Robin's Nest

  This is a real and undesireable thing for little chicks. It must be cleaned off or they will die. They may die even if it is cleaned off. Such is the case for us. While six little chicks required attention and all six seemed ok when put back into the brooding pen. An hour later we had lost one. That brought the total to three lost chicks and one lost turkey. Not fun at all. In other news the birthday party was fun but the park was very crowded and there were no pictures of the festivities taken by me. We left after the pinata event as it was clear that the oldest was exhausted. We were home 10 minutes before she was asleep. I got busy tending to baby chicks separating the bigger poultry from the smaller and cleaning butts. I also got busy cleaning the laundry room as it quickly becomes the catch all room. Still working on getting the sewing room things to the basement so there are still tons of things strewn about. I am hoping to be finished with the transfer of "stuff" by

  There is a fine line between a bargain and a bribe. Yes we employ both in order to get compliance with school work. Both kiddos resist, at least first. The youngest is the most resistive, so it's bribing with her. It must be a really good bribe to work. Hopefully this isn't going to last forever. The oldest is excited to get to go to enrichment at the local school. I wish I were as excited.  Well, we had a fail this morning. The oldest wants to spend the night with a friend. The bargain was do one whole section in math. She started happily, but the sections got harder. She has 2.5 sections to go and wants to do them on her return from the friends house tomorrow.  It is time to transition to bribe or give in or just give her a break. She has been at it for an hour. So we will try a break. It worked! She finally, on her own, finished after a break! Next was to force the youngest to do some math! That started off rough but within 3 minutes we were done with one section. So off t

   Today I went out to work on our fence, a job forbidden by DH, not sure why. Again, I cannot find the correct star bit for the screws. I thought that I had it a month ago when it was too cold to work on it. Yet today, while he is gone to get things for the new poultry, I cannot find it any where. I tried one star bit but it is too big and another is more of a square than a star.  This fence will get done.  I am determined that the boards on it will be at least anchored top and bottom by Easter. I may have to go and buy a bit to get it done. There are many projects that must be done around here before Spring. I need a dog fence first and foremost and an outside dog house. Also, an enclosure for the chickens, turkeys and ducklings. I have a little time on that. The pallets that I wanted for the dog house have been gathered and now I have to "assemble" them. Again I need a bit for the screws that I have. Tomorrow should be very warm and building is high on the list of to do

  It's that time of year! Who can resist a baby chick?! Much less 36! This is my favorite time of spring! Believe it or not these little fuzz butts have such personality! Not to mention the little turkey poults... I mean really, is that not the cutest?!?! What about these four? The kids have already named them. The first four are Ellie, Emma, Sunny and Jamie The bottom four are Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas and Sunday Yes those names can be a bit foreshadowing, but they have purpose! Wait, until you hear all the ducklings' names... Yes I did say ducklings! This is Chip, Elizabeth, Chomper and Lucky   In this group is Raisin, Chocolate, Pudding and Butterscotch. I am guessing that Lucky will be spared from any dining room experiences. The rest is up in the air. As for the 36 new chicks... that will take more time to choose their names than we had today.  The youngest child had just finished her covid testing for an upcoming procedure when we learned that the feed store had a s

I currently get up between 0400 and 0530 and still the youngest is awake before me. Early morning is my refuel time, my blogging time,  my devotion time, okay let's just say it... my time! I am currently being forced to enjoy it with a small child who at 0415, is already in overdrive! Luckily she is in bed by 8pm most nights, but still by then I am ready to drop in my tracks also. We have our read aloud time and card games after dinner and just before bed. She is too tired most nights to participate. Read aloud time puts her right to sleep.  Still the day goes on and even though yesterday seemed to start so perfect not all that looks like a rose, smells like a rose. It is 100% on me and my attitude to make the day. Now to find that thin line between exhausted and breathing. Also, the search for today is this mate to this little earring. Now it should be easy to find, unless it has been consumed by some really chew-happy dogs. Of course we have more than our share of those. The tabl

Good Morning! Today is going to be great! I feel it right down to my bones! Okay maybe that is just arthritis. Yesterday, I emptied the closet in the guest/sewing room. Now the 10 year-old can hang her clothes up in her closet and leave the "family closet". What is a family closet you ask? It is where all the the clothes for everyone are hung. This way we know what every one has and what fits and what needs to be replaced.  Young miss would like to keep track of her own clothes she thinks. It is not a bad thing. She is less likely to play the "100 layer" challenge that the younger one likes to play with the granddaughter. So I emptied the closet to give her the chance to take care of her own things. I so should take a picture as it may be the last time it is clean. Yesterday I did get several loads of things to the basement for sorting and storage for the next several months. I still plan to have my sewing machines up on the first floor for a while. Just all the exc

It is the second day of the month and our plan today is to go with the group and celebrate Dr. Suess. We will still go with our plan even though an early morning e-mail brought my attention to a newsfeed that I saw blip past my eyes... something about racism in Dr. Suess books. The email confirmed what I did not have time to read. This has gone too far! Picking on the books that millions learned to read with?! What is next? The Easter Bunny?! Of course that will be next! All those Mall bunnies are generally white so it must be racism! It is time to stand up to the left or any other idiotic group that tries to erase history. Stupidity is going to cause it all to recur and probably at an alarming rate. History is there to learn from, not to change or bend to your liking. If you don't learn from it you will repeat the same mistakes, maybe even worse! It won't surprise me if this blog is removed. Now on to "Joe" he is making plans to start reparations?! With or without co

This has been a whole month in one week! Our friends came to visit, their car broke down on the way, her kiddos started in person school and it closed the first day for snow. Now my kiddos really want to do in person school... or so they say. It reminds me of the school board members somewhere here in the states, that were over heard saying something like they just want their free babysitting back in reference to the parents who want the schools reopened. Well "duh" of course we did! I say did because I really did and sometimes still do. Technically it wasn't free as it comes with a hefty tax tag on each of our properties. The bigger price tag is what we lose as parents when we surrender control to the system. I do know that at some point I may have to send them back for whatever reason, but deep down it will be for "babysitting". Yes I feel they do learn a lot and the teachers do their best for the most part. But the power that the NEA has over what our childre