The Chickens

By the end of May, the chickens that were hatched on March 1st were almost three months old.

They had been kept indoors due to their small size and the cold nights that we have in northern New England.

So coming to a new home in a hay filled coop was going to be some different for them.

The long trip from my daughter's house didn't seem to bother them too much.

And they took to the coop like they had always been in it.

By instinct, I guess, they knew to go in to the enclosed part at night.

We kept them in the coop with the built in pen for a couple of days so they could get used to it.

Then we opened the door.

Three of them couldn't wait to get out and explore their new surroundings.

One of the hens was quite timid about leaving, but once out, they all stuck together.

They stayed around the outside of the coop for a couple of weeks until they got braver.

They are now free ranging all over the yard - eating all the bugs, seeds, and greenery they want.

Three hens with their rooster protector.

And do they have names - but of course - all pets do!

The Coop

It has been a while since my last post.

And it has been a very busy spring and summer this year.

The warm weather started with a construction project.

Now, neither of us are experienced in this activity, but we used our wits and came up with a plan.

We needed a small chicken coop for four new life forms that were going to be joining us in a matter of weeks.

We each drew what we thought would work, and when we compared our diagrams, we had drawn the same style of coop.

That was a good start - no disagreements to overcome.

My main concern - it had to be strong enough to withstand the many types of wildlife that visit us regularly.

I don't want my chickens to be their meals.

We built it sturdy and strong - both the coop and the attached pen.

Thick wood and hardware cloth instead of chicken wire will hopefully keep them safe.

Comparing what we built with the ones available at the hardware store, I would say we did a fine job.

The cost was minimal as we recycled most of the parts.

After adding the hay, the chickens new home was ready - and just in the nick of time for their arrival!

Whop! Whop! Whop!

Each connecting swing of the hammer made the pitch change.

I never knew that nails had such a song as they were driven into hard wood.

I could tell when the swing was perfect and when it wasn't just by that song.

And the smell of the wood sawdust as it fell to ground from the back of the circular saw.

Sweet and fragrant.

It would have been grand to have been out there with my camera to capture these actions - and they probably would do well on the stock sites too.

But we are constructing a chicken coop - for my four new chickens.

And I want to help build it.

Besides - I would have missed the song of the nails if I was paying attention to capturing the action instead of participating in it.

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Winter Hanging On

It has been one of the coldest, and certainly, the longest, winters that I can remember.

And I have been around for a few.

We have had some late season storms, but they usually came and went quickly.

They have never hung on as this winter has.

But there is hope.

The edges of the lake are beginning to melt.

The robins have been here for weeks now even though the poor things still have no grass to forage in around here.

It may only be a short spring - one month instead of three.

But I know it will be the most appreciated one in years.

Especially by two people here in New England.

New Old Stuff

There is always so much to do.

My photo website has taken a back seat for a while now.

And it will probably be that way for a while to come.

Life has a way of doing that - throwing one curve ball after another.

I do have images that were processed a while ago that still need to get uploaded as well as new stuff from the past year that I haven't even had a chance to look at yet.

Heck, some of it is still on the camera needing to be uploaded to the computer.

And the poor camera - it hasn't been used in months - the battery was so low it wouldn't even turn on.

 But, when I do get a few minutes, every now and then, I will be trying to upload what I have to my website, and to several of the microstock sites that I contribute to.

Most of it is a couple years old now - but it's all still new here.

43 Days Til Spring

The days have been getting longer - it doesn't get dark now until after 5:00.

They may be longer - but they certainly haven't been any warmer.

The bitter cold has made this winter seem even longer than it usually is.

After the big snowstorm we had yesterday, it was good to hear the news lady mention we only have 43 days left until the first day of spring.

It's on it's way, and I can only think it can't get here soon enough.

Mother Nature paints a beautiful scene with her snowfalls, but they are nothing compared to the glorious spring season that she will deliver in a few weeks time.

Happy 2014!

Hoping for a Happy New Year for all!

May the gift of each new day bring more joy than sorrow as we all begin another trip around the sun.

Health, happiness, and all the best to you, my friends!