busy weekend

This weekend John finished the new chicken coop.  I have been a bit obsessed with A-frame architecture lately, and he sweetly took that into consideration when he designed the coop:

The back has a fold down door for easy egg collection for the kids.  And they can comfortably fit in the small run so they can feed and water the chickens.

When the little bits get bigger, we'll place this coop into a larger fenced in area so they can free range.

As I was walking around the coop, surveying the handiwork, I had a little shadow- Mr. Gingersnap kitty.

He kept wrapping around me giving me leg hugs.  He's the sweetest kitty ever.

I got to spend Saturday at Bee Keeping school!  I have been trying to make this school for the past three years.  Now that I actually have space for bees, I was most happy to make it this year.  I learned so much- too much!  I cannot wait to start my bee adventures!

In other news, it is spring in Texas!  And here in Central Texas that means one thing- bluebonnets!  Consider yourselves warned!

sweet gift

I love when a mama-led lesson over Roman aquaducts turns into a child-led lesson over Mt. Vesuvius.

This child as active learner always sweeps me in, clear off of my feet.

For me, it is one of the sweetest gifts of homeschooling.

favorite book friday

I must admit that it can be challenging for me to find modern novels that I want to read to my children.  Most of the books we read around here are classics.  I appreciate books that are well written, subtle, and sweet with some adventure thrown in for good measure.  Sadly, this isn't the formula for most chapter books written today.  When I find one that reads like a classic, I tell everyone in shouting distance that they must buy this book!  Enter Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall  by Emily Bearn (check out her website while you're at it- she's just as lovely as her books).

This book is so charming and endearing!  The characters are noble and sweet.  And they are mice that wear tiny jackets and aprons!  The stories have gentle adventures in them that are just the right kind of intensity.  And they are funny!  There are several times that we have to take a break because we are all laughing so hard!

I highly recommend this book.  I went ahead and bought the second book as well.  Let's just say that I have a good feeling about it!

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What about you, friend?  Do you prefer classic children's books to the modern?  Do you have any good, modern novels to recommend?

le peep {round 2}

Did you know that a group of chicks is called a peep?  A peep of chicks!  Is that not the cutest thing you've ever heard?

I wouldn't normally recommend getting two peeps of chicks, two weeks apart, but the breeds we wanted were going to be arriving at the feed store at different intervals so we decided to wait.  In this shipment we got four Australorps (my favorite backyard breed for our climate), two Araucanas, and three bantam Silkies.  Bantams are miniature sized.  Would you just look at how tiny this girl is?

Here she is cuddled up to a regular sized chick:

That is not a trick of perspective, the bantams really are that tiny!  And they can be found snuggled up to the larger chicks to keep them warm.  This particular chick is the loudest of the bunch.  I can hear her right now cheeping away in the garage.  I keep checking to make sure they are warm enough and it appears all of the other chicks are content.  This one is not happy unless she has a big sister to cuddle with.  Now I'm beginning to understand why the woman at the feed store was so excited to give us this bonus chick.  Awesome.
Anyway, back to the bantams.  They are not only smaller in size, but they also lay smaller eggs.  The perfect size for my favorite breakfast treat, a bird in the nest.

It is imperative to keep chicks of different ages separate from each other so while these sweet peas are in the garage under a heat light, the older chicks are out in the yard loving life in their Omlet coop.

We borrowed this "in between" coop from a friend and I love it!  If you live in the city, or only plan on getting two or three hens, this is a great option (they also have larger sizes for more hens).  It is easy to move, easy to clean and easy to use.  Can't say enough good things about it.



Next week I plan to do a couple of posts over chick care.  If you're interested in such things, please let me know of any questions you may have and I'll try to cover that!

de awesomest fing!

 I knew the minute I saw this box that Buddy would love it.

He loves old stuff.

He collects vintage cameras.

He's five.

The rust, the fact that it belonged to the Highway Dept.  It just screamed Buddy to me.

And then I opened it!

Cue the angels.

I told the elderly man at the estate sale that I was buying it for my son.  He insisted I dig through it right there to see if any razor blades were in the box.  So I did.  And there weren't any.

When I got it home, Buddy was just as excited as I knew he'd be.  Not too long after, his friend from next door came over and I overheard Buddy tell him "I have got to show you something.  It is de awesomest fing!".  And when that other little boy opened the box he responded with "WHOA!  Is this yours???  Awesome!!!".

I can't wait to see what he does with his little box of treasures.  Will he glue it all together?  Build a robot?  Or will he just hold onto it as is, preserving the catch of all of the grandpa that used it to hold his odds and ends?

Whatever he chooses I'm sure it will be awesome.

Probably de awesomest.  Because that's who he is.

one week later

Remember last week when we got our sweet, fuzzy chicks?

Look at them one week later.  Still sweet, still a little fuzzy, but getting their feathers in.  This is Dusty.  She is an Auricana (or an Americana, whichever you prefer).  She will lay teal eggs for us and we will love her for it!

Dusty likes to perch on Moonpie's finger and fly up to her shoulder for rides.  It's amazing to me that just one week after birth, they are already trying to fly.  Today we move them out to a temporary shelter (ie: rabbit hutch) in the backyard.  They are just getting too big for their little feed trough in the garage.

And speaking of things getting too big:

 ***sigh...***