Chicken Yard Remodel

Life is a often a series of do-overs...

Doug is so proud of his new friends.

(Even though they are currently hiding under the coop.)

 

While I was home today I kept a close eye on the girls and the dogs and how everyone was adjusting.  The most surprising thing I saw was that the fence line was right inside the shadow line - ALL DAY!!  Those poor girls were up against the fence straining the heads high to reach the sunlight.  So, late this afternoon I went out and rearranged things.   Roll the coop around the corner, round the fence out toward the north, shovel the gravel down to the dirt, replace the fence rocks... hopefully now Carla and Rosey can preen their feathers in the sun tomorrow. 

 

If not, I can always change it!

Our Girls!!

 

Now that our backyard is bigger Jim approved me getting a few new friends. 

(double click on photos to enlarge)

 

 

 No need to tell me twice!  I grabbed an empty wine box (Carlo Rossi) and headed over to a friends house and came home with a surprise.

 

Carla & Rosey

 

After being boxed up for the ride home (thank goodness they stayed in the box - could you imagine driving with loose chickens flapping around in the car!), they were a little reluctant to come out.

 

 

Technically, my coop wasn't quite finished at that point.  So, we set up a temporary fence around the compost and let the girls snack while we feverishly finished the coop.  They came from a barren dirt yard with lots of other chickens and were intrigued by the compost pile.  It didn't take long for them to figure out that if you scratched around enough you could find tasty worms.  They were hilarious to watch (very distracting & hard to get work done) because when they would find a worm they would shake their heads like a dogs with a toy.  Too funny!

 

TaDa!

 

Just in time for night the coop was finished and the girls were put to bed.  I designed and built the coop myself.  Thanks to Jim for some help with the saw (I'm not comfortable using the circular saw) and attaching the metal roofing we have a chicken tractor!  There are handles on both ends to pick it up and move it.  The bottom is fenced but open to the ground.  This way I can move them around my garden to help turn the soil, eat the bugs and finish off the plants after harvest.  I am proud to say that we salvaged most everything we needed to build this.  I only ended up spending $35 on the entire construction!!

 

 

Rise and Shine, Girls!!

Peeking through the nesting box access door (for eggs), you can see them hiding inside.

 

 

At first, they weren't real sure about their second story living accommodations.  The ramp was a challenge.  What a better way to lure them out than with worms on the rungs.  Later I would realize the rungs were too far apart and have installed a second set in between the first set.  Thus, putting the steps closer and their feet don't slide on the wood.  They did not like the sound of sliding!!  It took a couple days for them to get the hang of things but now we just open the door and they let themselves out and go up at night waiting for us to close them in.

 

 

 

.Yesterday we finalized their winter arrangements.  We used the temporary fencing and moved the compost pile closer.  We also stacked straw bales on two sides (back not visible) of the coop to create an extra layer of insulation for the winter.

 

 

Carla must have remembered those yummy worms because when we let them out into their new yard she went straight for the compost.  Rosey, however, was being adventurous in trying out some local green chili.  Neither seems to bothered by the dusting of snow, but once the wind picked up they both took shelter under the coop.

 

 

Carla - She's the slightly bigger of the two and has a fuller longer tail.

 

They are Black Star chickens and were born this spring.  They are a cold hardy breed with small combs, less likely to freeze.  They have a beautiful green iridescence to their feathers, much like that of a mallard duck.  It was overcast when this picture was taken so it's hard to see well.  They might have been laying already, hard to tell there were so many in the flock we got them from.  However, we have not see an egg yet.  I am sure the stress of the move didn't help.  Also, we have chose not to "light" them artificially to force laying.  Chickens naturally take a break from laying and rest in the winter, so we've decided to follow natures path and let them live naturally.

 

For now the dogs and us are adjusting to our latest additions.

 

Happy Clucking!

 

Jimmy Dean!! (before & after)

Jimmy Dean!!

300 + pounds

 

Yep, enjoy that last snack of horse poop because you are on your way to the butcher!!

 

Jimmy Dean!!

150 + pounds

 

Thanks for filling my freezer this fall Jimmy!!

 

We are looking forward to pork green chili, chops on the grill, bacon sizzlin' in the skillet, roasts warming our bellies and much more.  Many thanks to the boy who raised you for us (you know who you are).  Now if I could only find room for the ice cream!!



Halloween!!

The Dead Mailman & The Mad Hatter

 

Yes, politcal mail was the death of me this year.

(I did actually deliver all day dressed like this!)

 

The slightly off the Mad Hatter bowed his good-byes and was off to school.

 

We really had fun this year dressing up, despite having to work and go to school.

 

Hope you had Happy Hauntings!

 

Fence Update

Well, I should start by saying the fence work is done... for the year anyways.

Jim got sick and now the weather has changed, so he finished up the side fences and the long section across the back will have to hold until next spring.  For now the yard is secure and stronger than before so bring on the snow!

 

unstained -stained

This is a sample of the staining I was doing.  I am using an all natural stain which is great to work with because it has no toxic fumes and washes off with soap and water (no lacquer thinner required.)  It soaks into the wood, instead of just coating the surface, bringing out the natural beauty.

 

In the foreground you can see the tired old weathered fence.  Peeking up from behind you can see the stair step of the new fence.  With the new fence being slightly taller that means more privacy from our ultra close neighbors. (I'm sure they will appreciate that as well.)

 

Raise your hand if you like destroying things!!

Jim was taking out any pent up anger while smashing down the old fence with a small sledge hammer.  Don't all boys (and men) like smashing things?  The new fence extended this side of the yard by 7 1/2 ft X 14 ft., quite a bit more space.  Added to the extension on the opposite side , we have almost doubled the size of our backyard.

 

 

Wow!!  Look at that fancy new gate! 

And the handsome fellow who built it - too bad you can only see his baby blues!

Labor Day Means "Labor"

A "holiday" weekend just means more time to get projects done before winter around our house!! 

 

Jim finished up the side fence along the shed (still needs a picket on the corner so you won't be able to peek in).  This is the final enclosed fence from the earlier posting.  Look how close our neighbors house is on the left!  We even set the fence 6 inches INSIDE the property line on our side.  Building setbacks and codes were never really enforced back when this neighborhood was built.

 

This is the view from our deck.

Jim is starting the demolition of the old fence to again access to the "new" yard.

 

Peeking past his "de-struction" project you can see the "new" yard area behind the shed.

 

So, it's rather hard from the pictures to fully comprehend what we "added" to the yard.  Here's a map explaining it all.  We have added nearly 360 square feet to our backyard.  We are currently working on the other side yard, which will also add more space.

 

More updates to come... after another cup of tea and another day of "Labor".

 

Happy Labor Day!!

Early Harvest Surprise!!

My compost has two stages - working and finished.  In the "finished" side I threw some old organic potatoes in earlier this spring.  They sprouted into thriving plants and I added some dry leaves to help keep the moisture in.  I never "hilled" them like you are supposed to with potatoes because they were too many plants too close together.  I never watered them either.  They got rained on and got some sun and were pretty much left to figure it out on their own.  Well, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I needed to work on the side yard to prepare for the installation of the fence and that meant moving my compost.  While moving it, I noticed a few new potatoes.  I dug deeper and found more!!

(tilt your head again)

Here are a few of the plants pulled back and a couple of new 'taters!!

Look at that lush black soil!

I also found a gaint worm! 

Maybe not exciting to most people, but considering our poor soil quality and that I have been adding small worms to my compost for a couple years it was exciting to find one so big.

So many new potatoes!

A whopping 7 1/2 pounds!!

 

Not a bad surprise to be harvested this time of year.  A few of them got skewed by the first strike of the pitchfork and got returned to the "working" compost, but I am setting the rest of them out to dry. 

 

Guess what's for dinner?!

First Day of School - 11th grade

Ok... So what's the deal with "Blogger" uploading vertical pictures horizontally and then not allowing you to rotate them?!  Ugh!!

 

Well, just tilt your heads to the right and try not to kink your necks.

 

 

 Stown with his strawberry patch (remember those new planter beds?).  He asked if we could plant strawberries this year so we did.  They are doing quite well for a first year crop, I can't wait to see what happens next year! (Berries don't normally produce the first year, it takes them a year or two to "get in the groove".)

 

 He is as tall as a corn stalk this year.

(Actually, he's taller than my poor corn, perspective is everything.)

 

 Ok, enough posing in the garden. 

Grab your backpack and drive yourself to school before you're late!!

Home Improvements Projects

Well, this summer seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye.  Here's just a few before, after and still works in progress pictures of what we've been up to around the house....

An old dilapidated garden box at the bottom of the stairs.

 

Three planters and another old garden box in the middle of the yard.

 

Viola! 

I replaced the boxes and containers with retaining wall pavers that I scored a really great deal on from someone who purchased them and then decided not to use them.  I even had enough to build a new bed in the corner of the sidewalk!  I relocated the canoe from the side of the house to the front.  Nothing was planted yet, just some chives leftover in the canoe (oh, and my kitchen herbs at the bottom of the stairs if you look close).  Now everything is bursting with plants - corn, pumpkins, squash and strawberries.

 

Next came a big new BBQ.

But where to put it?

TaDa!

I picked up FREE flagstone from yet another person that didn't want it in their yard!  A little sweat and a couple days later I had a beautiful new patio area for my "outdoor kitchen".

Another Project?!

This time it's the fence.  Our existing fence is over 25 years old and barely standing.  So we finally bit the bullet and started replacing it.  This time around though, we are expanding our fence to the property lines.  This will give us a larger enclosed backyard.

 

I thought we would never get those holes dug! 

Hardened clay and rocks do not make for easy digging.

We took the easy way out and purchased pre-made fence panels.  This forced us to terrace the fence line but I am sure it has saved us a ton of construction time.

 

At the time of this posting we are about to close off this side of the yard (putting the last panel right where this photo was taken from).  I have started preparing the other side of the house for the next stage.  The longest stretch of fencing (all the way across the back yard) will be the biggest and longest part of this project. 

 

More pictures as we progress!

 

 

 

The Big Day

That is the look of a crazy driver if I have ever seen one!!

 

Yup, Stown got his license officially on August 16th this year. 

Stay off the roads and hide your children and pets!!

 

Good job buddy, now don't do anything stupid.

Love, Mom

The Boy's Car

YYYYAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                My car arrived to today, Suzuki Grand Vitara 2001, I got the keys and couldn't wait to drive it.  After about a year of saving money I have it mostly payed off, third row seating, the vehicle itself can hold up to 7 people total, too bad I have to wait 6 months to carry passengers.  I get my license on August 16th, so on that day I say "goodbye parents" and "Hello FREEDOM" 
                                                                                                           -The Boy

Sprout Update: 2

Transplant day!!

After letting these little guys get a bit sturdier, I transplanted them out of the house plant pot and into their own 4 inch pots.  They are now in the sunniest window in the house.

Despite being the sunniest window, it also has snow piled about a third of the way up it.  A good amount of light still gets in and very brightly reflects off the snow.

I 'm still not sure what these are, beginning to think tomato due to the leaf pattern.  However, I can't smell anything yet and I know what a tomato plant smells like.  Perhaps when they are hardier I can break off a leaf for closer inspection.

More to come as they grow!

Birthday Girl!!

Aspen is 6 now!!

Her birthday was on Valentine's day and she celebrated with an "A" shaped pancake.

A little older and a little whiter in the face, but still young at heart and obsessed with her ball.

Another birthday still to come this month, stay in touch!!

MysterySprouts

???

Sometimes I go about the house and rearrange my house plants, maybe shifting them to different windows depending on the season and so forth.  Well, I did that about a month ago.  I moved this plant to a sunnier location and gave it some extra water to help with the move.  Low and behold, look what's sprouted!!

I don't know what these three little sprouts are yet.  (or will there be more?)  My best guess is that they were dormant for quite sometime.  I have a worm compost and I know the worms do not eat seeds nor does it get hot enough to kill the seeds.  I haven't added any compost to this plant for over two years (best I can figure).  These must be left over from then.

Talk about late bloomers!!

Well, out of curiosity I am going to continue to let them grow, see what happens and hopefully what they are.

I'll keep ya posted!!



Birthday Boy!!

Douglas Fur of Durango

Last Friday, February the 3rd, Doug turned 4 years old.

Can't you just feel his excitement?

Jim says, "Doug is the "blue-est" yellow dog he's ever met."

I think we should have named him Eore, after the mopey donkey from the Winnie the Pooh stories.

Either way, Doug is Doug and we love him.

After a bit of scratching he rolled to his back for his famous bat impression.

Happy Birthday Doug!!

February holds lots of birthdays in our house, stay tuned for more...

Snowshoeing...again!

Really, how often do I get to go snowshoeing two Wednesdays in a row?!

This week I went with my friend Barb, her sister Jill (visiting Durango) and Jill's funny lil' pup Sally.

Of course, we went to one of my favorite places - La Plata Canyon.

We explored a series of frozen beaver dams.

 Lead the way Sally!!

 We found mountain lion tracks.

Which didn't photograph very well.

 A beautifully constructed and still intact paper wasp nest.

 A peek at the opening, shows it to be dormant or vacant. 

I wasn't gong to knock and find out.

(I believe it was a paper wasp nest but I am no expert, if someone knows better please feel free to comment with a correction.)

 Barb and Jill

At the end, Sally was so excited with her new buddies that she hopped right in my car with them.  Sorry, Sally you can't go home with your friends.

Another peaceful day spent in the canyon!!

Oops, again my failure to be competent in computers shines through.  I compressed these photos to email to someone and now they are forever small.  I was later informed that I should make a separate file with duplicates in it , one for originals and one for altered.  Ugh!!  Live and learn.