The Front Porch Swing

[Blooie]

Well then, he should be easy to beat! The "Old Vermonter" answer to "Have you lived here all your life?" is "Not yet".   
You have the right attitude and I don't know anyone who likes "negative" politicing anyway. You run on your record which speaks for itself. 

I've been BLOOIED - again! LOL

 

[Oldmomma]

Best of luck Blooie. As for thr roving FINGER award that would be cute. My momma being a modest woman use to show daddy her first finger. He knew when she was angry versus pointing to something. Someone create a gif and you got your award. Although I cant think of when someone gave me the finger last lol.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

One of the people I was in grad school with, and am now FB friends with, and is one of those gloriously beautiful redheads that makes you stare, and is is a buddhist, and is an animal-rights activist vegan, and is also a somewhat renowned author of book(s? -- we were in grad school for writing) and articles about dogs. Here is a link to her recent article ... about having a predator for a pet.

https://www.thedodo.com/community/L...an-human-han-571282269.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

I admit I could only read a few paragraphs of this article. I want to read it well and report back to her all of my glowing, praising responses to it, because I feel a personal connection to Lee, but when I do try to read it I just get very, very, very sad. But not as sad as I got while trying to read her facebook posts about how she handled the passing of her last beloved dog. I mention my personal reaction to the perspective presented in her writing for full disclosure, not because I want to trash Lee. I know she is speaking for a lot of people with similar & genuine challenges ...

I've often wondered how animal rights activist vegans can have pets ... so I try to read some of their writings about it every once in a while. I usually just end up very, very, very sad. This is another area where my undisciplined "soft" heart does me no favors.

 

[Beekissed]

Another gloriously beautiful day here in the mountain state...clear as a bell and no humidity, which is the bane of my existence in this area usually....I miss the higher elevations where every day is like today.....low humidity, beautiful skies and moderate summer temps. Today reminds me of my old home.

The clover in the garden grew at least another inch or so and is now sticking above the row cloth....sure hope the rest of the garden grows as quickly. The chickens are laying like gang busters~even the 6 yr old girls~ and are slim and fighting fit, though no one is fighting. White Lightning is another quiet rooster, thank the good Lord dearly, and he seems to have settled into life here, though he's still not great shakes at foraging. He has slimmed down also, which makes him a more able flock master during times of high predation, when preds are feeding their young.

Eggs in the fake broody nest are due to hatch in a week and all look lively enough in there, so praying for a good hatch and have a mother for them on stand-by.

I thank God for beautiful days and the health to do some productive labor, all honor and glory to Him for all good things in my life!

Will continue to pray for our sister in bondage and persecution today as I step through my day, as I will pray for you all. I pray that each day you draw closer unto the Lord, tucked under His wing and in His presence daily, trusting Him with all your life and the people therein.

The Porch is shady, the honeysuckle vine twined around the bannister is sweet on the air, the bees are buzzing in the flowers and there is sweet tea for everyone!!! Enjoy the day my neighbors!!!

ETA: Side dressed the potted plants with a little Bee Pee this morning...expecting great things!

 

[tntchix]

It's a beautiful day!

 

[Beekissed]

One of the people I was in grad school with, and am now FB friends with, and is one of those gloriously beautiful redheads that makes you stare, and is is a buddhist, and is an animal-rights activist vegan, and is also a somewhat renowned author of book(s? -- we were in grad school for writing) and articles about dogs. Here is a link to her recent article ... about having a predator for a pet.

https://www.thedodo.com/community/L...an-human-han-571282269.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

I admit I could only read a few paragraphs of this article. I want to read it well and report back to her all of my glowing, praising responses to it, because I feel a personal connection to Lee, but when I do try to read it I just get very, very, very sad. But not as sad as I got while trying to read her facebook posts about how she handled the passing of her last beloved dog. I mention my personal reaction to the perspective presented in her writing for full disclosure, not because I want to trash Lee. I know she is speaking for a lot of people with similar & genuine challenges ...

I've often wondered how animal rights activist vegans can have pets ... so I try to read some of their writings about it every once in a while. I usually just end up very, very, very sad. This is another area where my undisciplined "soft" heart does me no favors.

I can see why it saddened you. The poor thing is so very confused! I try to avoid such articles because their level of confusion always frustrates and saddens me also.

 

[Beekissed]

It's a beautiful day!

Isn't it? There is a steady breeze blowing and the sky is so deeply blue here. And I just saw a bee fly...my first ever!

 

[sarahsunshine]

Aliza's first hot tub while on our fishing trip.....she's a hoot! She loved it...after this pic we put her down in it just a little more...just butt and legs. She about went to sleep....

Very Cute!!!!!

Nice coop, lucky chickens and chicken owners. And DH is a lucky guy! All that work done and HE didn't have to do it!

Having looked into LGDs, I'm wondering if you and the breeder went over the very serious need to train the dog properly? Especially since you've never had a dog before. I have had dogs (not for ~40 years though and just house pets) and I understand there is a lot more to training a LGD than simple obedience one needs for a house pet. Not only to teach the dog that the chickens are not to be messed with while letting the natural guard instinct develop but also that every person in the house out ranks the dog. I think you will have to train the kids AND the dog, especially if your avatar is a recent picture. The dog will outweigh the kids in 6 months and has to know that he must obey them, not the other way around.

Bee is right on the eggs in the nest thing (no surprise!!). I've only found 1 egg outside EVER and I don't even know when it was laid. It was under an old piece of porch that was taken off the back of the house and put behind the barn. Big boys with big toys are VERY helpful. The excavator picked it up and drove it around behind the barn and placed it over the fence as far as the bucket could reach. I would have had to take it apart and move all the pieces, then put it back together! Of course, I guess I don't know what I don't know as well. They COULD be laying in other places but since I have eggs from all the girls in the nests at some 'reasonable' schedule I'm pretty sure they come back to the coop to lay. I've certainly seen them a goodly distance away and then in the nest later even though all the other girls are still out.

I agree with Bee on the roof. Assuming the rafters are sound, metal roofing is not too expensive and not too hard to install. I found this: http://roofingintelligence.com/ it might be of some use. Google is my 'go to' resource for repairs

I assume the plywood decking is not in great shape if the shakes are rotting and you can see through in some places. If it is bad, replace it. You don't want to trap a bunch of wet wood under the metal roof.

Thanks Bruce!

Yes DH is a lucky guy, but I do my share of the renos and work around here. We are a team, but he is now on a 2week/2week schedule (2 weeks on a boat away from home, 2 weeks at home (holiday), so if it has to get done, then yours truly is the one to do it. It's always easier doing something with another person, though!

As for training an LGD, I'm up for the challenge, and I have spoken with the breeder a whole bunch. This is not my first dog - I have worked with extremely difficult to train dogs (rehabilitate a 5yo completely untrained aggressive German shepherd/husky cross), have our current heeler cross who has been the object of many many compliments because of how well trained she was, as well as 2 rescue mutts that we got at the age of 2 and 10mo. All were completely different in terms of personality and ways to train -they reacted completely differently. The only difference now is that I have young kids, and that this is a puppy. This will NOT be a house pet (and I've already talked to the kids about that lots), but it will be different again. Then again, the breeder currently has twin 6yo, and got the current pair when her kids were 2yo.

As for nest training... Yesterday there were 6 eggs IN the coop - 5 in the nest box, and one just outside the nest box (dropped it as she left?) - so nest training was a preemptive concern! All good in that department!

Thanks!! I will look in to metal roof. Everything else is cedar shake around here, but I'm not going for beauty! Yes, we will definitely need to check out the strapping... it looks OK from the inside, but you never know. That will be a job for later this summer, though! We have put in metal roofs before (we had a friend who worked for a roofing company and got off-cuts for really cheap back in Alberta), but we are new around these parts so we don't have the ins yet...

 

[perchie.girl]

One of the people I was in grad school with, and am now FB friends with, and is one of those gloriously beautiful redheads that makes you stare, and is is a buddhist, and is an animal-rights activist vegan, and is also a somewhat renowned author of book(s? -- we were in grad school for writing) and articles about dogs. Here is a link to her recent article ... about having a predator for a pet.

https://www.thedodo.com/community/L...an-human-han-571282269.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

I admit I could only read a few paragraphs of this article. I want to read it well and report back to her all of my glowing, praising responses to it, because I feel a personal connection to Lee, but when I do try to read it I just get very, very, very sad. But not as sad as I got while trying to read her facebook posts about how she handled the passing of her last beloved dog. I mention my personal reaction to the perspective presented in her writing for full disclosure, not because I want to trash Lee. I know she is speaking for a lot of people with similar & genuine challenges ...

I've often wondered how animal rights activist vegans can have pets ... so I try to read some of their writings about it every once in a while. I usually just end up very, very, very sad. This is another area where my undisciplined "soft" heart does me no favors.

I read the whole thing and it was a very touched by it. I am like you very very sad. My favorite line in it is

""Maybe that was the original role of humans on this planet: to show compassion amidst the ordered chaos that is life on Earth.""

I am stunned to read she fed her dog a raw diet. This line above says so much about her.

deb

 

[LindaB220]

An excellent read, Blooie!

I laughed out loud on this story...you have such a way with words!

I can SO relate! I also nodded my head throughout the post. It's that same inevitability and cycle of which I, too, am aware...it's timeless and crosses all generations. We are dying. Everything will die. We can either be a part of that chain in an active way and eat the animal as we will one day be eaten or we can let that opportunity pass us by...but either way that animal will be eaten. All flesh is grass.....

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:"

Here's a little tidbit that may make you laugh...a little cowboy humor..

Cowboy Reincarnation poem

Cowboy Reincarnation by Wallace McRae
"What does Reincarnation mean?"
A cowpoke asked his friend.
His pal replied, "It happens when
Yer life has reached its end.
They comb yer hair, and warsh yer neck,
And clean yer fingernails,
And lay you in a padded box
Away from life's travails."
"The box and you goes in a hole,
That's been dug into the ground.
Reincarnation starts in when
Yore planted 'neath a mound.
Them clods melt down, just like yer box,
And you who is inside.
And then yore just beginnin' on
Yer transformation ride."
"In a while, the grass'll grow
Upon yer rendered mound.
Till some day on yer moldered grave
A lonely flower is found.
And say a hoss should wander by
And graze upon this flower
That once wuz you, but now's become
Yer vegetative bower."
"The posy that the hoss done ate
Up, with his other feed,
Makes bone, and fat, and muscle
Essential to the steed,
But some is left that he can't use
And so it passes through,
And finally lays upon the ground
This thing, that once wuz you."
"Then say, by chance, I wanders by
And sees this upon the ground,
And I ponders, and I wonders at,
This object that I found.
I thinks of reincarnation,
Of life and death, and such,
And come away concludin': 'Slim,
You ain't changed, all that much

So funny. But aren't we all going that way.