Michigan

[BackyardFarmMom]

I'm trying to learn how to crochet, what helped you the most? I've known the basic stitch since I was little, but it would be nice to be able to make something that wasn't square or rectangular.

I got the one book on it our library had, but it wasn't very helpful to me.

I watched a few videos online. youtube how to crochet a hat... That is how I learned... the only stitch I knew was the double crochet. Learned the rest from youtube too! I am a "gotta see before I can do" kind of a person.

frogs, snakes, and others due to habitat loss.

And not even just habitat loss, hogs are omnivores. They eat frogs, snakes, mice, rats, rabbits... whatever they can catch. Where there are established populations they are proven predators of lambs, goats, newborn cattle, etc.

I did not know that... I knew they would eat anything you give them, but not that they would CATCH these things! I thought, maybe, scavenge...

Granny crochets constantly and has been doing so for over 60 years. She is not the least intimidated by huge projects. I've lost count of the number of table clothes, doilies, christening gowns, and even queen sized bed spreads she has made. Yet inspite of all that experience she was thrilled to learn different way of initiating a project. When I was trying to find a pattern for her on line I found something called a "magic ring". It's a method that's used when you make your first few stitches and it allows the item to lie flat while eliminating the hole in the center. Granny has called several of her friends to tell them about it,how useful it is, and great is is to still be learning new things. You may already be aware of the "magic ring" but if not taking the time to do a web search would be time well spent.

Ahhh yes the magic ring... it still ecapes me on how to do this... I jerry rig mine!

RaZ, I have hundreds of these in my yard of dandelions and violets... what are they? I have never seen so many at one time.

I had a few dancing in my yard today!! my son and I took pictures too! Beautiful!

Hello! Man, you guys have been busy on here! 120 posts...guess I need to catch up. Well all may not be lost on these shipped eggs...some of them are rockin' and rolling in there!

I'm hoping for anything...even one!
On another note today was a very hard day at work. It's been a little over a year since my 2 month old nephew passed away and whenever babies come into the ER it's never easy. Today hit way to close to home when we lost an infant.

Somedays my jobs a wonderful thing, and somedays it sucks big time.

Death is never easy... young or old. Sorry you had a bad day...

 

[chicken grandma]

So sorry RIR Jen. Losing an infant would definitely be very sad for everyone involved.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Mom 2em All, Tomorrow some of the bunnies, and chicks, are going to an Assisted Living Center to be the focus of "Baby Week" in Norton Shores. Pretty sure a particular girl bunny is making an appearance.

YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!! Pictures we ...I...want pictures

I never have been able to get my head around the idea of a vegan lifestyle. I have a nephew who advocates no meat no dairy and claims we'd all be much healthier if we'd become exclusively plant chewers. Maybe if I'd never experienced real food it might be possible. The taste of a thick steak just off the grill, the aroma of bacon frying, chicken and ribs just out of the smoker are just a few of the things that would make changing my diet impossible. Since God didn't give me teeth like a cow I guess I was meant to be an omnivore.

My brother is Vegan- absolute complete Vegan. Makes the holidays difficult- and his visits, actually. Have to check the ingredients in EVERYTHING- did you know that some of those box cookies contain Beef lard? I had no idea.
Have to make sure soap is okay, snacks, noodle, meals, etc...cant use anything that ever originated with any animal or bee. Very tricky to bake a cake with no eggs.
I applaud his dedication, but I wish it was easier to pull off a holiday meal. BTW- he gets Eggplant Lasagna at every Christmas.

 

[NovaAman]

RIRJen...
SO! Who would like to hear the adoption story? Well, you are going to hear it anyway. HA.
I brought Skatter back to the dog house. She settled down, fluffed her self all up. I went to FFH, I know, I said they would get my business, but they had day old chick. TSC, they did not. I got 2 SLWs and 2 GLWs. I kept Skatters coop dark... I took the chicks to her, shoved them under her, and she went BALLISTIC! Attacking me, then when she realised the chicks were under her, SHE WENT EFFEN NUTS! She was attacking them poor babies and flinging them from under her. I mean FLINGING THEM! SO, I grabbed her butt up, threw her out of the dog coop and checked the chicks, they are ok. I looked at Leila.... Ah hell with it, I reach under her, grabbed her 2 eggs which are due today, but nada... and put them in the coop with the chicks, Then got her out, set her on top of the eggs, she saw the baby chicks, fluffed all up and started clucking at them, and they were under her in an instant. SO, now I will keep an eye on her and the eggs and hope they hatch right. I am not hatching those in my bra. I was thinking I could give them to Skatter, but the way she went apeshit makes me leery...
SO, there it is. I am not going to be able to give her chicks. I am going to let her have the eggs from today, put her food and water in the large nest box with her, and chicken wire it and leave her in the big coop like Skeeter was. Rotten witch.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Hello! Man, you guys have been busy on here! 120 posts...guess I need to catch up. Well all may not be lost on these shipped eggs...some of them are rockin' and rolling in there!

I'm hoping for anything...even one!
On another note today was a very hard day at work. It's been a little over a year since my 2 month old nephew passed away and whenever babies come into the ER it's never easy. Today hit way to close to home when we lost an infant.

Somedays my jobs a wonderful thing, and somedays it sucks big time.

(((hugs)) Jen..
I tried to use the little smiley hug guys but for some reason it wont let me. Guess I was meant to send you a more realistic one..so, heres another. (((hugs)))

 

[NovaAman]

My brother is Vegan- absolute complete Vegan. Makes the holidays difficult- and his visits, actually. Have to check the ingredients in EVERYTHING- did you know that some of those box cookies contain Beef lard? I had no idea.
Have to make sure soap is okay, snacks, noodle, meals, etc...cant use anything that ever originated with any animal or bee. Very tricky to bake a cake with no eggs.
I applaud his dedication, but I wish it was easier to pull off a holiday meal. BTW- he gets Eggplant Lasagna at every Christmas.

Oh how irritating that could be... HOWEVER! That leaves a lot of room to get creative. BUT, lasagna is wrong with out REAL CHEESE!

 

[Mom 2em All]

RIRJen...
SO! Who would like to hear the adoption story? Well, you are going to hear it anyway. HA.
I brought Skatter back to the dog house. She settled down, fluffed her self all up. I went to FFH, I know, I said they would get my business, but they had day old chick. TSC, they did not. I got 2 SLWs and 2 GLWs. I kept Skatters coop dark... I took the chicks to her, shoved them under her, and she went BALLISTIC! Attacking me, then when she realised the chicks were under her, SHE WENT EFFEN NUTS! She was attacking them poor babies and flinging them from under her. I mean FLINGING THEM! SO, I grabbed her butt up, threw her out of the dog coop and checked the chicks, they are ok. I looked at Leila.... Ah hell with it, I reach under her, grabbed her 2 eggs which are due today, but nada... and put them in the coop with the chicks, Then got her out, set her on top of the eggs, she saw the baby chicks, fluffed all up and started clucking at them, and they were under her in an instant. SO, now I will keep an eye on her and the eggs and hope they hatch right. I am not hatching those in my bra. I was thinking I could give them to Skatter, but the way she went apeshit makes me leery...
SO, there it is. I am not going to be able to give her chicks. I am going to let her have the eggs from today, put her food and water in the large nest box with her, and chicken wire it and leave her in the big coop like Skeeter was. Rotten witch.

Nova-

how long has she been broody? If she hasnt been broody long enough, that can happen.

My silkies did that the first time I tried giving them babies.I hatched them in the house because the one got up, if I remember correctly- so I tried to give them to the other. They said, " Stupid human. I am smarter than that!!!"

 

[uchytil]

Hey, I do have a few of the two gallon waterers that are galvanized . They are made in the USA but I cannot for the life of me remember who makes them. The name ends in Farm something. Anyway, most co-ops, TSC, etc sell them. The galvanized coating is pretty good. You could always get the plastic ones. Just FYI, the Ravenna Auction usually has used stuff like that and you can pick up stuff for pennys on the dollar. Saturdays, at noon they start the chicken and samll animal auctions also. They have a website. Just something else to do.

uchytil, Thank you, that's what I was hoping to hear, as they are rather expensive to have to replace annually.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Oh how irritating that could be... HOWEVER! That leaves a lot of room to get creative. BUT, lasagna is wrong with out REAL CHEESE!

Some of that imitation cheese is off limits too..cant use vegetarian cheese without reading the label because somewhere in the ingredients it may say, "Casein"..... however, I am impressed with how it tastes especially using the eggplant sliced as the lasagna noodles...

 

[NovaAman]

Just under 2 weeks... I am just going do like I did for Skeeter. Since she obviously didn' t like being in the dog house, wants to be in the big coop. She's just as bad as Aster was in the mean broody dept.