Our Flock- Introducing the "Girls"

Pollyanna and Talullah

The coop was built, names selected..all we needed was the chickens!  We heard of a nice man down the road..with chickens so we loaded a dog crate and headed out. Hubby and I agreed we would only get 5 hens . When we arrived, we found he had lots of chickens, roosters and even German shepherds for sale. I felt a little overwhelmed. We  finally selected 2 barred Plymouth rocks, 2 buff Orpington / Barred Rock crosses, and one bantam hen. Then..I saw a Rhode Island Red and a Blue-Black hen that were so pretty.... so we are up to 7.  Hubby insisted it was time to go.. We were already 2 over and I think he was afraid I might try to slip a German shepherd into the truck. ( I probably would have)

Henrietta and Lucille

Matilda -the banty

Abigail

Ruby

All of these hens were in a pen together so we knew they were already "friends".  They were about 14 weeks when they came to us . They settled in fine in the chicken run and pecked every blade  of grass and bug in site. They weren't too crazy about going inside the coop that hubby had worked so hard on. We tried for several nights to bed them down inside, but they would have no part of that. Instead, they all roosted on the rails of the run. It was so cool to see how they started "going up", trying to get as high as they could when the sun started going down. Silly birds..there was a great loft right inside the Coop! We decided we would not obsess about it..but were very excited when they finally started going inside!

So...the adventure indeed had begun !

It's Just a Chicken Coop

We aren't sure who came up with the idea, but we have decided to raise chickens! I've read all I can and have even created Pinterest boards on Coops and Chickens so I guess that makes it "official". We have already raised quail, puppies, kittens, and two daughters so it can't be that hard, right?  We have even watched the movie  The Egg and I  more times than I am willing to admit.

                                       First things first ...we had to Name the Chickens.
               Yes,we are counting our chickens before they are hatched, but how much fun is this?

Next- The Coop! 

This is where the adventure really began. We researched and looked at multiple Coop ideas and finally my brave hubby decided he could figure it out without us spending a fortune on Coop kits or expensive plans. My job was self-appointed  "Quality Control / Supervisor" but I admit he did all the work. He kept saying he wasn't a carpenter, but he couldn't be more wrong in my opinion. He has done an awesome job!  His favorite phrase has become "It's just a chicken coop".  

HOME DEPOT has always been one our favorite stores. We made frequent visits during this project. This was the beginning of many loads of lumber and other materials. Hubby ended up having to buy a new nail gun and staple gun during the process. 

Hmmmm... A bit convenient, huh? 

Ahh, the base of the coop . I've been teased by my Son-in -Law that this is where the dead chickens will fall. Our first goal is that there will be no dead chickens before their time!

Everything is starting to shape up. We had to have a window and a door of course. 

Love the nesting box so that we can reach in and pick up ALL the eggs our chickens will lay (how is that for positive thinking?)

I am really getting excited now and am so proud of how creative my hubby has been . This is more wonderful than I ever imagined .

My designer daughter ( and Crimson Tide grad) selected the colors for the house and plans on adding a window box as a finishing touch!  See the weathervane? That is my final touch! It is perfect. We covered the bottom of the coop and the run with  1/2 inch hardware cloth (which I had never heard of).

It is finished!! I am so happy. Now we are ready for chickens!

Chickens aren't even here yet and we have already have a snake at the coop. This is not cool!

We have worked hard to make the chickens a safe place so hopefully the critters will leave them alone. 

I hope to be able to introduce "the girls" soon. Stay tuned :)

Under the Magnolia Tree

Call me crazy, but I have always felt that all Southern homes should  have at least one magnolia tree. Despite the hundreds of oaks, hickory , and dogwood surrounding us, there was not a magnolia in sight! That is,until recently.  On Mother's Day, hubby surprised me with 2 beautiful magnolias ! We found the perfect spot in the backyard so that they could have plenty of sunlight and room to grow...dug the holes..and now we just watch them grow.

I imagine these two beautiful trees towering over the back yard and being enjoyed by my children and grandchildren for years to come. I am already planning my Christmas mantle and table adorned with the big beautiful leaves. How pretty would a wedding or garden party be under a  big, blooming magnolia ? 

                                               

     Under the Magnolia Tree

Under the Magnolia tree my daughters and I

Warmed by the sun in the southern sky

With our big floppy hats and sipping our tea

For this moment  today, fine ladies are we.

Lace napkins on our laps and Granny's tea cakes

A string of pearls and that's all it takes.

So, barefoot and laughing you'll find us three

Wrapped in  the arms of our lovely tree.

                                                                  cm

The first tree goes in ...

Boo was trying to help plant the the second tree. 

Our first blossom :)



Until next time..

Turkey Feathers and Turnip Green Soup

Fall is my favorite season. I love the changing color of the woods, cooler days, and the anticipation of Thanksgiving. I  have so much to be thankful for. I am blessed with wonderful family and friends, special memories, and an awesome God, who makes all this possible.

 It's always a  fun challenge to bring the Fall inside as we decorate for Thanksgiving. This year, all the turkey feathers laying on the ground inspired me and I went a little "turkey crazy"! I washed  them in Dawn and went to work.  Add some oak limbs, corn, pumpkins, pine cones, and leaves, and you have a festive, unusual,  and inexpensive decor.

Feathers at the Dinner Table

  The limb was recycled from an oak that was cut down for firewood. The turkey feathers were arranged around the wood and candlesticks and then embellished with some other treasures found in the woods and around the house. So many possibilities.

For the kitchen table, a 2 inch slice from the tree was used to hold the pumpkin filled with turkey feathers and Fall flowers and berries.  I love the addition of a cute little bird,



Feathers on the Porch

The wreath is my favorite. It added a nice touch to the front porch.

Turnip Green Soup 
   After all the decorating, there is nothing quite like a hot bowl of soup to warm you up. I promise this will become one of your Fall family favorites (if you like turnip greens, that is). All you do is add all the ingredients below into a large pot, heat to a boil and simmer for 30 mins.   Add a skillet of cornbread and you have a hearty southern meal. 

1 pkg of conecuh sausage (cooked under the broiler and sliced)
2 cans of rotel
1 pkg of Knorr or Lipton Vegetable soup mix
2 pkgs of turnip greens
2 cans white northern beans
32 oz Swanson Chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Happy Thanksgiving!
          "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.Worship the Lord with gladness;come before Him with joyful songs...enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name "Psalm100 :1-4

Scrapbooks : In Case of Fire, Grab These First

We all laugh about this, but in our house we all know that in case of fire, we should all grab a scrapbook on the way out.  The memories are invaluable , despite the investment of time and money. Since I started scrap booking over 10 years ago, there have been many new things to make it even more fun and easier.  There are numerous online tutorials and workshops, as well as free page ideas and printables. The big change is the move toward digital scrapbooks. I usually like to be on top of all the new technology but for me, paper scrap booking is still the way to go. I find it relaxing and therapeutic.  I am a sucker for stickers and I love cropping! I hope to encourage everyone to get busy saving those memories.

My thoughts:

*  Organize your pictures. You can buy inexpensive photo boxes at most craft stores. Label either chronologically or by event.  I wanted to do a scrapbook for both of my daughters so I started with 2 boxes and labeled the tabs ( i.e.  Birth,First birthday, First Christmas, etc. ) This will make it easier as you work on pages. 

*  Whether you choose paper or digital, just get started!

*  Pages do not have to be perfect! I used to obsess over every page but I learned quickly that sometimes "simple" is best. Everyone is different. Do what works best for you. 

* Use good, acid-free album pages and products. Have you ever picked up an old album, only to find yellowed photos that are stuck to the pages? Heartbreaking... We want our memories to be preserved for  future generations to enjoy, don't we? My favorite products are Creative Memories but their are many options at your local Michaels or other craft stores.  

* It REALLY is okay to crop a picture! This was hard for me at first but now I am hooked.  If you choose not to trim or crop your picture, that is okay too.  

* Journal, Journal, Journal... This is what makes the scrapbook pages so personal and meaningful. Documenting who, what, when and where ... I confess  this is not my favorite part to DO but is my favorite part to READ. 

* Start small. You may want to begin with a "Vacation Album"  or  "Christmas Album"  so that your focus is on one particular event. You can then add to these at next vacation, etc.

This is how I used to save my photos : in plastic sleeves that were not acid-free and often caused yellowing of the photos...There is also no room for journaling. Years from now, will I remember the names of these cute little puppies ?

Ideally, a special  workspace is recommended so that you can have all your scrapbook materials close at hand when you have a few minutes to work on your books. If not possible, there are many options such as a closet or a rolling organizer.

These are a few of my "spreads". Some still need journaling. Even though my handwriting is not perfect, I think it is very personal to have at least some of the album in my own handwriting.

One of my favorite albums was the one I did for my daughters, using the words from Max Lucado's book Just in Case You Ever Wonder.  We made a copy of the words and transferred it to the pages of the album. Just be sure to give credit to the author!

Another great idea for kids and for teachers is the ABC book. I can tell you about that if you are interested. The ideas are endless!

Until next time... Crop 'til you drop!