The Teens and Growing Things

The Teens (baby chicks) are not so much babies anymore.  They are
not grown--only 6 seeks old.  And comical.  Interesting chicken facts:
A chicken has a normal body temp of around 102 degrees.  Its heart beats
between 280 and 315 times per minute.  Average lifespan is 5-7 years,
although 20 years is not unknown.  (this info courtesy of Backyard Chickens--
Gide to Coops and Tractors.)  My favorite tractor is the A-frame, but doubt
 it is the most practical.

Back to the teens--one escaped from the tub and was found in the sink,
looking at itself in the mirror. Later on, in the same night, 2 escaped and
were found looking in the mirror.

What they saw was a juvenile red jersey hybrid--with yellow peach fuzz
all over their face.  They should be living outside by now--kinda hard to
build the chicken tractor with daily deluges of rain.  Yesterday it didn't
rain--but the weather called for it, and it threatened nearly all day.  We
are supposed to get some good weather for about 3 days.  One person
in the book about chicken coops had this to say:  "I went to Lowes and
came home with about 800.00 worth of building supplies for 14.00 worth
of chickens."  We are slightly ahead of him--only because my partner is
always on the lookout for a deal.  The wood was uncured--then, 3 years
later, it's ready to be used and part of it will be for the coop.  All we need is
a few dry days.  And the the teens will have their own cedar house--Yay!
And he gets the honor of cloroxing and sanitizing the bathroom!!  Several times!

We are growing creasy beans (green beans, these are the old fashioned variety
that taste wonderful.)   Soybeans, African daisies to keep pests out of
the garden.  Zephyr Squash (delicious) and summer crooked neck squash.
More tomatoes than a body could ever eat.  I have one (Black Krim) growing
right off the porch--it literally was rained out of its container.  Yum-Yum pepers.
Bok choy, which I love only second to leeks.  Cucumbers, Sugar Snap Peas,
and  some maybe cauliflower--which is green! Lastly in the first of 4 trays is
Orange Butterfly Bushes.  There are also 12-24 sunflowers planted--of the giant
variety--and one row of the smaller sunflowers. There are "long beans"
which my partner wanted to try, a row of peas, a row of watermelons, some
scarlet runner beans, and some black cherry tomatoes--and last of all, some
hummingbird mix--a row.

That isn't counting all the lettuce, radishes,  and carrots,  Another blueberry
bush and 4 redbud trees are on their way here, and a few other things.  Last
year we grew everything in containers, and by the time we got everything
moved, some didn't make it.  However, the lavender did and is blooming out
now!

I fell asleep while watching TV.  I have Raynaud's disease and polymyosites.
Both are autoimmune diseases--activated when I was injured at work.  Both
can be serious.  Both cause you to feel as if all energy has been drained from
your body.  I hate when this happens--but the Mayo Clinic says to rest more,
sleep more, try not to worry, and eventually, it will pass. (Easy for them to say!)

I woke up at 2AM--and now I'm going back to bed.  GoodNight all!

Kate Thorn