Potato Farmer

I am a potato farmer this year and I am ok with that.

It seems this year that is the only successful plant story being written in my garden. The snap peas were not properly managed. It seems I forgot their climbing ladder. The spinach was harvested by poultry at sprouting. (Twice!!) The tomatoes would need sun until Christmas to yield any fruit and the cabbage is well, dying.

Back to the potatoes. I planted 2 types. One purple and the second a brown fingerling. You may recall the chickens were continually digging these back up and I replanting them yet they've persevered and are thriving. If you've never planted and grown potatoes, I think it's a must for everyone at some point and know that you are never too old to experience it. This is my first summer planting them, but I have great memories of my grandpa digging them up in the fall with his pitch fork. I remember being shocked that the potatoes were hidden just below the surface. It's fun to make garden discoveries and I can't wait to share this one with my kids.

library fines

My local library adopted a library fine system several months ago and I am a strong contributor.

When my kids were younger, "we" frequently damaged books and paid to replace them. I was/am against the whole taping it up and pretending it didn't happen bit. Just a personal conviction for me. Anyway, I remember one occasion complaining to a friend about this taped up, simple, poorly written picture book that I now owned for like $28.00. She smiled and said, so what it's $28.00 bucks, at least you use your library. This completely changed my lenses and I am thankful for her insight into a situation I was sulky over.

Yesterday, I paid my most recent late fees and they totaled $35.10. I wasn't doing cartwheels over writing that check, but I also wasn't complaining. The library system has consequences for late returns and I obviously have discipline issues in regards to those guidelines. :) The financial support I give the library, by way of fines or damaged books, is a picture of my families use of our local library. I LOVE reading to my kids and am grateful to have access to great books. So, Timberland Regional Library System, I shall continue to strive to return books and CD's on time. Until then, I hope this fine system keeps your doors open a long time.

1/2 way to 70

My birthday...

Well, honestly now I had the blues a bit this year. 35 seems mature and it was difficult to not focus on those dreams and things not yet done. Ted, the kids and my amazing family and friends did a dynamite job of loving on me. From gifts to phone calls they sure poured joy my way. Thank you my sweet circle of homo sapiens. :) You are the ribbons on the gift of life.

My van DID get detailed, a couple days early actually, and it WAS bliss! Thank you Ted for blessing me in the expected and unexpected ways that day. Thanks for digging the smile out of me when I was feeling blue. You are an amazing husband and I am blessed to journey this life with you.

big news in a lil package

On Monday we were delighted, all be it shocked, to discover our first egg! It is tiny and so precious. The kids and I broke into celebration. Good thing we don't have close neighbors, they may have thought we'd lost it! It was a great day. With the recent stress the hens had experienced I really didn't think we'd get eggs until the faint sound of silver bells could be heard. Completely unexpected, the discovery was made. Tueday we had a second egg. This egg was long and cone shaped and I had to wonder if it was painful to lay. The first eggs are often humorous in size and shape. The hens body is getting used to passing an egg, or at least that's my theory. :) Although I've been blessed with 3 babies, I can't imagine birthing one every day. I'm thankful to be a human.

Who laid the egg? We beleive it was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Lydia's hen) because the color is a perfect match to the eggs Harriet used to lay. The hen boxes are checked thoroughly throughout the day now. Future egg reports to come.

feathers missing

Well, in less than a week our brood of hens has gone from 8 to 4. There are feathers missing....

On July 3rd we headed to a fireworks display and the chickens weren't cooped up yet as it gets dark so late these wonderful summer days. (They coop themselves when it gets dark. Catching all 8 is an Olympic Event we have yet to qualify for, although we have attempted several trials.) When we arrived home, around 11:00, we locked up the coop and headed to bed, unaware that Orangie was missing. In the morning, we noticed our white feathered Orangie was not in the bunch. We searched, but not a trace was found. Will took the news well. "Mom, my chicken's gone. I bet a coyote got her."

Thursday morning, 3 more hens were missing. Tulip, my sweet hen mama Natalie's bird, Lilac and Daisy. I woke early that morning and headed to the store about 6 am. When I went outside I saw 3 hens on the back patio and 1 was hiding in the aquarium the kids use for snake catching. I knew instantly something wasn't right. They seemed shaken and on edge. I looked around the yard, not finding any other hens and I knew something had happened.

As I drove down our driveway, I started seeing clumps of Lilac's feathers. Then, a trail leading down the drive and across the road. Guilt set in... The night before was Ted's birthday and by late evening we were exhausted. I asked Ted if he had locked up the coop and he said I'm pretty sure I did. Know this unfortunate incident was not Ted's fault. When I asked him, I instantly had a check in my spirit to go check the door, but I chose to ignore it because I was tired and thought it would be fine.

I read a question in a devo the next morning that said: "Pain is a natural consequence of poor decisions. Think of an example from your life. Who suffered pain because of a poor decision you made?"

I caused not only myself pain from a poor decision made on Wednesday night, but my entire family and especially Natalie. Thursday morning was difficult. Ted and I shared the news with the kids. Will and Lydia weren't emotionally saddened rather matter of fact about the news. Natalie, however, broke into tears and was absolutely crushed. Questions of how and why streamed as she struggled to wrap her mind and heart around the loss. Her heart ached as she listened to what happened, comprehending that it was parental error versus a natural means. Ted and I told her how sorry we were that we hadn't done our part. We asked for her forgiveness which she immediately and willingly gave. (Children are so like Jesus when it comes to forgiveness.)

We searched outside and found the fourth hen on the front porch, alive and well. Natalie spent her morning studying the lumps of feathers and deducing the way it may have all gone down. We found raccoon scat on the sidewalk leading to the front porch and believe coons were the predator. We miss the 4. Although they were just chickens, there is a loss felt and a sadness for how it happened. Sadly, Lilly has lost her buddy and Dahlia hers. (Buddy meaning the chick they grew with and looked like.) Harriet, amazingly, is 1 of the 4 remaining. She has survived 2 sets of disappearances now. The stories she could tell. With the recent stressful events, I am certain we may not have eggs until Christmas.

As Ted and I reflected yesterday, we realized we both actually heard it all happen. In our deep sleep, we assumed it a dream. It occurred around dawn, before the sunrise. We don't know if the raccoon that took Lilac also took the other 2 or a bird of prey, but we do know that we've asked forgiveness from God and our kids for not caring for whats been given to us. We are all recommitted to being better hen owners. This means the door will be closed each night, exhausted parents or not.