The Front Porch Swing

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
You know I saw you mention Fallbrook on another post so I just assumed there was a Fallbrook on the East coast near Vermont.... So your whole dang family is here from Oregon on down.... Glad you got to see everyone...

Gosh I havent been to Sea World since my son was about ten. I used to buy an annual pass for Sea World and The Zoo/Wild animal park. Wed hit one or the other a couple of times per month. Bringing friends too. The Wild animal park had Blue grass concerts every friday night for years. And the Zoo was great because the whole place was sooo big you could spend your time in one particular area instead of having to rush about trying to cover the whole thing at once.

wow Point Loma is a pretty pricy area in some places.... The sub base is there too.

I knew you were from California but it never really settled in till now.

deb

 

[lazy gardener]

Blooie, I never met Austin, but am truly saddened by his loss. What an awesome young man, what a promising future... what an incredible loss to us all!!

 

[Blooie]

Okay, stoopid chicken question time - got a couple so put your thinking caps on. Floyd and Charlie are attacking the girls. They haven't even started laying and the boys (well, all except well behaved little Speckles the Sussex) are all over them. Floyd in particular is really aggressive when he's mating with the girls, when the other boys get too close, and now toward me. Even if I planned to keep roos, which I did not, he would be gone - I will not take a chance on an aggressive rooster around me, Ken, or my kids and grandkids, period. Critters don't get a second chance when it comes to my family. He is about 19 or 20 weeks old and he's pretty doggone big, but I don't know how big is ideal for the freezer. Help???

 

[ducksanddoxies]

I've tried really hard not to focus on the anniversary of Austin's death, but I seem destined to be reminded all day long. This afternoon I ran into Lovell to pick up some things and there was a young man walking down Main near the grocery store. His build and dark hair reminded me instantly of Austin. Then, as I watched, he walked right into a light pole - paying no attention to where he was walking he hit it full stride! He took a step back, bowed elegantly to the pole, then continued on his way, laughing the whole time. It was a total "Austin" moment! He believed so strongly in signs so I'm taking it to mean, "It's okay, Gramma - nothing's really changed"....

This is Austin's "Joy Rock". They had 3 of them - one said 'Faith', one said 'Hope' and then there was this one. Austin's job was several miles away on dark, winding roads. When he left for work the 'Faith' and 'Hope' rocks stayed home so his wife, Joy, would always know he'd return. This rock stayed in his pocket at all times, so he had always had 'Joy' with him.

[TR]


[TR]

The additional story behind the "Joy" rock.....After the accident, Austin's dad and several of Dan's friends went to the accident scene to recover items lost. Dan's best friend Ffej (who is also Austin's godfather) found Joy's butterfly necklace, Austin's glasses, and Joy's photo album, which contained this picture. Two days later, on the way to the visitation, Ffej again stopped at the site because, as he said, "Something told me that there was something there I was supposed to find." Half buried in the tracks of the ambulance which had taken Austin to the hospital was a shiny little white sliver. He kicked at it and it dislodged. It was the Joy rock. It had been run over by the ambulance, standing on its edge so that just a bit of it showed. Even using metal detectors, they never found another item at the scene. Point of non-interest....Ffej's real name is Jeff. One night at a party a good looking young lady sidled over to him and asked for his name. He grabbed at his belt buckle and held it so he could read his name on it (upside down) and then looked back up at her and slurred, "Ffej." It stuck.

​

[/TR]

[COLOR=A0A0A0][rule][/COLOR]​

[/TR]
Austin and his Joy, taken just a few days before they got married. As sad as it is not to have him with us, it is even harder to imagine what our lives would have been like if he'd never been given to us. Folks identified him by saying he looked like a praying mantis. He truly did, too! Long and lean...only Austin could lie down and look like a triangle: Silly boy! He gladdens my heart, even now!

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing. And I hope it was therapeutic for you. He was a good looking young man.

 

[ducksanddoxies]

Pretty sure it's a drake. See the curly "tail feather". Found it wandering in the yard yesterday! . Sorry y'all, I'm up waaaaay past my bedtime.

 

[perchie.girl]

Okay, stoopid chicken question time - got a couple so put your thinking caps on. Floyd and Charlie are attacking the girls. They haven't even started laying and the boys (well, all except well behaved little Speckles the Sussex) are all over them. Floyd in particular is really aggressive when he's mating with the girls, when the other boys get too close, and now toward me. Even if I planned to keep roos, which I did not, he would be gone - I will not take a chance on an aggressive rooster around me, Ken, or my kids and grandkids, period. Critters don't get a second chance when it comes to my family. He is about 19 or 20 weeks old and he's pretty doggone big, but I don't know how big is ideal for the freezer. Help???

Five months is time for making camping arrangements.

deb

 

[enola]

Around here when they start crowing, they have earned their ticket to freezer camp..... After testosterone kicks in, the quality of their meat changes drastically.

 

[tntchix]

I've tried really hard not to focus on the anniversary of Austin's death, but I seem destined to be reminded all day long. This afternoon I ran into Lovell to pick up some things and there was a young man walking down Main near the grocery store. His build and dark hair reminded me instantly of Austin. Then, as I watched, he walked right into a light pole - paying no attention to where he was walking he hit it full stride! He took a step back, bowed elegantly to the pole, then continued on his way, laughing the whole time. It was a total "Austin" moment! He believed so strongly in signs so I'm taking it to mean, "It's okay, Gramma - nothing's really changed"....



This is Austin's "Joy Rock". They had 3 of them - one said 'Faith', one said 'Hope' and then there was this one. Austin's job was several miles away on dark, winding roads. When he left for work the 'Faith' and 'Hope' rocks stayed home so his wife, Joy, would always know he'd return. This rock stayed in his pocket at all times, so he had always had 'Joy' with him.





The additional story behind the "Joy" rock.....After the accident, Austin's dad and several of Dan's friends went to the accident scene to recover items lost. Dan's best friend Ffej (who is also Austin's godfather) found Joy's butterfly necklace, Austin's glasses, and Joy's photo album, which contained this picture.

Two days later, on the way to the visitation, Ffej again stopped at the site because, as he said, "Something told me that there was something there I was supposed to find." Half buried in the tracks of the ambulance which had taken Austin to the hospital was a shiny little white sliver. He kicked at it and it dislodged. It was the Joy rock. It had been run over by the ambulance, standing on its edge so that just a bit of it showed. Even using metal detectors, they never found another item at the scene.

Point of non-interest....Ffej's real name is Jeff. One night at a party a good looking young lady sidled over to him and asked for his name. He grabbed at his belt buckle and held it so he could read his name on it (upside down) and then looked back up at her and slurred, "Ffej." It stuck.

​

Austin and his Joy, taken just a few days before they got married. As sad as it is not to have him with us, it is even harder to imagine what our lives would have been like if he'd never been given to us. Folks identified him by saying he looked like a praying mantis. He truly did, too! Long and lean...only Austin could lie down and look like a triangle:


Silly boy! He gladdens my heart, even now!

It's no wonder you can't help but think of him. Love the synchronicity of the light pole guy and bless Ffej for listening to the voice that said go back, you missed something.

Austin definitely looks like a triangle. Thank you for sharing your love for him with us.

 

[lindz8504]

Man I am so far behind! Hope everyone is well! I have not been online much lately. I've lost some chickens and picked up some more. I still have a broody Golden comet who has 6 days until hatch! The kids are out of school and that is really making it crazy around here. All the kids home, new puppy, old puppy, chicks, hurt Great Dane, broody hen and the rest of the flock....... yep CRAZY!

 

[bruceha2000]

You know I saw you mention Fallbrook on another post so I just assumed there was a Fallbrook on the East coast near Vermont.... So your whole dang family is here from Oregon on down.... Glad you got to see everyone...

Gosh I havent been to Sea World since my son was about ten. I used to buy an annual pass for Sea World and The Zoo/Wild animal park. Wed hit one or the other a couple of times per month. Bringing friends too. The Wild animal park had Blue grass concerts every friday night for years. And the Zoo was great because the whole place was sooo big you could spend your time in one particular area instead of having to rush about trying to cover the whole thing at once.

wow Point Loma is a pretty pricy area in some places.... The sub base is there too.

I knew you were from California but it never really settled in till now.

deb

Only Dad lives in Oregon. He and my step-mother moved there from So. Cal as soon as my younger sister graduated high school. With all the kids in colleges everywhere but "at home" they escaped.

That was in 1975. My step-mother died in 2007 and Dad is thinking of moving back to So. Cal. in maybe 3 years so he is closer to my older sister. Lots easier when the time comes for "Dad needs some help now and then" (he's doing great at nearly 86 now). One cousin in Redding, one in the east bay of S.F.. Aunt, uncle and the other 2 cousins (plus families) all live in Upland.

Sea World now has 2 roller coasters, they weren't there when we last went 6 years ago. Still have Shamu but the trainers can't go in the water anymore after the 2010 "incident" at Sea World in Florida.

Yeah, big bucks in Point Loma. I gather my step-BIL's business does pretty well. Of course I have NO idea how much of their new condo is owned by them and how much by a bank.

Okay, stoopid chicken question time - got a couple so put your thinking caps on. Floyd and Charlie are attacking the girls. They haven't even started laying and the boys (well, all except well behaved little Speckles the Sussex) are all over them. Floyd in particular is really aggressive when he's mating with the girls, when the other boys get too close, and now toward me. Even if I planned to keep roos, which I did not, he would be gone - I will not take a chance on an aggressive rooster around me, Ken, or my kids and grandkids, period. Critters don't get a second chance when it comes to my family. He is about 19 or 20 weeks old and he's pretty doggone big, but I don't know how big is ideal for the freezer. Help???

I don't have a rooster but I think that along with the squatting, the interest the boys are showing means "light the stove, eggs for breakfast soon!".

Pretty sure it's a drake. See the curly "tail feather". Found it wandering in the yard yesterday!

. Sorry y'all, I'm up waaaaay past my bedtime.

I'd say you are right, easiest "boy or girl" post I've ever seen!

Bruce