~ Retired and Starting My Future In The Foothills ~

[Gardengirl 2011]

Sorry the fibro is kicking in. Does it get worse when you overdo it? I have a friend who suffers from it too. Glad the chicks are getting settled, lol. Soon you will too.

Thanks for that link! I bookmarked it for later since I just broke the bank grocery shopping, lol.

 

[gryeyes]

Trying to catch up here.... Had my first death on the property; one of the little gift chicks had an unfortunate accident over night, doing a stupid chick thing, and was too weak to survive when I discovered it. Although I really, really, tried.

Poor little thing got its head and one wing under one end of the Brinsea EcoGlow brooder where there is a very slight "dip" upwards in the middle of the end stand(s), and could not get back out. I hoped some sugar water and being nestled in a safe resting place away from its stomping brooder mates might help it recover. But, alas, it didn't survive. So sad.

So, here's a photo of my brand new oven & range! Wahoo!

And the washer and dryer, which had to be stacked because the wall space is three inches too short to put them side by side. Blocks that pretty stained glass window... but the French Doors provide plenty of light and a great view of that part of my yard. So, give a little, take a little....

For outside stuff... "essentials I didn't know I needed" had I not hired that wonderful contractor:

New spigot on one side of the house where there wasn't one before, and the pipe run to the coop:

Entire trench and electrical / water pipe run.

Water pipe into coop, not yet insulated.

Double faucets INSIDE the coop!!!!

Kate and her minions in the coop, utilizing the 5 gallon bucket o' water, gravity fed to a valve-controlled waterer.

More to follow... I am at work and <*ahem*> need to get some work done.

 

[mikensara]

Quote:
Its the same type of home we started with many costly projects. The roof was falling in and the kitchen floor around the sink was rotted. Its saving grace was the foundation was still decent. Slowly over the last 4 years we save up do a project and move on to the next one. there were times hubby and I wanted to kill each other. we still have a plywood kitchen floor I want a slate floor and he still refuses he wants a cheaper option linoleum and i say no its an old farmhouse built in the early 1900's i want to keep some rustic charm

 

[dsqard]

Awww Linda, so sorry about the little one.

Love your new washer and dryer. I so wanted a front loading machine when we bought our last one. DH wanted the top loader so that is what we got. Love the dual faucet in the coop too!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

Oh - I'm so sorry you lost a little one. (hate it when that happens)

LOVE the white appliances. So clean and fresh looking. I don't get the stainless steel craze. (I think years from now - they will be looked upon like the gold and green ones are/were).

Back to work for me (just had to pop in and check for updates - THANK YOU).

 

[gryeyes]

This is a breaking news alert: there are bear up here.

Like, almost in my driveway.

I had dinner with Hhandbasket, hung around awhile afterwards chatting, then headed home (to my house up here) around 11:30 p.m. Doot de doot, 4 mile drive, lah de dah. Radio playing, feeling happy at spending the night here tonight.

As I turned off the rural highway onto my dead-end street, a large, brown form was illuminated by my car's headlights. I slammed on the brakes and an obviously young brown bear galloped to the side of the road and up the embankment.

My eyes registered the fluid movement of dark fur over muscles, the sheer natural beauty of the animal. My brain shouted "what?" while I sat there, stunned, both feet hard on the brake pedal.

Okay, I wouldn't have been upset if I'd nearly run into - or over - a bobcat, a coyote, a fox.... But a bear!?!?!?

On its four feet, it wasn't much taller than the hood of my RAV4. It didn't stand up and do anything dramatic like in the movies, roar, slobber, snarl, nothing like that. Just ran like heck up into the brush. But it was a freakin' bear!

It has taken me a while to calm down enough to post this. The coop is secure. The garbage can has not been overturned. But there are dogs still alerting some distance away.

Dang. Welcome to the foothills, Linda!

I think it's pretty neat, sorta kinda. Nature and all that. I've never seen a live bear anywhere but the zoo. I would prefer the next bear I see "in person" be at a nature preserve other than on my street, thank you very much.

 

[Kansaseq]

Wow, Linda, I'd be freaked out, too! But the fact that he ran is a good sign; shows he may not be uber comfortable with his human neighbors.
Do you think it was a (brown ) black bear, or a grizzley?
At least you know to be careful when going outside, especially at night. Good thing you have dogs to alert you.

 

[Tylt33]

Quote:
It was a black bear, grizzlies are extinct in California, despite being on our flag

 

[gryeyes]

The contractor fellow who lives really quite close to the street on which I live (since 1977) listened to my bear story and responded, "Wow. I have never seen a bear and here you aren't even moved all the way in yet and you see one. I've seen bear prints in the snow, and those impress me enough." He also suggested I not leave a driveway gate open when I'm not on the property, even if I'm just on a shopping trip or visiting friends; there are other critters or even loose dogs which might take advantage of it. I just might not see an unwanted visitor when I return.... much less discover damage done during my absence.

He has finished the trench-work for the new pipe and electrical conduit for the well pump.

The propane guys are coming back on Monday (while I'm at work) to hook up the tank and the oven range and "space" heater (which looks like a metal wood stove with a fake set of fire logs inside). HHandbasket has kindly agreed to be present for the appointment. She and Farmer Lew have been checking on the gosling Kate and her minion Packing Peanut chicks in the coop, and Gwen the Porcelain D'Uccle and the gift chicks brooding in the house for me on the days I don't make it up there.

I would have gone up today, but I needed a "slug" day AND time to spend with my flock down here at the rental house. Boy, I've got a whole slew of little chicks running around, and Rebecca brought out two 3 or 4 day old chicks today, showing them the ways of the world. SO CUTE. Angus the gosling is a gosling no more - he's a GANDER. BIG boy. Just now starting to honk occasionally in amongst his little hoots. My land-lady said she noticed he doesn't appear to like the chickens foraging immediately next to him. When I got home late Saturday night, he was on her side of the fence and couldn't remember how to get back into my yard; he was pacing back and forth, hooting forlornly. I had to lead him back through the land-lady's gate, because he just didn't get how to duck through the raised chain link opening her sheep created one day last year, and which the chickens use to access her yard.

My Himalayan has just jumped to my left shoulder and is bumping me for attention. Moving the two cats to the new house will be interesting - I've moved them before, but I have to think about making them just indoor kitties, then. Not sure how that will go.

 

[gryeyes]

The contractor has completed the trench work for the new water pipe and electical conduit from the house to the GOOD well. I mailed the "please go ahead" deposit to the pump guy and that work should start within the next few days.

Propane tank and the oven/range and gas-log "fireplace" have been connected to each other - and they work.

Gosling Kate and her minion Packing Peanuts are growing up as the only current occupants in the coop; Porcelain D'Uccle Gwenevere and the Gift Chicks will move into the coop this weekend. As soon as I have running water, the push will be on to move my considerable flock from the rental property. Oh, yes, and my furniture and clothing and all that other "inside the house" stuff.

Yesterday, I placed this sign on one of my two driveway gates.