Two things that have changed recently. First, I have gotten the horses moved back up to the pasture behind the house for the winter. I hope it's for the winter anyway, cause dragging buckets of water out to the back pasture on a sled was a massive pain in my ass! there are some concerns still with the front pasture. I still need some type of shelter. I have no idea why this is so hard to figure out.... but it is. It became necessary to go ahead and move them when I found that a deer had gone through the back fence causing the electric fence to short out. I have got the front fence with so many extra connections and jumps to additional areas that there doesn't seem to be a lot of juice running through it. I REALLY hope the girls don't put it to the test! More frustrations! Will I ever overcome the fence dilemma?!!
Oh well, I am enjoying walking around the house and seeing their beautiful faces. My first instinct is to make sure they are inside the fence instead of meandering around outside. Then, I am filled with joy.
The other thing done is the chicken yard. Woohoo!!! It has been fun to watch them. The extra space has brought out more chicken-y behavior. I have now gotten to hear an egg song. And the contented nest building song. The "she's stealing eggs" warning and, also, the "Hey! there's food here" announcement. I'm learning lots!
I wish I could say that I have also learned to overcome all of my fears with taking care of my animals. I have not. Maybe that's something that will happen next summer. Maybe that should go on the to-do list now... fear eradication and possibly buying a chainsaw.
Louie
Friday, November 16, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
All kinds of stuff
My brains keep flitting over stuff. Stuff that needs to get done. Stuff I haven't worked on. I should have worked on.... now winter is coming... now I am having panic attacks ....which keeps me from getting anything done. So much stuff!!!
First I'll start with chicken stuff. I spent some time building a four seater nesting box. It did not look all that great, but I figured who cares? The chickens won't complain, right? I had measured the door on the wee coop and made sure that we could get in. Spent an afternoon and part of the next morning knocking it together. Then hauled it out to the coop. Shoved it in there on it's side. Then tried to tip it up into it's standing position. Oops! The center roof brace is in the way and after several attempts the nesting box is still not installed. Best laid plans and all...
It occurred to me, after a fair amount of cussing, that I should have just gotten some five gallon buckets and cut them down. I could slide them out of the way to get to the water and feeder and it would have just been so EASY!!! With that in mind, I will walk around later and look for buckets, especially buckets that have gotten a crack in the bottom that can't do bucket duty anymore.
Today should hopefully (Please God!!) be a big day. I have gotten some bird netting to help finish up my chicken yard. The yard has the wee coop in it sitting on concrete blocks. The structure is one of those cheap shade houses. Just the frame, not the cover. Put the cover on it and the wind will blow it into the next county, but so far with it standing as frame alone, we are doing okay. Then the chicken wire went up. I had two rolls. The four foot tall roll went around the north side and the three foot roll went around the south. It doesn't quite meet up so that is where I will install the door. The bird mesh will go over the top today.... with luck. That's the goal anyway. Chicken yard door and bird mesh.
I also want to work on getting the horses moved. I need to set some steel rods set and string some temporary wire. Ideally, I would also get two holes dug and set two posts that would be the basis for a lean-to run in shelter. It isn't what I had hoped for, but it will get them onto fresh grass for a day or two. I will immediately need to be concerned with what to do next and try to see if the neighbor guy will have hay for sale. (Please, God!)
And that brings me to money........
I have been toying a bit with farm math. I have been looking at blurb.com for my book.... have I mentioned this before? I do not remember, but anyway, it looks as if a six inch by nine inch hardcover book would sell for $4.95. With that in mind...... if my book sold for $8.95 then I would have four dollars after paying for each book. From that I would probably have to give half to the government for taxes. I will figure two dollars pure profit from each book. The goal (Please, God!) for the book is to pay off the mortgage so Mac could take early retirement and hopefully take care of himself, get some muscles back on his legs and with luck live in peace, etc.,etc. Roughly we owe $168,000.00. I will need to sell 84,000 books. Shit! That's a lot. Well, you never know. The world is a big place and surely there are 84,000 demented people out there that might not mind my ramblings so very much. I have my outline and my forward written. I am currently on my third start of chapter one.
That's my stuff for today. First, chores. Then, my chicken stuff. Then, my horse stuff and then, if there is anything left of my day, I will start in on chapter one once again. (Please, God! just let all of my stuff work out today!)
Louie
First I'll start with chicken stuff. I spent some time building a four seater nesting box. It did not look all that great, but I figured who cares? The chickens won't complain, right? I had measured the door on the wee coop and made sure that we could get in. Spent an afternoon and part of the next morning knocking it together. Then hauled it out to the coop. Shoved it in there on it's side. Then tried to tip it up into it's standing position. Oops! The center roof brace is in the way and after several attempts the nesting box is still not installed. Best laid plans and all...
It occurred to me, after a fair amount of cussing, that I should have just gotten some five gallon buckets and cut them down. I could slide them out of the way to get to the water and feeder and it would have just been so EASY!!! With that in mind, I will walk around later and look for buckets, especially buckets that have gotten a crack in the bottom that can't do bucket duty anymore.
Today should hopefully (Please God!!) be a big day. I have gotten some bird netting to help finish up my chicken yard. The yard has the wee coop in it sitting on concrete blocks. The structure is one of those cheap shade houses. Just the frame, not the cover. Put the cover on it and the wind will blow it into the next county, but so far with it standing as frame alone, we are doing okay. Then the chicken wire went up. I had two rolls. The four foot tall roll went around the north side and the three foot roll went around the south. It doesn't quite meet up so that is where I will install the door. The bird mesh will go over the top today.... with luck. That's the goal anyway. Chicken yard door and bird mesh.
I also want to work on getting the horses moved. I need to set some steel rods set and string some temporary wire. Ideally, I would also get two holes dug and set two posts that would be the basis for a lean-to run in shelter. It isn't what I had hoped for, but it will get them onto fresh grass for a day or two. I will immediately need to be concerned with what to do next and try to see if the neighbor guy will have hay for sale. (Please, God!)
And that brings me to money........
I have been toying a bit with farm math. I have been looking at blurb.com for my book.... have I mentioned this before? I do not remember, but anyway, it looks as if a six inch by nine inch hardcover book would sell for $4.95. With that in mind...... if my book sold for $8.95 then I would have four dollars after paying for each book. From that I would probably have to give half to the government for taxes. I will figure two dollars pure profit from each book. The goal (Please, God!) for the book is to pay off the mortgage so Mac could take early retirement and hopefully take care of himself, get some muscles back on his legs and with luck live in peace, etc.,etc. Roughly we owe $168,000.00. I will need to sell 84,000 books. Shit! That's a lot. Well, you never know. The world is a big place and surely there are 84,000 demented people out there that might not mind my ramblings so very much. I have my outline and my forward written. I am currently on my third start of chapter one.
That's my stuff for today. First, chores. Then, my chicken stuff. Then, my horse stuff and then, if there is anything left of my day, I will start in on chapter one once again. (Please, God! just let all of my stuff work out today!)
Louie
Monday, November 5, 2012
Sorry about that......
I have been gone again. I'm terribly sorry. It couldn't be helped. A week ago, more or less, the family gathered together at my mother's for an annual dinner. We came. We ate. We left with either a virus, or possibly, a bubbling morass of bacterial cultures, virulent enough to attack and take down every adult family member. The little kids were unscathed, but they tend to just eat desserts and chase each other around the yard out in the fresh air. A strategy I might adhere to in future.
The first night of illness was an epic onslaught. Yes, I was onslaughting like crazy and I was reminded of my own mortality. I clung to my bed for three days after. Then began the battle for normalcy. Well, normal for me. As of yesterday, my stomach has stopped feeling like a huge heavy weight, tender to everything I swallow. All that remains is that bit of depression that seems to follow an illness. I have hopes of being back into the light completely tomorrow.
There is something about spending long periods of time swaddled in that suspended animation known as illness that does something to your mind. You tell God that you will be good from now on. You'll be kind to animals and small children, and possibly even strangers..... on occasion and if they don't smell funny. You tell yourself that when you are strong again, you will do great things.
I've gotten past that stage. My promises to God have been chalked up to feverish dementia and I'm feeling kind of sorry about that too. Something that did bubble up while ill was the memory of promising myself that I would someday try to write a book. I try to keep my promises, even ones to myself. So, I am going to write a book.... probably a really sucky book. Isn't that exciting!? I will add my name to the extensive list of two bit, second rate, less then necessary authors. To compensate, I will do my best to have a real nifty cover.
Then I need to try and reconsider all of those God promises.
Louie
The first night of illness was an epic onslaught. Yes, I was onslaughting like crazy and I was reminded of my own mortality. I clung to my bed for three days after. Then began the battle for normalcy. Well, normal for me. As of yesterday, my stomach has stopped feeling like a huge heavy weight, tender to everything I swallow. All that remains is that bit of depression that seems to follow an illness. I have hopes of being back into the light completely tomorrow.
There is something about spending long periods of time swaddled in that suspended animation known as illness that does something to your mind. You tell God that you will be good from now on. You'll be kind to animals and small children, and possibly even strangers..... on occasion and if they don't smell funny. You tell yourself that when you are strong again, you will do great things.
I've gotten past that stage. My promises to God have been chalked up to feverish dementia and I'm feeling kind of sorry about that too. Something that did bubble up while ill was the memory of promising myself that I would someday try to write a book. I try to keep my promises, even ones to myself. So, I am going to write a book.... probably a really sucky book. Isn't that exciting!? I will add my name to the extensive list of two bit, second rate, less then necessary authors. To compensate, I will do my best to have a real nifty cover.
Then I need to try and reconsider all of those God promises.
Louie
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