*butt...

Healthy butt...

Pasty butt...

It is said that chickens die one of two ways: either they are not healthy from the beginning or they are not properly cared for.   Great, that is a lot of pressure! Early this morning when I went out to greet my little brood I noticed that a couple of my babies had pasty butt. 

Pasty butt is one of the ways baby chicks meet an early death.  Their little butts can get crusted over and seals their vent and they can no longer eliminate. Being the good mother that I am, I softly talked to my chicks and picked up the first unsuspecting baby for a good butt cleaning.  It was not fun- for me or the baby chick I assure you.   FYI: Did you know that chickens have one hole that is used for laying eggs, pooping, urinating, and mating? It is called their "vent". Interesting isn't it? 

I was encouraged today when I read that experience is your best teacher because that is all I have! 

The end.

*a cloister of sorts

Of the six cats we have brought into our family, only three of them are with Henry and I here in Florida.  The other three are our outside cats and are still with Eric in North Carolina a smoother transition will be made with them at a later date. I am so glad that my dear husband recommended us bringing three now and three later.  The three that are with us here in Florida are our "mostly inside" cats. A couple of them do go in and out, but most prefer to be inside and thus far they  have not worn out their welcome to the indoors with any poor habits.

Living indoors they have to contend with the "beast", our precious docile tiny dane. They are nimble, quick and able to hold their own should she decide to test them in that. Each of them however have found some resting spots, an alcove or two for a peaceful retreat when needed.   I am sure many other hiding spots exist that I do not  know about.

Timon has found a favorite spot to lay during the daytime.  While we do not allow our cats to get on the counters, he obviously has to touch a counter to get on top of the cabinets in the kitchen.

Julie is basking in the sun on the window ledge in Henry's room.

The cats are not interested in the chicks at all.  Julie showed some interest.. but not fascinating enough for her!

*on the move

While my mother was here a few weeks ago I shared with her how, when we first look at this property there was a single wide mobile home (right where her RV camper is now parked) on the property.  In fact, the offer was that the mobile home came with the property FREE (is anything free).  But by the time we put in an offer, they had sold the mobile home.  Eric had spoke very freely and very early on  when we first looked at the property on how we should call my mother up and tell her to pack her stuff and move.  The fact that having had another dwelling on our property with its' own septic tank, its own water and electric was another plus.   I of course, shared these things with my mother when she was here.  Many things in her life have started falling in places that has given her total peace and freedom to buy a RV Trailer and park it on our property.  She will be able to travel back and forth as she pleases and bring her cat with her, which will be better for both of them.  Eventually my mother will likely sell her property in Georgia and  have a new double wide mobile home sitting in the spot where her RV currently sits.  She is thinking that the RV will then be parked at one of my two sisters properties for the very same reason it sits here.

My mother was talking to a friend yesterday while I was sitting next to her and I heard her say, "Yes, it is my tiny slice of  Heaven."  She loves the property, having grown up on a large farm it just feels like home to her. I am super blessed to have a husband who first made the comment on having my mother come to live here.  I am super blessed to have a God who loves both me and her to have opened up my eyes to some behaviors towards my mother just a few short weeks ago.

*nervous mother

If your a mother, do you remember the moment of expectation? The excitement!  Then came the glorious day that your bundle arrived.. nervousness to some degree set in? Yesterday I became the mother to ten little baby chicks and I am a nervous mother.   You see, I know little about raising baby chicks other than the little bit of knowledge that I have gained from the two books I purchased from Tractor Supply Store here in our small town.  I am sure I will learn more daily and become a pro but for now I am a bit nervous!

I think this one is my favorite.  I love her little collar, don't you?

I chose to get three Rhode Island Reds, three Black Australorps and four Americanas also know as the easter egg chicken.  All are hearty egg producers with the blacks producing even in the colder weather!

On the way home from the feed store I was sharing knowledge with Henry that I had learned from my readings so he would have some "chicken knowledge", he interjects, "Mother, I know chickens." He then went on to tell me that one of his teachers from Village has a farm and each years she incubates chicks in her class and educates the students.  He has been privi to this for several years. How fortuitous!

*out where the ocean meets the sky

Today Henry and I went to the beach. The weather was rather cold and breezy, but the Gulf Coast delivered beauty as it does again and again.  The Gulf is amazing with varying shades of crystal clear blue water.  I am always wowed by the beauty that greets me each time we head to Navarre Beach or Destin Beach. 

We paid $1 to walk on the pier which was quite windy to say the least. There were several people there today fishing, but this past weekend we saw many on the pier fishing. Can't wait to take my nephews and Henry here in the summer for a day of fishing.

When we left Erilyn this morning I thought we were heading to a stylist who could cut and put some shape into Henry's mop hair, but he said he was not ready to get it cut yet.  So, we put that off until a later date.  He had his skate board in the car, so  he pulled it out while we were in the parking lot at the pier and worked on a few tricks. 

*switched at birth?

Today we worked on clean up in the barn.  Boy, was it a mess. Normally we do not allow Frayja to come to the back part of the property where the barn is located but today since we were working back there she got to join us.
 

On a fairly regular basis a young girl comes by the front of the house with two horses. I am not sure where she is heading but she is usually back within a few hours heading in the opposite direction. Frayja barks her head off, so much so that the young girl tries to distract her horses and cover their vision of this small beast of a dog.
 

Henry named this horse today, meet Starlight!

This is Mr. Greedy (in case you were wondering).

Aren't the two babies adorable? Fray could almost fit in!

Just today, Frayja did not bark at the ponies but instead she look longingly at them as if to say, "Was I separated at birth?" She nuzzled them and them her. She was kissing them and licking. Every once in a while she would either get "spooked" or the horses would; which would result in either of them darting off in the opposite direction. The return to the fence was made almost as quickly as the darting off. Perhaps, just perhaps they are going to be friends!

*The donkey sweats so the horse can be decorated with lace." -Hiatian Proverb

Every morning these demure guys, along with their brazen pony friends are all along the western  boundary of our property! The donkeys are so adorable and wanting of affection, the ponies on the other hand are simply greedy or should I say certain ones have regularly shown this behavior.

While the donkeys are a bit shy but seeking of some affection they are usually the first ones to start trotting over to the fence. Once the ponies take note and follow their lead, its all she wrote...

My niece, Kierstyn kept trying to feed the more timid ponies but there were several that just wouldn't allow it.

~Lynnie