Morning fun...

Oakley was not sure she wanted eggs this morning!  I feel that way about eggs too sometimes.

Made a batch of Russian Tea...using Aunt Connie's recipe.  MMM...it tastes like fall!

I did a temperature study to see if I could move the chicks to the garage.  They needed more space than the rubbermaid tub.  They are getting bigger and their feathers are starting to change.  I transferred them and then checked on them multiple times.

Yep...they are staying warm enough and they like the room to spread out!  Ted built platforms for the food and water to sit on...and it is helping to keep the feeders much cleaner!

 

Proof...

that I cannot do more than one thing at a time anymore!  I forgot what I started (cooking down some apples) when I got involved in something that needed my full attention (Ted's haircut).  I came out to the kitchen to a smoking pan.  Grrrrr...good thing we don't have smoke detectors right now...but also...we need to get some up!
 

Oakley's day

Oakley was not loving that I was getting ready to leave the house on Monday morning!  I took her with me...cause it was her day to go to the vet to have her surgery.  They kept her overnight to make sure she was ok and rested.  It was odd not having her around all day/night!  I spent the afternoon making cards for an order.  Velle hung out with me.

I will pick her up after ladies Bible study.  I expect to land in the chair for lots of cuddles and naps.

It is always a sweet time of fellowship each week!  My treat matched the theme of the day...pumpkin dip with ginger snaps.

We came home and I got Oakley to eat some lunch before we cuddled up on the chair.  She was full of licks for everyone.  They said she did well overnight...didn't even wake up when they checked on her.

Her sweaters came, so she is all warm and cuddly.  She has been sleepy, but doing well.

 

Didn't see this coming in my job description!

Cute little chicks chirping away after getting fresh bedding, water, and food.  What a mess they make!  I think we are going to be needing to upgrade their living arrangements soon.

Pasty butt...it is a thing for young chicks.  This was the first time to do this and they fussed at me.  

All clean...and then they are pooping in the clean box.

It was a team effort.  Ted got the fresh bedding and then recorded as we checked feathers to see how many females and males.  We think...we might have 3 or 4 males.  Not totally sure.  We were going to band their leg...but the bands are too big even being the small size.  We will just wait till they grow up.

 

Time with the family

We met up at Teddy and Sloan's for the Vols game and food.

We enjoyed chatting and watching the dogs.

But then the internet was not cooperating and we gave up on the game.

We enjoyed time together inside and out.

We continued the football frenzy on Sunday by watching the Bears play.

 

It is fun when Ted takes vacation days!

We are enjoying the change of the season.

Our day dates...to Rural King and Tractor Supply!

We are putting a fence around the backyard for the safety of our dogs.

We have all the tools to make it easier.

Work smarter...not harder...until you run into an issue and have to pull out posts and reset!

And we once again picked the hottest days of the month to do this project!  We took a break till the sun passed over the house.

And then...the clouds moved in and the weather shifted!

What a beautiful fall weekend!

She wanted my attention...but I was busy making cards for an order.

Just to see...we cracked open the one egg that didn't hatch...it never developed.

After a long day of working outside...for supper...chicken pot pie!  And we laughed...but it tasted soooo good!

 

Things I did not experience in the Michigan suburbs

Little lizards and salamanders on the deck or on the side of the house unexpectedly.

A compost pail on my kitchen counter.

Making the dogs good food all the time.  I get 8 servings which feeds both dogs out of a pound of meat with veggies added.  They love it...well, Velle does.  Not so sure about Oakley...she leaves the veggies for last.

We have pipping going on with the eggs in the incubator!

This one was noisy during the pipping and seemed to explode out of the shell.  Wow!  This is fun to watch.

Every single one of them peck a line around to get out.  It is hard work!

They take lots of breaks.

And pretty soon they are wobbling all over...tripping over their own feet and rolling on the other eggs.

The temp keeps at 99.5 and the humidity was raised for the last three days to 70-77%.  When they were all hatching it went up to 81%.  When we went to bed last night, seven had hatched and three were pipping.  We got up this morning at 6:00am and there were 13 chicks and two more pipping.  This afternoon, we have one egg left and I am waiting to see if it too will hatch.  There are five chicks hanging out in the incubator till they are all fluffy and more stable with walking.  The other ten were moved to the box with food and water and the heat lamp.

The first little chick to move to the temporary brooder box...and yes...it is in the diningroom blocked off from the dogs.  

I have the heat lamp adjusted to help them transition from the 99.5 degrees.  I dipped their beaks in water and they have found the feed...right now...several are sleeping on the plate!

Velle is determined to watch over them!

A card arrived in the mail on just the right day!  I love it!  I found these ornaments at Tractor Supply today...and I had no restraint.  The gal talked me out of what I went in to buy.

While in town today, I meandered through Goodwill.  I looked at this...I should have purchased it!

I also walked around Rural King...by myself...not on a mission AND I got a bag of popcorn! MMM.  I didn't buy anything...I just looked at EVERYTHING.

I am embracing the stores that cater to our countryside life.  There are different items that we buy here that we didn't in the suburbs!  I had to wait for Oakley to be done at her spa day, so I took time to wander.  

I also decided today to start taking the time to stop at places that spark my attention!  I tend to not ask to do it when Ted and I are out and about...usually on a mission of some sort.  Maybe it is time to slow down and stop and enjoy the little things that are all around us!  I have always talked myself out of it...and wow...I have missed some things.  I passed this food truck/trailer on my way to drop off Oakley.  It said donuts on the side that faced the road.  "OOO, I bet they are good.  I have to stop and get cash to pay for Oakley...so...I am going to stop on my way home!"

Oh my!  They smelled good...still a little warm.  I bought 1/2 dozen...but when I pulled one out of the bag...it was the size of my face.  

I pulled it apart to take a bite as I drove out of the parking lot...noticing the line of people that just formed!  Oh...this is going to be good...

I think the angels sang as I took a bite!  Wow!  I saved 1 1/2 for Ted and I walked the other 3 over to share with our neighbors.  They had never stopped there!  I am glad I took the opportunity!

I came home to fluffy chicks...

and finished my coffee drink while catching up on computer work...while wearing my chicken shirt.

Next up...

Momma rabbit was stuffing hay into her mouth this morning...a sign of getting ready to nest for babies!  I put the nesting box into the cage and while I was gone, she put some hay inside.  I gave her some more but she spread it all over her cage and was laying down.  I laughed!  Yep, do a little work and then lay down and take a nap.  We shall see what happens next...and when!

If you look in the sky, you will see black flecks.  There were seven or eight hawks circling overhead when I took the dogs outside this afternoon.  NOT COOL...not with rabbits in the garage and two small dogs.  I didn't open the big garage door as planned...you just never know!