Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Now that all the presents have been delivered and unwrapped its time to upload all the photos.  I go a little crazy with the camera most of the time and this year was no exception. By the end of the week I took somewhere around 800-900 photos.  So now the challenge is getting them organized. I have managed to separate them into folders and upload 6 of 9 to Facebook.  I thought I would share a few of my favorites; it sure was tough not to post 100 of them.... oh well here are a few that make me SMILE!!

Aunt, Sister, Mom and Me

Me and Taylor

Nicky and Dusty

M

Me and Lain

Rose and Callie

Roberta and Martin

The past few days have been a true Winter Wonderland here in Ohio. Although it makes for some wonderful photos it wasn't so friendly on the chickens.  After being cooped up for about a week I opened the door yesterday and four of them proceeded to fly out!!! Two ended up on the roof of the coop, one on the chicken run and one got so disoriented it skidded in the snow and sunk about 6 inches in the snow.  I don't think she knew what to do.  She was stuck in the snow and wasn't even trying to get out.  So after I snapped a picture of course, I went to rescue her

Hope everyone has a SAFE and Happy New Year!!!

Holiday Fun

Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL Christmas with friends and loved ones.  Nicky and I had a BUSY but amazingly fun time in Texas with my family.  Last night we flew home and went straight to a SURPRISE 50th Birthday party for our cousin Deanna.  What a fun time for everyone.

Happy Birthday Deanna!!!

Now we are preparing to go to Nicky's family.  It starting snowing last night about 3am and is still coming strong so I am not sure how many folks will get to come?!?!

We may have to Facetime and open each others presents till we can get them to who they belong to. Nicky's family does "shop around the house" for their gift exchange.  Basically we draw names (which is a secret of course) and then we find something around the house that we think they may enjoy.  It can be anything from a food dehydrator to an old family painting. It's a lot of fun. In the past Nicky and I have received an old camera, a painting, movies, a fondue set and even a costume.  Last year Nicky gave a gift basket of our homemade canned goods to his person. That was definitely a hit.

Everyone be safe out there and enjoy the last few days of 2012.

PS: The chickens were really excited to get some warm oatmeal this morning while it was snowing. Just a little something to warm them up on such a wintery day!!

Merry Christmas

This is just a quick post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  Get together with friends and family and do something fun.  It does not have to cost a ton of money but you will have a ton of memories.
Last night Nicky and I made snowman pizzas and reindeer cookies with my nephews.  Not only was it great fun but we had dinner prepared by the time we were finished.  Dusty (my oldest nephew) was all about helping Uncle Nicky make the pizza dough and prepare the toppings. He wanted in on EVERY step from mixing the dough ingredients to opening the olives.  Lain (the youngest) was more interested in making the cookies; I would assume this was his favorite because most of the time the icing was in his mouth instead of on the cookie!!! These two boys are the best!!

Lain

Dusty

                   

Reindeer Cookies

I wish everyone safety as they travel this holiday and that we remember what Christmas is really about. Baby Jesus, family, friends, and ..... ok a couple presents. Don't tell my mom but I am really gonna LOVE that handsfree bluetooth she has stashed under the tree.  If I have to wait much longer I may try it out and then re-wrap it!! Uuhhhh yes, it has been done.

I want to give a GOLD star to my dad for again putting up an amazing Christmas tree.

GOD BLESS!!!

Everybody's Happy

This is a multi post today about bed sheets and chickens... not to be used together of course.  My bestie Rhonda (who I used to live with) had the most wonderful fleece sheets she used to put on my bed. They were the coziest. It was like slipping into the clouds. And although I have seen many types of fleece sheets I was never quite sure which ones to buy. I could not tell how soft they were or how well they would hold up in the laundry. Not to mention that most of the time they can be pretty pricey!! So after talking and talking and not finding the exact ones she had... they showed up in the mail.  She had found them at Marshall's and sent them to me. HOW WONDERFUL!! The moment they arrived they went into the washer/dryer and straight onto the bed. I could not wait for bedtime to come so I could crawl in.  So this post is not only a big THANKS to Rhonda BUT I want to tell you guys what kind they are in case you have been shopping for some yourself.  They are from Berkshire Blanket and are the Microplush sheets. A picture of the package is below in case you see them in a store. Trust me, they are worth it.

Next on the agenda are the wonderful chickens. I wanted to write about a modification we did in the coop yesterday.  I have long been on the search for a cleaner and more efficient way to provide them with water with out spending a ton of money.  We do not have running water close to the coop so we have to haul it out to the coop.   Online I recently found this guy who sold red chicken nipples that could be attached to a five gallon bucket. his website is Avian Aqua Miser. You simply drill the appropriate size hole in the bucket and screw the nipple in. Keeping a lid on the bucket keeps the water clean. You can order as many nipples as you need and the appropriate drill bit if your local hardware store does note have it.

Picture courtesy of Avian Aqua Miser

So I went to Home Depot got a five gallon bucket and a lid, drilled the holes with an 11/32 drill bit and what do you know... I have a large capacity, very clean and efficient chicken waterer.

Originally had an orange snap on lid

Close up of installed nipple

After a day I realized the lid was a bit inconvenient to take on and off especially when you can't sit the bucket on the ground due to the nipples being on the bottom. So there are two solutions.  Most of you will want to purchase an extra five gallon bucket to sit the waterer in to keep the nipples from getting damaged while you are filling it.  OR if you can find an insert like below you can use it instead of a lid. It still keep the water clean but you can just lift the lid and fill the waterer.

Drilled holes in the bottom of the bowl
so it will drain into bucket.

Now all I have to do is take a bucket of water to the coop, lift the lid and fill. DONE!!  My 23 chickens go through about 1.5 gallons of water a day. I have two five gallon waterers (one for full size hens and one for Bantams) that should last approx. 6 days. 

Instructions came with the nipples on how to train your chickens to use the new system. It was really easy.

Now me and the chickens are happy campers. 

Last but not least we went ahead and made another feeder out of stuff we had laying around.  I originally saw the idea on Backyard Chickens which is an amazing resource.  We used a food grade 3 gallon bucket to hold the food and the bottom cut off an old 5 gallon bucket for the food to drain into. We drilled a hole in the center of both and bolted them together. 

The lid keeps the food clean and dry

It is truly amazing the things you can recycle around the house. Not to mention save a few dollars here and there just using your imagination.

*****UPDATE*****

I want to add something to this post I found today. It is another option for making a waterer. This one I have not personally ordered but it looks nice. 

www.chickenwaterer.com

Banana Bread Gift

Every year I like to give banana bread to my co-workers to show my appreciation for all their hard work through out the year. Plus it is an easy way to make someone smile. I take a regular recipe and make it into four mini loaves. Last year I made them in a mini loaf pan and individually wrapped them in tissue paper with a bow. However after Christmas last year I found a deal on Christmas decorated mini foil pans... making my baking a little faster this year.  The only problem is the longer you work somewhere the more people you meet.  Last year I made 16 and this year I already have 20 people on the list and it keeps growing!!

How could you go wrong with anything that started with this...

Four batches later I had 20 mini loaves.  I did realize I filled the individual foil pans a bit fuller than I should have but I am sure they will still be delish!!

Banana Bread

• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 sticks Butter
• 3 Eggs
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 3 Large Bananas
• 1 cup chopped Pecans
• pinch of salt to taste

Cream the sugar and butter on high, then on low speed add eggs. Mix well. Add flour, soda, bananas, and pecans. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans and pour 1/2 of mixture in each pan. Bake at 350 degrees.

Each oven seems to vary as to how even or quickly it will bake. A large loaf will take between 45 minutes to 1 hour. My mini loaves I made in a traditional pan took approx. 35-37 minutes. Turning the pan

once about 3/4 the way through.

This recipe is easy and delicious and is sure to bring a smile to anyone who enjoys it with you... that is if you are willing to SHARE!!!???

PS: My husband and many of my friends prefer to warm a slice and put some butter on it.

mmm...Homemade Bread

I don't know how many of you bake your own bread but it is a staple in this household.  My husband makes different kinds and shapes just about every month or so and then we store them in the freezer. We usually slice them and put them in freezer bags that way they are ready to go when we need them.  He also likes to give loaves away... and boy does it make people smile.  I thought I would share a few loaves he made today.

This was the first to come out of the oven so as you can see it has been sliced and partially consumed!!! What is better than fresh, HOT, homemade bread straight from the oven. We pulled out the Fontinella cheese and some homemade Dilly beans and had a nice Rye bread snack.

While I was having my snack I took a peek under a dish towel to reveal these nice whole wheat loaves starting to rise.  This is a design I have not seen my husband do before but I am super excited for this one to come out of the oven. 

This is also the first time I have seen him do this as well. For his birthday he received a round Brotform and a bread lame (lahm). It is a special blade used to make cuts in bread. I have no doubt the more he uses the lame the more creative he will be. I am also excited to see how this loaf comes out once it is baked. Maybe I will edit this post once they are out of the oven...that is if there is any left by the time I get my camera ready!!!!

SPA day for Supper

Many are wondering why Supper had a SPA day.  I was really nervous about bringing her home and Miss Lucky potentially getting a disease or mites from Supper. So I thought maybe a nice shampoo and blow dry may ease the worry. I have to admit my husband was not thrilled that I was going to bring a chicken into the house to give her a bath.  For that matter he is never thrilled when I want to bring a chicken into the house for any reason!!  We have a deep utility sink in the laundry room so I assured him everything would be fine.
I have always noticed that during an oil spill they would wash all the wildlife with Dawn dish soap so I assumed it would be a safe place to start. I put her in the sink and soaped her up then sprayed her off.  She did not put up the fight I thought she would.

After being towel dried, out came the blow dryer.

She managed to sit still through most of the drying. I thought the noise would scare her but I think she enjoyed the warmth.  After it was all said and done ....

POOF!! We were done and mite free!!! I like to tell myself she felt better and was not as itchy.

Here is a little FUN chicken fact for today: A chicken naturally keeps mites and lice off of them by dust bathing.  They find a patch of dirt and scratch around to break the dirt up, then they scoot down in the dirt and flap their wings. This dust/dirt gets up into their wings and causes the mites to fall off. This is why it is important if you do not free range your chickens you give them something inside the coop to take a dust bath in.  Also if they have mites on their legs, just take vegetable oil and rub their legs at least once a day. This will suffocate the mites out of the skin over time. 

... And this is how it STARTS!

My husband says I could be on the verge of being a chicken hoarder. I think he is just a little jealous. It all started when our friends gave us our first batch. It was a mom and three babies.

Unfortunately due to the lack of education on our part only one baby survived. We had a predator issue. So we fixed up an old tool shed that was sturdy enough to keep predators out and that is where Lucky (the baby that did survive) called home.  Lucky and I were like peas and carrots. If I was home I was hanging with her. She was still to young to be without her mom and since we had no other chickens at the time I had to show her the ropes!?!?!?

We hung out together, 

had morning coffee together, 

and we even napped in the sun together. It was GREAT. The best part about Lucky was she was incredibly kid friendly and entertaining. When I would go to the coop she would fly up on my shoulder to get treats. She lived a good life.

As winter was approaching I felt she needed a friend to hang with in the coop. I didn't want her going stir crazy in the coop and I didn't know how bad of a winter we would have. So I went to the Amish and bought a Japanese Bantam. I later called her "Supper" because we weren't really bonding. 

But Lucky seemed to enjoy snuggling up with Supper all winter so that is all that matters. Another day I will tell you about Supper's spa experience before she was allowed to play with Lucky!! 

I think you should try everything you possibly can at least once in life. Otherwise how do you know what you could be missing out on. I KNOW sometimes trying new stuff is scary but sometimes it is GREAT!!! I have really enjoyed every moment of raising chickens and in some ways they are easier to keep than a dog. If you are allowed to have chickens in your area I highly recommend trying it. Fresh eggs, education, and friendship whether you are young or old.

Crafty

Nicky and I helped to prepare a meal for the women's banquet at church tonight and can I tell you those ladies really know how to decorate a table. Each table had a host that would bring everything to compose a beautiful table, everything from the centerpiece to cup and plates. Each table was completely different. I had to show you a few.

All the ladies were so creative decorating their tables. From what I heard they all really enjoyed themselves and LOVED the food.  All the men helped cook and serve the women. It was GREAT!!

Nicky was dying to take a picture of me cookin' up the onions on the griddle, so here ya go!!

Pizzelles

A couple nights ago we went to my mother-in-laws house with two of our nephews to start the process of making pizzelles for Christmas.  Since I can eat about 20 in one night myself you can image how many we have to make.  Nicky's mom usually makes them with jelly between them or just plain. But at our wedding reception our cousin NikiPaula made chocolate almond pizzelles.  Since that is my favorite ice cream I had to try them... and yes they are my favorite pizzelle as well. So this year we decided to make both. THANKS NIKIPAULA!!!

First you need your ingredients (recipe at bottom of post.)  mixed, ready to go and a HOT pizzelle iron.

Place a small scoop of batter on iron and close the iron. Make sure and gently squeeze the handles to keep them closed while the batter cooks. Should take about 30 seconds.

Once cookie is done open iron and use a fork to gently release the cookie from the iron. Cookie will be soft and pliable at first. Sit cookie aside to cool and harden. 

Jelly filled pizzelle, ready for the freezer.

Chocolate Almond

Pizzelle Recipe - small batch

2	Eggs
1/4 cup	Sugar
1/4 cup	Melted Butter (not hot)
1/2 tsp.	Vanilla
1 cup	Flour

Optional Ingredients: anise seed, orange rind, nuts

Beat eggs till light, beat in sugar, butter, and vanilla (and optional ingredients). Stir in flour.

We used a small scoop which makes it easier to drop on the iron and maintain the same size cookie. 

You can eat them plain or you can put jelly between two hot pizzelles and let them cool. Once they are cool you can put them in freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. If you have company pop in just pull a few out and place on a plate. 

ENJOY!

The tree is UP!!

Last night we had some last minute guests for dinner. Which was perfect because there is nothing better than assembling the Christmas tree with a 4 year old.

Taryn putting a special touch on the tree.

The ball ornaments only kept her busy for a short while, she was more interested in our Grilling Reindeer and our kitchen utensils ornaments. Below is one of our favorite.

As  you can see she did a wonderful job. 

Why pay full PRICE???

Auctions!  That is my new fun time; for this moment anyway. As long as you do not have to have an item right this minute, shopping around at auctions can be quite budget friendly. We went to a couple in the past month and have found some great finds. Looking around to find that one little gem that you can not live without...that is if the price is right. Once you have scoped out the whole lot you must and I mean MUST settle on your max price you will be willing to pay. Because if you wait and just see how it goes you may get caught up in the excitement of the buy and over pay. UH yes, if you are wondering we have gotten caught up before but it was all in good fun. Thank goodness for Craigslist, Ebay, and the local Classifieds.  Thats how you get rid of what you don't want and make a little SPA money!!  I usually like to get stuff I can use around the house or give as a gift. My husband likes to get the perfect find that he can resell and make a buck or two. Sometimes you buy it because it was cool and to cheap not to buy. Sometimes things go for a $1 that you could turn around and for sure make a profit. JUST DO NOT BECOME A HOARDER!!!
We have found several shelving units for cheap to help keep the basement organized and we also bought a cider press to make cider from our apple trees.

Below are a few of my favorite auction buys we are selling: