We have passed a couple of milestones since my sister died...first Valentine's Day, her birthday. St Patrick's Day. All things that she took great pleasure in and had loads of fun doing. The loss is still so close and I guess that's how it always goes...for me at least. When I don't expect it, something will make me cry. Or a memory will make me laugh. And it's all so incongruous. But everyone soldiers on, especially in the face of the things that we have absolutely no control over or cannot do a single thing about. Brave, aren't we ? Human, aren't we ?
We've had some beautiful spring days, with threats of rains that barely appeared and threats of light snow showers that never appeared. Last night, however, the temps dropped into the low 30's and there is some frost out there. Looks like that may be the end of it, according to the extended forecasts. But one never knows. For our part, we have begun cleaning up the garden beds, which mostly means trying to knock back the blackberry and raspberries that try to take over our garden beds. They are incorrigible. The Irishman did a lot of work out there on Friday, and even got 2 of the smaller beds turned over. I might be able to get out there this week, if it warms up enough, and rake some of it and at least get some kale in. We haven't bought any seed potatoes or onion sets yet either and I need to look through my seeds and see what I have and what I need to get. We'll get the garden journal out and start making a plan this week probably. Things have been a little busy around here the past few weeks, but finally are starting to settle down. As always in our life, there are still things going on all the time, but we are getting better at picking and choosing. The older I get, the more I do whatever I want to do and not so much what everybody else wants me to do. Ah...more freedoms of old age. Awesome, innit ?
The knee is healing, the muscles are feeling the tiniest bit better every day. Last night was better. I only got up once and took some Tylenol and went back to bed. I find that if I march around a bit when I get up it helps. Lying too long or sitting too long and the muscles start tightening up again and it hurts. Not a bone curdling hurt..just a whimpery kind of hurt that wakes you up and is annoying. I just want to wake up and feel good and have this part done. I am now 1 month and 4 days post-op. For heavens sake--how long does this healing stuff take ??? Patience is NOT my strong suit. Perhaps this is where I learn some. (Not.)
My chickens are eating eggs like crazy. I don't know what to do about it. I go out there often to try to catch it before it happens but not much luck. And now someone wants to give me 20 chickens (all,supposedly) under 3 years of age) and I don't know if I want them. I really don't know if I have room for that many. I have had this egg eating dilemma in the past a few times, but never so consistently. It's maddening. Not to mention the fact that I am feeding them and getting nothing in return. This cannot continue, as you know, and once the weather warms up we'll see what happens. Never thought I'd say it, but I'm almost tired of having chickens and dealing with all this stuff. Someone is pecking the hell out of another one too, all about her head they have pecked her until she's bald. Sigh.... chicken behavior is so strange sometimes. We have 6 sweet (snork) little hens..and they cannot behave themselves it seems. I gave them more calcium (thinking the egg eating was dietary). Nope. I buy them kale in the winter so they still get plenty of greens. Nope. I threaten them, I beg and cajole. I sing to them. Nothing works.
Well...the dryer has shut off (his work clothes). I have a bit of a full day today...20 pounds of chicken quarters has been cooking away in the roaster all night (Found it yesterday for 19 cents/lb) and I have to pull the meat off the bone and either can or freeze it. making a chicken pot pie for supper with some of it too. Have a potluck meeting tonight that I have to bake a cake for and make some kind of appetizer, Also am squeezing physical therapy in the middle there at 2 o'clock. Guess I'd better get moving. Haven't loosed the chooks yet either, but it's only 30 degrees out there even though it's looking sunny.
Heigh HO---here we go. Hope you day is a fun filled productive one !!
Namaste.
3 comments:
I never heard of chickens eating eggs. That's partly because I know very little about raising them, but I've been working in my garden, too, getting it ready for planting. I don't have enough area to worry about having a plan. :-)
Why not follow your feelings and get rid of the chickens . . . at least for a while. Then when you find you have a hankering to have them (and the eggs!) again, you can start anew and be excited about it. Sometimes I think we don't give ourselves the break (of one kind or another) that we need, but rather keep soldiering on doing something that just doesn't feel good. What you think?
That is such a pain. I have a couple of old gals and their eggs have super-thin shells. Once they break, it's a free for all! I'm with Mama Pea. Give yourself a break - as long as you have access to good, free range eggs - and then see if you can stand it. I am, of course, someone who does not listen to her own advice. Every year I say I will not add to the ones I have. I have nine more chicks on order... Glad to hear that your knee is on the mend - soon, there will be no stopping you!
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