Out of the Trees Back to Chickens

Last night around 9 PM, one of my neighbors knocked on the door on a count of their house kitty escaped and climbed into my yard. Ordinarily I think they just push open the garage side gate and fetch puss, but the limbs are still blocking the gate after the big storm.

After I let my neighbor through the house to the back yard, then back out the front door, with Ms. Puss in arms. Afterwards I felt mighty poorly. Land sakes! The house was dark, the TV was on, and the chickens were roosting on the rim of their chickararium. Those birds gave my neighbor a sort of 'what the hell YOU doing in OUR house?' sort of look. The living room smelt a bit chickeny too. Thank goodness the room was v. un-tidy, dark to boot and most everythin' was covered with a layer of dust & chicken feathers.

So, in short, I feel like Granny being caught with her Ozark britches down. You know how it is when the neighbors drop by and you don't have any possum stew or crawdad dip to offer 'em. Makes a sweet young thang like me feel all insufficient, ya'll heah?

So, today, I decided today might be pretty near good 'nuff for moving the critters outside into the yard by the cement pond. I assembled the critter pen some weeks ago, but have stalled on putting the chicks out. They're only about 1/3 grown, but they are fully feathered now so they should have no problem when the sun goes down.

The new, city slicker fancy Henitentiary will arrive in 2 weeks. By then the chickens will be fully outside birds. I'm already feeling mighty proud of that new pen that's a coming. It's big 'nuff for 6 large chickens and should dress up the whole neighborhood all nice like. Yes, when the big chicken pen gets here my neighbors are all going to be jess pea green with envy.

Well, that's it for now. Y'all come back now, heah?

Liquidambar & Oak Pay a Neighborly Visit

Some kind of half worn out Japanese storm hit California today and it's been raining Norwegian Forest Cats and Irish Wolfhounds - both rather largish breeds. Every time I've had to be out in it today I got soaked, because I couldn't find my rain parka or even an umbrella. I mean, I can't find them anywhere. Might be in for a wet day tomorrow too.

Driving home tonight, I idly wondered if my trees were behaving themselves, what with all the winds and rain. Yes, they did! Unfortunately my neighbor's Liquidambar and Oak, did not. As I approached my house I could see what looked like 1/3 of the Liquidamber piled onto the lawn alongside my property. So, I pulled out my digital and snapped a few rounds for prosperity. Then as I turned for my garage, I realized the trees came thaaaaat close to landing on and ruining my gate & garage overhang. Yikes!

That's my garage & house there - eeep!
That entire bunch of greenery is the fallen tree limbs. The oak overhangs my garage and recently when I had my trees trimmed, the tree surgeon removed the bits of the oak overhanging my driveway overhang and roof. So if he hadn't done that who knows what would have come down in addition to the current mess.

My garage door is open (excuse the clutter)
The fallen limbs are blocking my grey gate. Oh well. The good news is, my neighbor's trees, his mess, his clean up. I'm lucky I dodged the green bullet this time!

October, Time for Tea!

The sun doesn't burn when stood under & the air is clean and crisp. Therefore decided to treat myself to some company today. So my friends the two Terrys came over, in their best bib & tucker for a lovely Sunday Tea Party - first I've ever been to, much less hosted.

Worked out very well, even considering that my planning wasn't at its best. and worse, I could NOT find my teapot or my Victorian Bonnet! Bugger... still we had fun. Terry & Terry came in their formal Brit tea party outfits, wearing their tea-hats, per as required. Don't they look spiffy?
The Terrys wear Fun Hats and get reacquainted themselves with their petite Ami

We had savory tea sandwiches. Would have liked to serve watercress sandwiches but for the life of me, none of the local markets seem to have any, and believe me, I looked. So, we had savory tea petite sandwiches of chicken with basiled butter & slivered almonds and wee sandwiches of peppered salmon with cream cheese. That was followed by a lovely bread pudding. Am proud to say the pudding, rich with cream and butter, was made largely with the crusts cut from the tea sandwiches, so how's that for economy? What a fun chat and lovely tea party.

I was amazed - the chickens behaved themselves with company in the house - I mean really behaved well! I had the lid off their chickararium and they either peeked out the top or politely perched on the pen edge, watched 'the grownups' have their tea. I had expected the chicks would jump to the floor and run rampant, but they did not. Who knew I was raising polite poultry?

Following our tea, it was play time with deh Chee-kins! The Terrys are chicken lovers too. Remember, they got their little Rhode Island Reds, Bodie and Pele a couple of weeks before I got my brood. They wanted to see how my girls are making out with their diaper training. So would I!

Ami and Adele uh... well, they didn't quite take to their diapers today - just sort of fussed and rolled about on the floor, looking forlorn. The diapers seemed to fit perfectly but the girls were having none of it. However, once again, Colette showed us all how it's done. She took to her little di-dee, strutting around the room like the little trooper she is. Dang, I'm so proud of her! Oh, and little Babette is still a bit lacking in the bum size to try her diaper yet.

At some point I must tape Colette strutting around, paying no mind to her diaper. She even made 'Mummy' proud, by making a boom-boom in her di-dee. I swear, when I saw that poop in the diaper I gushed with joy - how embarrassing! Have to laugh, I mean, I really felt PROUD! Never felt proud of anyone or anything's poo before. Had to reward Colette with lots of lovely fat meal worms.

Terry 2 had a great idea that I have decided I MUST adopt - she decided the diapers are really le tres chic chicken thongs!

Colette strutting her stuff in her Brazilian Periwinkle Thong

Terry pulling Ami out of the Hat!
What a fun afternoon! All ended far too soon, and the Terrys headed back to their place, with little Ami in tow. I orginally wanted to order 3 chicks, but had ordered an extra which I thought they might enjoy, adding a little French flair to their American flock of Rhode Island Reds. So now we each have 3 chickens each in our little flocks.

I swear, I love my silly chickens, with or without thongs/diapers, but not nearly as much as I love my friends.