us get milk from his cow – I find that utterly genuous and kind. (Like my pun? J)

A New Swing Set

Our neighbors, Clinton and Cassandra just bought 11+ acres up the road (they rented the place behind us for a few months) that has a rustic, natural swing on it. I started thinking...wouldn't that be great to have one of those for Banyan and India to swing together.

I noticed a Full Moon was coming up and asked if they'd like to get together to eat and make a swing set for the girls. Full Moons are wonderful when much of your life exits outside a building. The world is lit up and it magical to hang out and enjoy the glow of the moon.

They are all about community and helping one another. They are care taking a guava orchard right behind us and there is so much guava wood, a swing set would be no problem.

Cassandra got involved and the project evolved into a two swing set, so both girls can swing at the same time.

David came over for his rabbit stew (yes, I did say rabbit) and he helped out as well.

The girls couldn't wait, they had to start playing before it was even done.

The girls each got a custom swing, perfect for their height.

They swung all night, into dinner.

I LOVE the rustic, natural look.

Mother's Day @ the Marriott (Part ll)

So, yes, we're at the Marriott. My friend told me years ago that they are known for their beds. I'd have to agree, they are firm and soft, it's like sleeping on a celestial cloud. I slept WELL!!!! I feel renewed and I will now have a WONDERFUL Mother's Day.

India watched her friend on Friday swim underwater and all of a sudden, she's now diving under the water and kicking her legs.

It's so cute, she runs, jumps and dives under water. She practiced swimming from Jonathan to me.

I find the age of 4 amazing. She just wakes up one day and can swim, or carry on lonnnngggg conversations with other men and strangers (while she's sitting with or near us). I LOVE it!

I know I've mentioned it before. I LOVE having a 4 year old!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

(My pictures didn't turn out the 1st time. I don't remember how to turn them around. Sorry they are sideways.)

Mother's day

We done a few group camping trips and they're such grat fun. So many adults to watch the kids, who are already occupied and playing together. There's lots of time to read, swim, snorkel, kayak, sleep - whenever you like.

We arrived after Sklar and her mom and Friday, so the girls got a head start playing together before an afternoon swim before dinner. Here's the orgainzed menu and group effort:

SATURDAY NIGHT – BBQ:

    

Britta - peanut marinated chicken and veggie kabobs and a kale salad, cookies

Bari - big green salad 

Petina – turkey dogs (kids) & garlic bread

Merritt - squash butternut, beets, carrots, baked potatos, s&p, chives, sr cream, Bratwurst, watermelon

April – veggie burgers & fix’ins, tofu dogs (kids too), choc chip/coconut bars

Chad- burgers

 Rachel- ginger/garlic marinated short ribs and some pineapples to grill. Maybe some more veggie kabobs too (mushrooms and onions, my favorite!)

 Isis- a seaweed with Tako (octopus) dish, potato salad?, maybe some fruit salad?

SUNDAY NIGHT – MEXICAN:

Petina – chicken fajitas (chicken, onion, green peppers)

Bari - shredded cheese, corn on the cobb, homemade refried beans

Free – lentil taco filling, green onion, sour cream, bar dessert

Merritt - Tortillas, horchata, Mex-marinade chicken, Guacamole &/or avos, Cilantro, greens for taco bed, Sautéed fish, pineapple

April – mexi-style rice, salsa, chips, lots o black olives (kids luv’em too)

Isis –yummy Mexican salad and some ingredients for Sangria

Britta- more chips, more olives

Rachel-  corn on the cob (so bari doesnt have to buy 50 ears of corn!!), cilantro salt to rub on the corn, a couple of homemade salsas from the farmers market guy, and tortilla chips. 

KID’S CRAFTS:

Britta - paper and crayons for drawing, tennis gear, bike

Free - construction paper and markers

Bari - bikes, sidewalk chalk, watercolors & tennis balls

April – tennis gear, stickers, white glue (collect sea shells and glue designs), food coloring for sand art, bike if it fits?

Rachel- origami paper (Jules' favorite right now) and bubble guns.

Merritt- treasure hunt extravaganza

The crafts began right away with families arrive Friday afternoon.

The swimming for young ones is awesome here. The water is warm, clear and calm. This is Ava with India and Joanthan.

The kids LOVE playing with the big kid! :)

Everything started well. India went to sleep (she's the first one, as we have an early bedtime before any late night melt downs can happen. She heard her friends running around playing and laughing and she layed right down and went to sleep.

...and then the wind picked up.

Spencer Beach and be REAL windy. People have ripped their tents camping there. Our new tent's "fly" was not a full coverage fly, so it let in LOTS of wind and sand. Then it flew or tore off twice. There I was lying under the stars with just a sheet inbetween and these guys are walking around me trying to get the fly back on. I just smiled. India kept sleeping - what an angel.

I fell asleep somewhere after 2 and was awake founc 5. Each time I blinked a little more fine sand fell in my eyes. Everything stayed calm until we got down to the beach around 9 and the winds started up again.

We looked on Priceline and got a room at the Marriott w/ two salt water pools and a waterslide. Jonathan requested and got our room upgrades. It's beatuiful. I am so happy. It was hard to leave our friends and the fun and the food and the camping party, but I am happy to have a calm, cozy place to stay. The first thing I did was jump in the shower and wash the sand away...

(Part two is next, blogger only uploaded a few photos.)

A Gift of Chickens (Part 1)

OK, some of you have been waiting for this story. I hope it doesn’t disappoint, as I’m sure it was MUCH funnier to watch. If you want the short version, go to the next post: Chasing the Chickens.

It all began a year ago, we arrived on the Big Island April 27^th. I feel like I will always remember we left Las Vegas on April 23^rd, spent 4 days in Honolulu (at the beach, except I was sick and couldn’t maintain a fever to kill the…, so I shivered and wore sweats and ate hot soup) and arrived on the Big Island April 27^{th –} a dream come true.

We were house sitting in HPP for a friend’s sister and they had chickens, see the posts from April – July in “chickens.” We had to say Good Bye to Penny and Lacie and it’s been over 6 months since we’ve had chickens or fresh eggs.

A neighbor, Keith, said he was tired of his chickens and do we want them with a house and everything. Yes! They were adult hens already laying and a rooster. I still need to check again what kind they are – if you recognize them, let me know. Keith talked about what “meaty” birds they are and that they can be eaten when they’re done laying. “They’re a heavy bird – they’re as heavy as they look. There’s no fluff.” I trust him, after Buff, the rooster, I’m chicken shy. (Again, see previous posts for that story.) The hens are 3 years old and Kieth acted as if they had several good years left in them. I’m not sure how long these lay, but I supposed a book from the library would teach me a great deal about them.

Keith kept is more permanent structure, but gave us this one. We moved it everyday and they have fresh grass and grubs to eat along w/ corn feed and chicken scraps. What DON’T chickens eat again? I know onions, garlic and citrus, I don’t remember the rest.

This is a mellow rooster as the girls got the scraps of bread and he just stood by. It’s funny to watch them “go for the bread.” He also was the last to eat the corn when we feed them late yesterday. I told Jonathan, even with everything I’ve been through with roosters, I think he’s going to be my favorite chicken. He’s regal. Keith says, you don’t want to befriend the rooster. You want him scared of you. I agree. I want them to leave me alone – they have those nasty…things…talons sticking off the back of their leg. I remember what that feels like.

OK, on with the story. After the first night of the chickens and the rooster slowly warming up his lungs @ 4am, in full gear @ 6:30 and silent @ 6:45 (after I got out of bed) I noticed that one of the hens was OUT! Yes, OUT! How can she get out? The metal roof is not light. I did hear a clang at some time during the night. Apparently someone lifted their head high on the roost and made an opening for her to slip out. I don’t know if she did it or if it was a group effort. It still is hard to believe. The roof was on and sealed in the morning like nothing happened. Her chest was a bit bloody or scrapped bare. How I know that is next.

Keith told us to keep them in the pen for about 10 days until they got used to being here and then we could free-range them. Well, the animal lovers we are (animals lovers as opposed to wise farmers) we let them out. They were so happy. Scratching and making little beds/nests. Kicking up dirt baths and I guess keeping themselves clean. What good little chickens.

OK, part two is next.

Chasing Chickens (Part 2)

This is part 2, if you have time, part 1 will help this one make more sense.

I think Jonathan went to get some work done. I was keeping an eye on where they were. And then, they were gone! Jonathan came home while I was looking for them and he found then down our long driveway. By the time he got a broom to shoo them home, they snuck into the dense brush between properties. It was a struggle, but we got them up the driveway. That wasn’t so bad. They weren’t in the pen yet, not did they want to go in. Well, it started to rain. It can rain for a while in the spring, so we decided we’d need to catch them. That’s when the fun began. I don’t think I can explain the entire running around and being out smarted by 3 hens and a rooster.

Jonathan got the rooster in and 2 hens. The 3^rd was QUIET. She’s the smart one. We finally left and went inside. She was hidden for a long time and then she went and hung out near the pen. We decided to go down and shoo her in with the rest of them. I tried to stay far enough away from the door opening so she’d want to go in. Doing so, made it so I couldn’t see what was going on INSIDE the pen. The rooster and other 2 hens got OUT!

The mayhem started all over again. The chasing, the dodging, the looking foolish in the presence of these scared chickens. It was still sprinkling and their feathers were wet. The Rooster and Lola (isn’t there a movie called, “Run Lola, Run”?) had bare breast spots. I’m thinking from her escaping and him running through the grass and brush. I felt bad for putting them in such a traumatic position.

Well, I don’t know how it happened, but my “garden hero turned farm hero” caught them all and hand delivered each one to the pen.

Needless to say, they have not been out for two days. They are NOT happy and I am NOT a fool!

My Nourishing Traditions book came today!

I’m so excited. I had the book for 3 weeks and then needed to return it to the library. There were other requests, so I wasn’t able to renew it. I was furiously copying down recipes on fermenting foods when I decided that this was silly. The book is about $17 on Amazon. I’m going to have to wait weeks to get the book again from the library and this is something that I really want to incorporate into our lives. It seemed important enough for me to buy the book. Our house is real small – about 500 sq feet or so. There is no room for more and I’m always working on “less”. Something else should go, I’m just not at the place yet of one item in one item out.

Before I returned the book I copied the recipe for fermented salsa. It takes 2 days to ferment and then you can refrigerate for a week. I love fresh salsa. I used to make it all the time w/ canned tomatoes. I’ve heard conflicting information about canned tomatoes, so I’m not sure where I stand on them at this time. I think it’s really awesome to get the pro-biotic benefit of a fermented salsa. It’s YUMMY and great for my immune system and digestion. Well, it’s finally done and I got to try it today. I think it looks so pretty in the jar, fermenting. The first bite was a bit pickley or like sour kraut. Then I got into the tomatoes and cilantro. Yum! Salty and tangy. I put it on my quinoa. Then I put a little plain kefir (another pro-biotic) on top and it was like Crème Fraishe or that Mexican sour cream. I think I’m going to like this fermented thing!

My next projects are:

Beets

Potato Cheese – stay posted for this one, it sounds interesting and useful!

Berry Preserves – “jelly w/ healthy probiotics,” I think this stuff is ingenious!

Pickled Cucumbers – my dad’s mom, Grandma Livingston used to make these (I’m sure Grandma and Grandpa Fisher did as well) and send them home with us from Eue Claire, Wisconsin. They were crunchy and sweet. She called them Bread and Butter Pickles, I don’t ever hear anyone talk about Bread and Butter Pickles anymore. I bet there are still B & B Pickles at church potlucks and family picnics in the Midwest. These are less acidic than the vinegar and industrialized method.

Sauerkraut – I am really looking forward to this one. Sauerkraut that is refrigerated in the store contains probiotics, those not, we prepared with heat, so there’s really not much of anything healthy left. My grandparents used to make sauerkraut. I’m not sure how often, but I was there one day/weekend that they were making it. They had a BEAUTIFUL garden off of St. Francis Blvd in Anoka, Minnesota. I’m sure they grew and used their own cabbage. I remember eating some of the sauerkraut before they closed it up to ferment. I got a stomachache and had to use the bathroom after a short time. I think it was the salt (Epsom Salts can be used for constipation). It works! My mom says I was such a strange little kid, bringing sauerkraut to school for lunch. Now that I’ve read Sally Fallons book, I was just a “traditional” little kid raised in the nourishing traditions of some good Germans!