Let Me Tell Ya 'bout the Birds and the Bees.....

It's about 45 degrees here in Crown Point, Indiana, and I've decided to give m'self the day off.

You see - I'm exhausted.

Really I am.

Menopause?

Working day and night?

51 years old?

Allergies?

Probably a combo of them all.

I'm not sure - but all I know is I is tired.  I mean - bone tired.  I mean - I got nothing left to give tired - I mean - it hurts to type tired.

I awoke at 5:30 this am wishing I could be catheterized so I wouldn't have to get up and go to the bathroom.

I envisioned a breakfast tray coming into the bedroom, piled high with thick French toast, dripping with fresh maple syrup, piles of crisp bacon, a latte and a bouquet of lilacs.

Anna from Downton Abbey would tell me - 'M'Lady, you have nothing to do today, you have to stay in bed - you have a massage later and a pedicure - lunch will be served to you here as well'.

A girl can dream.

So - I'm off today.  No digging, no cleaning, no nothin'.  I'm gonna blog, answer emails, nap around, leisurely bathe, drink tea, read - or - start to feel guilty and do the laundry.

We'll see.

So - I need to tell you 'bout the birds and the bees, and the flowers and the trees...and a thing called lo-o-ve.

We've lots to catch up on around here.

Empty your bladders and fill your coffee cups...

First.

The birds....

Stubbs is the only chicken I have left.

Shocked?

I'm sure you are. 

I haven't talked about this - but when I left for Missouri, I had three...two were 'taken' by something.
Glenco was most delighted that he came home and found nothing but a few feathers left of the rooster.

True story.

You see, he loathed that bird.

I can't sugar coat this - that bird was mean, cocky - evil - you couldn't turn your back on him.

Glenco still smirks when he tells the story of finding his tail feathers in the driveway one afternoon.

I'm sorry to burst your Glenco bubble.

Last fall I was faced with the decision of culling the flock.

The hens were getting old, not laying very much.  I would love to have things set up to where I could have just kept them all winter and not cared about the cost of feeding them - and I sort of planned on it - but then with the realization that I wanted another dozen or so fresh hens this year, well - where would I put them all?  The coop isn't big enough.  I don't have the funds to build another area to house the elderly birds - so unfortunately, they had to go. 

 I gave them to a gentleman who swore he was going to keep them as pets and entertainment for his grand kids.  I have to believe it to be so.

I couldn't part with Stubbs though - as you all know - she's a special needs bird, and such a story of strength and survival, I just had to keep her.  I felt it was ok with the other two birds, as she had some company - but now for the last month or so - she is solo - and I feel bad.

She's taken to her art again.

She follows me everywhere around the yard, and I stuff her craw full of worms and treats.  She practically sits on my fork when I'm digging in dirt, and has to know what I'm doing at all times.

Note to self - do not try prying paint lids off with the ends of paintbrushes.

She's taken to sitting at the back door waiting for me to come out now.

Jax and Slinx are intrigued.

Now, I have all my baby chicks coming from McMurray Hatchery a week from today - well, I think they'll be shipped a week from today.  I couldn't wait that long, and I realized that I hadn't ordered any Americauna hens, sooooo....

Jax and Slinx are intrigued.

: -)

I'm getting my chick fix with these three baby Americaunas.  They've all had their bra time, one at a time - I have one named Momo - no names for the others yet.

So there ya have it - the update on the birds....

Next up....update on 

the

bees...

We moved them....again.