WEEKEND HAPPENINGS!

We had some of our 4-H group over to help put together ideas for this upcoming Homecoming Parade.

These kids are full of ideas.

They were working on getting the posters done.

(Haylee, Skylar, Chris)

We had help getting cages made. 

This is to put some ducks/chickens in the cage while on the trailer.

(Gavin, Justin, Ms. S, Kaitlin, Dylan)

Getting a idea for the balloons.

And some playtime.
(Gavin, Dylan, Chris, Justin, Haylee, Kaitlin, Skylar )

Getting some painting done too.

(Skylar, Kaitlin, Gavin)

Got Two cages made. 
Easier than I thought to make.


This is the trailer that the kids are going to get decorated up.


Our leader of the group is letting the kids borrow some hay bales.
When they get it all done I will post the picture.

This crazy looking duck is one we are taking with us to the parade.

We call him Afro-Duck.

I have been hungry for carrot cake.

So lets make some

CARROT CAKE

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

5 egg yolks 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 1/2 cups carrot, shredded

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp. orange zest

 Getting some of it mixed up.

 It's ready to go in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done.
Let cool, then frost.

 While it was baking,
I went out to check on the baby chicks.
They are doing great.

 Now that just looks really YUMMY!

~~~SUNDAY

Today is a work day. Getting a few odds and ends done or close to done. Not ready to publish the project we have been working on yet, but stay tuned. Tim found this snake skin over by our pond. Really scary when you think about it. Look at the size of that snake. We don't know what kind it is or if it is venomous.

Remember those pumpkins I gutted? 
Yep, it is time to get the seeds roasted.

Added some melted butter and sea salt.


Sprayed my cooking sheet and spread the seeds on it.


Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until lightly brown.

Meanwhile, Skylar is getting our dinner ready.
Muffin Meatballs ~ YUM!


Serve up some homemade french fries.

After cutting them I layed them on a paper towel to dry them before putting them in the pot.

Cooking them in some peanut oil.
I can't wait until dinner.

Look who will be joining us for dinner.
Well, we knew she would be here. I waited for my granddaughter all day. Auntie Kaitlin lifted her up to pet Greyson.

EmilyMae and Auntie Kaitlin are checking out the chickens in the Banty Coop.

EmilyMae loves the outdoors. So, we decided to have our dinner outside. The weather was perfect.

Auntie Kaitlin, EmilyMae and Grandpa!


Skylar and myself

We were out taking care of the animals. Tim was filling up the nipple waterer. Tim could believe it when Cuddles started to lick it to get water. I tried to get a fast picture but missed it. I saw it but still surprised she was licking it. 

EmilyMae and Grandpa
Tim got her baby all wrapped up for her. Such a great grandpa!

BABY CHICKS ARE HERE!

THE CHICKS ARE HERE!

I got the call before 7 am and said your chicks are ready for pickup.

Skylar came out to help. We really thought the box was gonna be bigger. When we ordered the meat birds the box was huge. This is a small box. This morning was a cold morning.

Well, I will tell you we are curious to what is in the box. Yes we ordered them but, we just ordered all female mixes. So we don't know what they sent us.

SURPRISE!

Silver-Laced Wyandottes

Australorps

SURPRISE!

There is more.

Buff Orpington??

Not sure

It has color on its wings. This will be a surprise for sure. It's the waiting game.

Making sure they all are getting a drink and counting them.

Rhode Island Red

54 Baby Chicks!

The one in front is a Barred Rock.

After getting a drink and warming up they got interested in eating some food. I forgot to add the corn flour. I will bring it out later.
We did need to put another heat light  and have them all on. It's cold today. They are so cute!

Here is a short video of the chicks!

WEEKEND HAPPENINGS & LABOR DAY!

First thing first this morning, my truck needs a new battery.

Tim got that taken care of along with some other errands we needed to run.

The last one is picking up the semi-truck with the trailer full of BIG concrete blocks on it.

With some tight squeezes and moving the trailer on the right side to hook up to the other trailer. 

Now we are ready to head back home.

Tim pulled the trailer through to our pasture to turn it around so we can unload it.

Kaitlin is hooking it on so Tim can raise it.

Skylar is hiding but I found her.

This is the best spot that we found to put them.

Not like we can just pick them up and move them.

They weigh like 4,000 lbs. a piece.

We had to switch out 2 of them. One of them had a big chunk on the side and wasn't butting up as close together.

Everyone has a job!

 Last two!

We got all 10 of them unloaded. 

Team Work!

SATURDAY 

 This isn't a favorite job of anyone's but one that needs to get done.

The cleaning of the coop. The job is to scoop out all of the old mulch and remove all the stalls. Also wipe all the walls down and clean the roosting bars. The thought was to get it all done in one day.

We got this part done. The old mulch is gone, most of the walls are wiped down and the two stalls are removed.

We got Sassy-Pants moved over to this really small cage. She doesn't need much room as she is just sitting on eggs. This will work for her for now.

 The next plan is to make three stalls. I want each to have it's own door. This will make it easier by keeping them separate.

 The hens don't seem too upset that we just removed everything from their house.

 Tim and I worked on building two door frames and two more doors.

 We screwed them together.

 We measured them.

 We screwed more boards and

 and more

 and more 

and more.

 Until we got this all framed up.

 Kaitlin kept dumping mulch in the stalls.

 Sassy-Pants just watched us.

 Hope is doing good. She is still really small but eats really healthy.

We still keep her separate from the hens. She is doing better with them now.  I think she misses the cows or maybe a few of the calves.

Tim got the boards ready to add the wire.

He is a fast worker.

Getting the rest of the walls put up.

Kaitlin dumping more mulch.

Keep it coming.

Attaching the walls together.

We removed the old wire/fencing off of the boards to add the chicken wire to it.

This fencing/wire still allowed the baby chicks to go thru them. I am changing that with putting chicken wire instead. Mostly the guineas go thru and get stuck. The baby chicks go thru fine, except when a broody mom isn't your mom and she kills anything that she feels will cause harm.

Skylar and Kaitlin still dumping mulch.

We are going deep!

This little chick (its a rooster) cheeps all day long.

They pooped on the nice and clean roosting bars.

I am liking this spot better.

Getting closer.

Got this stall almost done. We still need to add the upper part. 

We have the doors just need more chicken wire.

Tim and I got them almost done. These sections will go on the upper part. This will keep them on their own sides.

Three stalls.

The sun was so orange today.

Got Sassy-Pants set back up in the stall.

I think she was happy!

~~~ HAPPY LABOR DAY~~~

The girls had a meeting today.

We joined them later with some friends for a BBQ.

This is Skylar with one of the kittens we gave away.

He sure is BIG. It is one of Alex's babies.

This one and the next one is also Alex's babies.

They are called the suicide squad.
This one really looks like Sundae.

Kaitlin and Skylar checking out the goats.

Another set of friends are getting goats at the end of this month.

They are fascinating to watch. Not sure if I want any yet.

Wild Flowers and a beautiful view.

The moon Monday night.

The picture doesn't capture the orange color.

The sky just looked so different today.

Did anybody else see that on Monday?