The Seven Chicks

I ended up with seven chicks: 2 brown, 2 white, one gray, one with brown/black stripes, and one black. And oh! So fluffy and adorable! Especially that lone little black one there. I'll take better pictures soon, but for now I'm trying to leave them under that warm, red bulb and close to their adoptive Mama. They come out from under her wings only to peck at food, crowd around the water, and play. Then it's back under Mama.

It was a wonderful weekend, taking cocoa to the hen house and watching the chicks. It was calming... oddly soothing, somehow... and I became engrossed in watching the new life, watching them waddle and peck and flap their tiny wings for the first time. I wish everyone- children, especially- could have that moment, too.

Today I'm working at finishing this quilt... finally!... and putting together another round of knitted goodies for my online shop. That, and baking bread and putting together a chicken spaghetti. I think some hot comfort food is in order to keep this cozy magic about the place.

Hope your day is cozy. -Brin
 

Shabby Apple Giveaway Winner!

Good morning, you!

Just popping in to say that we have a winner for last week's Shabby Apple $50 Gift Card Giveaway: it's Timber! 

Big thanks to all who entered. We'll have to do another Giveaway soon! In the meantime, Shabby Apple is offering an additional 10% off all sale items... just use the code FALLSALE at checkout.

Thanks again! Hoping something happy finds you today. -Brin

Unto Us A Chick Is Born...

It was early. Chilly. The coldest morning we've had in months, in fact. I hadn't had coffee.

I was in my pajama pants, trying to move quietly toward the hen house but still making a ruckus- crunchy leaves have blown into my little barn, pine shavings have littered out, a tin bucket had fallen from a nail and gotten in my path. So I couldn't hear that little cheep cheep cheep coming from under Hephzibah's feathers.

Wow, was it chilly. I filled the chicken feeder, checked on everyone, tossed them handfuls of grass, and went back in.

But today is the day. It takes chicken eggs 21 days to hatch, give or take how ambitious the chick is. And today is Day 21. Eight eggs... three weeks... and today's the day.
 

 

Millie and I went back out to check a little while later. And to my amazement, in the back of the nesting box, a miracle: a tiny, already fluffed-out chick!

I screeched, jumped up and down, and went into a flurry of action: Mama, unhatched eggs, and chick went from the nesting box into my make-shift brooder. Although I've heard not to handle chicks as the Mama won't want them with your smell all over them- I took a chance. I dipped the little one's beak in the electrolyte water and pecked at the chick mash so it would take note.

Four hours later, the little one is already eating chick mash and playing on Hephzibah. And the countdown for the remaining little ones is on. 

From our cozy little place to yours, have a great weekend! -Brin

Egg Empress

I had rather be on my farm

than be emperor of the world. 

-George Washington

It's egg delivery day, today is. Every shop in town is out of cartons, so I loaded eggs into grass nests in sacks. Necessity, and all. 

A friend down the road is raising meat rabbits, and we were discussing a fair trade of our goods. A deal was struck, so I guess I'm going to be learning to make rabbit stew this fall. Isn't it strange how tough times are forcing life to come full-circle? As badly as I want to return to Dallas some days, I can't imagine it, really. 

I'd rather be in my little wooden house with my garden patch and chickens than be empress of the world...


(Oh! Don't forget: you still have time to enter the Shabby Apple Gift Card Giveaway! Would hate for you to miss out! -Brin) 

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

 Photo Credit: Shabby Apple

I've been watching one of my favorite movies- Charlotte Gray- and dreaming of a new fall dress this week. What is it about the change of seasons that has us ladies wanting something pretty and different to wear?

And boy do I ever have good news on that front!

Shabby Apple is offering you, my dear reader, a chance to win a $50 Gift Card good for anything on their beautiful site. Hmmm... what will you get? A vintage dress, maybe? Or a casual dress? How about a lacy dress or a retro dress?

Or maybe not a dress at all. Maybe you've been wanting a special occasion blouse. Or bag. Or jewelry. Whatever you've been wishing for and denying yourself, here's your chance to bring it home and step out in something new this fall!

Photo Credit: Shabby Apple

So how does this work? Simple as pumpkin pie:

-  Visit www.shabbyapple.com and pick your favorite item.

-  Come back here and tell me about it in the comments. That's it!

-  For additional chances to win, you can also:

         -  Like Shabby Apple on Facebook

         -  Tweet about the giveaway with the hashtag:
            #shabbyapplegiveaway

         -  Post about this giveaway on your blog 

If you do Facebook, tweet, or post this giveaway, be sure to come back and tell us in the comments so you'll have your name in the hat a few extra times! Everyone can have a total of 4 possible entries. And you must have a USA shipping address to be eligible to win. 

So what are you waiting for? Go on over to Shabby Apple now, pick your pleasure, and come back and tell me about it! Thank you for entering! This Giveaway is now closed.

Good luck!  ;)  -Brin