Robert E. Lee had a chicken he took with him the whole time the Civil War was going.  Many a soldiers tried to cook the chicken, but he managed to rescue it saying, “Boiling the hen will give us one fine meal, but keeping her alive will feed us every day.”

So, as I said, not only are we preparing to buy a home, we'd like one with land so we can have our chickens.  Today I emailed our county law division and asked them stipulations pertaining to keeping hens and the local zoning laws pertaining to the subject.  I am awaiting for more information so we can keep in mind those stipulation while we look.

In the meantime, as you may have already noticed, I'm looking at both city coops and plans for regular ones.  I have an idea of what I'd like for a bigger one if we find a place in the country. I'll share those plans later.  Right now, I'm picking out which chickens we'll order once we move.

Let me just say that there are lots and lots of chickens out there.  Bantams which are smaller in size and tend to lay eggs with more yolk than whites, then there are the common chickens, the specialty and the Cochins which have the cute feathered feet but have a reputation for being poor layers (please, all jokes aside here, I'm having a chicken breed crisis).  There are crested breeds with feathered crowns and heavy breeds which are used for meat. 

With all those breeds, I felt more and more confused at choosing exactly which ones would work for our area with cold Northeastern snow and wind.  Ones that were well mannered, lay eggs quite often, and are good setters.  (now I'm starting to sound like a singles add.haha)

Murray McMurray is a hatchary with good, healthy chickens.  Not only do they sell chickens, but other game birds like turkeys, ducks, geese. Lets not forget about pheasants, quail, peacocks, and guineas.  If your ever in the market, I HIGHLY recommend Murray McMurray at www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html

One decision I do know, we are looking for brown egg layers.  So, that trims the list down a bit. The best part of Murray McMurray is they have "assortment" options for different breeds and egg colors.  So we have now decided to order the BROWN EGG LAYERS ASSORTMENT.

How easy was that?  We know we wanted brown egg layers, we just weren't sure which ones to choose because we've never had any of them.  Choosing the assortment, Murray McMurray throws in an assortment and you'll only know once they get to you which breed they are.  I like that alot because we don't have to choose just one breed, but can see which ones we really prefer for our next order. In the Brown Egg Assortment, they guarantee 5 of the following breeds:

Black Australorps; Lt. Brahmas; Dark Cornish; Black and White Giants; Buff and White Orpingtons; New Hampshire, Rhode Island Reds, Barred, White, Partridge, Buff Rocks;Deleware, Sussex, Turkens; White, Silver Laced, & Columbian Wyandottes, Red Star and Black Star.

A couple other breeds we were introduced to from our homestead friends, and plan to also purchase are Araucana and Dominique Chickens.  They produce green and blue eggs.  Our friends called them "easter eggs".  They're both pretty friendly and by exeperience with our friends when we were there, they are pretty good natured and do well in the winter months.  Check out a Youtube video above that I found on the breed.

How exciting to have made our choices.  We hope to introduce them late summer, early fall when we close on a home of our own. Woohoo!

So I've been searching for plans for chicken coops.  In our search for a home here in NYS, I'm trying to keep in mind we'd like some land in the country to have chickens, goats, etc.  Sounds silly to those of you who know doug and I in real life, BUT we've always had this dream.

Thing is, he works in the city limits and finding a small homestead or a home on a small piece of land within our budget, has proved to nothing more than trying.

We won't let that get us down though.  If the good Lord wants us in the city limits, then we should plan accordingly.  Some cities allow chickens.  In fact, some allow chickens, just not the loud roosters within the city limits.

With that in mind, I've been looking for regular chicken coop plans AND small city type chicken runners that can move.  You can imagine my surprise when I found a site by OMLET that sells Eglu's.  Yup, IGLOOS for chickens are made from energy efficient polymers using modern construction techniques and at the end of its life it can be 100% recycled. 

Take a Look at their Brochure online in PDF

Above you'll see a guide to keeping chickens. The little girl is SO CUTE and the eglu is in the picture.  I just found the little girl to be so precious that I had to post this.

My one true concern with this is in the harsh Upstate NY winters, how the chickens would get on and not freeze to death.

This is where you avid homesteaders come in.  What do you think?  Have any ideas on what to do in the wintertimes?  Have any other ideas or plans?  How bout plans for bigger size coops if we do find a home with some land?

Let me know your experience and feel free to comment.

Blessings!

Rebekah

Barak was in office 767 days when he announced he was going to become president.

Sarah Palin was in office 635 days when she announced she was going to be a candidate for Vice Presidency. If they get the presidential slot, she'll have 24 MORE days experience on January 20, 2009 when she'd enter Vice Presidency than Barak if he became president.

Since Baraks Candidacy, he's raised about 21million dollars a month for his state.

Sarah Palin? As Governor of Alaska she has 1.025 BILLION. That's right, BILLION, she's been handling which is 47 TIMES as large as Baraks.

Barak Obama has 2500 Employees working for him.

Sarah Palin? Handles 77,000 employees which is 31 times as large as Barak handles.

SO, if Barak, as he's stated on the news recently, is more than qualified with experience to be president of the United States, then Sarah Palin is 31 to 47 more times qualified than Barak. You do the math!

YOU as an individual American Citizen have a Freedom and Right to vote for whomever you want.  YOU have that right and really the OBLIGATION to your children and children's children, to uphold your duty as an American Citizen.

I don't care who you vote for!  Democrat, Republican or a Third Party you have an obligation and freedom from our Founding Fathers, to participate in electing your government leaders.  Take time to educate yourselves on all parties candidates running for office and REALLY look past "special interest groups" who help to form your opinions without you really knowing it.  Find out what each candidate stands for and vote according to what YOU stand for.

What do you stand for?  Who do you stand for?  If someone walked up to you today and asked what you stood for could you answer yourself?  Or would you answer the way you were taught by someone else?

Understand that this is America.  We have certain freedoms that our Founding Fathers founded this country on.  One with pride and accomplishment.  In helping others and learning to be neighbors even if we disagree with one another.

President George Washington said that if we become "Party Oriented"  instead of Americans United, we would falter as a Country of freedom. 

United we stand, divided we fall.

Use your freedom to vote wisely.  Vote for The United States of America and not by Party Loyalty.  Enjoy that freedom. Some don't have it. 

Blessings to you everyone!

Rebekah

In my process of researching Sarah Palin, I'm finding more and more about her "human side".

I've been hearing rebuttle to my blog post on my general blog from bloggers who have legalistic views about women needing to be at home with their children so that they can be "good mothers"

I even received an anonymous post containing crap (not information) pertaining to feministic views of women from a skinhead website which is not only racist in origion, but contains hatred toward women, minorities and religions other than their own.

After deleting that paticular comment (any comment in my blog is subject to deletion ESPECIALLY if they don't have the gutts to put a name) and not responding to such hatred to give it more fuel, I decided to relax a bit and figure out what I could say.

In my recent findings today, Sarah revealed to everyone that her 17 year old daughter is pregnant and plans to wed.

Here comes the uproar I thought for a minute!

It's a shame that not only is there hatred left in this world, but that people would hide behind legalistic views to condemn people in Jesus name.  I am NOT one of those people.

I am a hardworking homemaker who after talking with my husband, is able to stay home and work for the needs of my husband and home...with one day having the blessing to stay at home with my own children.  I don't take that for granted one bit!  I came home during a tough time in our lives when Doug needed me here.  We learned how to live within our means on ONE INCOME and have since never turned back. I understand that there are many other women who would LOVE to do so and can't OR just feel their calling is in the community to make an impact on the world.  Whatever the reason, I respect that.

But as a Christian woman, there's one thing I WILL NOT DO.  I will not judge those other women who choose to work for the common good of their families and in Sarah Palins case, she's also working for the common good of America.

Like any nurse, poliece officer, pastor, soldier, Dr., Trash man and other workers who leave their families daily to work odd schedules so that people can live according to custom, and have the healthcare and emergency needs, it is NOT my job to judge another. I am also reminded by God Himself, when He tells us in His word that only HE can judge. That we will one day be judged by Him.  I can only imagine what He'd be saying to those who blatently judge based on their own idea of what people should be doing. 

~ Knock, knock. "Who's There"?  God says at the door.  It is I God, You know me!  "Ah, The one who felt compelled to take my place" says God.  Well Lord, You say here, here and here that I, um, erm.  "Did I not say Love thy neighbor as you love yourself?"  "Do you not know that if it weren't for me, you'd be in hell?"  "Do I not say in my commandments there is no other God accept for me? " God says.  "Then Why my child have you condemned others?"  ~

It makes me MAD when people hide behind legalistic views in the name of Jesus to spread hatred and belittle working women (or anyone else for that matter)  who in most cases these days, MUST work to keep their families afloat.  The book of James talks about each child of God having a God-given gift. Not everyone has the same gift.  Some have the gift of teaching, some the gift of giving, some a gift of ministering, and the list goes on and on and on. 

If we do not know what Gods conviction and will is over another, who are we to think that He hasn't a plan for Sarah Palin.  Maybe her gift is not only her family, but to share her testimony of trial and triumph with a hurting nation.  Someone who will listen.  She is human and is NOT God.  But she sure has a heart of compassion for the people in her community and country.

So back to her 17 year old daughter.  There is no doubt that this will be a tough road for her.  But she has something many other girls her age may not have.  The support of a loving mother and father. 

Sarah can understand what it's like to be a "working mother" . She also can understand teenage pregnancy first-hand as well as raising a child with special needs.  She wants whats best for her family and her country and is willing to tick her own party off if that means they're using taxpayers money to pay for frivolous things.

Does she have issues in her family right now?  Yes!  Is there any one person dumb enough to say they're absolutely perfect in every way?  I don't think so.

I absolutely LOVE to educate myself on candidates.  Truely there is no perfect candidate out there that agrees with ALL of my beliefs.  Until Palin was nominated as a possible VP nominee I was actually thinking of voting third party because I'm so sick of two parties that represent NONE of "We The People".

Now, I am more interested in educating myself on Palin, NOT because she's a woman (I'd have rather of had Condy Rice as President if that was the case) but because she fights for Us.  Granted we'll be learning more before we actually make a choice, but darnit!  I'm not going to make my choice based on false Biblical beliefs.  I know He wouldn't want it that way.

***In closing, Sarah Palin is dealing with reality right now.  I do not condemn her because as many with teenage children understand, you can't control their outcome. You can give them great morals and a loving home as well as a God fearing one, it's up to them to make the right choices.  What I'm focusing on, is how Sarah handles this in hopes that she will use these obsticles as a testimony to others.  It is without a doubt a teaching moment.  I'm sure one that her dear daughter would have loved to learn outside the media. 

And to all you working women out there.  I'm proud of you all and lift you up in prayer for each hard day you fight.  I'm not a feminist.  But I believe in femininity. I'm proud to be a woman and proud of the accomplishments God has enabled us all to accomplish.  We each have such a different gift and what an honor it is to individually use them in His honor.

Blessings everyone!

Rebekah

Gov. Palins Biography

REASON #10:  PALIN’S YOUTH COMPLEMENTS McCAIN’S EXPERIENCE
For months, Obama’s supporters have touted the Senator’s youthfulness as one of his qualifications for office (a strategy they’re apt to scale back on, given their selection of a Vice President nearly as old as McCain).  If youth is seen as a plus by voters, then Alaska Governor Sarah Palin fits the bill.  At 44, she is 3 years younger than Barack Obama, and the youngest person ever to be elected Governor of Alaska.  Palin is also the state’s first Governor to have been born after Alaska achieved statehood, as well as Alaska’s first female Governor.

REASON #9:  PALIN PUTS PRINCIPLE AND THE PEOPLE FIRST
After her initial, unsuccessful, run against him for the Governor’s office, former Alaska Governor Murkowski appointed Palin Ethics Commissioner of Alaska’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.  If Murkowski figured this appointment would pressure Palin into overlooking misbehavior by her fellow Republicans, he figured wrong.  Within a year, Palin resigned in a very public protest over the ethics displayed by Alaska’s Republican leadership, filing a formal complaint against Randy Ruedrich, who was not only a fellow Oil and Gas Commissioner, but also the chairman of Alaska’s Republican party.

If Senator McCain wants a running mate willing to be a maverick to Party, but never to Principle, he need look no further than Sarah Palin.

REASON #8:  PALIN KNOWS HOW TO RUN, AND WIN, AGAINST TOUGH ODDS
To become Governor, Palin had to defeat both a former Democratic Governor and the incumbent Republican Governor – which she did, and won. Palin defeated Murkowski in the Republican primary, and then her Democratic opponent in the election.  She knows how to campaign successfully, against seemingly impossible odds.

REASON #7:  PALIN IS A REFORM GOVERNOR WITH BIPARTISAN APPEAL
Palin doesn’t just criticize pork-barrel spending – she slashes it.  A few days after she assumed office as Governor, she put the Westwind II jet her predecessor had purchased up for sale, on eBay.  The jet eventually sold, in 2007, for $2.7 million, slightly above its 2005 purchase price. Palin canceled roads and construction projects designed to benefit friends of the prior administration.

REASON #6:  PALIN IS A FEMININE FEMINIST, WITH HOMETOWN, NOT HOLLYWOOD, VALUES
1960s feminists regarded men as oppressors, and considered marriage a state akin to slavery or rape. They struggled to convince each other, and often themselves, that “a woman needs a man, like a fish needs a bicycle.” They treated with contempt women who married, had children, or violated their strict dress code (no heels, no makeup, no dresses, no color that mud doesn’t come in).

Palin’s is a feminism of a different, newer sort – call it ‘Feminism 2.0’ – a feminism that is not hostile to men, and that respects and honors women who work hard to balance a traditional home life with professional ambitions. Palin works hard to achieve such a balance:  three days after giving birth to her fifth child, for example, she conducted a meeting concerning a proposed natural gas pipeline.

Palin met her husband, Alaska’s First Gentleman Todd Palin, at Wasilla High School, where she was point guard for her basketball team, the year they won the championship.  A feminist who also enjoys being feminine, she ran for, and won, the “Miss Wasilla” beauty pageant, a race in which she also won “Miss Congeniality,” an award unlikely to be awarded to many feminists of earlier vintage.  She is, similarly, a member of Feminists for Life, an organization whose mission would have been inconceivable twenty years ago.

REASON #5:  PALIN IS UNAPOLOGETICALLY PRO-LIFE
As the mother of five children, ranging in age from 19 years to 4 months, Palin brings a kind of authority to her pro-life stance that will complement well Senator McCain’s pro-life position.

Palin has also risen courageously to the challenge of having a child diagnosed with Down Syndrome.  Her commitment to the sanctity and value of every human life helps highlight concerns regarding Obama’s position on late-term (actually, post-natal) abortion.

REASON #4:  PALIN IS COMFORTABLE WITH AND LOVED BY BLUE-COLLAR VOTERS
Though Joe Biden talks a great deal about his blue collar roots (and about pretty much every else), any claim he may have to being just one of the people fell away years ago. Biden’s been a Beltway insider since Nixon was President, having been first elected to office in 1972.

Palin, on the other hand, is blue collar to the core.  A life member of the NRA, she hunts and fishes, and the man she loves is an oil rig worker and commercial fisherman, who races snowmobiles for fun.

REASON #3:  PALIN IS UNASHAMEDLY PATRIOTIC
Palin loves this country, and has cultivated such a love in her children.  Her eldest child, Track Palin, joined the Army last year, at 18.  When this fine young man learned that his mother had given birth to a child with Down Syndrome, he sent her a text message, expressing his joy that he finally had a brother.

REASON #2:  PALIN SUPPORTS TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE, BUT DEFENDS GAY RIGHTS
Palin supports the traditional definition of marriage, and opposes same-sex marriage.  Unlike many conservatives, however, she is sensitive to gay concerns about discrimination.  Palin’s is the first administration in Alaska’s history, to provide benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian employees.

AND THE #1 REASON SARAH PALIN WOULD BE THE IDEAL RUNNING MATE FOR SENATOR McCAIN?

TWO WORDS:  RICK LAZIO

Joe Biden was chosen to be Obama’s VP, because of his “attack dog” reputation.  Biden can get away with that kind of nonsense if his opponent is a man, but if he goes after a woman, especially a woman 20 years his junior, he’ll lose blue-collar men and every woman to the right of Nancy Pelosi.

Remember the Rick Lazio/Hillary Clinton senatorial debate, back in 2000, how outrage erupted among the Democrats, when Lazio stepped over to Mrs. Clinton’s podium, and tried to hand her a piece of paper?  (“Brandished” was the verb used in Salon.)  Lazio was accused, baselessly, of trying to intimidate Mrs. Clinton.

Biden has a history of getting himself into trouble by speaking without thinking, and is proud of – and knows he was chosen in large part for – his ability to treat his opponents with abuse, including those who, when convenient, he calls his friends.  Biden is a one-trick pony – he’s a bully – and he lacks the intellectual detachment and self-discipline to keep his mouth shut, when the cameras are on him.  If he tries to bully the small-town beauty queen young enough to be his daughter, the blowback in an age of Youtube will be impressive.

In 1980, many Democrats crossed party lines, and helped elect Ronald Reagan President.  Palin would encourage such a move, on the part of disaffected Democratic feminists.

By selecting Joe Biden as his running mate, Obama energized rather than neutralized, Hillary Clinton.  We can feel sure that, when “Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow” was played tonight at the Democratic Convention, Hillary hadn’t.  She will almost certainly make another run for the Presidency, irrespective of the outcome of the 2008 race.  We can expect to see Mrs. Clinton’s name on the ballot again.

Were John McCain to choose Sarah Palin for his Vice President, and were he to win the election, we could well soon witness the first Presidential race in American history between two women – between Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, feminists of distinctly different generations, experiences, and values.

Thomas R. Marshall, who served as Vice President to Woodrow Wilson, once observed, “There once were two brothers.  One ran away to sea.  The other was elected Vice President, and neither was heard of again.”

If Sarah Palin were chosen to be John McCain’s running mate, she’d be a Vice President who didn’t disappear.  One way or another, we’re sure to hear more from her in the future.

source: Democracy Project

Pic: Sunflower Valley in Camillus NY

Quiet and Calm, no work to be done. I find myself contemplating on Jesus.  My blessed Savior who died for me so I could live in Heaven.  It's been a beauitful, quiet day.  Birds have been chirping, I hear ducks quacking and the sound of crickets outside. 

Today really has helped me understand the importance of this blessed Sabbath day.  It reminds me of love, forgiveness of my own sinful ways and renewal of mind and spirit through Jesus Christ.  I'm not perfect in any way, in fact, it's the mere reason I need Him. 

He is my all, the love of my life, who in troubled times, comes to my defenses, forgives me when I let Him Down, and loves me UNCONDITIONALLY at times when others, as humans, have conditions. He celebrates with me, pushes me to overcome obsticles to be the woman HE wants me to be, holds my hand and pulls me up when I'm weary and knows my innermost desires.

While I can't graps EVERYTHING about my heavenly father, and at times I get SO confused when I try to grasp the mere thought of the Trinity as my human mind can only understand it, I find myself grateful for each day ,for the people in my life, the beauty of this world, while also being able to touch the lives and environment that surrounds me in order to bring some kind of light to a world that's so lost.  For it has nothing to do with me, but it is HE who saves the world.  I can only be used as this broken, imperfect vessel with hopes that maybe one day, I may make my Father proud.

Following His biggest commandment to Love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind and soul and loving others as I would myself.  That means loving everyone who may have hurt me just as I may have hurt others in the past.  That means forgiving even those who have hurt me as I have also hurt . For I am saved only by grace and the love of a perfect Savior. Whom without HIS forgiveness and HIS love, I'd be living in hell.  So it is my obligation to love and forgive others.  And so I shall.

Yes, ((sigh of gratefulness)) I've had so much time to grasp just how much I REALLY have.  What life really means when I have a loving Father who supports me and speaks to me.  I am abundantly blessed with much.

Blessings to you all!

Rebekah

Well, after putting a bit on what I thought would be our home, we found out that the seller bought it through HUD and was turning it over.  Lets just say in a months time.  We hadn't had the Inspectors look at it yet, but the reason it didn't work out, was that they wouldn't be able to close in a timely fashion because of a stipulation with HUD.

Another couple concerns we have are A) a lien  AND B) He turned the home over so fast, we wonder if he re-did the wiring and such half baked.  Painting jobs are easy, but if the things unseen were replaced too quick or half-baked, we all know that our potential home could become a HUGE money pit.

I'm glad it was caught.

We're limited with time now. Mainly because one of the first time homebuyer program rules is changing due to the mismanaging of mortgages and defaults.  With that, things will change a bit and will cost US more. 

We also have reserves on moving in the winter-time.  We've moved three times already in a year since we moved from Ohio.  Now we've acquired more and moving isn't our favorite chore, not to mention doing it in the snow.  So we've decided on a cutoff and then we'll sign our lease for another 6 months and start looking again in spring if we don't find a place we're comfortable with.

We're not rushing ourselves because a program is changing, nor do we have intentions of moving in the snow.

SO, back to square one again.  It's all in Gods hands when, where, why, and how pertaining to a home of our own. 

Honestly I'm so much more calm than I thought I would be.  Oh, I had my "Woe Me" session this afternoon, where I reminded myself I'm an adult and to suck it up because Gods in control.  So back to normal I went and at peace with wherever and whenever God has planned for us.  He's never let us down thus far, and I know I can count on Him to guide and protect us.  Today he protected us with a purchase that couldn've potentially broke the bank if we had followed through.  He revealed so much to our realtor, real estate lawyer and us.  Praise God!

I'll keep you posted.

Blessings

Rebekah

Today we found our potential home.  It's taken awhile to find it, though not as long as I thought it would.  It's in a nice area, cute little home and has quite the open floor plan.   We decided we couldn't let it go without a fight.

We called our mortgage broker, got all our paperwork ready for our realtor, called our real estate attorney, and upon acceptance, IF our offer is accepted, we will hire our own inspectors.

It wasn't the homestead I'd always dreamed of having where I'd have chickens, goats and lambs. BUT, God has blessed us abundantly and if this is the home, we'll have plenty of space for a HUGE garden.  The city won't allow us to have chickens or other livestock.  It's ok though.  The mere fact that the home would be OURS and that we could grow food next harvest season, well, My cup runneth over!

In the end, there are plenty of rooms in our Fathers house.  My gift doesn't come from material possessions here, but will be alongside Him in His house. 

I shall keep you posted when we find out more.

Rebekah

pic by allposters.com

I may still be absent most days.  We've been pre-approved for a home.  Praise God!  Now we start looking.  It's our first home and while I am on edge, Gods solely in control.

we've been doing LOTS of homework and looking for homes.  LOTS seem to be going quickly.  We see something, then it's contingent with a buyer. 

Please pray Doug and I find a suitable home within budget that God will speak BOLDLY.

It's another new exciting adventure down Gods direction for us.  I'm excited and grateful He's giving us the opportunity to own our own home.

I'll be back on days when I can and can't wait to find a home of our own.  Wheather it takes a month or a year, we plan to hold back and wait for the right one.

Rebekah