Summer

It finally feels like summer is here.... and this is what I look out and see from my front door.  I love summer!

I picked up those cool lanterns the other day, and hung them in the tree.  The best part is that they have solar panels in them, so once dusk sets in, the lights come in.  It looks awfully dreamy....

Back Woods Beauty

Every summer, we try and pick a spot on our property to do a project.  For the past number of years, we've been wanting to tackle our back woods, and have started, in the past, but never finished.  This year, we started....worked and worked and worked and worked, and finished.

Our back woods is full of stinging nettle, rotten, falling down trees, waist high grass and some healthy trees.  We've been wanting to make trails throughout the area, and so we did.

There's a company in our area that contract their services to the power company to cut down trees and maintain the area around power lines.  After they've cut down the trees, they chip them all up, and are always looking for places to dump the mulch.  This year, we were the lucky recipients of 4 dump truck loads of mulch.  And the best part about it?  It was all free...As in, it didn't cost us a penny!

Here are a few of the before pictures....

The brush was so thick you couldn't even walk!

And....the after pictures....

I am very, very glad that this project is all done... and my sore body is too!  I don't think I want to see another shovel full of mulch for quite some time!

We also did the area in the front, around and underneath the girls playhouse, so that has tidied up that area nicely.  Now, we can enjoy the trails for the rest of the summer....along with the swarms of mosquitoes!

Only the Strong Survive

A few weeks ago, we were woken up by the Girls running into our room, yelling, "There are chickens in the yard, dead chickens in the run and we can't find the rest!"

So we hustled outside to find 3 dead chickens in their run, 3 chickens (clearly suffering from Post Traumatic Stress) in the yard, and the remaining 10 were gone!  We walked all over our property and our neighbors, and the only thing we could find were piles and piles of feathers....  Either the coyotes or foxes had found them, gotten into their house in the night, and had a feast.

We were all so sad, especially considering that our new layers aren't laying yet!  Two of the remaining chickens kept laying, but the other one, who looks fairly gimped, hasn't laid an egg since.

Then, about 2 weeks later, in the middle of the day, Art was in the shop and heard the chickens going nuts.  He ran out there to see the tail end of a fox...he got 2 more chickens.

So now, we have one lonely chicken left.  And the kicker?  It's the gimped one, who hasn't laid a single egg since "the incident".... She's quite lonely....and afraid!  Every time she hears a noise, she runs back into her house... She lives in fear.  In fear of the fox.  All alone.  With only her imagination to occupy her thoughts (dramatic enough for you?!)

Sadly, our egg supply has dried up. And the Girls income has dried up. And we have to go to the store and buy eggs, which is killing me! I'm hoping that the new chicks start laying sooner rather than later... only 10 more weeks to go.

Rest In Peace, chickens....

Rookie Mistake

This past weekend, we made it out to a garage sale.  Despite the Girl with a (mild fever) and pouring rain, we still made it.  Rain jackets and all... But let me tell you, I was not on my game.  There were a few things that I would've liked to bid on, and while they were being auctioned off, I kinda just watched it happen.  Not bidding, and then kicking myself when they went for $5!  Really.....$5!  Who knows if I would've gotten them, but I should've at least bid! 

What I was most excited about was a big box of flour sacks.  I found some a number of years ago at a garage sale, and bought them all.  I ended up making pillows with them, which I love, and have been looking for more ever since.  And, bingo, there they were.  The auctioneer had said that he was going to sell a pile of stuff in front of the building that they were in, and then head around to another part of the farm.  So, I thought we should walk over and see what was coming up in the auction.  That, was my fateful move.  My rookie mistake!  I should've known that you never know what's gonna happen!

By the time we looked around and ended up back at the pile, they'd cleaned out the building with my beloved box.  And we were only gone for maybe 10 minutes!!

I'm not gonna lie, I was fairly disgusted with myself.  I ended up speaking with the lady who bought them.  I asked her what she paid.  You wanna know?  It still kinda makes me sick..... $5.00!  Something that I've been looking for for years and years went for five measly dollars.  Bah!  She ended up selling me 5 of the flour bags for $10, which isn't bad....but not great when I could've bought the whole box!

I keep saying to myself, "Really, what would I want with a whole box of them....I don't need that many....", but unfortunately, it's not helping me feel better!  I should've known better....it was definitely a rookie mistake and this seasoned auction attender should've known better.  However, I'm trying to be thankful for the sacks I did end up with.  Now I'll have to wait until fall to sew the pillows...no time these days with all my outdoor projects I have going on!

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread

I found this recipe on pinterest the other day....yummy!  It's called Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread, but don't let that scare you!  It's delicious!

You start with some pizza dough (I made my own).  Then, cut up some cooked chicken breasts (I had a few in my fridge, leftover from dinner the night before) and add some buffalo wing sauce to it.  After the pizza dough has risen, roll it out to about 9 x 13", put on some ranch dressing, some buffalo wing sauce, the chicken, and some cheese (I used mozza and marble).  Roll it up, making sure you fold in the ends so it doesn't explode while baking (25 min. at 425), and Voila!  Here it is!

I served it with salad.  The Girls and Art all loved it!  I was nervous that it would be a bit too spicy, but the seasoning was just right!

My only regret is that I didn't double the recipes, because it would be great for lunch the next day....

Busy Little Beavers

Over at the beloved creek, I noticed something was amuk.  So last night, we decided to take a walk to see what was going on.  Here's the first sign of what was to come....

....and another sign.....



some tracks....

and more logs! 

Finally, we happened upon the culprit's home!  A huge beaver lodge!

There were a few dams as well, but it looked like someone had been in there dismantling them.  As we walked around the area, I was shocked at how much damage these busy little beavers had done!  All along the banks of the creek, it was muddy, and all the trees had been chopped by their teeth.  I now know why their are nicknamed "busy little beavers"....

We never did see them, but I was looking, that's for sure!  Maybe next time!

Rusty Junk

So here's the deal.  I love rusty junk.  I love it in my house.  I love it outside.  I love it in my garden.  I love it in my flower beds.  When in doubt, buy rusty junk is kinda my mantra.  I have loads of it, just waiting for the right time and place to use it.  And when you use it outside, it gets rustier, and eventually dies.  And then you have to replace it.  But rusty junk is especially excellent with flowers in it.  I bought this bad boy chicken feeder at an auction.  I love it in front of my house with flowers in it. 

And this spot in my flower beds was feeling a tad bit empty.  What did I do?  You guessed it....rusty junk!  Rusty junk covers a multitude of empty spots in my flower garden.  It's adds a bit of character and "charm", in my opinion....

So there you have it....rusty junk!  Enjoy your weekend!