The Front Porch Swing

[OHhappychicks]

Today I saw I had caught a coon

So I let my chickens out and went over to see how big it was and such. Well this coon had babies in the trap last night

OH NO!!! Now what?? Maybe you can take them somewhere and let them loose in another remote area.

 

[LBejaran]

Woot, chicks hatched yesterday! Our new little bantam hen hatched three eggs, but something made her go nuts last night and she killed two of the chicks. Well...she ate one and killed the other.

I have a feeling that she killed them because they were weaker. They weren't as active as the first chick that hatched and maybe she sensed it. These chicks are from more mature chickens, so it might have influenced their health.

However, she's being a very good mother, so Mama and I made the trip to our favorite farm store and bought some bantam chicks to give her. We also got some standard sized chicks to give to our Naked Neck hen that had gone broody. I don't trust her to hatch eggs, so letting her raise these chicks will give me an idea if she will be a good mother. I just have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn't leave them alone or crush them or something. She seemed pleased when they nuzzled themselves into her feathers, though.

This is the surviving chick and her broody mama!

 

[perchie.girl]

Excellent fencing video!

Quote:

I liked the guys fence stretcher..... The real key to putting up a nice fence is having straigtht posts inline with each other AND stretching the fence so there is little to no give to it. Fastening the fence wire together can be done much more efficiently and quicker by using hog clips. I have spent too many years fixing fence and twisting wire is not an easy task unless you have the proper tools for it.

The type of twist he was doing isnt recommended in straight wire fastening

But the tool to do it is simply a bent piece of steel with notched sides to recieve the wire .... You can wrap the wire almost flush with one and you dont get nicked by the ends sticking out
Tool
tool in use

THis little piece of steel will save your hands when trying to fasten MULTIPLE strands of wire together.

And for what its worth the wire I prefer to use woven wire fencing just like the above picture. Each wire is unbroken the intersections between the wires are fastened together with loops. Its stronger than welded wire.

deb

 

[heartsizedfarm]

My little artist did another painting today -- from memory again -- this time in chalk. I had to search long and hard through my pictures of the Tetons to find this spot. She insisted she'd seen "this very 'xact place" the last time we took her there. I'm hoping the photo I found is the one she was remembering. She looks so proud! This is a closeup. The photo was taken during a time when the Tetons were blanketed in smoke from forest fires.

Beautiful painting, with perspective and everything! I love how the colours of her chalk drawing echo her pretty eyes.

 

[Blooie]

That is fantastic!!! Your little girl has some real talent. Growing up I was doing stick figures while my sister was channeling Monet. This reminded me of that and made me smile.

I'm glad it made you smile - that is what art does, right? Bring up memories and smiles? I didn't even do stick figures well. <sigh>

Here is a link I think can take a person directly to a video ...

Thank you for doing that! I'm still looking for the other one. Frustrating!

Beautiful painting, with perspective and everything! I love how the colours of her chalk drawing echo her pretty eyes.

Thank you! I don't know if I've ever mentioned that Katie is mildly autistic....however I prefer to think of her as wildly artistic.

 

[rrrmamma]

Could I ask you all for your prayers tonight? I have a serious problem in my family and some tough decisions to make in the next few days. I will know more tomorrow,but keep me and my granddaughter in your thoughts and prayers if you can . Thanks, Deb W

 

[Blooie]

Could I ask you all for your prayers tonight? I have a serious problem in my family and some tough decisions to make in the next few days. I will know more tomorrow,but keep me and my granddaughter in your thoughts and prayers if you can . Thanks, Deb W

Oh my goodness. Of course you and your granddaughter will be in my prayers! If you need a shoulder or just to yell and vent, feel free to post or PM me!

 

[lovingmyhens]

Could I ask you all for your prayers tonight? I have a serious problem in my family and some tough decisions to make in the next few days. I will know more tomorrow,but keep me and my granddaughter in your thoughts and prayers if you can . Thanks, Deb W

Absolutely

 

[rrrmamma]

Thanks ladies. I think my granddaughter who is 18 may be coming to live with us. She is in some pretty serious trouble right now. I will post more later.

 

[Blooie]

Quote:This is a rough time for you, I know, I've been there! Follow your heart. We did, and we've never regretted it. We had our granddaughter and her half brother Jamie with us from the time she was 6 until she turned 10. Then we helped her dad get custody of her. What followed was a nightmare, culminating in this:


It was over a month until she was found, safe and unharmed, but in a load of trouble. After she got off probation Ken and I went back to South Dakota and dragged her - almost kicking and screaming - back here to live with us again. This was THAT result:


Joining in family activities again and enjoying them!


Her GED in just under 5 weeks of "coming home."


And this was taken last week when we picked her up to go see her Aunt Linda. She's amazing. When I told her how proud we were of how well she's done since she moved back to South Dakota to live on her own, she said, "All I needed was somebody to see me - really SEE me - and believe in me so I could start believing in myself again. I knew what I could be because I learned that with you and Grampa when I was little. I just needed to be reminded."

So Deb, the sad truth is that we don't know what the results of our choices will be until long after we've made them. It's never easy, but is far more difficult to say later, "I could have....."

Hugs!