What I Have Been Doing

I am very busy learning all I can about my new chicks. I know my husband thinks I have gone off the deep end and baby when I go I go hard.

Went into Barnes & Noble and used a gift card to buy this book. I have read the entire thing. It is visually a lovely book and though I would love the thought of free ranging chickens out back when I am working I have decided that they will either be in their coop or in a mobile pen I have. I move it around and it is open on the bottom so they can scratch and pick and do the chicken thing. My big dog seems very interested in them and with a three year old who follows me everywhere, I foresee an unfortunate situation. I would hate for the dog to get a hold of them and harm or kill one.

So daily I head out to the coop and let them out of the house where they sleep and feed them and give them fresh water. I visit throughout the day and let them out to head to the mobile coop for a few hours or more every day. It was so hot this weekend they had to be in some good shade and nice cool dirt. They were happy to be under the grapefruit tree.
This is my favorite girl Illy. She has been a sweetie since she came home.

That is her drinking root beer. Kidding. I made a gravity waterer out of it but she had loads of leaves scratched up in there over the weekend. They get hot and have to have cool water to drink when it is hot so I put some ice in their bowl. They pecked and bobbed at it. They had ice cold cantaloupe and lots of grass clippings to pick through. We caught grass hoppers and cracked up as the chickens caught and ate them. They would not eat a big brown one though. Hmmm.

Today I snuck out for some quiet time with the girls and had three of them on my lap just hanging out and eating the oats I brought out. I have one that is stand off ish and my be a roo. Wouldn't even acknowledge
me. Stinker. Then wondering if he/she was missing something hopped on my leg and proceeded to take a poo. I saw it coming and flung my leg out of the way. Near miss. If you don't like poop, chickens may not be your thing but really the amount of poo four chickens leave compared to my big stinky pile laying dog is nothing. And dog poo is not good for anything so lands in the land fill. My chicken poo can be added to my compost to grow my garden. I will share a home made composter I made very soon.

Linking to:
Wow Us Wed.

Eat Your Greens

Just a little updated pic of the garden. It is coming in well.  With our heat some things are bolting.

This is the first year I have grown bok choy. I am trying to feed us fresh greens once or twice a week. They are so full of good things. This bok choy was easy to grow. I will always have it in the garden from now on. Year round rotation is the plan. For now I just cut off what I want and they grow new leaves.

This is the blue kale. I cut leaves every week and it just keeps growing more.

This is the second batch of lettuce I planted. We are already eating the first batch in our salads.

Here is my way of cooking the greens. Chop up and pour olive oil over it. Add some sea salt and pepper and a splash of water. Cover and cook until tender stirring every few minutes. Greens can be tough so add the water and let them steam with the lid and they will be wonderfully tender. I love that they are organic and picked right before we sit down to eat.

Linking to:
Met Monday
A Stroll Thru Life
Coastal Charm
Cozy Home Scenes
Bowl full of lemons

When You are Three...

You know how to coordinate outfits. "But mom it is all spotted." Happy Sunday. Off to church and more time in the yard. It has been hot here so lots of time in the sprinkler for this little gal.

Mom's Best Potato Salad

This is my most requested dish at family and friend's barbecues. I am always asked to bring the potato salad because this is the best recipe ever. My kids will only eat my potato salad. I learned to make it from my mom.

Recipe:

This will be for an average bowl. You can add or reduce as needed.

8 medium potatoes
8 hard boiled eggs sliced
1 cup chopped celery
1 small can of sliced black olives
2 heaping T. of dill relish
bit of grated onion ( I only like a small amount)
3/4 c. mayo
3/4 c. sour cream
T. yellow mustard
Dill pickle juice (a generous splash)
Season with season salt, a little salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until just tender. Peel and dice place in a large bowl.
While potatoes are still warm put the mustard and pickle juice in and mix well.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well. If you like it  more creamy add more of the mayo and sour cream or add less if you like it dryer.

Refrigerate and enjoy. One of the kids always offers to taste test for me. They love it so I make a large bowl just for us so they can enjoy for a couple of days.

Linking to:
Sunday Blog Love
Show off Your Cottage Monday
BNOTP
Bowl Full of Lemons

Warm and Cheery Shelf

After taking down the Easter decor I have some things on the kitchen I am hoping will take me to fall. You never know with me as I am always moving things. 

Flowers and ladybugs. Nothing says warm weather better.

Lots of vintage goodies bought at the thrift store.

For now this little sand pail resides here but I may change it out if I can find something more YELLOW of course. It is my color of choice right now.

In fact I finally ordered my mini plus Keurig and I decided to get it in yellow. I have been waiting for a deal of some sort since the $99 price tag was more than I wanted to pay. Yesterday was the day. 30% off from Kohls and $10 in Kohls cash so $40 off sounded good to me. Can't wait to try it. Even my hubby is excited for it to get here.

Linking to:
Show and Tell Friday
BNOTP
Feathered Nest Friday
SNS 130
Show off Your Cottage Monday
Make it Great Monday

Productive!

I feel like I had a very productive day yesterday. Know why? Because I finally got a piece of furniture painted. I used spray paint with primer. It was so quick. I think I will paint all my furniture (at least small pieces) that way in the future. Dried fast in between coats.

This piece has a twin in the garage so will go on the other side of my bed. They were my MIL's first night stands. I'd say that is getting your money's worth. Now 50 years later, still being used and in good shape.

When I was taking a picture of the nightstand my little one wanted a picture taken too. "Here take a pic of me smelling the flowers."

The girls beds all have had the flannel sheets taken off and switched over to cooler ones. Now to clean the linen closet to get all the winter stuff back in. On the list for today.

Felt my tray was sort of plain so I added some more goodies to it.

Now it is farm fresh and ready for spring.

Linking to:
BNOTP
Thrifty Thursday
Transformation Thursday
Delightful Order
Somewhat Simple

Freshen and Clean Drains the Natural Way

Every once in a while I will notice my kitchen drain needs a freshening up. You know the smell.

I used to use bleach but my daughter is very sensitive to it permeating the house so I discovered a more natural approach years ago.

Take some baking soda and white vinegar.

Generously sprinkle the baking soda around and in the drain. About a 1/4 cup.

Then pour about a cup of vinegar over the baking soda and watch it fizz. You will hear it fizzing all down the drain. Let sit for about fifteen minutes.

And wash it all down with a pot of boiling water.

We are on a sewer system so I wonder if this is better than bleach if you have a septic tank. Seems like it would be. Helps keep the drain nice and clear too.

Linking to:
Wow Us Wed.
Faded Charm
Time Travel Thursday
Fun Stuff Fridays
The Charm of Home
Common Ground
Show and Tell Friday

Retro Drinkware

My collection of retro drink items. All thrifted and perfect for my red and yellow shelf. Working on it this week.

Linking to:
Time Warp Wife
Coastal Charm
Wow Us Wed.

Frugal Challenge - Free Hen House and Chick Update

The chicks are now five weeks old. Getting bigger and harder to catch. They spend the day out here in their coop but go into the garage at night.

They are having their most favorite snack ever. They go crazy when I put it down. It is Kefir which is full of good things for them and is full of probiotics. It is of course good for humans too. I put it in the girls smoothies.

Okay, there is the little house. It is an old cupboard turned on its side. The laying boxes will be in the top section and hubby will put the ramp on when they are ready to start going up there, but for now it is closed off to them. The bottom has a roosting pole for them to sleep on. The door can close but we have it propped open for now. I will move the bundle of shavings behind the lil house when the ramp goes on. We spent $0 on the house portion. It is all scrap from the coop and from our garage. Not attractive but free.

I have been playing with chickens indoors as well. I think in honor of my new girls I will have chicken centerpiece on the dining table. Just brought together things I had around the house.

Those are the only eggs I have for right now.

Linking to:
BNOTP
Lowercase Letters
Just Something I Whipped Up
Craft O Maniac
Barn Hop
A Stroll Thru Life
Coastal Charm
Cozy Home Scenes
Home and Garden Thursday
SNS130

Garden Stroll

Yes, I have created a future gardener. She has it folks. I am talking about a green thumb. My little one planted the seeds, watered more than they needed but yesterday she harvested a basket of radishes. Now don't mention that radishes are one of the easiest things to grow but hey she's only three.

Here are the potatoes I am growing in the pot out back. They are taking off. About five inches of growth. I need to get some more potting soil in there and mulch up around them.

This gerber daisy is so old. I think about six years old. It just keeps coming back in this pot every year. First bloom of the year.

My husband is working this morning and just called. He asked would I be spending time with my chickens today. Of course. Their little place is around that corner. Do you think we have enough chicken signs? No missing where they live.

Ah petunias. Happy Sunday. Prayers to all my blogging friends in the midwest. I hope you all are safe after all those terrible storms.

Linking to:
Seasonal Sundays
Show off Your Cottage Monday
A Delightsome Life

What to do on a Rainy Day

We had a very rainy stormy day here in SoCal. In fact I was caught without an umbrella just as I was checking out of the grocery store. Was totally soaked by the time I got home.

Well of course the pooches have to be indoors. This dog is almost ten but acts like she is two. One downside to rainy days is her restlessness after a while.

You keep peeking out the kitchen window to see what the weather is doing. Especially when loved ones are on the road driving.

When the weather breaks for a minute you run the legs off of all three year olds.

You are thankful for a warm and cozy home.

And you make your oldest daughter's day by making chicken and dumplings for dinner. I sent her a text and she was home within the hour. Her favorite.

Linking to:
SNS 129

Cherry and Summer Dreaming

I love this pillow bought at my favorite store. Screams summer. I am getting my summier goodies out to set the house for the warm weather on it's way.

Linking:
SNS 129
BNOTP

Are We Really Having this Discussion Again?

I could not believe my ears this week when I heard the tift going on in the news about the comment made about Anne Romney staying home with her boys and not "having a real job." How could we be hear again and how could this have been started by a woman? Really after all this time we are still arguing as women over whether staying home or working makes you more of a woman?
I have been on both sides of this argument. I worked for the first 18 years of my kids lives and have been home the last almost four years. If you think working is always hardest, you are wrong. Some days at home can drive a mother out of her mind and lest you think staying home is hardest, then who would want to come home to a pile of laundry after a nine hour day and an hour's drive home?
Please for the love of God and all that is holy, can we women support, unconditionally one another where ever we are. If you are at home then be happy there and know your job is worthy and noble and very important. If you are working than know you are valued and important and showing your kids a strong work ethic. It works both ways and I have lived both lives. Let's stop judging one another and together be a combined voice for all women. This tearing down of one another serves no purpose but to continue to belittle a woman's role where ever she may be working.

Linking to:
Friday Blog Hop
Show and Tell Friday
5 Minutes for Mom
SNS 129

Little Momma

This is our big hunter Sneakers. In from a night out on the town and really looking for a cozy place to nap.

I am in the den and I hear continuous giggling in the kitchen. This little momma wants to put him to bed just right.

Okay, just lay down so I can cover you already.

Mom please why is this kid bothering me? Make her leave please....

Okay, you can cover me I guess.

Now for your sip of water.

 Now just take a drink and I might leave you alone. He did and she did.

Love a little cat hair on my towel when I hop out of the shower. NOT!! Back into the dryer.

Wake Up!

Today our wonderful sunshine is gone and it is dreary and rainy. This guy has decided it is nap time.

We have a hideous plug on the wall here so I try to hide it with pots. Why do they put plugs right where everyone can see them?

As for the gnome, he was sort of lost in the garden when he showed up here in the pots one day. A certain big guy likes to arrange things in the garden as well and I love to stumble upon the surprises.

Linking to:

Savvy So. Style

Time Travel Thursday

Transformation Thursday

Thrifty Thursday

Thursday Blog Hop

Saved by Love Thrifty Thurs.

Share Your Cup Thursday

Delightfully Inspiring

The 36th Avenue

Creative Friday