Let's get into it

 

July = Heat

Unfortunately, this is the season that usually tops the list for chicken losses. So how about we talk chickens. Let's start with a relatively unknown chicken fact: that most chickens are likely to be cold hardy than heat hardy. So what is cold and heat hardy? As an example, in this general description of a particular chicken breed (the Rhode Island Red) notice the 'hardiness' is given along with purpose (meat or layer), production rate, temperament, broodiness and comb. Hardiness is an important element to consider in chicken breeds as it directly correlates with the climate in which you live (is the chicken and climate compatible?) :

Rhode Island may be America’s smallest state, but the breed developed there in the late 1800s made huge changes in chicken husbandry. The Rhode Island Red’s amazing ability to lay about 265 eggs a year made it famous worldwide and became the parent of several modern hybrid egg layers. These glossy mahogany-colored hens with black tail feathers are as beautiful as they are gentle and productive.

Purpose: Egg Layer Production: 265 Large Brown Eggs/Year Temperament: Exuberant, Curious, Friendly Mature Weight: 6-7 lbs. Hardiness: Cold and Heat Hardy Broodiness: Occasionally Comb Type: Single Comb

Just like with dogs, chickens also come in hundreds of breeds. I have many breeds of chickens from silkies, polish, easter eggers, wyandottes, barred rock, ideal 236, turkins (naked necks) and rhode island reds as well as many, many more. 

My very first 2 chickens were Rhode Island Reds named Ginger and Butterscotch who I first bought as chicks in 2015. 

Ginger and Butterscotch
The beginning of the Chicken Era

They were the ones we took to the Texas State Fair and entered in the Texas Poultry Show where they won last place - but first place in my heart. They have since passed, but will forever remain infamous and honored as former flock leaders, show chickens and the loves of my life. 

I had picked this breed because as you can see from the description above they are hardy chickens. They can withstand heat and cold, have a high egg lay rate per year, and are friendly yet are usually the leaders of a flock. They are an all-around great breed to have in your flock.

Ideally, having chicken breeds that are cold and heat hardy is optimal but not all of mine are, and therefore as hard as I try, I lose my 'less hardy' chickens to this heat. I have 3 fans in the barn, lots of fresh water available, and I have plenty of shelter and dirt/sand for them to cool themselves. Sometimes though, it's not enough. 

What it looks like when hens stand around the water 
cooler and cluck around

Even Char becomes part of the flock 

And since I am fluent in fowl language, I can say that Paul The Turkey (as well as my 4 ducks) also struggle to stay cool. Paul is a big fan of the big fan. 

He stands in front of this fan
most of the afternoon. It only gets better
when I water down the barn floor and he 
gets to stand in water, too 💦 

Luckily for the ducks, they have the pond. But as of lately, each evening they make their way up to the barn in search of food and fresh water. Everyone welcomes them except for Charlotte, but I'm working on her to leave them alone. We are getting there, as the ducks are more annoyed with Charlotte rather than scared of her. That's Char's life story, isn't it now. Her middle name is ICanBeAnnoying. 

The 3 new female ducks are blending in so well. My boy duck, who I recently named Drake has taken them in under his wing and is a wonderful caretaker of these sweet peas. 

They have their own special water and food dish 🥰
Apparently in the pecking order, they fall below chickens and
are often reminded they eat last.

I think the animals that do the best in this heat are the goats. 

I can't ever get enough of this sweet girl

They just bounce along like no big deal. Yet their roommates, Maggie, Wilbur and Baby disagree as with only sparsely bristled hair and the fact that pigs have no sweat glands, these piggies struggle to stay cool.

She sits and thinks.
Fun fact - pigs are smarter than dogs

Maggie patiently waiting her turn 

Baby The Boar/Pig struggles the most with the heat. She has lost weight, is an old girl (for a pig) and struggles to stay cool and therefore her appetite is affected. So much so that her and Maggie now rival in size because while Baby is slow to get up and eat, Maggie runs to the food as she's young and still nibble and quick.

Wilbur prefers the smaller round water pool

Then Wilbur has gained his own fair share of weight. He's not a big boy by any means, but he does enjoy food in general - and time in the water pool. I have 2 water pool sources for the pigs, as well as several dug out water sources for them to wallow in. 

Overall, the piggies are doing well. They tend to stay under their awning in the shade or in one of the water pools. 

Goat -n- Pig B&B

Overall, there's a total of 3 fans in the barn and one in the garage. The fan in the garage is primarily for the livestock guard dogs who prefer to lay on the 'cool' concrete and in front of the fan. Levi, leader of the pack, gets first dibs on the fan.

Levi, a solid 120 lbs of no nonsense with
predators

This is daily

Penny, Whisper and Dutch all lay around the garage area waiting for the heat to break each day. At night, they take no prisoners. They keep all the farm animals safe and protected to the best of their ability. 

The fans are lifesavers. The fans for the mini horses and donkeys in the barn are two fold: 1) To keep them cool and 2) To keep the flies off them. My equine sweeties are so intuitive that they know both of these things - and stand in front of the fan(s) each and every day. 

Dinner by the fan

Luckily, the fans keep the flies off them so well that their skin is holding up well against these savage flies. The flies show no mercy.

Guess it’s time for new fly sticky thingies

There's room for a few more....

Bee careful, it's hot

My bees also have special needs during this hot season of increased sugar syrup as well as pollen patties placed in their hive and pollen substitute all provided for them in hopes of helping keep the hive healthy. It's hot inside their hive and this is a tough season for them.

Beekeeper Katie took this video of the bees eating the pollen substitute. No gloves people. What the beep.

I suppose it's a tough season for all the animals right now. July and August are months everyone just gets through day to day with lots of fresh water, good nutrition, shade and fans. Good thing I happen to love me some hot weather. Sweat, no problem. Heat, no problem. There may be a day this changes, but for now it's okay because when I bike or run, I do it early in the morning. I make it work. 

Wait, did you say run?

I show did. You see, I saw my ortho doctor this past week and got the approval to start back running SLOW and short distances. He said go easy, start with 2 miles and see how my knee feels. Then slowly go up from there and try not to go long for now. And go slow and easy. He did not have to tell me twice. The next day, it was 2 miles on a soft treadmill at the gym and my knee felt great. My stress fracture is primarily healed from what they can tell, and my meniscus tear is something I may have had all along in my life and was not symptomatic, which means I was running on it anyway so no surgery for now. 

I love the idea of no surgery. I may still need it if my knee continues to act a fool. But for now, my ortho dr wants to see how the knee does without any further interventions and with the stress fracture in my tibia under control now. It's hard to see the actual healing of a stress fracture without another MRI, but his xray showed more healing and it has been 2 months that I've been off of running for it to heal. So I was set free to start slow and short. Can do, my friend. Can do.

I am so happy to be back running as it makes my heart so happy and fills my soulful cup up. And so does line dancing.

So recently I took a line dancing class at the Parks and Rec Center in Sherman. The instructor there knows many line dances and will teach you any of them you want to know, and one evening asked me if I had been line dancing at Calhouns 2.0 in Denison. I knew nothing of this. So the next week, I went to Calhouns 2.0, based on her suggestion. I mean, why not. Apparently on Thursday nights they have Cowboy Charlie as DJ and it's karaoke AND line dancing night. 

Yes, I went on my own. And this is how it went: I parked the car, walked in this honky tonk, and they were playing one of my favorite line dance songs and I literally went from the front door to the dance floor. I did. It made my heart so happy to see all these folks - young and old - line dancing (and to all genres). This particular song that I jumped on the dance floor for was Flex. I think it's fun to line dance to it, even though I'm still learning and getting it down.

Then, the song ended and the dance floor cleared as they switch between karaoke and line dancing. As I was walking off the dance floor, 2 ladies, Carla and Ann came right up to me and begin befriending me. How long have you been line dancing, they ask me? We come here every Thursday night, they tell me. And invited me to come sit with them at their table. And I did. I met all their friends like Jim and Jolene and others who I don't remember all their names. It was a bit overwhelming. And each time a line dance song came on, we all went out and tried it, learned it, or already knew it. OMGoodness - best night ever. 

I have since been back and each Thursday is a little different in the songs and way they do things, but the fact I can go line dance there is a gift. Not too far, new friends, and there's even a line dance teacher who jumps on the dance floor and teaches some of the dances to everyone. Young and old are there, beginners and novice folks are there. And some people just watch and dance their own little dance as they desire. It's a place I can be me. And people can just be themselves. Dancing like no one is watching. I'm still getting to know these kind and delightful people, yet we are all learning about one another and enjoying a common passion - line dancing. Thanks to the teacher from the Parks and Rec in Sherman, I now have some really cool new friends. And a place to go when I desire to line dance, which has been the last few Thursday evenings. And more to come. 

Cyndi 2.0 at Calhouns 2.0 👢 There's so many nice people out in the world. Sometimes it just takes going out in the world to meet them.

Fairy First Birthday 

It's hard to believe, but Olive turned One ①

This sweetheart is not only 
walking, but she's trying to run

And as one year olds do, she loved the 
bag more than the gift.

It was a delightful celebration. 

Such fun with these fun people 💟

** Lauren's friend Sarah took photos from the party that morning and she'll send them to us later (and I'll post those in a later post). She's such a wonderful photographer that we took very few pics ourselves and will await hers instead.

But I did find this nugget........

Lauren

Olive

You decide? Look alike? I'm not sure as one pic may not be able to determine that kind of thing. Hard to believe they really grow up and have babies of their own. Crazy, huh.

355 Scoopy Poop

355 is the street number to Lauren and Ryan's property, and here's a little scoop on what's happening.....

I know I know, not the best pic, but if you look
closely, you'll see where the markers have been placed
for where the house will be. 

The house site has been officially marked by the builder, then septic things are happening soon, and a gravel road for construction vehicles will likely be placed next week, and a extended culvert as well. It's a process. 

So many wonderful things are happening in our lives. 

 

Char's expression says it all. 
A smile, the eye squint, enjoying
what life brings.

Brooks’ Happy Place

It's the little things like going to Dominoes

And....

Like watching fireworks outside your house

Or outside your window 🎇

Whatever you choose, I hope your July 4th was a day of celebrating freedom. Peace is power.

And she lived happily ever after,

Cyndi

Sugar and Maybe wanted to make sure they got in here too. Look at my old girl, Maybe 🥰 #growingoldtogether

Favorite activity besides eating? 
Car riding 🚙

Forever my girl. I’d take her
everywhere if I could. I would. 💕