What Can Slay a Dragon and Populate a Field of Flowers?

A slingshot of course!  I was a little restless in December when we actually got rain after a very dry year.  What better way to put those idle hands to good use than making something!

Because I am all about the extra, extra -  I branded our initial on the leather.

You can use all sorts of things for ammo.  Felt balls, rocks, almonds. Or if you want to spread a little love out in the wild. You can sling these colorful seed balls and come back a few months later to enjoy the field of flowers. 

Ticking Biological Clock - Chicken Edition

I was very concerned about Chicka as she hasn't been herself lately.  Usually, she and Boom Boom follow each other around the yard all day long unless one of them is laying an egg. But for the past few days, she sat in the coop all day. I thought she might be ill, but it turns out she's got all the signs of a broody hen!  Puffy feathers, not eating or drinking, hissing at us like we just grabbed the last size 4 at the Filene's Wedding Dress sale.  I guess humans aren't the only ones with maternal instincts.  I feel a little badly for her.  Apparently, this can last a few weeks or longer! We don't have a rooster to fertilize her eggs, so ain't no chicks be coming. How apropos - She's like the  human counterpart of a single female in her 40s living in Silicon Valley.

If I could convey some advice to her, I'd tell her that kids are overrated.  Sure, they are adorable about 59% of the time.  And I'd throw myself in front of a bus to save them (Ok, one of them. Iffy on the other one)  But they are life suckers.  Think of  the vacations you can take with all that extra money.  Or how clean your house can be.  Or how you can eat out, every night. And wake up, any time!  Why would you trade all that for rugrats that leave Legos out for you to trip on?

We felt sorry for her so we brought her inside for the night.

Not sure I am helping the cause by putting fake eggs in the box. She just looked so lonely and pathetic.

                        Rugrat being adorable         ^^^

The Girls Are Settling In Nicely

They pretty much like to drink from everything but their water bowl.

Chicka is a big gal and can't balance as well.  So she spends a lot of time on the ground 

watching Boomey's mischief.

We continue to get lots of eggs.

The doggie seems to like chicken feed too.

Chicka, the quintessential big, fat hen!

+/- Windy Nights on the Beach

Minus:

Reeeally hard to get a fire going.  We had to improvise with using a bucket as a wind shield.  

Plus:  

You get the beach all to yourself!

Success just in time, because the bucket was starting to melt.

Never realized an end of a burnt firewood resembled the design on sand dollar so much.

#BeautyInNatureWhenYouPayAttention

And of course, kids + beach no matter what the temperature. #SpringBreakRules

PS: The husband and I are having a debate on who started the fire on this windy day.  He said he's glad I "utilized" his method.  I asked him if he knew the name of the person who developed the telephone. The answer is "no"  because all that matters is the person who brought it to market : Alexander Bell. That's right boys and girls, the only thing that matters is execution and first to market.  Mark Zuckerburg > Winklevoss Twins.

Time To Get Everyone Acquainted

On the third day, we decided it was time for all the kids to get acquainted.  We figured it was better to bite the bullet early on and deal with the discord now.  Rather  than lure the chickens into a false sense of sovereign.

We gingerly dropped Cosmo into the run. Chika was definitely more nervous of the two.  

Boom Boom got right in there.

Pretty soon everyone went about doing their own business.

Then came the human kid introduction. 

Next step: Free Range.  

 Cosmo's thought bubble: This ass does not smell like a dog.

Chickens: "Damn....this whole yard is ours?"

 See what I mean about Boom Boom being the more aggressive one?

What I've learned today is chickens are very methodical.  I sat out there for most of the day in part out of curiosity and in part out of fear for their safety. Our yard is a rectangle and they started to peck in one corner of the dirt border and made their way all around the perimeter by the end of the day.  Except for a minor foray when they were first let loose out of their run. They did not zig zag or get distracted in any fashion.  They stuck to a pattern of pecking at every square inch of the border like two hands of a clock and made a full "circle" by the end of the day. At 7:26PM, Boom Boom stood for a few minutes on our deck (the 12:00 position if you will) then proceeded to go into the coop on her own and found her way to the upstairs nesting box.  Chicka?  Well, that is another story and one that I don't have time to report right now because it's Sangria time.

Urban Farming

Cooked breakfast with our first eggs and used spinach from the veggie garden.  

Feeling industrious and ready for The Hunger Games.

For the record, I didn't taste a major difference between these and store bought eggs.  

Chicka escaped the coop and got some Free Ranging time.  Hopefully, we will feel comfortable soon about letting them roam all day.  At this point, I am not confident they won't be easily spooked and fly away.