Thursday, March 6, 2014

A Sunny Thursday

Friends, 

I'm having trouble getting packed. 
Grandson Chris and I walked around looking at the outbuildings today, and 
I have to admit to you I got overwhelmed and had to come in. 
It's a very sunny, pretty day... but mud everywhere outside. 
We did get some work done out in the gardens. 

We are aiming for May, the first weekend, for a farm sale... 
so maybe I need to get past the move first, rehome some of the 
animals, and then cope with the outbuildings. 
We know the contents of one (entire contents) 
are going to the new house.  
The others... we need to winnow out good from bad. 

In the meantime, Chris did do some things on the list
that need to be done before the move. 


Five years ago, Keith spent a Thanksgiving Day hanging lights for me while I cooked.  I had 
always dreamed of having Christmas lights on my house, and never had. 
Keith worked in the cold all afternoon to outline porch and deck.  
We used them that year and the following year, and then they became swings for the 
baby swallows born on our porch.  
Chris did me a huge favor by taking it all down and removing the holders this morning, because 
they have wicked little nails in them. 


He is also able to do things that Keith and I can no longer do.  He pulled the shadecloth closer 
to the henspa, and secured it.  Now maybe the three or four chickens  that have been escaping daily will stay in until they go to new homes.  It's a miracle Lil hasn't caught one of them. 

He also got up on the scaffold I was trying to climb on when I fell on Friday... and stapled poultry wire 
over the opening in the eaves of the old henhouse that the starlings were coming in and out of. 
Some will still come through the pophole, but if you go out there and yell 
"Starlings"... 8 or 10 of them come flying out the hole in the eaves. 
It's blocked now. 

Kind of like barring the barn door after the cows got out. 


When we went over to work in the henspa... we decided to leave Abby on the yard side of the door.  We didn't want her underfoot while we worked.  Imagine our surprise when we looked down to see this.  We must not have closed the door the whole way, and she had come through the coop to find us. 


When Chris finished tying the shadecloth up... we went inside to find this scene. 
Abby had all of them mesmerized with her steely eye. 

Guess who saved the bacon? 

Mama, the white chicken on the right!  She challenged Abby... she is the quintessential Mother Hen, and 
holds the little hens safe under her wings at night. 
She doesn't lay anymore, but she is one of them going with us. 


Our dear Lilly Ann.  This is the only home she has ever known. 
She is slowing down now... she will be nine years old this summer. 
She is still a raving beauty. 


We did do some work in the garden, cutting down the scraggly dead limbs of plants. 
I began to prune the buddleias... and stopped.  I have trouble using the pruners now, and 
I realized that someone else can prune them after me, next year. 

Chris gathered up all the cuttings and we put them in the fire pit for 
Keith to burn next week some time. 

You see we had a helper here, too... our helper was really glad to be outside today. 

I'm going to stop here and go try to force myself to pack another box before chore time. 
Wish me luck! 

Addendum:  3:08 PM 

I forgot to tell you all that I am 
going to be gone now these next three days to the 
family reunion.  
There will not be another post until Sunday afternoon, 
when we return. 
We'll be leaving Calamity Acres in Chris's safe hands 
until then. 




10 comments:

  1. Busy Day..glad Chris was able to fix a bit. Safe trip...

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  2. I know how hard this is, but it certainly will make life better for you not to be working so hard and worrying. I'm glad you have help to get things ready. Enjoy your trip.

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  3. what a great helper chris is! have a very safe trip to the reunion and enjoy yourself!

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  4. Moving is hard work physically, let alone emotionally.

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  5. Yay for a very reliable Chris!!!
    Have a good time while being away.
    love
    tweedles

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  6. Have a safe trip and we'll look forward to your return.

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  7. How wonderful you have some much needed help there. I have always disliked moving the packing up is a chore. The hardest move was moving here to where I live now. I had to downsize big time and so much was just sat out on the curb for our trash collectors to take away. As it was the basement and the garage were packed floor to ceiling for quite awhile after we moved with boxes of things I couldn't bear to part with. Over the years they have gone to the trash too. Now I still have so much to get rid of it's unreal. No one wants those memories I keep. Hope you have a wonderful time at the reunion ! Have a fantastic Friday!

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  8. What a superstar Chris is - well done for helping with a job that is never easy. Enjoy your reunion!

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  9. Chris will take care of everything. Abby looks happy to be out helping. Yes, Lil is stunning. I love her color.

    Abby better not mess with momma!

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