Past Posts

I won't be adding to this blog anymore. It is strictly to look back on. My main blog on here is now at:

http://thechickenchronicles.blogspot.com/

Everybody And More

While I have the chance, I want to go over everyone I have listed on the blogspot journal.

This list is for me, but it is for everyone else too. If for some reason my scrambled up brain has not put you on this list, PLEASE PLEASE let me know so I can put your journal on my sidebar and add myself to your followers.

Okay, here goes:

Ally

Dad

Barbara

Fern

Karen

Chrissie

Jimmy

Lisa

Hollie

Traci

Helen

Beth

Rebecca

Raven

Katie

Gayla

Donna

Nelishia

Janie

Jamie

Paula

Linda

Robin

I need blogspot addresses from Sunny and Sharon please! I was working along and didnt click save and lost them. Thanks!

I have a jumbled up mess of little pieces of paper on this desk with checks on some and not on others...so there is no telling what I think I have and what I dont have...but I think I got most everyone that got a new journal started over on blogspot.

Now, for my own sanity I am going to leave the computer alone for awhile. I am going to do some laundry, dishes, cleaning. Go outside and tend some animals. In the morning, I will start fresh. Please email me or leave a comment here if I havent put you on my list over there okay?

I know this has been said over and over in many journals...but AOL is heartless. We were a community of people that really enjoyed each others company, and they came in and elbowed their way through us like we were chopped liver. Well thats just fine. It was time to sever the ties with AOL anyway. The only thing that was keeping me here was the good folks that made up Jland. We will be together again, and once we all adapt and settle in I think its going to be better than before. I am trying to think it will be. XOXOXOXOX

 

I Was Gonna Do That

Thanks Jimmy...lol. I swear I was gonna do that and forgot...here it is...everyone please come on over. I miss you all so much. :) http://thechickenchronicles.blogspot.com/

 

I AM LEARNING

THANKYOU CHRISSIE! Thankyou everyone, Lisa has told me how to save my journal easily, but since the puter crashed we lost everything, so I have to load Internet Explorer to be able to do it. Pretty bad eh, not only am I dealing with the change over of journaling, I have practically nothing to work with here on my computer! I am really trying. I see how to add journals to my sidebar so I can keep up with them, and I see how to add the follower feature now, so yall come on over and add yourselves, and I am gonna add myself onto everyone...then I think I will take a break...whew.

Heavy Sigh

I cant even figure out if I can take all those pictures and stuff on my sidebar and put them somewhere on the blogspot journal. I dont think I can.

I Feel Overwhelmed

I dont know what I am doing. I want to save the entries, along with the pictures on here...but I am confused and feel defeated right now. Is there an easy way to do this? Or is it going to be hard and time consuming? Sigh....somebody please help me. I don't know what I am doing.

OKAY....

Sooo...then. My computer more or less crashed...Ian worked on it last night and all day today...into tonight, and here I am...

Only to learn that JOURNALS are going to be DELETED?

I see we are all moving to Blogspot...I have an account there, just never used it, so I will be over there just as soon as I can read up on how to save my journal.

I told Ian, and was in a panic in a way, that I have made so many friends, that we are a family on here...they are messing with family! What the hay ya know??? Fine...maybe this is for the best. It will make us all kick the AOL habit and move on to new and better things!

RIGHT? RIGHT! :)

It is late, and I see I have many emails from everyone letting me into their new homes on blogspot. This makes me smile. I see lots of folks are going there...so maybe we can all stay together and wont get seperated. I sure hope so. I will be on tomorrow all day setting up house at my new place. :) Look for an email from me with a link over the weekend.

I am babbling, time to get some sleep. Night night. XOXOXOXOXO

Gas Found

I went round the world so to speak and ended up right by the house to get gas...go figure. But let me explain.

I headed out, checking Burtons store first. No numbers on the signs. That means no gas. I saw one or two lingering vehicles...but figured they were just out of luck, but looking anyway.

As I headed south on 101 I had some @ss decide I needed to do at LEAST 70. Um, to save gas, you dont speed, thats for sure. I continued to go the speed limit, which was 55, feeling the burn in the back of my head as he stared holes through me I am sure.

I dropped the trash at the local dump while I was out and headed back south on 101. Pinions was out of gas. Shell...out of gas. Going into Rockmart I passed by two small gas stations. Each had lines at least ten cars long going both ways into the little parking lots to the little island of two or four pumps.

I kept going, heading out 278 west...passing a Cowboys and a Citgo...completely out of gas.

Back up Hwy 27 to Collard Valley Road, I cut through back to where I started...at Burtons.

Well looky there, there is a line forming. I pulled in and got in line, being the next in line. As I sat there and watched more people pulling in one of the ladies that works there came out and put bags over both sides of one of the two pumps they have. Out of gas on the first one she says. I pull to the next one after the man in front of me has finished.

It was all in an orderly fashion. The lady that works there took peoples money or credit card, one at a time, taking it to the other lady at the counter in the store. By the time you got done pumping your gas, you pulled off to the side so the next person could start fueling while you went in and got your reciept. Very efficient.

I filled up the old truck and a five gallon container for 92.00 thereabouts.

The news keeps saying...don't get more than you need. Blah blah blah, that we are part of the reason everyone is running out, everyone is filling up. Well you know what..when the news tells you there may not be any gas consistantly delivered to the Atlanta metro area and beyond until October 13...you get ALL YOU CAN. Because what I got, will only last til Friday for Ian going back and forth to work. If you are lucky enough to find it, get all that you can, cause you WILL need it all.

I am sure by now Burtons is bone dry. I feel fortunate to have gotten the gas. Now I got to go out and wash the poor old girl so she will be presentable for use all this coming week, and possibly the next.

I did think of taking the camera Chrissie, but I just didnt. It was one of those times where you know, you just dont feel like it.

I wonder what is going to happen next week. How far will this go? I wonder if we will be able to get gas for Ian to get back and forth to work next week, much less go to the Fair.

I just don't understand why there arent tankers coming in from other parts of the country. Its not like the southeast lives on an island and we are hard to get to.

What about the stock markets today eh? It doesnt look good folks. No gas, no money. Are we destined for horse and buggy and bartering? We will see....yes, we will see.

Going Out Hunting

Yes, I am going to go hunting. For gas that is.

 

The gas shortage here in Georgia is bad. Really bad. People are following tanker trucks around to their destination to get gas. People are running out and are stranded on the Atlanta roads. The HERO units are out putting gas in peoples tanks to get them going again. If you can find gas, there are long lines out into the road to get it.

We live an hour from Atlanta. Hopefully, that is an advantage. I have to go out now and try and find premium and fill the five gallon gas can for Ians car. I will take the old truck as it drinks regular, which if I find, I will fill up the truck with. He may be having to use the old truck to get back and forth to work since regular is about all you can find now.

So far the schools are still in session, but for how long. News reports say that gas won't be coming in steady until October 13. That is a long time away.

We are supposed to go to the Georgia National Fair like we always love to do in October. Its coming up this coming week. I wonder how many will be able to make it. I am wondering if we will find the gas to go.

 

See You Next Monday

Its that time again. Ian is off tomorrow and the weekend and its time for me to say goodbye til Monday. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.   Remember, everyday holds the promise of a better day. Every day we wake up to a new day, we get another chance to start over. Make the most of every day. I usually don't care for the Fall season much, but I am going to do my best to look forward to this following season and embrace it. 

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So what do I have planned for this weekend? Oh a little of this and a little of that. I don't think we will be able to go much of anywhere since all the gas stations are out of gas, just about anyway. Thats okay though, we can enjoy being at home too.

As far as chicken chores go...I plan on building these guys and gals new winter quarters. These pens I got from Freecycle were fine for the Summer months, but its not going to be cozy for wintertime. So, I have three pens to make, and I might make a small run attached to them too, I havent decided yet. One for the Sultan pullets, one for the Sultan cockerals. Then one more for my two gals that I managed to keep alive and well out of the terrible loss of my Elvis and Elvis Jr., and my sweet girl I lost to the fox.

Here are the summertime pens. These will be put away, possibly used later to keep show birds clean on shavings when I am prepping them. I have three pens, but I for some reason only took pictures of the two.

 

Of course I plan on spending plenty of time with my family...and this is also when Phoenix, Clyde and Rusty get more of my attention. :) Here is Rusty now..bidding you a good weekend...see you all on Monday. XOXOX

 

 

Listen, Watch

Yes, what IF everyone CARED? What a world this could be.

 

Chicken Talk Today

Do you remember the slideshow movie I did of all my babies hatched out in May? If not, click HERE to see it.

Those babies are growing up to be beautiful chickens. After I repaired that pen and situated it for shelter and night roosting I disassembled the Polish pen, putting them in the smaller grow pen. I used the four foot green fencing and posts from that pen and fenced off a free range area for my 'pretties'. Some of these will be for showing one day, hopefully. The giant cochins in particular.

Now I let the white crested polish roosters out to be free in the yard during the day. They are a bachelor group. I took their girls away and put them in the 'pretties' pen. I really need to sell a couple of them off. They don't seem to be harrassing anybody right now. As long as they keep it that way, they can all stay. Right now they look a little ratty, but their feathers will grow back and fill out. Here is a slideshow of my pretties NOW, and their new area. Some were in the video above, some weren't.

 

 

The polish/silkie crosses and the golden phoenix/silkie crosses were my own invention. They are mutts, but I made them. :) I like the way they turned out. Even though they arent a 'real' breed, I think they look cool. :)

Oh and remember that black Sultan? Its a SHE and you will see her labelled as Mystery Sultan on the slideshow. Istill don't think I labeled that egg wrong. I am always very careful about that.

If you want to stop a picture to look at it just run the mouse pointer over the picture and a back, stop and forward will appear at the bottom of the pictures.

Oh yeah, and in case your wondering how that one White Crested Polish cockeral got the name Goatman...well, the first day the bachelors were let out, he spent two days in the goats pen area...lol. Thus, goatman. ;)

Nickelback

Usually...I stick to country music. BUT lately, having a teenage daughter and a husband that listens to anything BUT country...I am still exposed to other music. Nickelback is one that I really love. I am also a big Disney movie fan, and these two movies that someone compiled with this Nickelback song...well...it got me all teared up..but in a good way. :) Enjoy this...and if you want to see the original video just go to Youtube and put in Nickelback, Far Away. Someone took this song and put it to these movies. This wasnt the original music. Nicely done. :) Adult or child, you should rent and watch The Lion King and Spirit. Very moving movies.

 

Information on Freecycle

I got so many comments about not knowing about Freecycle. It is nationwide. All you have to do is go to http://www.freecycle.org/

You have to sign up for a Yahoo ID, which is no big deal, it is easy to do. If you want to check and see if your city or county has a Freecycle just put in one or the other with your state and see what comes up. If you don't have one in your county, there may be one in the county next to you, so check that as well if its convenient for you. Or you can hit the Browse Groups tab and look under your state.

I didnt know a thing about it til someone mentioned it to me here in this area.

A lot of what I see are infant and childrens clothes. Sometimes you will see couches, tvs, old Christmas decorations, just about anything you can think of..books. I got a lot of Shelbys homeschool books passed to me through a homeschool mom on Freecycle in Cartersville. Its really a wonderful thing! Check it out near you, let me know if you come across anything good. Oh, and you can set it up where you get emails straight from your group so you dont have to go to the site to look and see what has been posted. You have to be fast sometimes. I answered mine 20 seconds after the post, and just barely claimed it first! Good luck on finding some treasures in your area. Don't forget, you can post something you don't want or need anymore that you think someone else might could use too! :)

Freecycle Find!

I love old furniture. I have two end tables I got at a yard sale for fourteen dollars that had burn marks and scratches all on the tops of them. But it was REAL wood. It was made sturdy. The date it was made is still on a little piece of cardboard stapled to the bottom of one of the tables. 1954 I think it says(Yes I left it there). I sanded down the tops of those two tables, stained it and varnished the tops. Good as new, maybe even better.

I didn't know what to expect today when I answered a Freecycle ad from a neighboring town here in my county. The ad said it was a China cabinet in real good condition. I thought, okay, probably a pressed board one or something. There was no picture of it posted. I got first dibs on the cabinet. I went out there to Cedartown and got it. This is what I picked up!

 

 

This young man looking to be in his late 20s came out of what I believe used to be his grandmothers house. I say this because it was packed with his grandmothers old furniture along with his and his girlfriends current furniture. He says his girlfriend likes the new looking furniture and doesnt want them to keep the old stuff. Fine by me, I will take it! He also has another piece, a hutch that matches. A lady is supposed to come and get it this afternoon, but if it turns out she doesnt find what she is expecting and doesnt want it, I WANT IT. He also has a big bookcase, desk cabinet thing that he is getting rid of too. Yes, I sure will take it. Freecycle is a wonderful thing. I did take him a dozen of my wonderful free range eggs as a token of my appreciation for giving away such a wonderful piece of furniture. He said he could probably sell the furniture, but he just doesnt want to fool with it.

It was his grandmothers furniture. So this stuff is probably pretty old. I like it. :)

Now there is some work to be done. If I do receive the other piece (which I will know by tonight) I will probably try to take off the dark varnish and put on some lighter color, like oak. Or, I might go with that whitewash color type painting technique, is that what its called? Do you know what I mean? If it was a whitewashed type white color it would match the kitchen cabinets. I don't know. I havent decided yet. Here are two more pictures of it opened up. You can see on the feet the laminate has started to chip away. That will have to be dealt with also.

 

 

2009 Browntrout Calendar, Some Questions Answered

You know how on the backside of a calendar they show you each months pictures...well here is the one I was talking about. April, the one featured on the right, is one they have used before, and that ratty looking rooster on the bottom left has been used before too. I have better pictures of Pete, my Golden Laced Wyandotte rooster than that second picture. To me, that white rooster in front of the feed bag looks ratty too. I have seen some beautiful specimens at shows..and some of these just arent picture material. Thats my opinion anyway.

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I have neglected answering a few questions, and I apologize. I will do that now. :)

The dogs are Irish Wolfhounds, except for Kylie, she is a deerhound.

The peachicks don't make the loud noise that the adults do, yet. They make little sad sounding peeps that will melt your heart. I do look forward to that adult sound though. Now all I need is a Kuckaburro (sp?) and I will have that full jungle sound going on out back. ;).

Where do I get my energy I was asked. Well, it is in my blood. My daddy, bless his heart, he has so much energy he makes me tired just thinking about how busy he stays. He loves to be busy though. The other thing is I probably get energy from stored FAT??? ROFL! Had to put that in there.

I would love to make my own calendar. You know, The Pioneer Woman made her own. I could make my own too. Is it too late to make one this year? Probably. I wouldn't know where to start. I bet I can find out how to start on the internet though. EVERYTHING is on the internet....right? ;)

Oh by the way, I DO love the picture of the pair of crele bantams in the bottom right. :)

 

Pictures You Won't See In A Goat Calendar

Do you know why goats smell? Well I do. Ever notice its the bucks that smell and not the nannies? THIS is why...

 

Do you know what Eddie just did? I bet some of you know. For those that don't...he peed on his beard, his whole face area is tinkled upon. Then they raise their lip up like that and sniff. Why would they do that you ask. Well, its a rutting ritual. Now why the ladies would LIKE this, I have no idea...I don't think they do, but that is what the boys do to get ready to fight and mate.

NO KISSES FOR THESE LIPS! LOL!

 

It seems the tables have turned on Troy for now. Eddie has become the dominate male between the two of them. He had it coming though...he was always hassling Eddie. Turn about is fair play.

 

Calendars

You know, there are a lot of neat calendars coming out now for the coming year. I always LOVE to pour over the ones at Tractor Supply. They have Tractor calendars, Border Collies. Ones that feature Barns. Goat calendars, pig calendars, and yes, chicken calendars. I have bought several of these over the past few years. I am noticing something. Sometimes, they use the SAME picture somewhere in the new one from the last year! Now, I am not tooting my own horn...WELL YES I AM, but I can take better pictures than some of those featured in these calendars. Not to mention they take pictures of some ratty looking roosters sometimes! They need to hire me to take some NEW pictures, or have a contest for people to send in their pictures to be featured.

I mean, look at this perfect picture of Tiny, and what about that picture of Buzzbomb? Look at that fantastic picture of Rod (white Sultan) in my sidebar! There are some beautiful chickens out there in the world..so why are they showing these ratty roosters on their calendar? That is what I want to know, but probably will never find out.

Okay, rant over...lol. Now I can get on with my day with that off my chest.

Oh and no I didnt buy the chicken calendar, but I might buy the goat calendar. :) Something different this year. I have had several border collie ones and several chicken ones. Maybe a goat calendar is what I need next. Do you keep your old calendars? I do, I even kept one Mama was going to toss. It has some really COOL pictures of chickens.

 

I Love Sundays

There is just something about Sundays. They are quiet and more peaceful than any other day of the week. I love that about Sundays.

I just caught everyone leaving from their Sunday on Dads webcam. You know I had no idea that they had the meeting at Mary and Rays house. For me, this is something I would love to be a part of. Small groups are much more inviting to me. I grew up Baptist in a church with a fairly large congregation. The small gathering is much more appealing to me. I never put it together, Mary, playing the music on their organ, the singing, but now it all makes sense! I just think this is so wonderful. I wish I was closer because I think I would really like to be a part of their meetings. The thought makes my heart kind of flutter. Thats a good thing. ;) I also had a nice little chat IMing with Ray this morning. He is just such a sweet man. Someone I really want to meet one day.

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I didn't get on the computer at all yesterday, can you believe it? Ian is working all this weekend so I have been keeping busy outside. The weather has become very nice with the drier fall-like air. My younger sister and her boyfriend came by for a few hours yesterday. They caught me out mowing the front. They were out riding on the motorcycle. It was such a nice day for just about anything. We had a nice visit and I gave them both a bag of hot dog buns to go out and feed the emus and chickens with. Erin says I should start up a petting zoo..lol. I think not. What little experience I have had with people and my animals, it just isnt worth the stress. Don't get me wrong. Some people have been wonderful with my animals, but some don't need to be around animals as they don't understand how to treat one. After they left I mowed til it was almost dark and started locking up chickens for the night. I always have a few stubborn ones that I have to remind to go in the pens.

Today I am going to get on the mower and ride along and finish all the mowing. I reckon that will take about three and a half more hours. Its not really work though. I really do enjoy it and do some of my best thinking during this time.

If I have time I really would like to plant a few things today. I have been keeping those flowers watered, but they really need to get into the ground. I will have them in today or tomorrow. The weather is so nice now I stay outside a lot more these past days.

The three new babies are still doing great. Mom is doing a great job. I have 8 of Coco and Kuckoos eggs in the incubator now. Four of the first batch of five are developing nicely. I had one I threw out a few days after it had been in there...there was this SMELL and it was not good. I candled it and saw a big dark blob in there...oh yeah...it was ROTTEN! PEW! LOL!

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I thought I would share a few pictures here today. Here is some friendly horse nose...asking can he please go out to eat now please...so I let him out.

 

 

 

 

The peachicks are just as fine as can be. I have been thinking of what to name them. I have decided on birthstone names. The india blues will have the names Emerald, Aquamarine, and Sapphire. The white one I havent settled on yet. Either, Pearl, Opal, or Moonstone. Which one do you like? I am leaning towards Opal or Moonstone because I won't be able to tell if it is a girl or a boy for a long time. Here are a few pictures I just took of them. The pen they are in is the pen I got from Sherry when I went to visit her. It came in VERY handy. It is perfect for my little peachicks. I changed the litter right after I took this picture, so forgive the messiness of their pen. The picture of the one peachick I believe to be a male. He will be named Emerald. I am working on taming them down by holding them and petting them a lot. Emerald was in the porch with me this time around.

 

Last but not least, I want to leave you with a picture of the guineas. I don't know if you can really call them keets anymore! I really enjoy watching this troop scout around the property. They do come running when they see me getting the feed out though. Everybody loves a easy meal. They love the birdseed I put in the feeders and some scratch grains I mix in with the chickens food. We still have sixteen of the babies.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday. :)

 

SHOW? NOW??? HUH??

Yesterday in the mail I recieved a flyer with an entry sheet for the first annual Fall show for a new club put together, the Fowl Fanciers Club. This was sent to me by Brian Blair. He was the one that I bought my frizzle cochin girls from that I showed a couple of years ago.

Fall is a horrible time to show. HORRIBLE. Fall is when everyone is molting. For instance, Kuckoo has lost all but about three tail feathers right now, Coco is in the process of regrowing back feathers, so she is bald there from mating. If you look in Johnnys pen (the black sumatra) it looks like he exploded in there and has about one twig hanging off his rear. Almost no one is in condition to show, they are shedding their old to get in the new feathers.

I have no birds to show right now, except well, maybe Buzzbomb. That would be him above. I just took this picture yesterday. Clean up his feet and put a little mineral oil on those legs, feet, wattles and comb and I got a winner. Except for one thing. You have to have a special judge for Serama. I called to find out if the show was having said judge and I am waiting for an answer. He just looks stunning. He is the best Serama I have. He is very typy, stands so upright like  a serama should. His legs arent too long, his wings point down really well without dragging the ground. He isnt tame AT ALL though. Have to work on that if I am going to show him. I can tame him down by then if I have to. If I don't show, I may still go. I enjoy going to the shows. Its the day after Shelbys birthday though. Karen and Tiffany will be spending the night the night before after we go out for a day of fun for the girls birthdays. We will see how things go.