Caretaker's Cottage

My Latest Projects

Herbalife...Losing Weight a Healthy Way?? Yep it is possible.

Trip to Lancaster County, Pa...Amish Country

Waving from the Deep Baked South

Here's where you'll find me these days; it's something I have longed to do for a good while so please keep SGL in your prayers.  I'm also here at HSB2 at Beekeeper Dreams and in the shade of the Front Porch some, too.  School is getting ready to start and you'll find me scratching my head at Jacobs Academy, too.

Y'all Behave!

Been A LONG Time!

Happy Birthday to my New Chauffeur!

15 years ago today....er, a few hours from now, I was awakened with a distinct pain in my lower back. Not just any pain, but the very "uh oh" pain of birthin' a baby contractions.

This was at 3:30 a.m.

One problem: our first born child was not due to be born until July 18......some six weeks later.

Clearly, our first born had his own schedule and by the time we arrived at the hospital by about 4:30 a.m., there was no turning back - the baby was going to be born - 6 weeks early.

6:50 a.m. - Sam was here, 5lbs, 5 oz.'s. and 24 hours later, they sent us home. First time parents are never really ready for their first "baby" and, truthfully, I believe I sat in shock for the next 6 weeks until his original due arrived.

Life with Sam has been much like his arrival into this world - a blazing path before him to conquer on his agenda. It has been an amazing blessing to watch him grow and to share life with him - not, however, without its challenges - but a joy every minute of every day.

And today, he turns 15 and becomes his Momma's personal "chauffeur"!!

Happy Birthday, Sam!
I love you,
Mom

Let the Clearing Begin!

What a week this is turning out to be. Yesterday our second flock arrived and today, we are beginning the see progress toward the next phase of our farm dream………..clearing the upper 26!

After exhausting the possibilities of having someone to harvest the pine timber for anything (including mulch or toothpicks), the reality statement we were told over and over and over, “…..if you wait another 15 to 20 years, they’ll be worth something….but it's hard to know since the timber industry continues to drop.....” In fact, we called so many different tree people, I lost count. I was to the point that I really didn’t care about making any money if someone would clear them for their own profit and our land would be pasture ready.

The thought of waiting ten to fifteen years was as if someone was telling me to tread water for that long……….but you know what? The Lord knows the plans He has made for us; why we are here and the desires of our hearts. Through His perfect timing, He has paved the way for the clearing to begin.

Heavy equipment arrived around 10:00 a.m. and we will hear the hum of machinery over the course of this week and perhaps into next as the pines will be cleared and we will begin the process of gathering ourselves and moving forward with the continued vision of our homestead endeavors.

Check out the photos from Day One – Clearing of the Upper 26:

AFTER Equipment Arrival and Clearing was underway...

.....and then, Alan pointed out this morning that cattails are growing in our pond (I thought that the foliage was a type of water iris that I had planted and lost)...........we never had cattails around here anywhere; I've been trying to find cattails to plant in the pond for two years.........they have just appeared and are growing in our pond.

Amazing!

They're Here! They're Here!

The phone rang at 7:30 this morning; our chicks were waiting on us at the Post Office - BRAVO!!

One by one, we dipped their beaks into the water to "prime them".....64 chicks later, our new flock was running around their chick corral - full speed ahead. At just two days old, they are all active and already have their chicken behaviors - scratching, grooming, and establishing their pecking order! One chick in particular - we suspect to be our Sicilian Buttercup Rooster: Don Corleone. He is clearly establishing his dominant presence and letting everyone know who's boss!

We have 15 different breeds (I will post them w/links later) and, yes, we will name all 64. The Don will have two hens to round out his breed: Maria & Sophia.

Gotta run - too much fun w/chicks this afternoon!

And They Questioned Why We Moved?

Is it any wonder WHY a family would move from here?

This is the very county we left - though persuing our homestead dream and clearly there's little to no homesteading in Gwinnett.  And yet, certain family members just don't get that.........oh yeah, they still live there.  No wonder.

Ostriches.

Getting Ready for Chicks!

We can hardly wait for Monday to get here - our order of 60 chicks are due to arrive at our Post Office first thing Monday morning!

Meanwhile, we are all chick ready. Check out the stages of building our chick corral in our garage:

We bought 12 bales of wheat straw to create a chick corral. After the chicks get their hard feathers and are moved up to stage two coops in the chicken yard, these hay bales will be used inside the chicken house.

Our litter material is ground corn cobs. It makes for an excellent and absorbing litter.

I'll be setting up the heat lamp tomorrow and we are all ready for our long and anticipated delivery of our second flock!

Stay tuned - I'll have photos of their arrival on Monday!

:)
hkj