Two's Company

Blanche: "Was it something I said?"

"It's because I'm fat, isn't it?"

And They Lived Happily Ever After

Sometimes when you love something you have to set it free. I love Sir Sparky D'Uccle so very, very much. I love everything about him from his cute fuzzy cheeks down to his feathered feet that make swooshing noises when he walks like he's wearing corduroy pants.

His wife, Lady Millie D'Uccle is every bit as sweet as he is. She never wants to leave his side and is very demure and lady-like.

Her maidservant, Twiggy, is just a wee little thing. So, so precious.

My girl Pearl is a goofball. She kind of wattles like a duck when she runs.

And Minnie won the Mother Hen of the Year award this year, taking the best care of her babies.

Her baby girl is almost all grown up and will need a name soon.

I love them all dearly. But Old Jack's side of the coop is getting crowded. Jack doesn't like Sparky. Even though I love them and would be willing to stash them in my closet, the right thing to do would be to find them a new home. A new home where Sparky can be the man of the house. As you can imagine, I couldn't let them go to just anybody.

No. Somehow, someway, I would need to find The Best Chicken Momma Ever. Only she would be allowed to take my precious Sparky. It seemed like an impossible task. I mean how does one exactly go looking for The Best Chicken Momma Ever? But luckily The Best Chicken Momma Ever just happens to read my blog! She took notice when I mentioned I would need to start looking for a new home for them. She had her Momma send me an e-mail and ask if I might consider her as a candidate for Sparky's new Momma and attached the following photo.


And then waited anxiously for a response.


And then I said "Of course! Of course!" I recognize The Best Chicken Momma Ever when I see her! So Sparky and all his ladies are going to move to Wisconsin to live in their fancy new coop near a cabin in the woods where I just know they will live happily, ever, after.

I Can't Do It

I told myself I was really going to pare down and let some of the extra roosters around here go before winter. But I can't do it.

I'm too in love with JB (Jack's Boy). I mean just look at him. He is so incredibly handsome. His golden feathers glisten in the sunlight. It would be like getting rid of the golden goose.

JB's got to stay. We just may need to build an addition onto the coop. Or maybe he could live on the back porch? Or I could stash him in my closet...

The DRZ

The De-Rabbitized Zone. I loved Beatrix Potter growing up. The stories. The cute little drawings of fuzzy bunnies. That was before I started gardening. I no longer like bunnies. Nope. Now it's war.

Over the weekend the Engineer fashioned a rabbit proof garden gate.


Then installed a rabbit proof fence.

The placement of which was determined by the old gas acetylene generator. If you haven't been hanging out here since the beginning and haven't heard the fascinating story behind the generator you really should go check it out.


The generator sat on a concrete slab that isn't going anywhere fast. It and gads of bricks are embedded in the ground most likely because of the explosion. What explosion you ask? See, I told you. You really should read that story. Anyway, it made setting the corner post a bit challenging and not even remotely square.

But I think it will hold the fence up and keep our DRZ secure. All that is left to do is cut the corner posts down and install a chicken hatch so the chickens can come in and work their excavating magic on the area.

In the mean time Sparky looks longingly at the grass and bugs. "If only I could get to the other side."

Soon, little buddy, soon.

Join The Party!

Spay and neuter your pets so they can wear a party hat, too!

Poor, poor Willa. She's not crazy about her lampshade.

I Only Turned My Back for a Second

I was having a conversation with the Engineer yesterday. We talked about how we really should finally take down the last old apple tree. It's the only one left out of what was the original orchard. He's hated it and wanted it gone since the day we moved in here. I, on the other hand, have been wanting to let it live out it's days. At first it disguised the ugly satellite dish. Then once the dish was removed it provided shade for the chickens. It's apples aren't really great but the chickens seemed to enjoy them. But the poor old tree was hit by lighting and only had one large branch still living which only produced about five apples this year. I have to admit, it really was looking pretty ugly with is 400 suckers shooting out of it's trunk.

The Engineer pointed out that if the tree was no longer there it would be the perfect spot for the vegetable garden. He could even fence it to keep out the rabbits and everything else that's been eating all my bounty this year. Then he could build a small shade shelter for Old One Eyed Calico Jack and his lady friends. So I finally conceded and agreed that we should have someone come take the tree down. I turned, walked into the house and about thirty seconds later this is what I heard and saw.


He apparently didn't want to risk the chance of me changing my mind.

Boom! Done! Gone! Ready for the raised beds to go in and the fence to go up. Just like that.


I'm glad I planted the replacements this spring.

Cheese!

Blanche and Rose ham it up for their Facebook profile snapshot. Goofballs.