Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[magsrags]

Everybody's getting eggs this year!

I got up and out by 9:30 to finish raking the yard. We're a good team. All finished by 11:30. Of course, I don't have the strength to lift a cup of coffee, but it feels good to see all those bags piled at the curb. I wanted to finish today because it's supposed to rain tomorrow.

We're going to do the branches and mowing as soon as weather permits. Need lots of firewood. The oil company isn't complaining loud enough!

I like that idea! home-made is all i gave last year to family and friends and they all loved it. [pickles, jams handmade mits and such. I love handmade gifts and bring on the fruit baskets PLEASE.

Now kids are a totally different story....sigh.......electronics really took the fun outta the holiday giving I think this past 20 years or so. Its way over the top.

 

[magsrags]

Wow, Maggie, thats' a really good idea! I love the home page design of Keepsake blues. Reminds me of my old comfy blue jeans. (You know, the ones I wish still fit! LOL)


325 a month in Rx coverage? Holy moley! Hopefully things won't get much worse before they get better, but some days, when I get the mail, I wish I could just run away to the woods and hide from the bills.

What's really killing me is this whole "Cyber monday" garbage. I guess if you're buying a 5k tv and saving 1k, you're getting a deal, but saving 2 dollars on something that's 50.00 isn't going to save me. My kids made their lists yesterday. I didn't even see that black hole coming! Whatever happened to giving fruit and handmade items?

Thanks Rosie.....I love the color blue myself.

I never did shop on Black Friday. Good grief that's self inflicted torture.

 

[littlecritters]

We arrived safely late last night after a very long day in the car. Today, I read all the recent posts and was going to PM Suzanne, but thought I would share some of my stress coping techniques with the whole group since everyone seems to be facing challenges. I am not a very religious person, but I am spiritual and find that meditation can be very helpful. Over time, I've developed my own form of prayerful meditation that I find calming in times of high stress or crisis. I usually can't quiet my mind enough to do silent meditations or contemplation, so I use mantras instead.

One mantra that I have found helpful is to say silently "I am not fearful. I am filled with (Gods) peace, power and wisdom" . If you say this slowly, in time with your breath, and repeat it over and over...you will find your heart rate slowing and your blood pressure coming down. I  usually do at least 15-20 minutes of this meditation.

John Gray, who wrote "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" wrote another book in which he promotes a similar meditative approach using mantras. He suggests starting a meditation by saying "Oh ____ (God/Buddha fill in the blank), my heart is open to you. Please come rest in my heart". Then he suggests moving into a repetitive mantra like the one above.

--->http://books.google.com/books/about/How_To_Get_What_You_Want_And_Want_What_Y.html?id=s15QYCQYpA8C

I would also like to share a link to a video broadcast that I saw in PBS earlier this year. I am not usually a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer...but I have to say this particular film resonated with me. If you can get past the first 20 mins,the rest of the video is engrossing.

Dr Dyer Wishes Fulfilled PBS Video--->

Lastly, i want to share the link to the best meditation music i have ever tried. Rather than purchase the CD or itunes version for $10, i bought the $3 digital downlad on Amazon. This music is excellent for relaxation and prayer.

Meditation digital download--->http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Wishes-Fulfilled-Meditation/dp/B007G84WU8

Blessings,
Tina

 

[smkchick]

Tina, thanks so much for that! I am more of a spiritual than religious person myself. I asked myself what I should be praying for, and came back with just the strength to get through this.

I'm a little too hyper for meditation sometimes - I have a hard time sitting still. But I learned a great technique. I sit quietly and on my inhale think, "welcome". On the exhale, I think "thank you". Very simple but effective.

I decided to put off the classes for now. In the meantime, I requested my transcript from some professional development classes I took at Alfred University. I'm hoping the State will give me some additional credits so I don't need to take as many classes. I may send them my Law School transcripts as well. Hey you never know.

We put a light on a timer in the henhouse. So far my egg production is up to 4 a day. Rhonda, my EE, had a very hard moult and is still not laying. Her feathers are coming back, as are the feathers on Aretha, my black Australorp. Hopefully we'll be back up to full production soon. They had a nice rest. Now back to work!! Even the newest girls are 6 months old now. I should be getting at least 10 a day. I keep giving the chicken soup lecture.

 

[magsrags]

We arrived safely late last night after a very long day in the car. Today, I read all the recent posts and was going to PM Suzanne, but thought I would share some of my stress coping techniques with the whole group since everyone seems to be facing challenges. I am not a very religious person, but I am spiritual and find that meditation can be very helpful. Over time, I've developed my own form of prayerful meditation that I find calming in times of high stress or crisis. I usually can't quiet my mind enough to do silent meditations or contemplation, so I use mantras instead.
One mantra that I have found helpful is to say silently "I am not fearful. I am filled with (Gods) peace, power and wisdom" . If you say this slowly, in time with your breath, and repeat it over and over...you will find your heart rate slowing and your blood pressure coming down. I usually do at least 15-20 minutes of this meditation.
John Gray, who wrote "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" wrote another book in which he promotes a similar meditative approach using mantras. He suggests starting a meditation by saying "Oh ____ (God/Buddha fill in the blank), my heart is open to you. Please come rest in my heart". Then he suggests moving into a repetitive mantra like the one above.
--->http://books.google.com/books/about/How_To_Get_What_You_Want_And_Want_What_Y.html?id=s15QYCQYpA8C
I would also like to share a link to a video broadcast that I saw in PBS earlier this year. I am not usually a fan of Dr. Wayne Dyer...but I have to say this particular film resonated with me. If you can get past the first 20 mins,the rest of the video is engrossing.
Dr Dyer Wishes Fulfilled PBS Video--->

Lastly, i want to share the link to the best meditation music i have ever tried. Rather than purchase the CD or itunes version for $10, i bought the $3 digital downlad on Amazon. This music is excellent for relaxation and prayer.
Meditation digital download--->http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Wishes-Fulfilled-Meditation/dp/B007G84WU8
Blessings,
Tina

Thankls for sharing all that Tina!

 

[magsrags]

oh good grief! The farm out in NJ just hatched 150 peeps last week. I'd just texted him asking if he was hatching anything this winter.
Yupper..they are in the brooders....sigh temptation AGAIN! Hee has a black Aruacana roo over his ees.....lav orps.....rir...cochins....silkies in a mixed pen that I'd seen....and he said more.

Roadtrip anyone!LOL

I want more lav orps ....they are really beautiful. sigh.....never ends!

 

[Carolyn252]

oh good grief! The farm out in NJ just hatched 150 peeps last week. I'd just texted him asking if he was hatching anything this winter.
Yupper..they are in the brooders....sigh temptation AGAIN! Hee has a black Aruacana roo over his ees.....lav orps.....rir...cochins....silkies in a mixed pen that I'd seen....and he said more.

Roadtrip anyone!LOL

I want more lav orps ....they are really beautiful. sigh.....never ends!

Hi; Maggie.
Do you happen to know if he vaccinates against Mareks? If so, I'd love to put in an order for two pullets that will lay blue eggs. Any breed; just want blue eggs again. Could be EasterEggers, or Araucana, or Cream Legbars or Ameraucana. I want them to be at least four months old when I get them, so if the NJ farm is hatching them in the winter, they should be just the right age for me for the Spring.
-Carolyn

 

[magsrags]

Hi; Maggie.
Do you happen to know if he vaccinates against Mareks? If so, I'd love to put in an order for two pullets that will lay blue eggs. Any breed; just want blue eggs again. Could be EasterEggers, or Araucana, or Cream Legbars or Ameraucana. I want them to be at least four months old when I get them, so if the NJ farm is hatching them in the winter, they should be just the right age for me for the Spring.
-Carolyn

Hi Carolyn!
He is selling them right now on a first come first served basis.
I'll have to ask him about the Mereks....will do that tomorrow. And you never know what he will have available in the spring time! He certaionly had nice colorfull eggs in cartons when I was there.
I'll find out more as time goes by.

It's called Schuster's Farm but he doesn't have a website up for it. Been there 3+ generations raising chickens at least.

 

[Carolyn252]

Hi Carolyn!
He is selling them right now on a first come first served basis.
I'll have to ask him about the Mereks....will do that tomorrow. And you never know what he will have available in the spring time! He certaionly had nice colorfull eggs in cartons when I was there.
 I'll find out more as time goes by.

It's called Schuster's Farm but he doesn't have a website up for it. Been there 3+ generations raising chickens at least.

Maggie, Thanks for offering to phone Schuster's farm to ask about Marek vaccination. Could you also ask him if he'd raise two Pullets for me until they are four months old; I'd pay him for them now. (Not quite sure how I'd get them from New Jersey to Long Island, but I'll figure that out when the time comes. I've got some NJ relatives and they've got friends in NJ & in NY, so some sort of relay could be arranged I'm sure. I can easily take the train to NY's Penn Station and pick them up there from somebody.) Where in NJ is Schuster's Farm located?
-Carolyn. (The Marek's vaccination is pivotal, so if he doesn't vaccinate, all my questions are academic.)

 

[goldeneggtees]

Good morning everyone! Wanted to post a pic of a double yoked I got last week. That's it in my hand. My hands are as big as most mens hands so that's a pretty large egg. I think one of my buff orp pullets laid it.