Double the fun

Who's seeing double

That would be me. David's birthday came along this month, and he decided to give un-birthday gifts to us. Mine? 6 more ducks. I had gotten 6 ducks a few weeks ago (see prior blog where David falls in duck poo poo) yet David thought we might need 6 more. They really are fun to watch and see on the pond. The difference this time? I would be the duck-getter at the feed store, and not him. Luckily, it was much smoother this time, and we traveled back home with 6 more ducks - who happen to be girls this time. We already have gotten a duck egg or two. Double the fun makes a total of 12 white ducks up on the pond.



Here's The Dozen. They do everything together, in unison.



Instead of an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, the ducks have a swim-up eating area. Why, you ask? Otherwise, the sheep would hang out and eat the ducks grain and corn. Not okay. In an effort to feed the ducks without others eating their food, this fencing secures an area that ensures they get to enjoy their own food. Spring will come to give them grass, bugs and food from the ground. For now though, we need to supplement them until nature can maintain them.


The better to see you with

Have you ever wished you had that extra bright and long lasting light to help with the things you do in the dark? I mean like looking behind the dryer, walking the dog in the dark, trying to see in small spaces that are inconvenient to use the light on your phone, because you need both hands. I had been looking around for a headlight for running, and came across one that I'm not sure how I've lived without it. In the early morning or later evenings, having a bright and dependable headlight is critical while running - or even just doing things around the farm after the sun goes down. Rechargeable, reliable and a solid headpiece were the top three priorities for me when it came to buying a hand light (lamp). I found one, ordered it, loved it, and then noticed I used it in place of a flashlight. After David began showing headlight-envy, I decided it would be an appropriate birthday gift for him. He too, now wears his headlight while out at his bbq pit(s) after dark, when it's dark around the farm, esp in the pasture checking animals, and many other times a light is needed, and esp when you're trying to do something with both hands. This head light/head lamp is made by ledlenser and is the MH10 model (outdoor series) that is rechargeable and is 600 lumens bright (think motorcycle light).




And believe you me, I had looked at REI, Dicks Sporting Good, etc, and found nothing that could compare to this. Thank you, Internet. Running in the dark has never been so bright.


First impression rose goes to

Drum roll......the Food Saver that Lauren gave David for his birthday. He's been wanting one for awhile now. Every time he bbq's anything (brisket, ribs, burnt ends, etc) he's pine-ing for one. Today, after bbq-ing several types of red meat items, he used that Food Saver like he was working in a meat packaging factory. And you know what? It really works AND now we can have lots of red meat things saved in the freezer. It looks like what the food at the store looks like - except it was made here at home.




You can see that he's polishing his prized possession, while he waits for more bbq to finish up on the smoker.


For when you needed a cucumber but ended up with a zucchini

Sometimes, letting someone else shop for us is a good thing. Recently, I came across Imperfect Foods. Have you heard about them? They are not a food delivery service that gives you meal prep items, and then you cook a meal. They are a grocery (delivery) service of imperfect food that does not meet the criteria to be sold at a retail store - at a good price for you. It's like the grocery store for unwanted delicious food, like carrots that have grown together, or avocados with too many 'big' bumps, or tri-colored quinoa that has too many of one color and no longer looks appealing for grocery store shelves. Whether you want organic, vegan food or any type of groceries they have veggies, fruits, meat substitutes or meats, plus many grain options. I've ordered once thus far, and plan on doing so every couple of weeks. Yes, I'll still go to Kroger, but this is an inexpensive supplement for my own grocery shopping needs. Plus, as an added bonus, they are a no-waste company. All packaging can be recycled or reused, and they will even pick up the box they ship in when they deliver the next time.



Imperfect shape means perfect flavor, so bring on the real food with real character.


Shaken, but not stirred

Was it just a couple of months ago we picked up some silkies from a nice couple in Denison who no longer wanted theirs (Thank you, CraigsList). This has been a blessing, as the silkie chickens as a breed are so docile and sweet that I adore having them in our flock of egg-layers.  Granted, these silkies lay eggs regularly, and are the smallest eggs - but tasty just the same. Even our lavender splash silkie rooster is kind. He's our only rooster, and sets a good example for the rest of the flock. Recently, we took down the fencing that we had around their small coop, so that they could mingle and free range with everyone else. At first, they were all a little shaken up, but quickly settled into the idea of moving about the yard freely.



Here's Post, and he has a crew of 6 girls consisting of Frankie, Chompchi and the 4 Dots (all named Dorothy) who are all doing very well.



The best part is Sugar now has access to eating their chicken food, and June Bug loves to sit up on their coop and watch the world go by. The other (larger) egg layers live in a separate coop in the barn, and the experimental chicken chickens still sleep in the Belle Tower, and consider that their coop. So with 13 original chickens, 19 ECF (Experimental Chicken Farm) and 7 silkies, we are sitting at a total of 39 chickens. Good news? Many of them are laying eggs now, and as the ECF chickens grow up, they will begin to all lay eggs. Some days, we have a dozen eggs we pick up from all the coops. The chicken farm is working out nicely, and even though I'm still giving my eggs away to friends and family, I've learned a lot about how to manage so many chickens. I've reached my happy maximize for now.



Chicken Nivana



Hitting the forward button

As we move through winter, the animals have their full coats on and the ground is dormant. It's amazing how during spring and even summer, that the animals can feed from the ground's plentiful food. Winter time is a time of buying feed, hay and the resources to keep everyone full and happy.



The donkeys enjoy their round bales, the horses and goats want their grain and hay, and somehow the sheep stay large while grazing still, although we do supplement them, too. Everyone is at a healthy weight. Some, maybe too healthy. Luckily, there's not an animal judging taking place around here.

Speaking of wellness, as I was out on a run the other day and was listening to Oprah's Soul Series podcast on Wellness. A feeling of wellness is so personal, and each person's perception of wellness is an opportunity for learning for me. As I listened to the podcast, and each guest spoke about this topic and what it meant to them, my take away was clear. Balance is key in my life, moderation is important in all I do, and although I want to be perfectly hydrated, with perfect 20/20 vision, have a best hair day every day, clear skin and have all my pants fit all the time, moving toward wellness on a daily basis is something we likely all think about. Whether it's being a better version of myself, being kind to others, being good to the environment or the myriad other things that float around in my head - it's all about wellness - mentally and physically. When I'm good to myself - I tent to be better to others. So even though an inbox with zero emails gives me a feeling of wellness, it is something I think about each day and am grateful for every day, that I get to get up and try to be better, again.

Stay well, my friends.

Every day is a brand new start,

Cyndi

Holy Duck

I would have never believed it if I did not see it for myself. The storm and rains that came through the other day, you know, the one that dropped about 2-3 inches in a short period of time (in our area). It was the storm system that blew in with rain and storms and then followed it up with snow.....that's the one. We went out to feed the animals in the barn, and looked up to see the newly expanded pond completely full of water. No, I would have never guessed that after a 24 hour period of time, that this would happen. Nature is amazing and I could not believe my eyes. I screeched with joy when I saw it.



It was just last weekend that David rented another piece of big equipment (back hoe, I think?). This time, the equipment had tracks instead of wheels (like the last one). And last weekend, with this heavy equipment (and dry land, at that time) he finished the pond, rolled things out, moved dirt, and most importantly - finished the trenches by which the water would be fed to the pond. Then, a waiting game for rain began. For the first time in months, we wanted rain - and it would come.

It was only a week that we had to wait for this enormous amount of rain. Silly us, before the rains came, we walked down to the almost empty pond (now doubled in size) and each of us made mental pictures of where the level was. Low, for sure. We each guessed it might come up a foot or two. After taking those mental images in our minds, we never imaged how shocked we'd be after only 24 hours later.

It was Saturday morning that we would awaken to low temps which would turn from rain, to sleet, to snow. After so much rain on Friday and all Friday night into the morning, the snow appeared next. We were in the barn Saturday morning feeding the animals who were so diligently enjoying the shelter from the elements, when David noticed it. He hollered for me to "look at the pond!" and when I did, a verbal happy squeal flew out of my mouth. We could not resist the urge to drop what we were doing, and make our way through the front pasture to stand in front of this magnificent amount of water. God never stops reminding me of His power and strength. We stood jaw-dropped in front of the pond, as more rain began to pour, which turned to sleet, then snow.



Back in the barn we were each doing the happy dance. We would wait until later in the day, that same day, once the rain and snow left, to go check the trenches and make the needed adjustments manually. And sure enough, much of the afternoon was spent with shovels in our hands and trenches being revamped to allow for proper drainage. It was a lot of work, but we were able to allow water that had settled in new and unusual areas to drain. It's a sense of accomplishment to help water move where you'd like it to go. The next rain will show us if we should take the official Irrigation Test to become Licensed Irrigation Specialist. Just another retirement idea/opportunity besides temporary fence movers and chicken farmers.

As you can imagine though, after the discovery of the full pond (before the afternoon of fine-tune trenching), I knew the first thing I needed to do was......go buy some ducks. Granted, Levi and Whisper are not fans of any fowl being in the pond. They chase off anything that flies in the pond to feed, as heaven forbid they eat the frogs, etc. They are very instinctual in regards to protecting the property, animals and that includes anything that comes into the pond without their permission. But since I knew we'd be spending the afternoon down there digging trenches and revamping a few things, it seemed fitting to go buy some ducks, and teach Levi and Whisper that it's okay for them to be down there in the pond area. After all, we would be there to redirect them, and let them know the ducks are meant to be there.

In the snow, we drive to the local feed store to get alfalfa, goat and sheep food, chicken food and scratch, a couple of square bales of hay - and ducks. White ducks to be specific. While at the Check Out counter, I asked what their best price would be for their ducks. The guy suggested that if we bought any more than 3 ducks, we'd get them for half price. So, I asked David how many we should get. I had no idea what his expectations were, regarding the number we would buy. Oddly, we actually hadn't talked about it yet. David says 5. I turned around and looked at the man behind the counter and said 6. It seemed like a good number to me. I knew if David said 5, then I could realistically ask for anywhere from 4 - 6 safely. I pick 6. After the feed was all loaded up in the back of the truck, it was time to go to their penned area where they keep their chickens, ducks, etc. The guy helping us was very kind, esp as the snow was gently falling from the sky like a gazillion feathers - and making everything slippery.

So David and the guy go in the duck pen, net in hand to capture them. Did I mention it had been raining like crazy the day before. The duck pen was a muddy, poopy brown bath house. To add more excitement to this circus, we had to put the crate the ducks would go in, inside the truck because the bed of the truck was full of hay and feed. That would turn out to be a very poor decision. Ducks that are normally white (but now yellowish brown) should never be put inside a vehicle - even if they are in a crate. I'm hoping others can learn from my bad decision.

I digress. David and the guy capture the first duck, and as it flaps its wings while being put inside the crate inside the truck I realize just how bad they stink.......and how it's getting all inside the truck. Back to the pen for duck #2. That's when things took a bad turn. The duck is bouncing around in the net, David gets thrown off balance, and down he goes. He's now laying in the gooey, brown bath of duck poo all while it's snowing - and the guy is trying hard not to laugh. I'm thinking 'Oh boy, I'll never hear the end of this one'.




After David gets up, the duck is still in the net all while he's covered in duck poo. I know now that he's going to have to walk home in the snow. But turns out, after all 6 ducks are placed in the crate in the truck, having David covered in duck poop probably won't make a huge difference in the impact of it all. The truck stunk so bad, I can't believe either of us did not throw up on the way home.




It was obvious that David would need to go no further than the laundry room when we arrived home. And his clothes would be washed twice. But first, it was about getting the ducks to their shelter up by the pond. That was the easy part in it all. Once we arrived home, he took the crate to their shelter and let them out. They were scared - really scared. I thought they would make a break for the water, but they did not. They huddled in their shelter trying to figure out who just transported them away from their family and friends.



It was at this time that David and I would go change clothes to dig and make some slight trench changes around the pond to help the areas holding water, drain better. And that's what we did. With David's clothes in the washer on 'super, heavy-duty wash' we headed back up to check on the ducks. Levi and Whisper were intrigued for sure. Dinner! is what I think they thought. And each time they would go up to the ducks, we would redirect them, and teach them to leave them alone. Those dogs are smart - and caught on that the ducks were to stay - and okay to be there. I would not know for sure until the next morning, after a long night of darkness, if this would hold true.

After the trenches were adjusted and ducks settled in, we head back up to the house. All the while saying a pray for the ducks and their safety in the darkness to come. Luckily, so far anyway, Levi and Whisper only wanted to eat the duck's food. Now, I really was thinking that the ducks would eat what's out in the pasture and in the pond - which happens to be nothing right now. But since they've been caged and fed for awhile, we shall feed them until nature's food becomes available to them.



The next morning I was curious to go see how the night went for all of them. And sure enough, I'm happy to report all 6 ducks were doing well. They move together as a team, honking the whole way. It appears most of them are males, due to their curled up tails (thank you, Google). We gave them some lettuce and feed, and would check back later in the day to see if they ate. Which they did some, but mostly it was Levi and Whisper enjoying a snack every now and again.

Did they get in the pond? No. Did they go down to it? Yes. And promptly turned around and back to safety in their shelter. Time will take them there. It's not time yet.

I wish to tell David "Thank You!" for doing all the dirty work to bring the ducks home. I sat in the truck all the while during this experience of duck buying. Granted, there was a big clean up I performed to get the truck back in a No-Poop Smell state. But that's different than falling in it.

It's been an interesting and learning experience regarding expanding a pond. It's not as easy as I thought it might be. We had many people come and go who said they would fix the last ones mistakes. All the people we hired did contribute to the effort, but it was David renting equipment himself that really ended up propelling us forward with a completion. See?! Just one more retirement opportunity waiting for him. Back Hoe operator. Especially now that we are getting our Irrigation license, right? CraigsList ads do not ask for credentials.

There's a lot of good news around besides the 6 duck's transition. My dad's foot is healing after having stress fractures - which puts him back on the tennis court. My mom's birthday is coming up - as is David's! Brooke was promoted to Interim PMO Manager. I asked for more time off work in lei of a raise. Time is not something I can buy, so I'll trade it for a raise. And, Lauren got moved and settled in a new place in Dallas. All's well.

More good news? Everyone is thriving through this cold snap and rain/snow. The sheep, horses and donkeys winter coats are in full bloom. The chickens are hardy and handling it well. Frankie is growing back her feathers once missing on her back, and will be re-introduced to the other silkies once that's complete. The goats are loving the insulated dog house, and can all three fit inside it. If they're not inside it, they're usually on top of it.

Here's to a new year with many new learning opportunities,

Cyndi

Bye Bye Bye

It's the last day of 2019 and in typical fashion, I think I need to write. It's New Year Eve, yet another day in the life of the universe - and us. If the calendar didn't tell me otherwise, it'd be another day, just  like all our brand new days God gives us. Every day is special. The calendar tells me it's an extra special day, one when we get to start a new year and reflect on the year we just lived. Each time this comes around every year, I do enjoy the variety of reflections that people compose. Of those who died this past year, those who made huge impacts in our lives, and the myriad of other lists from 2019. It's a great reminder of how much has really happened this year and far we've come. Answer: a lot and a long way.

I learned that marriages continue to change and grow - and never stop changing and growing despite my best efforts. I learned that I've learned so much about caring for farm animals and land. I learned that watching my daughter continue to mature into her 20's is like a movie I enjoy watching every day, over and over, and can never see it too many times, with sequels. It's like Ground Hog Day meets Freaky Friday meets The Little Mermaid meets Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory where we're always looking for the gold coin somewhere. Since I don't watch movies, my selection to choose from is very limited to use for examples, but that might have just covered it pretty well.

And you my friends, are living your wonderful lives with your special stories all your own. That's the best part about life, that we are free to live our lives. This is where I (we) have the military/special forces to thank. Veterans, reserves, active duty and those enlisting as we speak - everyone who touches on this endeavor. Thank you for allowing us to be free and for the sacrifice you've made, and continue to make. It is our most precious gift.

So many people around to love, so many good people in this world. So much love on our little farm. I'll share some random, yet favorites from 2019:



Sweet Maybe. 2019 started out with the addition of a new friend for her (oh, and me):





Sugar JuJu came to us a little broken, yet with a big heart that allowed her to slowly gain trust, and settle into her forever home. These two sweeties (Maybe and Sugar) have a close bond, and Maybe's happy nature has shown Sugar what it's like to be settled and loved. The big success story with Sugar this year, was when she allowed David to pick her up. Sugar's Circle of Trust is growing, and now two people on this earth can reach down and pick her up. Her opportunity for growth is wide open now.




2019 was a first for baby goats being born here. I've never seen such cuteness in my whole life. The miracle of life never ceases to amaze me. Chia is the best mom we've had on the farm (besides Belle), and Petunia and Dotty are just two of the most fun, kind and spirited goats we've had. They are a tight knit group, as these three goats share a pasture with the mini horses and will remain the only goats we have for awhile. We found that goats and mini horses attitudes are much the same. They know what they want and are not afraid to ask for it. They make wonderful pasture mates.




My 12 year old self got those pony's I've been wanting. They do well with each other, and have settled in nicely here. I adore their genuine beauty, their fun personalities, and their Nah's make me smile, every time.




My girl Ginger looked good in her tutu. She's our oldest chicken, and well respected by the flock. She's a rhode island red that although not a winner at the State Fair, she's 1st Place in my book.




Oh, and Lauren and I biked to Oklahoma.....among other long bike rides and rallys we did (she's fun!). We had so many biking experiences together this year. Priceless. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

We increased the size of the pond (meet some scary people along that journey), bought and sold animals throughout the year, gave some away, and did our fair share of right sizing. So many changes, including the start-up of the experimental chicken farm, which has gone from 24 hens now down to 19. Turns out, (so far) two of the supposed hens are roosters. Rude. These chickens are so big already, that the roosters were like having mini dinosaurs walking the earth again. So, when you crow, you go. The Sheriff was right all along. An exception was made for Post, our lavender splash silkie rooster who since silkies are small chickens, has a pass to stay around. He's very non-aggressive, too. You're a nice guy, Post Malone, you stay.

We did  things like putting up more run in-sheds, and purchased another mower so that during the growing seasons, we can both tackle the mowing and double the fun. I had my fair share (and more) of health concerns that have luckily all settled down. I think I met my deductible 3 times over this year. The silver lining is that there's great dr's who made sure I was good all along the way. And I am! They got me back up and running, working and living my life - and I'm so grateful for them, insurance and health care in general. Dear Lord, I'd prefer that next year I can take a year off from health scares. I understand, if not. But when you're passing out the cards for 2020, can I Pass Go and head straight to Boardwalk, please.

One of the main topics of conversation in 2019 was the possibility of retirement in about 5 - 10 years. When you get this close, it's fun to talk about, much less make sure all your ducks are in a row. And as much as I want all the white ducks up at the feed store for my new pond, that's not the ducks we are working on. It's kind of like going on a vacation that requires a lot of planning and strategy. You know, the anticipation of it (every day is Saturday, except the Sundays), sleep in til you want, then play the BTB card (back to bed) after breakfast. We are in the anticipation phase, which is actually a lot of fun and brings about a stirring in your soul of  'is this really going to happen in my life?'. We have no date planned, and are still fully capable of working - and still enjoy work. But it's a "vacation" that we anticipate to have in our future, sometime down the road.

To round out the year, David found the ram he was looking for. Our 4 ewes will be sheep mamas in 2020 - or at least that's the plan. His favorite farm animal? A baby lamb.



There's Deuce! He's smaller than the ewes right now, but old enough to do things. He has a little white diamond on his forehead. The ewes seem to like that about him. Welcome, and let's have some baby lambs in about 5-6 months!

To round out 2019 in a happy fashion (besides a new ram for David), we found that after separating Frank from the other silkies (because his back feathers are all missing)......



That Frank is actually Frankie. She laid an egg in her little separate accommodations. And the next day, another egg. So, she's not a rooster after all, and after growing her feathers back, she'll be released back with the other silkies. Since we are still trying to figure out who's who with these 8 silkies we adopted, we ended up giving away one of the silkie roosters who was in contention with Post. So the silkie count is down 1, to 7. We are thinking the only rooster in the batch is Post, but only time will tell that for sure.

The chicken math continues 13 + 19 + 7 = not quite as crazy of a number of chickens

So many things happened in 2019 with you, with us, with the world. We are but a tiny blip on the earth, and grateful for that. I can't wait to find out what 2020 and the good Lord brings to us all.

Blessings,

Cyndi