Eggceptional!

For as long as I can remember, each Easter I've had a niggling memory of winning an egg blowing contest.  I don't know why I was in an egg blowing contest.  I don't know how as the petite little girl that I was that I competed let alone won an egg blowing contest.  I don't know if before the contest I even knew such a thing as egg blowing was a thing.  To be completely truthful... I don't even KNOW that I won... but I did compete.

Anyway... each year I've considered trying to reenact egg blowing and this year I did not put it off.  One evening I knew we needed eggs for dying for our Easter preparations.  What better time to show off my 'possible quarter of a century old egg blowing skills'.  

So we did.  however... we also were ridiculous enough to think it would be fun to blow out the goose eggs.  

LINK to Video

Click link to see video

Miles was on a video call as we all took a crack at egg blowing.

Don't notice the unsightly vein bulging on my forehead.. I really wasn't struggling... I may have been slower than all the rest, but it wasn't a race.  Although someone forgot to tell Patrick that it wasn't a race and he blew it out in just one breath... okay it took him a few breaths but if we'd only watched him it would have looked easy.

 

At a game night I brought up my niggling memory and recounted our recent egg blowing victory.  

Thankfully I'm not completely crazy!  There was indeed an egg blowing contest in my youth.  It was held at a nearby mall, Hillside mall.  I did compete but it was unknown if I won.  

Well all five of us have eggceptional skills.

The eggs turned out better than I could have anticipated.  These were dyed with onion skins and then polished with a dab of olive oil.  It's a Russian tradition to have a red dyed egg displayed at Easter to be a witness of the resurrection of the Saviour.  For many years in Russia, no Easter celebration was allowed, but the displaying of an egg dyed red with onion skins symbolized hope in each household that it was found in.  Tradition follows that on Easter Sunday, the 'grandmother' of the family would put the egg on the mantle and share her testimony of the Saviour and the resurrection with her family.  

Our Easter Display.  It has been a few years in creating the type of celebration that we wished to have.  Each year we've added or perfected our new traditions.  We now have a month of Easter instead of a day.  

Surprises

Months ago, before the world went wacky, we discussed ordering a few new chicks so we could rotate new hens in and older hens out.  I told Patrick, four new chicks.  He stopped at the feed store and placed the order.  He later informed me that there was a minimum order.  12.  I didn't want 12 new chicks.  

Then the world went wacky... things closed.. including the feed store.  After a few months we hadn't given any chicks any thought.  

Until a phone call on Friday, three months later.  "Mr. Noble, your chicks are ready to be picked up."  

OH...

He stopped on the way home and picked them up.  

Now we have 12 baby chicks.  The weather was nice.. but this weekend it dropped so we set the chick house up in the people house.  Next week they move to the coop.  Hopefully a hen or even a goose will 'take them under her wing.

Meanwhile we are enjoying them.  The boys built a chick maze and we ran online chick races on Family Game Night!  (They're working on a bigger and better maze for next week.)

Just before game night began, Patrick came in the house and called, Duncan, come with me.  

When I questioned him, since Duncan is rather important to game night, I was told... "It's a surprise.  We'll be quick!"

So we struggled along with game night without our trusty tech guy.  Then they returned.  

With a Piano!

His brother was helping a lady move and had called saying, 'She's sending a piano to the dump.. do you guys want it?'

Apparently we did.  

After we unloaded it from the truck and brought it in the house, we began a long process of cleaning it.  The keys were sticky and gross... and most didn't play properly. (once pressed they stayed down or they wouldn't press at all)  

As the cleaning progressed I began to fear it wasn't worth  the effort.  So we decided it couldn't hurt to take it apart and see how a piano works.  An educational project even if not a musical instrument for the future.  

We also began googling if it was even a decent instrument.  We discovered that it was a Gulbransen piano built in 1954.  

In taking it apart we discovered, a paperclip, a sewing needle and a 1950's penny.  We also discovered that an army of mice must have taken up residence inside it.  

We spent roughly 6 hours, vacuuming, washing and disinfecting and researching how to clean and repair a piano.  

Duncan was fascinated.  The incredible detail to building a piano.. the intricate system of pulleys, knobs, hammers, strings and the precise shape of each key.  The keys are each hand stamped with a number. 

On the inside of the lid we discovered these signatures and dates.  We debated who they might be.  The previous owners?  The tuners?  Famous pianists who had played this piano?

The little boys kept checking on our progress. 

They also built Lego piano replicas. 

 

We remade some of the felt stoppers and restrung one of the keys.  Then we put it back together. 

Not only had we repaired all the keys and thoroughly cleaned it... It was in tune!

A Ladies Man...

When Duncan was younger he was the chicken whisperer.  He could have all the hens follow him around like the pied piper.  He often went out to visit them.  He may be older now and these are different hens, but the attraction is still there.

The ladies love him...

Easter Egg Hunting

As Easter approaches, the ladies have outdone themselves.

I refuse to think that they are unappreciative of their lovely nesting boxes.

I refuse to believe that they are purposely being obtuse and uncooperative.  Instead I will believe that they are creating the best ever Easter egg hunt for us. 

The boys job is to collect the eggs each day... However.  sometimes the eggs are out of reach.

This wall is ten feet high.  It doesn't meet the ceiling so there is a 4" ledge... Just the spot to lay an egg apparently!

How about this egg...

Oh... Can't find it?  I can't believe the boys spotted it!

I'll zoom in.

This egg didn't survive retrieval.

I'm bewildered.  Why won't they use their lovely nesting boxes?  Are they not high enough.. Not precarious enough?  Not strange enough?  Do they not realize that they have the Taj Mahal of coops?  They are treated to fabulous table scraps that could be denied them in favour of garden composting.  They are played with daily.  I've been looking forward to warm weather so I can paint their quarters in cheery colours and give it charm and style!  They have more space per chicken than we have per person in our house!  Beautiful mountain views from their courtyard.  Solar lighting.  Indoor pond.  Vaulted ceilings.  Multiple roosting options.  

And yet... the egg hunts continue.

Winter Chickens

After owning chickens one might think I would understand what is needed to have chickens once again.  One thing I should know is that building a coop BEFORE hand is preferred.  However, it's just not how we roll!

We have five acres, many outbuildings and lots of miscellaneous supplies laying about...  Whatever we need we can handle it!

Which is sort of true.  

The chick phase was simple enough.  In the spring we had a tub in the house.  Then as they got old enough they took over one end of the greenhouse.  For a time that was delightful.  The boys enjoyed visiting their coop and playing with them.  Eventually they were old enough to be allowed to roam freely... or ' free-range'.  So a ramp was placed outside the greenhouse window to allow them to come and go.  they tended to stay... inside unless coaxed to go out... and outside unless urged caught and taken back.  

They were also quickly outgrowing their coop... (technically, according to chicken guides, they had enough space.. but I prefer the hens to have palatial quarters) PLUS.. winter was approaching.. we needed to provide a MUCH MUCH warmer environment.  

So we began discussions and planning.  I was for converting the old trailer house at the end of the yard for their new coop.  Patrick was adamantly against it.  Even with me referring to it as the chicken house.  We both won.. compromised.   It was better in the end anyway.  I didn't like the trailer where it was and apparently it couldn't be moved...  well in one piece anyway.   

So... Patrick delightedly began dismantling the trailer.  We used the sections of insulated wall with metal exterior to insulate the end of the barn.  We created an interior wall to contain the hens and used the door and a window from the trailer in the new wall.  We also used the cupboards as nesting boxes.  

Now the trailer is only 25% of an eyesore.  Regardless.. the new coop took longer to put together than winter cold would allow.  We had to hurry with the practical necessities and leave the decorating for spring.  

In the rush to complete, we brought the hens in to help..  or hinder if you agree with Patrick's misguided point of view.

How else would we know if they appreciated the door having a high stoop or would prefer the ramp into the smaller door to have steps to keep it from being slick. 

Also would they like one long perch or multiple smaller perches.  

And nesting boxes... These are ultimately going to need to be perfect for optimal egg laying satisfaction.  The boys happily showed the hens how smoothly the doors opened... how spacious the boxes are... how they can double as a perch... 

Even with all our efforts and the boys diligence in daily nesting box lessons.  Eggs seemed to allude us.  Finally an egg was laid.  But then... 

nothing.. for days... then a week.

There are 12 hens.  Once they started laying it should have continued.  

Heaters and lighting were provided.  Extra feed and fresh water daily.  Scraps to augment and encourage.  

Still nothing.... until the boys spent an extra long play session with the ladies.

The result?

A basket full of eggs... many cracked.. many frozen solid. 

NONE in the nesting boxes. 

At one end of their courtyard area is a stack of lumber.  They discovered an overhang of boards and dubbed it the only place to lay eggs.  So until Spring we continue to encourage them to use the beautifully designed nesting boxes so far to no avail.

But we at least know where to look.. and collect 6-10 eggs each day.... 

As the months go by our begrudging attitudes at having to look under the lumber instead of the lovely 'EMPTY' nesting boxes is making us determined to make some renovations come springtime!

Fowl Play

It's a real thing.  They need their daily chicken lovin'.  The boys dutifully attend to them.  In return we are offered anywhere from 6 to 10 eggs each day.  They do find winter to be dragging on but the boys daily visits and the odd winter walk have cheered them.  

They stay warm in the heated and insulated section, but show their appreciation for the more spacious outer courtyard area with excessive wing flapping and clucking ... or honking in the geese.

(The geese accept our apologies at our limitations.  We attempted to provide an indoor pond... but the cold permeates... EVERYTHING.. and, well, it's frozen.  We encourage skating as an alternative)

Battling the Birds

Directions? 

A clandestine message for those who know the code.

The message is becoming more insistent.

I must crack the code.

Is this like x marks the spot?

Is it time sensitive?

or... 

perhaps...

just maybe...

The chickens have been on the trampoline again!

They're becoming more brazen.  The message is clear!  

"We want to take over all your designated chicken free zones!"

What to do with the old tin garage...

June was filled with projects.

The biggest project was the transformation of the garage, which had spent the winter as a storage unit, to it's true destiny.

It had a single car wide garage door that opened to the side.  I painted it last fall as the snow fell.  It never closed completely and snow flurries managed to blow in all winter. 

It was not close enough to the house to be practical to park our car in and with only one side having a garage door it could only have housed one car even with room for 4. 

We've been rethinking... everything to do with our house plans and property goals.  So the transformation from garage that we weren't really using it as anyway to guest accommodations and extra play space began. 

First, items that are still stored away until we have a house that can accommodate them needed to be better organized, and Jim had just the shelving solutions for that!  Everything became vertical and on movable shelves. That freed up lots of space.  A curtain hung across the back hid all the storage and left 3/4 of the building as an empty canvas.  

Bunk beds were acquired, the air hockey, dart board, movie screen and projector, and foose ball set up.  A game table was positioned and hammocks were hung.  

Patrick re-framed the door and hung a normal door and installed a window.  Then he installed a second window across for ventilation in the summer.  The skylights were redone to ensure they wouldn't leak.  A support post was replaced because it was rotten.  

Miles and Duncan spent.. HOURs... cleaning the oil stained concrete floor.

I painted the door and the trim and sorted all the bedding and extra blankets.

And finally... la piece de resistance... the colourful party lights were hung!

The Chicken Farmer's Halloween Tail

I thought I'd be more convincing as a chicken farmer for Halloween if I brought along my chicken.

Dressed up for Halloween of course.

She'll just follow along beside me when I sing the ding a ling dinner song, like I do when I bring out the compost bucket.

Hmmm,  why is she running away?

(personally I think you're a very convincing chicken shark!)

What do you mean you aren't comfortable with this?

Is it the trick or treating you are against or the carnivorous nature of the costume?

The abject humiliation???

Come back, I have other costume ideas....

Have you ever wondered???

Have you?

Have you ever wondered what you might look like if you were a chicken?

Whittaker explained in great detail for us how he would act and look like, if he were a chicken.

"This is how I fly off of fences and out of trees.  My wings are open really wide and I go through the sky."

"When I peck the compost, I have to flap my wings like this to keep the flies off."

"This is how I look around for more compost.  Sometimes I have to fight the other chickens to get the biggest bites so I have to look around a lot."

We have been so enlightened.

Eggstra dilemmas

Now that the spring like weather is upon us the ladies are sharing their appreciation in the form of daily eggs.  Which although we graciously accept.  We currently can not eat enough to keep up with production, nor do we own enough cartons to contain our eggcitement.  (Since we do not purchase eggs, we rarely have cartons, and when we sell eggs, what few cartons we acquire rarely if ever are returned) 

Looking for alternative egg holding and transporting devices.  (The green eggs could go in easter baskets I suppose.)  As I type there are 13 dozen.... yes 156 eggs... give or take an egg or two.  

Double yolker

Some ladies are over achievers.