Eva’s Friends

[N F C]

Good evening! It's all quiet at the Muddy Run, no news to report, so I'll tell you about our trip to Florida instead .

We were living in Louisiana at the time, and one day we thought we would go on a road trip. So we packed up and started driving, though we didn't have a destination in mind. Each of us had a different idea of the perfect vacation, and we couldn't agree, so we just decided to figure it out as we went along.

The only thing we knew for certain is that we were going to go East. I don't remember if we had to spend a night somewhere in Georgia, but at any rate, we eventually decided that the beach was a better place than the mountains, so we headed in that direction.

We arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, very late and very irritable, and a very bad storm was getting up. We had never seen the trees sway so much, because we hadn't lived in LA very long and had never seen a hurricane. So it was very frightening.

As luck would have it, every hotel in town was nearly packed. I don't know why, but we had to drive way out into what seemed like the middle of nowhere with the rain beating on the windshield and the wind buffeting the car and all of us blaming the other for the predicament we found ourselves in.

We finally arrived at half past midnight to a hotel on the beach, and because it was so late they gave us a discount, which was very nice of them because we couldn't have afforded to stay there otherwise.

The next morning the sky was bright and sunny and we went down to the beach. Then I wished I had brought binoculars because you could just see Fort Sumpter off the horizon. And since I love history, I was really excited. But the ferry was too expensive so I wasn't able to visit. Maybe some day...

I wonder if this is getting too long? And maybe you don't care to hear about the trip to Florida (if you don't, I won't be offended! ) so I'll leave off here and if you want to hear more I'll resume later this week.

Despite not having any news I did take some pictures, some of which I used various filters on 'cause I thought they looked better.

Peaches growing on a tree
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Eva looking over the yard
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Claire
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Hilda
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Amelia
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Dolores View attachment 3885053

Jane
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Alex
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Matilda shaking the dust from her feet (feathers)
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Got my ducks in a row! Maggie, Claire, Anton
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Stanislaw
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Mother Jen and Daughter Liberty
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Geese - Left to Right: Matt, George, Frank, Rita
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Henry
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I too have been in Charleston and seen Ft. Sumter at a distance. I want to hear the rest of your vacation story!

 

[Evadig]

Today was hot, like the last few days. My sister and I were swimming in the pool when I realized storm clouds were gathering over the mountains...I ran inside to shower and change, thinking I had enough time to complete whatever needed to be done outside. I ended up getting caught in a torrential downpour as I ran around trying to chase Stanislaw into his coop. Once I'd finally locked him up, I realized Winston was crowing defiantly in the run despite looking like a...drowned rat? I don't know, but it was very funny.

The ducklings moved outside on Monday. At first I put them in Jenny's run, but they actually scared her. She wouldn't come down from the perch. So tonight, they (the quackers) are in the hospital. Anton had another name change - the family didn't like his name so now he's called Philip Howard after an English Cardinal back in the 1800's.

I'm not sure who left who, but I saw Jenny halfway across the yard today by herself. Honor and Liberty didn't seem to mind her absence, but they were glad to see her again. They're roosting next to her now.

Winston and his girls moved into the old shed yesterday (really two days ago, but it was late at night). They seem to enjoy all the room. We temporarily named the shed The Yellow Turnip because it's yellow and wasn't built well. If you have any better ideas, please let me know! My father did 99% of the work; he is a good carpenter, but the shed was frustrating because it wasn't built very well and he had to mess with all the measurements so the framing would be "plumb". Anyway, the hens are happy, and I'm happy because the Chickies now get a whole run to themselves, so we're all good.

I won't continue with the Florida vacation tonight because I have homework to do. I did have a principal inquire if I wanted a third grade position, so maybe...maybe I can get a teaching job despite the fact I've got zero real experience. I'm so nervous about it all...

George being a pill - my sister says he would make a good mascot for a football team!

George and Matt

The nesting boxes in the coop - right next to the door so you don't have to walk in, just reach in (the whole thing was designed with an aggressive rooster in mind)

Looking into the run from the doorway - that's a makeshift door we've on there. Eva's checking the place out .

Closeup of the coop area - 40 sq. ft. total

The run - 84 sq. ft. Pop door is set up where you just reach in to open and close it. It's wonderful not having to deal with Winston.

Pretty sky tonight

Winston after he dried off a bit

Ducklings in the hospital

Sleeping on the roosts - oh, and there's a whole lot more ventilation than that window, there's vents under the eaves and also holes cut further up on both sides - I think it's visible in another photo

Candid photo of Constance

 

[N F C]

Congrats on the job offer, it would be a rewarding experience I think.

Constance has such pretty eyes!

 

[Callender Girl]

Been catching up on reading your posts -- I ALWAYS enjoy them!

George is a character, isn't he? And, a job offer! How seriously are you considering it?

Sounds like you've dug up some great stuff while tracing your family's history. When Antiques Roadshow came to Des Moines, my sister and I took a family heirloom -- a coverlet with 1821 woven into one corner -- and it's making us want to know more about our ancestors.

I wish I could access the coop where my rotten rooster lives without risking life and limb. I take a lid from one of the garbage cans where I store feed and use it as a shield when I need to check for eggs.

 

[Evadig]

And, a job offer! How seriously are you considering it?

I wish I could access the coop where my rotten rooster lives without risking life and limb. I take a lid from one of the garbage cans where I store feed and use it as a shield when I need to check for eggs.

You're back! I'd been missing you...
I'm considering the job offer fairly seriously - third grade is a bit above what I want but I'll take what I can get. There's also a lot of second grade positions though so maybe I can land one of those.

I used to use a lid too, but the run was too narrow and I could never collect the eggs unless I let him out. It was quite the procedure! Hopefully you can modify or get a new coop sometime so you don't have to deal with the little stinker.

Constance has such pretty eyes!

She does, I love that they're a luminous green instead of Brianna's pale yellow (of course, I could be biased...)

 

[Evadig]

It's Sunday, and it was hot. I was feeling rather dizzy in church (not because of the heat), but it turned out fine.

Yesterday, I was home alone and putting everyone to bed, chatting to myself and the birds when I suddenly heard yip-yippee-ing in the woods on the other side of the road. It wasn't howling and it wasn't a bark. My heart jumped 'cause those coyotes were close. I practically threw George and Matt into their coop, ran about frantically slamming doors shut and locking them (I have four coops!), and yelling at Eva to come out of the woods before dashing up the stairs into the house with the dogs at my heels. A bit later I heard several shots, but the coyotes were over by my place and the shots were down the road. Late that night, my mom happened to look outside and saw an animal with big white glowing eyes standing on the hilltop in our woods. We think it was a coyote...ugh!

Rita went broody...like I wanted more goslings! And here I was going to take the geese to the chicken swap this week.

Vivienne is showing signs of broodiness too. But she was only sitting on two eggs, and only one is developing.

That's really all the news for tonight, so I'll continue with the Florida vacation story. Oh. I have a job interview tomorrow for a third grade position in a parochial school. I hope...but I'm also scared. Anyway:

After Fort Sumpter we decided to go down to Florida, so we passed through Savannah, Georgia. I really wanted to stop because of the Civil War history, but we were kind of pressed for time, and no one else is as interested in history as myself.

We got down to St Augustine later at night and stayed in a Garden Inn. It was right next to a grocery store, maybe Piggly Wiggly's? I can't remember, I just know the grocery store had a funny name. Anyway the hotel was about a block away from the beach. So we walked down there during the day.

We also explored the city. We went to the Cathedral there. It is the oldest Catholic church in the United States. That was very neat. We saw other things but I don't remember them.

When we finished with St Augustine, it had been about a week since we left home, and it was nearly my birthday. I really wanted to go see the Blue Angels (their home base is in Pensacola, Florida, and they usually practice over the beach on Tuesday and Wednesday). But my little sister wanted to go to Sea World.

Story to be continued later, as this post is getting really long!

Brianna

Annie Beth - now commonly known as Annabee

Patience

Jenny sunbathing with her children

Rita and her eggs

The Atlantic Ocean at St Augustine

St Augustine Cathedral

 

[Callender Girl]

More great photos, of course!

Coyotes are a major reason why I can't get a good night's sleep. They are frequently holding "concerts" in the surrounding fields. The dogs hear them and sound an alarm so I run outside and begin yelling.

One night last week, one sounded so close that it could have been in the yard. I think coyotes scared away four of the stray cat's (okay, she's not really stray anymore; I feed and play with Calypso every day) six kittens.

Two kittens returned the next day, a third four days later. The last one, Binx, has never come back. Today, the five remaining kittens will get their first vet visit, and on Wednesday, at least four of them will head off to new homes in Minnesota. I will miss them so very much, but they will be safe and loved housecats.

Looking forward to the rest of the story, and glad that your dizziness wasn't serious. I got a little lightheaded yesterday assembling a new coop; should have known better than to work during a heat advisory day!

Best wishes with your job interview!!

 

[N F C]

Coyotes are scary around chicken coops, hope your birds will be safe

Good luck at the interview! I bet you'll do just fine and looking forward to hearing how it goes.

St. Augustine is one of my favorite places in FL, I've spent quite a bit of time there over the years. Glad you got a chance to see some of it!

 

[Evadig]

Ugh, what a long day...I was up until three am, got up at eight am, and am now falling asleep. Yesterday wasn't much better. It's been a week since I last posted, so starting with Monday:

Monday I had the job interview, and I don't think I got the job, just because the principal had interviewed at least seven other people. But she'll let me know this week.

Tuesday I applied for a civilian position with my local sheriff's office, but I haven't heard back from them.

Wednesday we started for our daily walk and I saw what I'm pretty sure was a coyote running into the woods. It had been just across the road from our place.

Thursday night Dolores was very sick, and I did not think she would make it through the night. She could hardly stand or perch, but she was hungry and thirsty (she had access to food and water all day). I put her in the hospital and gave her water with Corid just because...it made me feel better to think that I had done all I could do at the time. I was convinced I'd find her dead in the morning. Instead, she was happily scratching, her perky little self, and very happy to get out of the hospital. She is doing well as of right now, but very underweight.

Saturday I went to a chickenswap hoping to rehome the geese...and I did! I am so thankful to the lady who took them.

That freed up No. 4 in the Muddy Run, so the big ducks are in there and the little ducks are in No. 5.

That's all for tonight, my brain is shutting down. And Constance is purring by my chair hoping I'll play with her...

Winston Churchill on the warpath

Miss Lyd

This is what we came home from church to...we were only gone an hour!

Honor

Hilda

Patience

Annie Beth

 

[Callender Girl]

Wow, what a busy week you had!

Glad to hear Delores recovered so quickly, and speaking of quickly, it didn't take long for massive destruction in the dog kennel, did it?

My blind rescue dog is a "collector," who likes to pick up items and carry them into the library. Yesterday, as I was walking past the doorway, I noticed a pair of brand-new shoes were neatly lined up in front of one of the bookshelves. Fortunately, he rarely chews his "treasures," and they were fine.

I know the teaching position wasn't your ideal job, so if you don't get it, it leaves you free to look for another one. If you do get it, you might find that you like it more than you thought you would. Even at my worst jobs -- and I've had several -- I've learned something useful.

Coyotes are the main reason I rarely get a full night's sleep. They are all around in the fields, where they sing loudly enough to wake up the collector dog. He barks and wakes up the other dog, who sleeps upstairs with me, and I wake up and usually run outside to scare off the predators.

I've been looking after a family of stray cats, and on July 1, I ignored the barking. That morning, I got up to find only two of the six kittens. I was heartbroken. The next morning, two of the missing kittens showed up, and three or four days later, a fifth. Little Binx never came back, and now I NEVER ignore middle-of-the-night barking.

As always, I loved your photos -- both Winston Churchill's determined expression and Patience's pose made me chuckle.