What Happened on Saturday

I have LOVED having chickens and fresh eggs at the house, right in my back yard.  I love to watch them scratching for bugs,  I love to hear them clucking and talking to one another,  I love they way they look, and I love going out to the  coop and gathering eggs.

I guess I wrote about the dogs eating 8 of my nine chickens about a month or so ago.  I was devastated and a little discouraged.  I thought we had trained our kids better about closing doors and gates, and I should have checked up on them.  One night all three gates were open and the chickens had no chance.  I felt a little guilty.

I brought two chickens home from our church to keep the one lone survivor company and they were happy together.  I was getting 2 or 3 eggs a day.  Then one morning my 9 yr old daughter went out to water them and found one of the little girls dead, no head and no leg.  We could see her insides and noticed an egg she was going to lay that morning.  The kids wanted to collect the egg before we buried her but I thought....NAW!!

A couple of nights ago,  I asked around the family to make sure someone had closed the gates, got reassurances that they were closed, so I went to bed.  I usually look out at the chickens when I wake up, and Saturday morning I noticed the gates were open and there were no chickens.  Hoping they were behind the shed, I went out to find them,  and found feathers.

I was so SAD.   Was it worth it,  keeping these animals,  feeding them, naming them?   I think it is.  I have 8 more growing in the garage.  I am determined to have chickens and fresh eggs.  I want to here their squawking at each other,  here the cackling when and egg is laid,  see them running across the yard.  But THIS time I will be the checker for the gate.  No more taking it for granted.

Here are the  ugly  gangly little chicks.  

About now they have such long necks and their feathers are falling out and coming in all at the same time.  I love to hear them chirping. 

I have high hopes for this crew of 8.  I may be getting more in a few weeks.  I wouldn't mind having 12.  That's a GOOD amount of eggs.


thanks for reading,

Reb

Girls in the kitchen

The other night my husband and I went on a date.  I love to go out to eat and then head over to Lowes and see what project I would LOVE for us to begin.  I think my husband just loves the going out to eat and humors me by going to Lowes and looking just so I'll go on a date.

Anyway,  while we were out,  I asked out very handy 15 year old daughter to make some cupcakes for pot lunch the next day.  She called to say we were out of eggs,  (I'll tell you why in the next post!)  and please pick up some.  In my eagerness to get to Lowes and plan the project,  I forgot. 

Two days later she and her sisters decided to bake and decorate the cupcakes.  I had leftover icing from a couple of other baking projects and this is what they came up with. 

Not sure if the pic shows it well enough but they called it "Tie Dyed" icing.  It sure tasted good. 

The sprinkles are for fun.  I love the creativity of my girls.  They are learning to take what is available at home and make something good from it.  I pray as I live with and love on my girls, (and boy!)  they learn from me that contentment with what God has given us really does make us more joyful. 

I would guess from all the crafting going on at my house right now that they have already started learning it.   I haven't visited a Hobby Lobby or other craft store in weeks and they seem to find all they need right in the craft closet. 

Here is a link to My daughter's blog and all the crafting she is doing. 


thanks for reading,

Reb

What's Growing!!!

Did anyone else have spring fever in JANUARY?   Boy,  did I ever.  About a month ago my husband and kids filled in the raised beds. 

 I was so excited to plant an early spring garden.   Here in Arkansas we can grow 3 seasons of plants.  I searched in all the nooks and crannies and found seeds galore.  I guess I had been buying for a couple of years and I only had to buy one package of sugar snap peas.  I planted it all and then caged the chickens so they wouldn't EAT IT UP.  They did that in the fall and I was a little irritated. 

Look what 3 weeks or so does,  well,  actually what God did in those few weeks.

I go out every day and look at the plants....I even  TALK to them.  I believe it  helps.   Anyway,  my mouth just waters thinking of eating peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach,  radishes,  onions, cabbage, broccoli.  YUM YUM. 

thanks for reading,

Reb

Menu Monday

  I had trouble this week coming up with food ideas.  Some weeks are like that for me.  I think I tried so many different foods this winter, my family wanted down home and casual.  Last week chicken rice casserole went over great, so did breakfast. 

So this week I am trying to be "American" in my food choices.  Which is kindof funny because I have Mexican, Italian, and Irish on my menu.  But that is truly AMERICAN.

Mon.--Chipotles Barbacoa Beef with Cilantro Lime Rice---oh my goodness--my favorite Mexican restaurant ever.  I first ate at this place a couple of years ago in Dallas.  Some wonderful Texas ladies took me and no when I think of Mexican,  my heart goes there.  I can hardly eat anywhere else. 

Tues.--Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with salad and homemade bread sticks.  I was having a difficult time coming up with menu items this week so I let kids pick.   They like pretty fancy food. 

Wed.--We have some wonderful long time friends coming over so I will be making Corn Beef and Cabbage with green beans,  rolls, and my Mamma Nell's pound cake.  Yum!

Thur.--Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Fri.--Scrambled Eggs,  Sausage,  Muffins

Sat.--Pizza Calzones with raw veggies

Sun.--Family gathering so menu to be announced.

That's it for my week.  It looks to be full. 


thanks for reading,

Reb

Weekly Menu

Last week we just ate from the fridge, leftovers, some cooking, and a little of this and that. Dinner out two nights and pizza one night. Not good on the budget(is there one?) oh, yes, the budget!!


Here is the plan for this week.  I am only buying lettuce, corn chips, frozen fruit juice, and pasteurized milk to make my own yogurt, sour cream, and possibly cream cheese.

Mon.  Potato soup, homemade bread, and salad.  We need some healthy food after last week.

Tues.  Chicken/cheese/rice casserole and green beans

Wed.  Beef stew using cheap steaks and leftover homemade bread

Thur.  Two man-size eating friends coming  over  so lots of baked spinach lasagna with salad, french bread, and chocolate lava cake in the crockpot

Fri. My brother and family coming over for traditional sausage/eggs/hashbrown casserole, apple muffins, and orange julius

Sat.  Bean and cheese dip with corn chips and raw veggies

Sun.  Potluck!!!   My daughter's famous chicken pot pie,  and pound cake


This should help the budget and our health.  We sure need both this week.

thanks for reading,

Rebekah