memorial day

It was another hot one. Hard to get work done, although when it was cold and raining I was wishing for this kind of weather. It might not be ideal, but at least I got some stuff done.

Bill's been laying in his pool, and he's dug a little sleeping place in the dirt behind an old door leaning against the sauna. I think he knows his name. I went to look in on him and couldn't find him in his pen. I called, and heard a grunt but still couldn't find him. Called again, and he started really grunting until I saw him. Wish he would let me pet him and get more olive oil on him. He's been eating dirt, which is really healthy for pigs to do, and I'm hoping his skin will start clearing up soon.

There was an old rusty swing set sitting in the field, and I finally found a way to recycle it and keep it out of the dump. I'm going to let some fast growing rose bushes climb up it. It will probably take a year or two, but think it will look really cool. I had to trim the rose bushes way back last fall because they were starting to kill the fruit tree in front of it. They were the biggest rose bushes I've ever seen.




It's a bit hard to see, but these are all the trees that Moe, Liz and I cut down on Saturday. There must be at least 100, most little, but some good sized ones also. Not looking forward to cleaning that mess up!



Now it's time to get some school work done!

forgot to mention

that I freaked Bill out on Friday night. He got out of his fenced area, and I tried to get him back in. He has the runs again, and doesn't trust me any more. Can't say I blame him. Pigs are smart, but I hope he forgets that incident.

Oh, and he almost found the doggy door today. That would be a freaking disaster! He's not that cute. Especially with the runs.

another weekend gone!

It was another busy weekend. On Saturday, Moe and Liz came rushing to the sale, only to have NO ONE show for like 2 hours. It ended up being ok, though, because they helped me thin a bunch of trees along the driveway. I hate to cut trees down, but these were having a hard time breathing. I think it looks a lot better, although it's kind of hard to tell because all the cut trees are now stacked along the drive. There should be some good fire wood in that mess, so that's a positive thing.

I guess we didn't do too badly at the sale. We started off with everything being 50 cents except for a few select items, and we had a few people that just couldn't pass up that kind of a deal. But still, there is enough left in the Road House for another sale. Don't think it's going to happen, and I'll probably have to box everything up and take it to Goodwill. Yuck. But at least it will go to good use. There are a lot of things that were in bad shape and couldn't be cleaned, so those items will have to go to the dump. It's a shame, but I will be so happy to get rid of it all. Hopefully that will happen sometime this week.



Today the guys and I worked on the front yard. There was a ton of garbage everywhere, including barelyholdingittogether garbage bags of old cat litter. I can't even begin to imagine how long those things have been sitting there. After a grand worth of garbage removal, I still find more.

I finally got the apple tree cut down completely, and we put a table top thingy on it. Not sure we'll sit out there because of the black flies and other blood sucking insects, but it sure would look lovely filled with flowers. It would be good to have the yard mowed. That was supposed to be Bill's job, but Bill isn't interested.



He locked himself in the sauna this afternoon. He pushed open the door, shut the door, knocked my bike down in front of the door so I could barely open it, and to top it off, he pooped his runny gold everywhere! He was going after his food, which has now been moved. I like him being able to run around, but am still going to have to look into an electric fence, I think. That way I can leave him out when we are gone and not worry about him.

Good thing he's cute!

some bad news

We did lose another turkey tonight. I'm really not sure what happened. Everyone seemed fine when I moved them this morning, but this guy was a whole lot smaller then the rest of the bunch. He was white, while the others have some brown feathers. I haven't looked them up yet to see what kind they are. It is a shame, and I buried him out back.

The good news is that Bill is doing much better. No more runs. The bad news is he has really dry skin and was rubbing himself so hard on anything he could find that he made himself bleed. The good news is I coated him with olive oil and he seems to be feeling better. The bad news about him feeling better is that he doesn't want to be fenced in and kept getting out. I think that when we are home, he is just going to have to roam. I'm looking into getting a portable electric fense. It will be the only thing that works. The bad news is that we freaked him out getting him back into the pen. The good news is that he is still really cute and we hope he doesn't hate us for too long. If he does, we are in big trouble, cause he is the most stubborn animal I have yet to meet. Here's to a positive relationship with Bill.

Did I mention yet that barely anyone came to the garage sale? We go again tomorrow at 9, and if we aren't selling stuff by 10, everything, except a few things, are going for a quarter each. Buck did have a good suggestion, though, and that is to leave everything in and maybe try again later. It's not like I need the Road House immediately or anything. Why didn't I think of that?

Moe and Liz have been awesome, so I am hoping that we sell lots so they can walk away with some serious dough for helping me out. They totally deserve it!

now I'm pooped!

It's been a few days since I wrote, but geez, has it been busy around here! The duck and goose house is built, and the chicks are in the coop! And my house is clean. It's a bloody miracle. No longer am I waking up to the smell of the perfume Barnyard Essence wafting up the stairs. Yep sometimes it's all just really good.

Builiding the duck house was amazing. I was desperate, I had to go teach, had to deal with poor Bill who still wasn't feeling too good, and then, on top of that, I had swarms of black fly all over me. I've got welts all over my body and my head, and they itch like bloody crazy. I've decided that black flies, as much as I hate them, have been incredibly motivating. One cannot stay still for longer than a second without getting completely covered with the bastards. It's why the duck house got built so fast. Well, that and Barnyard Essence every morning.

It went so smoothly it was wonderful. I only had to redo 2 things, and that was because I changed my mind after the fact. I still need to put wood on for the siding, and I'll also put a green metal roof on, but it's looking pretty good! Not bad for my first duck house.

When I tried to put the fence up, I realized that it would be easier if I had a wooden frame. THere were some really old 2x6s laying around so I dug a trench into the ground, fitted them in, put posts in between them, and had a much easier time with the fence. I think it is a bit safer as well.

Here are some pictures:





The chicks are in the coop as well, but I realized tonight that I made a big mistake. I had forgotten to put chicken wire on one part of the coop. I counted the chicks about 6 times, and am still not sure if I lost one or not. Lots of things want to eat them, and I felt guilty leaving them out there last night, and even worse thinking one might have gotten eaten. Big bummer. I fixed the coop, and then Buck helped me put the big doors back on the barn. I sure hope they are safe in the morning...

poor bill

Bill is sick. He has the runs. Badly. He stinks. He moans and sighs. He makes noises like he's nursing. He got out yesterday, and the good news is that when he saw me he started heading my way until Vanna decided she wanted to play. Then he freaked out a bit. Vanna is freaked out by bill, too, I might add, and it's pretty funny to see them both jumping all over the place.

Called the guy we got Bill from and he said 2 other pigs had a cold as well. I'm not happy, but we already love Bill and we don't want to give him back. Hopefully he will feel better soon!

The ducks and geese made it into the yard today. I can't wait until I can get them out of here. On one hand, we really get a chance to get to know them, on the other, they are total pains in the butt, stink, and keep me up all night. When we are critter free I probably won't be able to sleep.


Sometimes, though, I forget what a clean, and clean smelling, house is.

Great, the geese just knocked over their water and the whole cage is flooded. Yippee...poop mud!

The weather has been totally awesome. Need to get out there kayaking, and soon.

turkey head

bill's here!

Boy, has it been a busy day, and I'm so tired I can barely think straight. It feels like this has been 3 days in one, and no wonder--it kind of has been!



I was supposed to go running with Deb this morning at 7 am, but both of us said yuck. Instead, we got to working on the barn. We ended up clearing out all of the boxes, ripping down the old insulation, and raking the floor. I'm going to bet that this is the cleanest that barn has been since the day they started moving stuff into it. It looks so awesome!

After we finished that project, Deb left, and I realized that I was going to have to clean the ducks' cage out so that we could go pick Bill up. What a mess. I ended leaving them in the tub while we got Bill. It was great for them. I left the faucet running a bit so they could eat and poop to their hearts' content, and boy, did they. Yuck!!!! I can't even say that enough.


Pete came with us to pick up Bill, which was totally awesome because the guy we bought the pig from grabbed Bill by his hind legs, and handed him to me. Poor Bill. He was heavy, and I was happy to give him to Pete to carry. He's pretty bummed, I think, and has been acting really depressed. We finally got him to drink and eat a bit, and he seems to like the blankets I put in his house. I'm worried that he might be sick, though, because he is weezing. Since I know next to nothing about pigs, I have no idea if it is nerves, or something else. I'd bring him in the house tonight, but because he is still acting really scared, I'm afraid it might make it worse. Poor little dude. He sure is cute! I'll get some better pictures of him tomorrow.

After Bill made it home, Diane, Alex, Christian, Cyndi, and Welsley came to visit. It was pretty fun.



Pete and friends:

After Pete left, Moe and Liz came and we worked on the sale stuff. Geez, there is so much junk I can't believe it. I hope we sell it all. I could care less about the money, I just want to get rid of it all. Argh....

Spent a bit of time with Bill before I came in tonight, who is still not acting like he is too happy, but I don't really know what I can do to help him. I hope he adjusts soon. He's such a little dude.

the house that neely built

I've been a bit stressed with wondering how I am going to get the coops, the duck and goose house, and Bill's house built in a week. Thank goodness for friends!

While it was doing the cold rain thing yesterday, Diane, Alex and I worked inside on the coops. After they left, it actually got sunny and nice out. I took a nap, then decided it was time to work on Bill's house. He is coming today after all!

Buck and I had built a small wood shed off the back of the sauna last fall in the hopes that it would suffice for my wood supply. It did ok, but wasn't great. It wasn't enclosed, and the wood got wet. I decided that I would enclose it and use it for bill. It's not the most efficient little house, and I'll definitely have to do more work on it to prepare it for winter living, but for right now, it will suffice. I was able to use a section of wall from the old goat barn for Bill's door, and it works great. One of the great finds out here has been these big hinges. I love them. Not only do they look spectacular, but they are strong and I have made use of them everywhere. I had found 2 more the other day and was able to use them on this door. Worked well. I still have to finish off the top part of the door, but am thinking that some kind of a door or window might be nice. I plan on having Bill be out in the yard a lot during the day, but I don't think he should be in a dark place if he happens to be inside. They like being in the sun. So I have to figure that out yet.

Here's the back of Bill's house. I need to put in one more board in the corner, and do some trim work along the top, but it will work for today.

My friend Pete is in town for a few days before he does his ranger thing on the island, so he is coming with me and the guys to pick Bill up this afternoon. The dude we are buying Bill from said that we should bring a big doggie kennel for transportation. Guess Bill is weighing in at 45 lbs. these days, so he might be a handful. The problem is that I have 5 very stinking ducks living in the kennel at the moment, so I'll have to do some maneuvering to make this work. I was also warned about some of Bill's character flaws; like eating chickens, geese, and ducks as snacks, and perhaps even the occasional dog. Perhaps Bill will be a bigger pain than we have anticipated, but then again, according to the stuff I've read, a little love and attention go a very long way when it comes to a pig. I wonder if a dog harness would work on a pig?

the coops

So it was a productive day yesterday. So productive that I slept in till 7, and am skipping my run for a hot cup of coffee and some blogging. It's 34 freaking degrees outside, also, which is quite the bummer. The great news is that it isn't raining or snowing. That is a very good thing.

Thought I'd show you some before and after shots of the work that Diane, Alex and I did yesterday on the chicken coop barn. We're getting there. I definitely need to get the chicks out of here. It looks like I'll have more males than females, and they are doing quite a bit of posturing. When they happen to escape from the pens when I feed them, they enjoy doing some major flying. Freaks the cats out a bit.

I messed up the second picture so it is sideways, but notice the homemade wood stove! I found a brochure from the guy who did all this work here. His name is Vincent Linder, and is a designer craftsman. Every piece is original. I wonder where this dude is now? He's amazingly creative.



Here are some shots of what we have managed to do thus far. Deb is coming this morning, and I think we should be able to get rid of all the boxes that are left in there. Moe and Liz are also coming to work on the sale, so they should all end up in the road house eventually. I intend to put 2 more sections for birds where are the boxes are.

Diane had a great idea about bringing in a small tree that I had to cut down so the chicks would have a real tree roost. I think it's a pretty cool idea, so we'll see how that works once I get the door on there. I'm still recycling doors and wood from the old goat house, which is saving me tons of time, so hopefully I can rig one of those to fit the coops.

rub a dub dub, 8 ducks, 3 geese in a tub

So Diane and Alex helped me out a lot today. We got most of the chicken wire up-I just need to build a door. I need to clean out the rest of the barn but the rain and possible snow will hinder that. Guess I'll just keep working on Bill's house. He's coming tomorrow and could use a warm place to stay. The chicks, geese, and ducks will just have to make it for a few more days. Oh, I mean I'll have to make it for a few more days.

Thought I would show you a few pictures of the ducks and geese taking a bath while I cleaned their cages:



They sure smell a lot better. Look at that filthy water!

Here's a picture of a turkey who is really beginning to grow. They love attention, and cry a lot when they don't get it. I think my favorite fowl, at least at this point, are the turkeys.

alex, the chick magnet

So my friend Alex came over today to spend some time with the chicks, while his meema helped me get some chicken wire up in the barn. Alex is indeed a chick magnet, for the minute he showed up and opened the cage door, the chicks came running to see him. His favorite chicks that he named Jackson and Little Hawk Eyes were especially happy to see him. As I write this, Alex has a chick that is roosting on his shoulder. Of course, this particular chick has already pooped once on Alex's shoe, and another time on my backpack.

Here is a note from Alex:

Hi mom,

I have a chick on my shoulder, and I feel GOOOOOOOD.

it's just too much poop

And it's just wrong. I mean, really, how many times can a goose or duck poop in any given minute? And what is the possible trajectory of such a poop? Oh, they work it. I'm pretty sure they have contests to see which of their poops can fly the farthest.

They start out innocently enough, quacking, and looking at you real cute-like, turning their heads up at you so they can get a good look at you. You smile, tell them how sweet they are, and then, with horror, you notice a little gleam begin to develop in their eyes. "NO!" you exclaim, but it is too late. They have already begun to waddle backwards, gaining as much momentum as they can. Just as they reach the back of the wire cage they let loose, turning with anticipation to see their wet joy splattered all over the floor, or on the unsuspecting human, dog, or cat that just happens to be passing by. "Woohoo," they all cheer as the next little bastard lines up.

That's why they drink so much water. It loosens up their stools and gives a much greater splat effect. See, it's not just the exact spot where the poop lands that counts, they also consider the far reaching drops that hit like a foot farther than the original big one.

I worked like a mad woman yesterday in the barn trying to get it ready for these hellish poopers. Moe and Liz stopped by and put some more hours into getting the sale ready, freeing up more room for the pens. I need to put a few walls and doors up, and I'm hoping to pull that all off today. Diane and Alex might stop by to help me, too, which will be great. Their incentive to work is different than mine, so hopefully my working them to exhaustion won't hurt our friendship. But Diane did comment that the house is starting to smell a bit on the rank side, so I think she just might understand. It will be a long day, but I refuse, and I mean refuse, to have The Goat House be the playing field for a bunch of geese and ducks who think the length of their poop trajectory determines their goose/duck hood.

Plus the chicks are starting to fly, and would like a little more space.

What is crazy is that the turkeys have really gotten huge in the last few days. The minute we open their cage, they are flying onto our shoulders, and are happy to walk around with us as we do our chores. Unlike some nameless poopers, their excrement tends to be small, hard, and delicate in nature. Most of the time.

I'll post some pictures of all the work later. Right now, the big poopers are going to take a swim in the bathtub to clean off and so that I can get their cages cleaned. I hope I can find my clothes pin for my nose. Holy Smokes.

P.S.

Did you know that geese can live longer than 40 years, and that chickens live to be 15? They live longer than most dogs do. Did you know that pigs are smarter than dogs? They are potty trainable, and are being used for search and rescue operations. Cool.

ethical thoughts on butchering

So my friend Deb is back in town after a year in Florida. She and her husband Dennis are rowing coaches, and Deb usually places in the Nationals every year. They lived up here a few years and taught me how to row. She's only staying a week, but it was awesomely cool to see her. I had planned on working on Bacon Bits Bill's house tonight, but Deb called and needed someone to dispose of some dead mice that were visiting her house. Not a problem. I'm turning into a farmer. Taking care of her mice so easily has me thinking that being a farmer (or living in the country with animals) requires a certain hardness that isn't needed for city living. A different kind of hardness, perhaps, would be a better way to look at it. I'm not sure I have the hardness it would take to survive in a city.

When I was a kid and watched my dad butchering rabbits and goats, turkeys, chickens and the occasional pig, I could never figure out how he could do that. What kind of person can take the life of another creature, regardless of whether it is for food or not? It used to bother me. A lot. Enough that I swore I would never be a part of such a cycle of living.

But here I am, considering butchering chickens and turkeys, and today, while cleaning out the disgusting goose and duck pens for the 4th time this week, ducks and geese. On one hand, it feels totally wrong. On the other, totally natural. Since we began to think about having animals at The Goat, the guys and I have been having many conversations on the ethical and moral implications of raising our own meat. If we do choose to eat meat, I think we have a moral obligation to be the ones to take the life of the one that will sustain us. We should be required to look into the eyes of the animal and realize that meat does not magically appear on refridgerated shelves in a grocery store, but instead, is, most probably, raised in small metal cages where they suffocate in their own poop. Every time we take a bite of chicken, or steak, or veal, we need to remember blood was shed, and a life was snuffed out.

The argument that animals are just animals with no feelings or consciousness holds no weight with me or the guys. These are amazing creatures who recognize our voices and come running to the front of the cage when we visit with them. They jump on our shoulders and want under our shirts. If we are too quiet, they cry for us until they hear our voices, or until we come pet them. Contrary to what you might have heard about chickens and turkeys, they love to be petted. And when you hold them and they are happy, they vibrate. Like they are purring. It's beautiful. We love them knowing they might die so we can live. But here is where I think we differ from the life I remember on the farm I grew up on; we are conscious of this process. We will grieve for these animals, and we will honor them for sustaining us.

I cringe as I write this, thinking that if were the reverse, if humans were to be sacrificed for the sustenance of another creature, we wouldn't give a rat's ass if they appreciated us or not--we wouldn't want to die. And so I'm back full circle, thinking that the notion of butchering animals is brutal, and that I won't be able to do it when the time comes. But I like meat, and I feel better physically when I eat it, so if I'm going to continue to eat meat, I need to be willing to do this. I'm betting I eat a whole lot less of it, take smaller bites, and eat more mindfully. Maybe this is the thought that goes on behind the Buddhist notion of eating mindfully. Continually remember where this food comes from. More importantly, maybe this is why most Buddhists are vegetarians.

And I do have a freezer full of protein powder.

flexible, balanced women

Ok, well I certainly admit that I should not have added the 'en' to 'wom' at this particular point, for I find myself neither flexible nor balanced, but my friend Diane sure is!

I decided that the house is just getting too small for a bunch of geese and ducks that smell to high heaven, and chicks that are itching to fly. The chicks get out occasionally and have a field day, but I do have my limits. And since the Road House is now going to be a workshop once it is cleaned out, the old workshop/barn will be the new chicken coop. I'll keep working on the little one for the turkeys, and I started building a duck and goose house, but I'm taking too long. I'm blaming it a bit on the weather, and think it is a fair and reasonable explanation.

Regardless, the roof on the new coop had no roofing material on it at all in lots of places. We ended up finishing one third of the roof yesterday when we had a lull in the rain which will allow me to get that particular section ready for at least some of the fowl. It should be the ducks so I can get their smelly butts out of here, but we'll see. Think of the mess I'll have to clean up AGAIN if I let them stay in there for a week or two.

Diane came up with the great idea of taking a ladder that we could hook over the top of the roof to climb up on. It's a pretty steep roof. She was up there the whole time, tarring and nailing, and hauling the roofing material up. I got to stay on the ladder below, and our friend, Matti, sat in his red truck and bossed us. It was good. Neither of us had done this before so it was good to get advice on shortcuts. I think we did really well, actually, and I'm quite proud of it. We'll see how it stands through a winter before we can totally brag, but it will keep the water out now. Hopefully next week we'll get the whole thing finished.

Here's flexible and balanced Diane:






P.S. I just got word that Bacon Bits Bill is ready for his new home. It's a shame I'm not ready for him. Did I mention it's going to be a busy weekend? Rain, rain PLEASE stay away!

kayaking

I went kayaking for the first time this season last Sunday. We had a short break from the rain, it was decently warm. I already had my boat moved the the shore, and packed up my paddles and the rest of my gear in my backpack. It's a 30 minute mountain bike ride, which is just the right amount. I'm a bit hot when I get there so the water will feel good, and the ride home will heat me up again.

You know, I've got a few special gifts that people have given me in my life: my first cordless drill, my "Ed" hat, and a pair of sexy leather Converse tennis shoes I'm afraid to wear cause I'll mess them up. But the opportunity to leave my boat on the shore of the canal at DG's house is the best gift I have ever been given. I can't believe it. If someone would have asked me what I want this summer, that would have been right near the top of my list. In the past, I had a suburu wagon that my boat lived on all summer. It would take me 10 minutes from the time I walked out my door to be in the canal. That was sweet. This might mean a bike ride, but all the more exercise and fun. Yes, this is sweet. Thanks, DH.

water logged and bloated

Geez. It's been over a week since I posted. I couldn't help it. The cold rain, the snow that covered the ground one morning, the cold rain, the cold rain, the cold rain. It always happens this time of year, and I can remember it because it is why I like to teach track A in the summer. Finals week is usually ok, but the week between semesters and at least the first 2 weeks of classes really suck. It depresses me more than winter ever does, actually. If it were warm rain, that would be different.

But today it actually got warm, allowing the black fly to cover our faces like a tingling, biting, buzzing mist. How can such a little fly make such a loud noise? Even if they are dive bombing our ear drums, it still seems like they shouldn't be able to make such a racket.

But I'm not totally complaining. It's warm. The grass is really green, and the flowers are growing like crazy. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks.

We got our guinea hens today. The lady at the feed store was a bit short with me. Too many birds, too many people. Usually, though, they get in at least 5000 birds every year, but this year they only received 1500 orders. They don't make a profit on them, so I don't think they'll be ordering next year.

They're pretty small little buggers, but already super friendly. I think the guys and I really make good moms. It must be our soft voices or something. They all seem to love us.





I'm also starting to clean out the road house and one of the barns with some friends, Moe and Liz. This is what the big barn looks like now:



When I started cleaning it out, I realized that I had forgotten that it had taken Buck and I an entire month to clean up and pack up everything that was in the house. It was freezing, well below zero many of those days. I figure that maybe it was good it was so cold-it killed a lot of germs that were probably quite dangerous for us. Sometimes I would have to run to his house crying with the pain from frozen hands, warm them up, and then get back to work. Usually, Buck and I would start working Friday night after school and work pretty late, and then if he didn't have anything going on, he would help for the entire Saturday. Man, it was something else. In a way, though, it was kind of fun to go through someone else's stuff and try to figure out what things were used for, or wonder about why someone would own something in the first place. The whole process made me more aware of my consumer habits, and I have certainly stopped buying things I don't use, and will be getting rid of lots of stuff I no longer need. Time to simplify!

The Road House had a lot of my stuff from my old life, stuff that Buck needed to store, and lots of junk from the old owner. I really had no idea where to start with cleaning it out, so Moe and Liz came and had it organized in no time. I'll start bringing more stuff from the other barn to the road house for the sale. It's nice that the house is dry, so if we continue to get rain, we can still sell stuff.


Here's Moe and Liz doing their stuff:


Liz:



Since they seem to know what they're doing, I'm content to have them boss me around and tell me what to do. And they can take whatever percent they want from the sale and from doing all that organizing. I just can't wait to get rid of stuff.

I've decided that the Road House will end up being the workshop, and the barn will become the turkey and chicken coop. I'm building a duck house now, and the Guineas can go in the little coop. See, things have a way of just working themselves out once we get moving.

goosed and ducked

Here are a few more pictures of the guys with a goose and a duck.

Rio getting his ears cleaned by a little duck:


Benj and a goose:



The roof of the chicken coop:

geese ahoy!

So the geese, turkeys and ducks came in on the late post Thursday night. I got a call from the post office at 4:45, asking if I could make it there by 5. I jumped in the car with Vanna, who was way too excited. We got there just in time.

Boy, were they making a racket. By the time I got them all home, they were frantic, especially the geese. When I put them in the pen, they were running all over everyone else, knocking over the water, and basically acting like crazy bulls in a china shop. And they kept the racket up for an hour. Finally, out of desperation, I put the 3 geese under my shirt, where they immediately fell into blissful quietness. My ears rang for a whole day afterwards. So for the most part, they spent the better part of the night and next day under my shirt. Hmmm.

Here's Rio with one of the geese:



Here's Rio with a goose AND a happy Shadey cat:



I started working on the house that is going to be the chicken coop a couple of weeks ago, but had to stop due to weather and the semester winding down. I spent a little time on it today, concentrating on the roof. It needs new roofing, which might take a while, especially since I've never done that before. But Mark talked me through it so hopefully it will be ok. There is also a section of roof that needs to be replaced. Here's what the inside looks like at the moment, and this is after a bit of cleaning up already. Yes, this thing is going to take me a while! Good thing all the motivation for getting it done are chirping like crazy in the house!

a note from benj

Today I saw the turkeys and the ducks. They are so fluffy looking. The turkeys are hard to distinguish from the chicks, the turkeys are just skinier with longer necks.

Unfortunately, we lost a turkey last night because he was too cold and got sick. Mom was upset.

house: after

So here are some shots after some work has been done on the place. There is still a long way to go, but it is neat to see the process. I'll spend the summer working outside, and then will get back to inside stuff once winter hits.

The living room now:



A shot of the new kitchen area. It's a bit hard to see...



I have to take more pictures of the upstairs yet. The recycled wood from the old house on the property is really awesome up there.

our house: before

I thought I would post a few before and after pictures of the house and property. We took possession of the house a year ago January, and were able to move here in late August. It was a bit of a rush getting it liveable, but I had some help. My friend Mark did all the things that I didn't know how to do, and taught me a lot in the process. Another friend, Buck, spent a lot of time helping me drywall the guys' bedroom, as did Pete and Lisa. Eric and Lisa helped me tear parts of a barn and old house down so that I could reuse the wood for my bedroom ceilings and walls. I certainly couldn't have done it without all their help!

Here's a picture of the outside of the house. The windows face south, and the north side is built into a hill. It is very energy efficient.



Here is a picture of the kitchen exactly as the previous owner left it. Yes, it was a bit of a mess! What you aren't seeing is the beautiful stone wall to the left of the cabinets that runs along the entire north side of the house.




Here's a picture of the living room and the southern windows:



There are a lot more I could show, but there is no way that the pictures can indicate the shape the place was in, or the smell that greeted you and stuck to your clothes from just walking into the place. We were worried it would never leave, but it did. Now we just have the smell of chicks, turkeys, ducks and geese to contend with!

new chicks!

We received our new chicks in the mail from McMurray Hatchery this past Monday. We ordered 25 assorted because we liked the adventure of wondering what kinds of chicks we would get. The guys were on pins and needles worrying about whether the chicks were going to make it safely, and whether they would come in on the scheduled date. They got their homework for Monday on the previous Friday so that they could be here when they arrived. It's a good thing they were here, as I'll explain later! Safe and sound, the little guys were just amazing to watch. They learned to drink and eat immediately, and were happy to have a warm light to rest under. I still can't really figure out how they could survive the trip through the mail, but they are incredibly healthy.




I had to run out for a bit, and while I was gone, a nice-sized snake came into the house through our doggy door looking for a bit of a snack! Fortunately Benj and Rio were here and heard the chicks start making a terrible racket. Rio grabbed the snake just in time. I can handle all the little critters and birds that the cats bring in, but I have to admit that the snake kind of freaked me out. I'm glad I wasn't the one who had to pick it up!




The chicks are still doing great, and are growing an amazing amount of wing feathers. A big difference in just a week!

welcome to benj, rio, and neely's drunken goat farm!

We have some exciting things going on at The Drunken Goat Farm, and decided that perhaps a blog would be a great way to keep our friends and family posted! Although Benj and Rio are already pretty computer savvy, this will give them the chance to learn a bit more about Web publishing, and post pictures of the farm and animals.

So, thanks for being here! We hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoy sharing.

Take care,
Neely