Crazy?

Some would say yes if asked to give an opinion of my travels yesterday. A need to make a run to buy groceries & take care of a few errands. Had me traveling under the blackest skies in order to stock our pantry and pick up some needed barn supplies. Severe weather was called for and it didn't forget to show up either. Thankfully I made it home before the deluge dropped upon us and the tornado activity started. That is one thing about living out in the country, you can see it coming for miles away. No high rise buildings to block your view. The approaching cold front was going to collide with the warm weather we were enjoying, no way around it. I did get soaked doing the evening feeding, even getting stuck in the goat shed for awhile during a heavy pouring of rain. But made it to the house before the worst of the weather dropped in for a visit. The sky had taken on that eiry yellow light that accompanies tornado activity. A sure sign that a dangerous evening was before me and our critters.


The second reason I would be considered crazy was that particular something that got added to my cart while I was at Tractor Supply. Now that I think about it, I believed my son did call me that last night. I had made a quick stop to get syringes and supplies for the upcoming births. I heard the commotion as soon as I entered the store, for they were being quite vocal. We had seen the signs of their coming weeks ago. Even discussing the option of buying, but deciding we would just wait for now. Nope! didn't happen, the sight and sound of the little fuzz balls spoke to this farmer girl's heart. A quick call to boss man sealed the deal and I brought home 6 new faces for our hen house. The sign said they were Light Brahmas, but the salesman wasn't 100% sure what was sent to them. They looked a little too golden to be Light Brahmas, more like Buff Brahmas.

Taking a chance I selected the ones I wanted, called Lon to check chick coloration's for Brahmas on line and paid for my purchases. Only to have to make a return trip to the store an hour later for some chick starter feed. In my zealousness of getting them, I had failed to purchase food for them!



Adding baby chicks to our flock is not something out of the ordinary. As we try to raise new replacement hens every year. The part that would have me labeled crazy is that we already have 43 eggs basking in the incubator right now. We had penned up the Rhode Island Reds separately to gather their eggs for hatching. Then added several Barred Rock hens to the group. Hoping for some good sex-link chicks also. Sex-links are wonderful layers and make good broody moms too. They come from a breeding between them and a Rhode Island rooster. Only time will tell how many of each breed we will get. So buying day old chicks would be considered crazy by some folks, I guess.



Do you think that are saying ~ go away?

Oh, I forgot to mention too that we have a shipment of 25 Freedom Rangers coming on Friday. They are a breed of broilers we are going to try this year. I've been reading some very good reviews from those who have raised them. Then found a supplier in the northeast that raises only this breed. Placed an order and wa-la our poultry flock will be increasing real soon. With our desire to raise all of our food, they should give us some mighty fine eating, starting about July. Just in time for full swing barbecuing season.

So all in all I guess to the urbanite, I WOULD be considered CRAZY to take on more chicks. But you have to have a heart for this type of living in order to appreciate it. Where others are busy commuting in traffic to a job within stone and metal walls. I get to breathe fresh air, feel the sun on my shoulders, snuggle a few baby goats, watch the antics of baby chicks and savor my cup of coffee real slow.

If I am crazy, I am not the only one around here. I've had a cactus sitting on my kitchen window sill since we moved here. It has tried to set buds only one other time, but failed. I had moved it from one end of the shelf to the other. When I took down my Snowmen decor at the end of January. Guess it got bit by the same Spring Crazy bug that I did. Because it has started to bloom at a time of year it is not known for doing so. Usually you can get Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter cactus in bloom during those holidays. But I think mine is confused as to what time of year it is. What do you call one blooming in Winter? Crazy? I don't think I will call it that. I am enjoying it's spot of color over my sink. Besides maybe it knows something about the upcoming season that we don't. Like Spring may be here before we turn around good. . .

Enjoying the daffy's sitting on my kitchen window sill,

Deborah