Thursday, February 20, 2014

When It Rains....

We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of 
sympathy we have gotten at the loss of my brother, Mike. 

I feel a little better about writing about him today. 

Here is a link to a short piece in the news about him on Tuesday. 

I saw this on Facebook last night...


That's the Wyandotte County, Kansas, courthouse, and 
the flags there are flying at half-mast, ordered by the governor, himself, for Mike. 

The caption under this read "Mike's Flags", and that's how I will always think of it. 

My brother, though a lawyer and politician by trade, was also a very simple man 
who gloried in his family and his home life.  He was married to the same woman, Robin, for 
over 50 years... and he thought nothing of giving time and money when it came to family, he was very generous.  We'll miss him very much. 

We were predicted to have a spate of very warm days this week, but they did not materialize. 
We did have one day... Tuesday, in the 60's, but today it is in the forties, blowing hard, and raining. 
We do need the moisture. 
For the first time, I found the ducks in Fort Apache, that I made clear back in October for them to shelter in under the now-unused little red henhouse. 

Tuesday afternoon, when it was so nice out, I decided I had better tackle the henspa.  I had been throwing litter in there (straw) for the last two months, and not raking any out, as I usually do. 
The smell was getting... overpowering. 
Anyway, I started raking and realized I needed to open all the windows and doors. 


I uncovered, under the roosts, several layers sodden with urine and feces, and it about drove me out of the county.  I feel sorry for the poor birds.  It's one of the bad things about a deep litter system. 

I raked everything outside, I didn't even try to get it to the compost bin. 


I raked it off the deck, onto the ground of the henspa yard.  I knew they would tear through it. 


Reddy, the red chicken with the white tail behind the waterer, killed about seven mice as I was 
working, she was after another one here. 

I had to listen to their squeals the whole time... I made her drop one or two, but gave up. 
It was NOT pleasant. 


Ferdie, surveying his domain.  He and the henspa big girls were so glad to be out running around. 


Lots of cardinals in the yard that night. 


Sunrise on Wednesday the 19th.  God reminds us of Him daily. 


Five nice eggs from the old henhouse girls yesterday, the green from Chatterbox the 
Ameracauna, and the white from Buffy the Polish.  The other three from red hens. 
I got two beautiful duck eggs, too. 


Here is Mama Hen and two of her "babies".  They literally try to push underneath her, and she accomodates them. 


They all vie to get under her. 

Well... it's 43 out right now, and we have had a thunderstorm, and then rain and snow all in one day. 
The snow has stopped now, but it is still windy and miserable, so I guess this is as good a time as any to go out and start chores! 

Stay Warm! 


15 comments:

  1. What a honor to be remembered like that. Your brother sounded like a great man.

    I'm thinking of you.

    Take care,

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  2. What a beautiful picture of the flags. What a wonderful memory.
    Hugs to you and yours
    Stella Rose and momma

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  3. I am sorry for your loss Mary Ann. Your brother sounded like a good honourable man. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam

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  4. Sorry to hear of you losing your brother. I must have missed the original mention. I'll pray for the comforting of your family by the Lord.

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  5. What a lovely & honorable tribute to your brother.

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  6. what a wonderful tribute to your wonderful brother. we never got the warm weather they predicted. though we are in for a low of 52 this one night, it will be windy, very windy, with thunderstorms and a big drop in temps back down to single digits soon. i sure wish i was close buy to buy some of your eggs!

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  7. I am sorry for the loss of your brother. I enjoy your blog so much, but I get confused about 'where' everything is ... would it be possible for you to draw a map of your farm sometime? It would be nice to know where one building is in relationship to another. thank you.

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  8. It was a very beautiful tribute to your brother Mary Ann. He was a good and honorable man
    love
    tweedles

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  9. I'm so sorry to read about the loss of your brother, Mary Ann. He sounds like a fine man. I'll be thinking of you and his family. Prayers and hugs,
    Cheryl

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  10. I'm sorry to hear about your brother. (I haven't been keeping up on my blog reading too well lately, and must have missed it) What a nice tribute to him!

    I'm dreading cleaning out my chicken house too...but I have no where to put "it" until the snow melts. Guess I'll be putting a clothes pin on my nose!

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  11. That was a great tribute to your brother. He was such a good man. I know you must be so proud of him. It's been pretty much the same here with only one day of really warmer weather. Yesterday it seemed we were to stay in the 30's but then by evening it started to warm up and was close to 50 when I went to bed. We still have loads of snow on the ground even after the rain. I love seeing all your pictures. How wonderful God gives us that reminder every day. Beautiful sunrise!

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  12. I am sorry to hear about your brother.
    HUGS!

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  13. Mary Ann,

    A loving tribute to Mikey.
    Blessings to you, and your family.

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  14. What a wonderful tribute to your brother.

    Those chickens do love their mice. It's going to take me a while to get things cleaned out and back in shape this spring. It's been such a tough winter.

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