lost

Today I lost three of my President Day chickens to a dog attack. It wasn't any of my dogs. I did catch the culprit. This is the same dog that was the perpetrator of was last year's massacre. Not even a "I'm sorry" from the owner and it was owner responsibility, He suddenly decided he would let his dog out. But, that is beside the point. He has to go through life like that. Sad really.

I am very sad about this. Sad is the only word I can come up with right now.

I hatched these chickens myself from my rooster and hen's eggs. Twenty-one days of excitement, wondering, "Can I do this, really?" Yes, I could. I was careful with the heat and humidity. Checking and re-checking. Then the hatch, it was so amazing. Most of you on Facebook shared in my joy as I gave updates and photos and my reflections. You probably got tired of hearing "The President Day chicks" did this or that. I raised them by hand, making sure the bedding was clean, the brooder was at the right temperature and the food and water was fresh. I built a chicken run that I watched over when my chickens were old enough to spend a few hours in the sun and grass. I named them. I sat and watched them for countless hours, enjoying every second. They grew under my watchful eye, until they were big enough to stay in the chicken run. I went out during the wind and rain and a tornado warning to take them to shelter, the barn. They liked it there and they began to free roam. Always together as a group. The flock took over my porch for afternoon rests. Always searching out bugs and grasses and always nearby, close to me. They never strayed away. I would do my chicken call, the same voice they heard coaxing them to hatch. There was a trust there. The flock put themselves to bed back to the barn at dusk and up and at 'em at dawn.. They piled up on a shelf together that they favored instead of the nesting boxes lined up for them.

I was just saying to Rusty last night. I have eleven President Day chickens and eleven ducks. I like the number 11. I also have seven teenager chickens, and the two littles. I would always do a head count, I don't even know how many times a day. Counting. Five reds, four blacks, and two whites. Ok eleven. OCD? Maybe, but I am home always, and mostly I am outside. Working and counting. Keeping my eye out for any signs of hawks or signs of predators of any kind.

I know part of having free roaming chickens is to expect some loss. It doesn't make it any easier.

The attack came this morning. Before Bella and I could get out the door, they were already gone. I have been wandering the property calling for them. Hoping they are hiding in the hollow or under the old Victorian.
Calling, "Chick chiiiiiiiiiiick, chick chiiiiiiiiiiick..."

I only found feathers.

Three Presidents down.

:
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As synchronicity shall have it, an egg pipped in the incubator today. More hatch-lings are on their way.

~crow

lemonade

Whenever the temperature hits 90 degrees in Bluefield, WV, the city offers free lemonade. Lemonade Days is a well know tradition that is happening today.  

The Bluefield, WV Chamber of Commerce reports that lemonade was first served in the "Nature’s Air Conditioned City" in 1941 and has been served a total of 197 times in the 72 years since then. The tradition has survived lemon and sugar shortages during WWII, criticism from area clergymen, a strike by the lemonade lassies (the ladies who served the lemonade), and some controversy over what constitutes a legitimate lemonade day. One thing has remained the same: Bluefield-ers can enjoy a good old-fashioned cold glass of lemonade during the unusually warm days of Summer. This year it as begun in Spring! It reached 90 degrees in Bluefield yesterday. The Bluefield Chamber of Commerce also reported in the Summer of 2007 proved to be a record-breaking season with 18 days reaching 90 degrees or over. This exceeded the previous 1988 record of 17 times in one year. They also report that there have been 35 summers during which the temperature did not reach 90 degrees! Hence the nickname: "Nature’s Air Conditioned City" .

Bluefield is where I go to do my shopping and get supplies. The city is several towns over from were I live. It is an old city, not particularly large, compared to cities you may live in or shop at. It is a city that holds on to it's traditions, while seeking revitalization of it's coal and railroad heritage. One idea being formulated is a Farmer's Market. I can't wait!  It is a twin city, for right across the city and state border is Bluefield, VA, named after the original. 

View from East River Mountain

The city is located on the East River mountain and is home to Bluefield State College

From The BSC website history page:

"...The history of Bluefield State College is the heroic story of remarkable achievement in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The legacy of Bluefield State provides an inspiration and a challenge to those who follow. The creation of Bluefield State College was the product of hard work by citizens of southern West Virginia who envisioned better educational services for African-Americans in the region. The dire need for coal miners created a huge population of black Americans who migrated into America's last frontier wilderness. To serve the racially segregated public schools in the coal camps, progressive citizens of both races worked together to establish Bluefield Colored Institute, a "high graded school for Negroes," in 1895..."

"...In 1954, The board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision declared racially segregated public education unconstitutional. Soon, white students seeking high quality, low cost, fully accredited higher education opportunities began to attend classes at Bluefield State..."

My daughter now attends BSC to pursue her dream to become a teacher and perhaps some day will go to law school to become a human rights attorney. The school's population has now changed to predominately Caucasian. But the pride of offering higher learning to African Americans was trail blazing at the time and it is evident the school still holds a  great amount of pride for. The College is a great fit for a word wielding humanitarian like my oldest daughter!

There is so much history in that free cold glass of lemonade.

Cheers!

~crow

 

sleepy

Tonight I went to see what Earl does in the dark. I couldn't see him so I called his name. I was up on the porch. He found me. My loyal friend.

Earl

Where are the treats?

I had to come down and give Earl some donkey hugs. Then I decided to sneak around and get pictures of everybody sleeping.

Oprah the doe-ling and her Momma snuggled in.

In the coop the ducks and young chickens each have their side.

Earl checks the rabbit hutches

Sling Blade and the Buck like to sleep together. I don't judge.

Tetra, the Tetra Tint Pullet sleeps on the barn door while bugs fly.

She starts to wake. Was it me or that spider?

Henny Penny roosting in the barn, awake..

The President Day Chickens like this shelf in the barn.

 

More night views to come.

Happy New Moon little ones. I am glad you live here.
~crow

dirty

I have worked 3 days now with my knee brace on, then off, then on. I have poison ivy all over, and some is located on the inside of my leg, level to the knee. Add the hot weather, sweat, dirt and pain, and it has taken away some of the joy I find in planting.  I am happy to report there was still joy, in the form of satisfaction. I am satisfied of a job well done. I have had a taste of some of the harvest, but the rewards came earlier this season.

We usually buy garden plants at the nursery. But this year I seeded everything. It was, and is, quite an operation. Starting in the kitchen sun-room, the seeds were germinated, then transplanted and moved outside to long tables and then planted in the ground.

The garden is uphill from the house. So I go up, then oops, I forget something, and then back down. Well, you get the drift. Being that we live on a mountain terrain, it makes every little chore that much more challenging. Winter or Summer or the Equinoxes that fall in between, everything takes a bit more effort.


As I was finishing the planting at sunset, the orange glow of light hitting the plants was so beautiful. They looked like they were glowing. I glowed too, inside.

carrots

bush beans

waves of lettuce, broccoli and cabbage and the potatoes (deep below the earth)

But on the outside I was dirty.

wash me

Good night from WV,
~crow

food

 
If you don't expect anything from me, then I will never disappoint you.
If you insist on expecting something from me,
why not let it be something that enriches?
For whatever you decide to bring to the plate, I will gladly feed you.

I will not expect from you.
I will not insist on it.
I will only serve you the food of that in which you have grown and hunger for.

If you want me to serve you. I will.
But don't expect me to know how.

I grow my own food. I have my own hunger. I serve myself.

~crow

heal

Darn these knees! The swelling wont go away. I have so much to do. I have 3 trays of  72 tomato plants, plus another tray with 16 plants. I have squash plants, more broccoli, and green peppers. I have more beans to plant... That is not counting my herb garden!
.
Heal knees... HEAL!

organic tomatoes

plant us

I have finished the romaine lettuce planting, It was planted in waves. We are eating delicious green crispy lettuce every day. It is fabulous. My duckies love it as well. I highly suggest you plant this type of lettuce with your cold crops. It doesn't do well in the heat of the summer, but what an awesome spring harvest, Best part is, we harvest it and eat it within 30 minutes. My labor of love has been fruitful thus far. I even have more romaine seeds germinating! What a giver those seeds are. I have a couple of bowls, filled with dirt and poof, salad. Easy to plant, even if you grow it in containers and even if you thumbs are not green. I promise.

I hobbled up the hill and pulled some garlic for tonight's dinner. Penne pasta and some salad.

baby garlic and romaine

in the garlic patch

garlic freshly pulled up

My poor Deer has an udder giving her trouble. Rusty and I got her flowing last night. She was so cute, licking me while I milked her. The milk looks white, so she should be ok. Today I went in and stripped all the milk on that side again. My goodness she is a good milk producer! Oprah, her kid, is definitely not having feeding problems. Every time I pick her up she does a golden yellow stinky baby turd. Not unlike a human newborn's poo. I then immediately put her down, and out comes the pee. A good sign that she is getting milk. Just like a human baby. My kids gave me plenty of experience for dealing Deer's kids. I am not going to say anything about my udders. Nope, not going there.

My duckling are getting so big! They spend their days now outside in a duck-shangra-la. Swimming pool, shade tent, water, clover and grasses, and fresh greens. They have been upgraded from chick food to flock grower food. Big duckies.

The President Day chicks hang out with the ducks when it is time to eat. But certainly birds of a feather really do flock together. Both flocks are not really interested in the other.

free roaming chickens

that is washington, the cockerel, with his head up

pekin and indian runner ducklings

storm, a runner duck

cloud, a runner duck

duck pretending to be a swan

Evidently, Tractor Supply got some chicks mixed up. I bought 4 Brahma straight run chicks. They grew up and, well, have a look...

2 brahma chicks

2 brahma chicks with some mixed chicks

2 brahmas, and 1 not a brahma

I am not brahma. I am a cornish rock.

So. yes, this chicken was bought with the other brahmas chicks. It is a cornish rock, a chicken bred to be a meat chicken. It will eventually die from it's sheer size. The mortality rate is high, even for their short projected life span. They eat and grow rapidly. This particular chicken can barely walk it is so big. So you are looking at an organic meal. There is one already in the freezer, it was killed by meany pants the Rhode Island Red Roo, or a hawk, but if it was a hawk, why was it left for dead? I have to come out of denial and put the blame where it belongs...

murderer!

If my knees don't heal, I will have to break it to Earl that he will have to be my riding pony. 

Earl

Although, I am not too sure he would want to be a pony or have anybody ride him. I can tell by his body language. :-)  He is such a good boy. I adore him. How about a donkey cart Earl? We can get matching hats.

Well, I guess you might want to take a look at the bunnies, now that I am showing everybody. Here they are with their Momma, Tahoe. They are sweet little puff-balls! It is almost time for them to move out of Mom's house. They are all eating bunny food. Good job Tahoe. I know motherhood is not easy. But we do our best.

That is the farm update. Stay tuned for more... and there is more coming! Just wait and see.

aromatherapy

late spring garlic and wildflowers

wild wonderful ~crow

love letter

Dearest Oprah,

I was tearful watching your last show. You have been like a close friend, co-woman, and courageous guide.

You saw me through many phases in my life. It seemed when I tuned in to your show, it was scripted for my life. The show validated my own goodwill, grace and love that I share with anyone I meet. People respond. Not that I expect anything in return, but I always notice ::the return::

Here is an excerpt from my blog:
---------------------------------------------

o doe

I just decided now what to name the new doeling born yesterday. Her name will be Oprah.

As I sit here and view her last show, I remember how Oprah has touched my life, just one of millions. She, like myself, is a believer in the goodness and grace in people. She, like myself, believes in the power of love. She, like myself, was sexually abused as a young girl. But it never stopped O or Me, in being a messenger of hope.

So meet Oprah. Our new doeling.

(photo)

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Everybody has a life story. As I probably have a novel. Abused sexually as a child by my Father, married into an abusive marriage, which gave birth to an artist and child advocate and more, and now I have moved to a farmhouse in the mountains, growing, loving, writing... and spiritual, in a way that only a weathered history can bring. All of it, I am thankful for, as it brought me to here. That is some of what I shared with you, through your show. I am filled with gratitude that you shared part of your life story with me.

It sounds silly, but-- I named my new baby goat after you, so your spirit will be here on my little farm in the WV mountains. She was born the day you taped your last show. She will be loved greatly. I have attached a photo. She is so cute. It might sound a bit weird to hear a goat carries your name. But it made perfect sense to me.

You have given birth to a new life.

Love and Light,

~crow