Dial-up is stupid

I have been having so much trouble getting and staying online because of crappy dial-up. I know, I should pay the million dollars and get satellite or some new-fangled technology. It just hurts me to think about it. So, I have to gripe occasionally about my misfortune and then move on. Moving on..

Maddie is going on a NEW YORK ADVENTURE with my sister, Paula. They leave tomorrow on the train and will come back Sunday. Paula has is all planned out. They are going to Statue of Liberty, China Town, The LION KING (I am sooooo jealous), Empire State Building, Tavern on the Green, American Girl store, Toys R Us, and many other places. This is such a big deal for Maddie!! Although Paula seems pretty excited, too.

And am I nervous or worried??!!?? Sort of!!!!!!!

Chickens love Japanese Beetles!

Yes, it is true! I have the chickens outside in a modified, screened cagey thing. When they find a beetle, they go berserk, holding it in their mouths and running willy-nilly all over, all the while peeping crazily!! Of course, all the chickens follow and try to steal the beetle. In my opinion, if the dumb chicken would just act nonchalant, then NOBODY would even know she had something. HA HA. At any rate, they are getting big, so here are some pictures!

CRAZY

We have had Bible School this week, and I can't believe how stressed I get about it. I am the craft lady, so this means I have to prepare crafts for about 50 kids. Help me!! Tonight is the last night, thank goodness.....I haven't seen my husband for 2 weeks. It is pathetic. Tomorrow Rachel is coming for a visit. Hopefully we'll find time to talk and bond. Chicks are 2 weeks now and moved into a bigger brooder on the front porch. We lost the tiniest one. It just wasn't growing and thriving. Now we have a little cockerel with a crooked beak. ?????? This is actually kind of common. The poor guy may not make it. It makes it difficult for them to eat. I'll get some pics if I can. Chicks like it when I pick grass and put it in for them to peck at. I'm sorta worried about leaving them for our "vacation" over July 4. We have a neighbor who will hopefully keep an eye on them. We are going to Paula's for the weekend, and then will stay for the week and do day trips (zoo?) and maybe to the beach for a couple days. Oh, and the duck is still around and peeping outside the window when he/she is hungry. Oh, and someone dumped a load of kitties off on our road. So now we feed: 3 dogs, 6 cats, 26 chickens, 1 duck, 3 sheep. AND Maddie wants a lizard. Seriously, how did this happen??????

Pics of Chicks????

Chicks Have Arrived

We got a call at 8am on Sunday morning from the post office - The Chicks have Arrived!! Of course, I was not prepared, so I rushed getting things ready. I made a brooder from a Rubbermaid box. The instructions were in a chicken book I have. So, they made the trip and all 25 are well. I'm not sure how long they will stay in this box though. They grow pretty fast. I'm including some pictures, but they aren't very good. One of the chicks has a "puff-ball" on his head. His name is Gonzo. The bantam chicks are half the size of the others. So cute!!

We've been very busy with Maddie's play. She has a couple days off, and then more performances this weekend. Mom is coming on Thursday, so I'm getting the guest room ready and TRYING to keep the house clean. With the kids here is is a losing battle.

Oh, and we lost a duck, Theodore. He disappeared a couple weeks ago. But Google will stand below the porch and quack when he wants food. Then he goes to the creek to hang out. So, I feel kind of bad for poor Google. Should I get a ducky buddy for him?

Sick Claudia

I am home today with a sick child. Claudia has a sore throat, and has thrown-up once. The girls didn't have school today anyway, due to high water, so at least she is not absent from school. But...the boredom!! She hasn't left the couch, except when we had to take Maddie to meet JP. They have had a GREAT day! THEY went antiquing and out to lunch. BLAH... We, on the other hand, have watched 3 movies. It has been pouring, so I can't go outside for anything.

I'm planning to go to Mom's on Friday, providing we are well. My nieces from Utah are visiting, and I haven't seen them for like 2 or 3 years. So Claudia has to get better soon.

Ducks are out by the creek. I hope they don't float away. It is quite high and raging.

The Sun is Out

It's been awhile. Really, I should have blogged more. It has been rainy and cool for about a week, but now the sun is shining. I have been working on my rug-hooking, and I had some adventures in dyeing wool. It was lots of fun! It took a few tries to get the color I was looking for, but there are no mistakes. You just save the "wrong" color for another project, or "over-dye" it into another color, which is what I did with the day-glo orange color I created. I wanted a more antique color, so I over-dyed with a bronze, which gave it a greenish tint, therefore, deepening the orange color. Then I started hooking the pumpkin part of the rug. I really should take some pics of said rug. It's my first big project with hooking, and maybe I bit off more than I should have!

Yesterday was finally dry enough to garden. I planted out my leek transplants - hundreds!! I am still not done. I am out of space in the bed, so I will scatter some leeks around some rose bushes, I think. I put out tomatoes, but they look quite sickly - they need some sun and heat. Today I plan to put out peppers (sweet banana), do another planting of lettuce, seed some annual flowers throughout. I had to dig up some sedum from the per. border, and then planted in pots (thanks for the inspiration, Paula!). I also need to mow and rake, start cleaning out the future chicken pen and mulch, mulch, mulch.

Maddie has had play practice every night this week. I have enjoyed watching the practices. Pretty soon they will start rehearsals at the Fort. The kids are doing an amazing job. The whole play is choreographed and danced, so Maddie is on stage at all times, as are all the other members. It is a lot of work for them. JP and Claudia have had quality bonding time in the evenings. Last night they went to the parade for the "Three Rivers Festival", and then ate hotdogs.

Get this - tonight JP and I are going on a date!! We celebrated our 14th anniversary on Wednesday. He gave me beautiful earrings. Wow! I was not expecting that. But of course I had to go to the college for practice. Heather L. is having the girls spend the night tonight - it is not very often JP and I go out together. Its really difficult when my mom lives so far away. But I so appreciate it, Heather! We may even see a movie tonight! All this means that I have to get all my "dirty" work done and then cleaned up for the evening.

Okay, I have some pictures. For my sister Rachel, here is a photo of Grandma Sexton's ferns:

I honestly don't know why the photos don't go where I want them to. @@#$&%^$!!!