Building a "Chicken House"

It's been one of those weeks

just to give you an idea, right now: i'm holding my 2-year old who has dirty feet from chasing chickens, hose soaked pants streaked with finger paint, fruit smoothie on her shirt, sidewalk chalk on her forehead, chai tea and peanut butter on her upper lip, and sponge paint designs on her elbows.

I've managed to make smoothie, tea and coffee, eat cold pizza, keep paint out of carpet, get the laundry started, prep what might be the chickens new home, feed the dog, retrieve said canine from the neighbor's yard twice, and chat with my sister.

And we've only been up 3 hours.

Story In Pictures

 one week ago:

3 days later

another day passed

and another

 

today

 

(i was not in anyway encouraged or moneyed by Jiffy to test or promote this product. it just happens to be what the man chose to buy instead of six-packs and potting soil.)

St Pat's

Being Irish you'd think I wouldn't pass up a chance to drop a carbomb or slam a green beer. Sadly, I have a 2 year old and the husband is a bartender. So ball-n-chain and no one to go out with. Typically this would make me sad, but I drug them to a Keeping Chickens class at the library this morning and then we attended one of emagene's little friends birthday party, forgot my purse, skipped nap, cleaned the brooder, walked the dog and still needed dinner before the tiny parade 2 blocks from the house. I figure I'll cash in on this being one of the last 'holidays' when I can avoid the traffic, people and headaches of taking a toddler out by myself. All she knows is that there are no parking spaces on our normally quiet street. I think we will make a bird feeder out of a magnolia pod, eat some rice, watch Puss in Boots, take a bath and put her to bed early! Then I'll bust out the whiskey, since the dog is probably gonna bark all night.

In the meantime, here are some new photos to keep you entertained.

This Moment

You know those nights when you can't sleep but you have to lay as still as possible so as not to wake the other person/people/beings you share the bed with?

Yea, I'm having one of those nights with the added bonus of a slowly dripping nose.

I know what you're gonna say; go try laying on the couch or watching Netflix or reading or something. Anything! Trouble is, if I'm outta bed for longer than it takes to pee and return, little miss wakes up in tears, which would wake up the chickens, the dog, the husband (if he were home) and probably the neighbors since I'd be wearing earphones while on Netflix. And then I'd get stuck trying not to be impatient or frustrated while rocking her back to sleep. Not restful at all!

So. This is what happens. Instead of filling up the Facebook news feed or photo-stalking 'friends' I never talk to, I type on my iPhone notepad, play stupid word games, and shove tissue up my nose while trying not to cough too loud.

It's not nearly as exciting as it sounds.

Trust me.

Long Late Naps

First: I don't think I would have survived this long in Parenthood without them.

Second: I find it amazing that all the small creatures who rely on me for their well being nap at roughly the same time. Those long hours just before sunset, when the shadows are starting to pop up, the breezes kick in, and the temperature has (in some cases, finally) started dropping.

Usually this is my only quiet moment all day. I can read, watch a non-G rated movie, Facebook, nap, bake, make an elaborate dinner, sleep, get a lot of chores done really fast, or play XBOX.

Today, I took 5 minutes to blog, and then I'm gonna pee (alone!) and take a nap.

In case you cared.

Story in Pictures

 

all photos are by sara dalton-busch

Weekend Madness

This weekend was full! I finished working on Dead Man Walking the Opera, Emagene helped me plant seeds for our spring bed, she got stung twice by a wasp crawling up the inside of her pant leg, and we got chicks!

First, the opera. I work with the local chapter of the Stagehands union, typically as an electrician but this time in props. I had to listen to/ watch rape, murder and execution every time I went to work the last two weeks. Needless to say, that kind of environment stirs up some shit you didn't know you had to deal with. There have been has many tears backstage every night as there was in the house. On the performance side: the singers and instrumentalists were amazing! Tulsa Opera put the show on and it was warmly welcomed. Personally, I was a tiny bit shocked it went over so well in our all Red state. And while I enjoyed working with the cast and crew, I'm ready for something a little more light-hearted. Like Stomp.

Seeds: we got non-GMO, non-hybrid seeds from Veganseeds.com and planted them in a Jiffy Greenhouse. The greenhouse has those sod pellets that grow when watered and are easy to transplant. We planted peas, beets, carrots, spinach, onions, radishes and broccoli.

E went outside with dad while I took nap Saturday. I wasn't feeling well. She came inside and sat in her rocker. She turned to look out the window and starting crying, obviously in pain. We tried to determine why: did you bonk your knee in the chair? Did you pinch your finger? I can tell its the back of her knee, so i reach up to see if something is poking throw her jeans that I can't see. I don't feel anything. She starts crying again. Is it a poke or a bonk? Poke. This time Pete reaches up her pant leg and pulls out. A . Wasp! He proceeds to kill it (since its mad and we are on our sofa) as I rip her pants off to assess the damage. 2 stings and a bite! They swell a little. Nothing a cold towel and comfort NeeNee can't solve. Within the hour the redness was gone and the welts followed soon after.

Chickens! 4 baby Naked Necks. They look like baby turkeys, are excellent eaters and poopers and behave like most babies: eat, sleep, poop, cry. Nothing we can't handle. Tomorrow we're gonna set up a corral outside so they can explore while we change the towels in the brooder. Currently, I'm having trouble falling asleep with the brooder lamp on. And I gotta finish load out tomorrow!