and here we go again...

What is it about summer that makes it impossible for me to post regularly?

I visited Barnhenge Mama (and her adorable new Boob Monster) yesterday, taking a moment to breathe and enjoy. Florence and the Machine were the soundtrack of my day, pulling at the depths of my soul to rip the music lover out of hiding, watching a spontaneous dance by a whimsical pre-schooler. A beautiful day to just try to BE.

Of course, there was DOing too. The wonderful world of Pennsic begins for me at the end of the week. And, as much as I enjoy sewing, there is only one time of year in which significant sewing happens... the week before Pennsic. (am.i.right?)  So all spare moments have been dedicated to coating the carpet in thread and trying not to burn or stab myself. Bella has been forced to go retrieve her own food and manage door knobs. Luckily, the Olympic games have been good company and inspiration as I try to at least try to place in the time-trials of the yards-to-garbs competition.

In summer, there is this irreparable swing between BE and DO. Days when gardening and cooking up CSA fare and cleaning and sewing and berry-picking and sweating leave you breathless. Days when sun and water and blue skies and good company and fresh food wash away everything else. There is no in-between. There is no moment to think "yes, I shall post about this later". There is only a to-do list or leaving it all behind.

Of course, life has been happening, and things worth sharing. Friday escapes into Philly with a kindred-spirit. Spontaneously-stuffed zucchini (1/2 cup dry bulger, cooked; 5oz goat cheese; 2oz sun dried tomato, diced; toaster oven for 20min on 350). Foxes at weddings. Broody chickens that return to the flock, lay wierd eggs, then go back to being broody. Awe-inspired light displays at Longwood Gardens (GO DO!). Gluts of zucchini turned into gluts of muffins. Having a full back-up generator installed two weeks before losing power for 3.5 days. A Bella whose wounds (and those that she inflicts) have healed, leading to a calmness around semi-strangers and friendliness with those who show her interest. The best of parties being thrown in the worst of heat waves. Quarts and quarts of blackberries. Magical trips to New England, complete with beautiful weather and playing wiffle ball on the beach.

And best of all, a best friend. Don't get me wrong, I have a blessed life full of wonderful friends and family, who are amazingly supportive and always around for a shoulder or a laugh. But we all need that Person, the one that gets us, sees our place in the world, has been through what we're going through or is going through it too. The Person whose beauty and soul you see, who hasn't yet seen what you see. Now I have my Person and I am content :) Considering she does not want to be a Canadienne, I believe she shall just be My Person. I hope that word holds the same gravitas with you as it does me. I am truly blessed.

Other than that, I look forward to the end of the summer. When life and schedules come back to some sort of sanity. When there is less DO and BE and more share and create. When sushi-days can come back. When I actually get on the bike, or go do yoga. When we can enjoy the (frozen) fruits (and veggies and meats and other prepared foods) of our labor. When sewing projects will be done at leisure and with more thought (and less seam-ripping!).

In the meantime, how is your summer going?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

r.i.p. mac

Mac succumbed to her wounds last night.

You were a great layer of huge eggs, a beautiful Barred Rock, a true friend to Ginger, and a brave brave girl. May your next life be surrounded by clover pastures and a feast of meal worms. RIP friend.
  



Sadly,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

playing chicken doctor

5:45 am on Thursday, I woke up to pee. I do this most mornings before the sun comes up. It's annoying. But I digress...

5:45am, I've stepped away from the sound machine which keeps me asleep all night. And then I heard it. The screams. Of chickens.

I ran stumbled down the stairs, Bella bounding after me. In the dim light of pre-dawn, I could see the chickens flying around the run, in a panic, and still screaming. As I rushed off the porch, I saw something prowling around the fence. Something that looked vaguely fox-sized and fox-colored.

By the time Bella and I even made it into the grass, it was gone. But there had clearly been a struggle. Feathers circled the grass around the fencing, indicating that there had been quite a fight. The girls were in a panic, but it was still too dark to see. I left Bella out to keep guard and, heart racing, went back in the house for proper clothes and to report to Able-Bodied Boy.

He left for work and I went out to assess damages. Holy crap. The animal must have raced around the outside of the fencing until it snagged one with a claw through the holes. Mac was moving slowly around, obviously in pain, and I could see a bit of blood on her chest. In the house, I texted Able-Bodied Boy, then called work, to say I'd be a little late after doing a little wound care. All fairly calm and glad that things weren't too bad.

But I went into a panic when I saw Mac's wound up close.

** Warning: Graphic Description ** You know what a raw whole chicken looks like, right? You're familiar with how the flesh and the skin look? You know that the skin is fairly loose and apt to slide around? Yeah. It's the same on a live bird too. The gash in her chest left her breast bone and muscle exposed, the skin around it bare from the de-feathering claw of our predator, and curling with fat. The exposed area, when she was standing (and the weight of her skin stretching it open) was about 3 inches long by 2 inches wide, or more. Of exposed flesh and bone. ** End Graphic Description **

I texted Barnhenge Mama, then called Able-Bodied Boy. Then I went online to look up advice, pretty much assuming the worst.

Surprisingly enough, I found one woman with a couple of articles that actually made it sound like we could handle this at home, without a vet (although vet care was also an option), and that Mac would heal up just fine. This one, and this one, both by Nathalie Ross if you're curious.

So, I called in to work for the day (yeah, have you ever called out of work because of a CHICKEN? me either, until now). I prepared a "hospital room" for Mac in the dog crate. I prepared a "surgical tray" of our medical supplies. And when Able-Bodied Boy arrived home from his short day of work, we retrieved Mac and set to work. We rinsed with Hydrogen Peroxide. We rinsed with Iodine. We smeared with Neosporin with Pain Relief. We kept her isolated and clean in a covered "room".

The next day, she was up and drinking water and eating food. Good signs. And by now, her wounds are scabbed over and she's definitely more alert and active during the day.

I'll keep you posted, but it looks like she's on the right track for making a full recovery... then we'll just have to worry about re-integrating her into the flock, where she'll start back down at the bottom of the pecking order (she and Ginger were definitely in charge, although Babs keeps thinking that all she needs to do is get the better of Bella).


Any scary close-calls for you lately?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

green eggs, or how dr seuss came to town

Able-Bodied Boy sent me this picture last week while I was at work.

Bunty had laid her first egg, and it was GREEN!

  

Isn't it adorkable how much amusement these chickens bring us?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

when teenagers get all grown up...

Well, the day had to come... *snifflesniffle*

First thing this morning I found the medium-sized egg (left in photo). Which was a little wierd. Same color as Mac's usual eggs, but not her usual extra-large size. Since I didn't check on the chickens last night, the egg was laid sometime between 9a Wednesday and 7a Thursday.

This evening, I found the tiny pullet egg (Babs? Bunty?) and the extra-large egg (probably Mac?). (Pullet is the name for the "teenage" stage of a chicken's life, when they stop being chicks and start laying eggs. Their first eggs are usually tiny, as you can see above.)

So the question is, who laid the egg this morning? Ginger's eggs were traditionally darker, and she isn't the most prolific layer (ie, she hasn't laid in months) but they are usually similar in size to Mac's. If that afternoon biggie was Mac, it's doubtful the morning medium egg was hers as she has been laying more like every second or third day, and not two days in a row.

So I'm confused. Maybe Able-Bodied Boy - currently away on business - can provide an explanation?

But either way, we have at least ONE pullet egg. Which means one of the little ones is getting all grown up :)

And, there will be a lot more eggs to come this year, yay!



Has this turn into a chicken blog, or what?!? :-D

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

the sad conclusion to our tale

Well, thank you for following along with the chicken antics. I'm glad you were as entertained (and sometimes disturbed) as we were...

After the first story aired, but before I had released the second and third parts, we received some sad news.

While at boot-in-the-ass camp, Bunter managed to find his way over to the very busy rural road on which the Barnhenge's live. Sadly, we cannot answer the age old question "Why did the chicken cross the road?", we only know that Bunter did not make it.

 

Farewell friend. Barnhenge Mama says you were starting to mend your ways, and another family was interested in taking you into their flock.

  

 

Kinda makes you appreciate life, doesn't it? Even those that have made mistakes in their life...

Much Love,

Able-Bodied Girl

  

hearty belly-filling food

Last weekend, I made Hungarian Chicken Paprikash and German Spaetzle noodles.

Paprikash is a dish my mom used to make on occasion, and I absolutely loved. But, as all things go, it faded from memory. That is, until I met Brigita in New Zealand, a Hungarian girl that I befriended and became one of my closest friends while our time in Wellington overlapped. Paprikash was one of her home favorites and, had we had a few spare dollars for the paprika, we would have made it. Luckily, I have a ton at home now, and the spare container of sour cream in the fridge screamed out for it :)

As for the spaetzle, it just seemed appropriate and I was curious about how they were made. The recipes I found seemed easy enough, so it was worth a shot. Especially since I bought a bag of egg noodles as back-up :) You don't need a lot for a full serving of these... they are VERY filling!

(what the leftovers look like, since this was made on the same day as
the outdoor chicken drama and brownie splurge and I didn't think to take photos:)

---

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

(adapted from the Food 52 recipe)

You'll need:

• 6 - 8 chicken thighs (with bone and skin)
• salt & pepper
• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 2 medium onions, sliced into rings
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
• 5 Tbsp paprika (you can use a mix; I used 4Tbs Hungarian and 1Tbs smoked)
• 1/4 tsp (or more) Aleppo pepper flakes (or crushed red pepper flakes)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream (full fat, please!) brought to room temperature

Instructions:

Salt and pepper the chicken thighs. In a dutch oven over medium heat, brown the thighs - skin side down first - until golden. Set the thighs aside. (Can be done in batches.)

To the dutch oven (with the chicken fat), add the onions and cook until soft and slightly browned. Add the tomato paste and garlic, cooking until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes, paprika, and pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken thighs and any juices that collected with them, and bring to a simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then whisk in the sour cream. Do not allow the heat to rise too much, or the sour cream will curdle.

Serve with egg noodles or spaetzle.

Yields: Serves 4-6

Time:

Prep: 20 min

Cooking: 1-2 hours

---

SPAETZLE

You'll need:

• 3 cups AP flour
• salt
• 4 eggs
• up to 1 cup milk
• 1 Tbs butter

Instructions:

In a large pot, fill two-thirds with water and add a heavy dose of salt. Cover and set to boil.

In a large bowl, mix 3 cups flour and a pinch of salt. Create a hollow in the middle of the flour.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and 1/2 cup milk until fully blended. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the flour, whisking it with a fork as you go. Add additional milk until the consistency is like a thick cake batter (more runny than dough, less runny than pancake batter).

Once the water is at a full boil, pour the batter into a gallon-sized plastic bag. Cut a tiny corner off the bag (you're looking for a stream of batter that is approximately 1/8 inch wide) and pipe into the bubbling middle of the water. The noodles should float to the top and, eventually, you may find it hard to find open spaces to let the stream into the water. A free hand (your own or someone else's) can use a utensil to create gaps.

The noodles only need to cook for 3-5 minutes, so let them cook for a couple additional minutes after you finish piping, then into a strainer they go (I scooped them into the colander, so I could re-use the water in case of a disaster).

The agitation of the water should break up the noodles, but if not you can break the pieces up after they cook.

In a large pan, warm the butter on medium and toss in the spaetzle to coat. (I don't know how necessary this step is; some recipes included it, others didn't. It is possible to fry/brown the spaetzle, but I didn't have any luck with it. The technique didn't hurt, but it did add calories and extra dishes to wash.)

Yields: Serves 4-6

Time:

Prep: 10 min

Cooking: 5 min

---

What's your favorite winter ethnic dish?

Much Love,

Able-Bodied Girl

  

chicken soap opera, part 3

One Chicken Life to Live...

When we last left them, Bünter was caged in the garage and Ginger was recovering in the hen house with her friends, Mac and Babs...

Sunday morning, we left for Barnhenge Mama's, equipped with earplugs should Bünter decide to start crowing in the car.

(As a side note, at this point I was still high on the delicious brownies I had the night before. Can you say 'caffeine sensitive'? When the alarm went off at 7:30, giving us two hours to gradually get out of bed, shower, and prepare to leave, I immediately popped out of bed, said a very loud "Good Morning!" to Able-Bodied Boy and proceeded to be very industrious. The first caffeine crash gave me 3.5 hours of sleep, and the second round of energy was running at full steam...)

So, off we bounced into the countryside of Pennsylvania. When we arrived, Barnhenge Papa greeted us and encouraged us to bring Bünter out to the yard. He repeated their offer to swap out for another hen, so I followed him to one of their coops, where Bünter's cousins were safely locked in. Able-Bodied Boy went back to the car to get Bünter.

Now, if you've ever tried to catch a chicken, well, you probably know that it's hard. If you have never tried, it's hard. I mean, the Barnhenge's can probably do it no problem, but I'm an amateur compared to them, and not exactly the most agile person in the world. Chickens are skittish, not as big as their feathers make them seem to be, and can fly enough to make for a 3-dimensional battleground.

So, into the coop I went. Barnhenge Papa stood at the full-sized door and watched (laughing to himself, I'm sure, with my totally bogus technique). I decided to go in slow, let them get used to me just enough that I could gain a little ground, then try to corner at least one. Keeping in mind, of course, that of the 20-ish birds in there, only 4-5 were actually of the breed we were going for. So I crept. And crept. And they scattered back and forth. Finally, one of the Auracana's was directly in the corner I was approaching, so I moved in, hoping to keep her cornered and catch her.

It didn't quite go as planned.

From the yard, Able-Bodied Boy had arrived with Bünter and stood at a distance watching the door of the coop where Barnhenge Papa was watching me. The air in the doorway suddenly filled with squawking, panicked chickens flying out of the coop and into Barnhenge Papa's face. I spun around, realizing that all the chickens had fled and they were going to be much harder to catch out in the yard. Only to find that Barnhenge Papa had caught one, an Auracana.

Thus we had gained a Bunty2.

We chatted in the 20 degree morning chill while I held Bunty and we pondered the joys of chicken ownership. Eventually, we decided it was time to let Bünter out and fend for himself among the rooster and large flock - and the Major had already noticed his competition.

Bünter's first act of business upon leaving the cage was to find the nearest hen and try to mount her. Unlike Ginger, who must have been caught off-guard during her de-flowering, this hen fought back. The two circled and leapt in the air at each other for a few moments until Bünter gave up on her. He eyeballed another hen, tried again, and got the same response.

Barnhenge Papa chased him out of the chicken run and into the yard, where the Major and more hens mingled. And time and time again, Bünter tousled with hens and lost. The Major was so unimpressed, he virtually left Bünter to fend for himself. Last we saw him, Bünter wandered the yard alone...

I think he'll learn his lessons in ladies and manners.

After a lovely visit and a wonderful lunch, we headed home with Bunty2.

(Between the calming camomile tea and the carb load at lunch, I was now a hollowed zombie of my former caffeinated self. But the brownies were really sooooo good :)  

Monday morning, I planned to leave all the hens in our run to allow them time to sort out their pecking order, let Bunty get adjusted to the coop, and keep them safe while I left the house for a few hours (no rooster means that hawk attacks are more concerning).

I went out to give their frozen water a thaw and found Bunty sitting on the inner roof. No big deal, they get up there on occassion. But between the pecking from the other hens and my frightful presence, Bunty decided that there must be a way out of the situation. She lept up to the edge of the roofline, squeezed out through the web of string, and flew deep into the young woods behind the coop. You know, the web of string meant to keep hens in and hawks out? Yeah, that.

I happened to get a photo of the excitement:

Soooooooo, lest she not be able to get back into the coop later, I opened up and let the hens roam for the day. And I checked in on them frequently to see that Bunty was back with the others and integrating. Which she was, thank goodness. So now our only concern is her ability to escape and be flock-less and water-less all day, so we've been risking leaving them out while we're away from the house. But a little chicken wire should fix that sometime soon. And the flock will be complete and happy, once again.


Even after all the drama this past week, I have to say I LOVE having chickens hens. The entertainment value is immeasurable, as I spent hours happily watching their reactions to all of the weekend events. And I learned more about them, like the cock-eyed looks Mac gives when she hears another bird's call ("Is that a hawk??"). And how Babs, who used to be the lowest on the pecking order, now eyeballs and half-stalks Bella to determine if she could take her (my bets are on Bella, just sayin').

This photo doesn't do justice to the little dance that Babs did around Bella on Monday when they were out in the yard together. Babs would take a few steps closer to Bella, lean in to gauge a reaction, then get closer and closer. As Bella moved on, not paying attention, Babs moved behind her and then to the other side of her, still leaning in and gauging Bella's reaction. She got close enough at one point that I thought she was going to peck at Bella (I think that would have been a really really bad idea!), but Bella kept focused on pursuit of her favorite treat: chicken poop.


And the fresh eggs. I could go on and on about how much healthier they are. And bigger. And how much fun it is to make your own food spring from nature.

And the entertainment value. Oh, those funny chickens...
Are you tired of chicken stories yet? Cuz I'm not :)

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

chicken soap opera, part 2

General Chicken Hospital...

Last we saw them, Bünter had violated, harrassed, and cornered a bloody Ginger in the run as Able-Bodied boy ran to the rescue...

After they were separated, Ginger limped along the back of the house - not letting me get close - and we pondered how to separate them permenantly. Able-Bodied Boy retrieved the dog crate and some stale bread while I kept Bünter from stalking Ginger.

In the meantime, Babs and Mac had no problem sticking by Bünter's side and, as we tried to tempt him into the crate with bread, he left them to retrieve any scraps they could get. Then, as they turned around to enjoy their treat, he'd steal them. The group got bored of the scraps without Bünter ever even getting close to the crate.

So, we corralled him across the yard and managed to trap him in the coop. I locked him in while Able-Bodied Boy went back across the yard for the crate. A few minutes later, a very upset Bünter was sitting in the crate.

I called Barnhenge Mama, our wonderful chicken giftress, for advice. Should we do something for Ginger? Will Bünter get over this or is he bound for a stew pot? She graciously offered to take him back, and advised to treat Ginger's wounds as we would our own: clean and disinfect.

We found Ginger wedged under our front bushes, and I managed to grab her - which she was really not happy with. Blood was thick around her comb, and dripping down her beak. I cradled her, with a wimpering cluck-cluck, and sat down on the porch. Able-Bodied Boy brought warm water, latex gloves, paper towels, and antibiotic cream, and Ginger settled in for 15 minutes of care.

Ginger's wounds, as seen the next day:

Afterwards, she was happy to settle back into the hen house, and Mac and Babs came in to check on her.

We arranged with Barnhenge Mama to bring Bünter back to the farm for lessons in manners from the Major (their rooster) and their large flock of hens, as well as selecting another Auracana (a female, no really). Barnhenge Mama really is a saint :)

Next time: Will Bunter learn anything from the Major and his girls? Will a Bunty2 come home with us?

Don't you wish you had chickens?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

chicken tv turns into daytime soaps

As the Chicken World Turns...

So, as I may have mentioned, our big and beautiful Bunty had a sex-change. Or, possibly, someone at the hatchery didn't quite identify the correct parts when s/he was a chick.

In any case, a couple of weeks ago Able-Bodied Boy noticed some rather loud crowing and discovered Bunty was our cock-a-doodle-doo-er. He sent a text and I immediately googled Auracana roosters. Yup. Bunty is not a Bunty. Bunty is a Bünter. Cock-a-doodle-doo-ing up a storm from the front porch.

Asexual Bunty:

Decidedly Male (and camera-shy) Bünter:



We trekked in the cold to the neighbor's houses, apologizing and asking if it was a problem. They were gracious and "we live in the country, it's expected..." so we started liking the idea of having a rooster around to keep an eye to the sky for hawk attacks.

There was also a concern about aggression, so we figured we'd keep an eye on him...



Fast-forward a week to this past weekend. Early in the afternoon, I started hearing some squawking cries from the front bushes. It didn't sound like a hawk attack, but I went out to investigate anyway. Lo and behold, Bünter is trying to do his manly duty with Ginger, and she was NOT having it. Only, she didn't really know how to fight back, so he kept at it.

Apparently, roosters aim for the red on the hen's head when approaching her to mate, then grab the comb or neck to hold onto while mounting. Sadly, it seems he was a little too aggressive...

So we separated them. Ginger's head looked a little mangled and slightly bloodied on her comb, as well as being shaken up in general. So I grabbed her (normally, very difficult to do, but she was very disoriented), cradled her, and took her to the hen house. I locked her in for safety and comfort and we figured we'd keep checking on her.

After a couple of hours, she still didn't seem to want to come out, but we left the doors open so she could get food and water if necessary. Bünter was around on the other side of our house, so we hoped he wouldn't notice and would leave her alone.

From our bedroom upstairs, we watched as she tentatively came out of the house and coop, and entered the run where her friend Mac was waiting. And we watched as Bünter came around from the front of the house and headed to the run. Ginger looked very scared, eyeing him the whole time. He walked around the run, eventually found the entrance, and headed straight for her. She fled, closely chased by Bünter , and the two ran laps around the run and side yard. Able-Bodied Boy ran downstairs, shouting for me to tell him which of our doors to use to get to them quickest. Ginger ran back into the run, trapping herself, and was repeatedly attacked again. Able-Bodied Boy chased Bünter off as I ran down myself.

 

Next episode: Will Ginger survive the attack? Will Able-Bodied Boy grab an axe to dispatch Bünter? Or will Bünter have a second chance to learn how to treat the ladies right?

Does chicken TV interest you? Have you considered the joys of poultry passions? Would you enjoy the eggy delights?


Much love,
Able-Bodied Girl

weekend excitement

What a weekend (and it's not over yet)! No time - or photos - to post about it all just yet, but here's a taste....

We spent Saturday chasing a sex-crazed rooster (yeah, Bunty is decidedly NOT a hen) off of our poor dear Ginger, who was getting injured.

I made a hearty eastern-european meal of Hungarian Chicken Paprikash over homemade German spaetzle noodles, shared with dear friends.

I ate delicious, fudgy brownies. Which - if you know my sensitivity to caffeine in any form - made for a very squishy-brained Able-Bodied Girl.

We shipped the rooster off to boot-in-the-ass camp at Barnhenge Mama's farm, where he will learn manners and respect of the ladies. We also picked up Bunty2 and integrated her into the mini-flock.

Tomorrow, I am off of work. And I've decided to have a tech-lite day. No internet. No email. No tablet. No TV. No DVD or Netflix streaming. Cell/text only for immediate matters. No computer. Until 9p. Able-Bodied Boy is willing to join, although pressing work matters may force email/computer use. Crafting, cleaning, and board games will abound!

 So until then, have a wonderful Monday!

Anything exciting in your world this weekend?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

our flock

Well, we finally expanded our flock, thanks to Barnhenge Momma, so I thought I'd give you the run-down on the full flock...




Our first, Ginger, is a Buff Orphington. No clue on her age, as she was a random grab from B-Momma's flock. She is a little bossy, but all bark and no bite. She aggressively hoards her treats, going so far as to run away from Mac with them. She is occasionally broody, sitting in the hen house for weeks on end, on eggs that have no chance of hatching. Ginger has survived two hawk attacks with us so far; she's the most visible of the two, so it's not surprising. Her eggs are light tan in color, with very weak shells and somewhat runny whites.

---

The next is Mac, a Barred Rock. B-Momma and I made Able-Bodied Boy and B-Husband go back for this breed when the boys originally selected Ginger and another chicken from their flock. She is just so beautiful! Mac's fairly quiet and docile, but will get very noisy if Ginger is being broody and she's forced to wander the yard alone too much. She's gotten a little territorial with the new birds, but has settled down well. She also went and laid by Ginger's side after Ginger's first hawk attack, until Ginger was ready to head back into the coop. She gets skittish in open spaces, and will run/fly surprisingly fast to get from one side of the yard to another. Her eggs are slightly darker than Ginger's, with very tough shells and bright orange yolks.

---

The new little ones. Always together :)

---

This is Babs, our new Araucana. She is quite skittish, and sticks close to the other young one at all times. Her ear tufts are already quite apparent, and I love all the red in her feathers. Her eggs, once she begins laying in the spring, will be some shade of bluish-green!

---

This is Bunty, our new Silver-Lace Wyandotte. She should grow up to be another very beautiful bird, with silver-tipped black feathers. Her eggs will probably be similar in color to Mac and Ginger's.

---

This is Bella, a Blue mixed breed hen. She must eat every egg she lays, cuz we've never seen any of hers before. She is always gentle with the other chickens, never running fast near them or scaring them. She loves just sitting and watching them. And eating their poop and abandoned treats.

---

This is Able-Bodied Boy, a Buff Homo Sapien rooster. He's the main caregiver, making sure his girls have plenty of food and water, and a sturdy shelter. Also collects the eggs in payment. He's not as loud as most roosters, but does scare away hawks quite well.

---

I love and am so grateful all these wonderful chickens in my life :)



Who are you grateful for: furred, feathered, or otherwise?


Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

ack! where does the time go?

Looks like summer is getting away from me... 3 weeks since my last post?!?!

Well, I'll forgive myself if you will. Between the heat and Able-Bodied Boy's relentless traveling and a just-flop-when-I-get-home mentality... well, you understand. Of course, I forget my camera when I go off and do exciting things, but here's a bit of what we've been up to... mostly food, mind you ;)

beet hummus really is bright pink. and pretty damn tasty!

Last week's haul: shallots, beets, tomatoes, zucchini, celery, escarole.... see those beautiful heirlooms? remember that my csa grafted them?

Also, the dozen ears of corn we're starting to get each week. That's a lot of corn!

A blurry shot of my latest frittata... garden swiss chard and basil topped with csa tomato

This week's haul from the CSA: flowers, tomatillos, onions, shallots, hot peppers, swiss chard, and a metric ton of tomatoes

Step One in the great Cleaner Replacement Program... Shower Spray!

Mac just loves exploring everything about our house :)

Is your head spinning just as much this summer?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


  

csa & foodie updates

So, no photos of the haul from last week or this week. But plenty of other photo goodness (in as much as my photos are "good").

Last week, we got spring greens, escarole, carrots, cucumbers, kale, summer squash, celery, and flowers. I also picked chamomile and epazote.
This week, carrots, cucumber, beets, summer squash, green beans, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and cabbage.

Also, the chickens have upped their production... so we've been eating a lot of fresh, wholesome food :)

Notice how the egg yolks differ greatly in color and size? This particular week, Mac had been staying up late to chase beetles and lightening bugs, while Ginger went to bed early. Funny how the diet can affect the eggs so much, eh?

Homemade Flax Seed Bread, topped with Blueberry Butter, Sauteed Swiss Chard with Sausage spices, and Scrambled Eggs. Sorry, it was too good not to take a bite before photos :)

Stewed Escarole with Feta, topped with Poached Eggs. The only ingredients with unknown source are the olive oil and feta cheese.

The Ladies apparently want onto the deck for a nice dip in the hot tub. Chicken Stew, anyone?

Kale, Tomato, and Garlic Scape Frittata. The only ingredients with unknown source are the butter and mozzarella cheese.

We also managed to avert the first opportunity to buy chemical cleaners since Able-Bodied Boy's support of the Natural Cleaner Replacement Program (which I will start to detail at some point). I gawked at him in the store, but admitted I hadn't looked into any replacements yet. But he agreed to avoid the purchase, and researched that a vinegar-water solution would do the trick. Go Able-Bodied Boy! (I can take no credit, besides being a nag.)


I'm staying in the A/C, cooking up our yummy eats. How are you keeping cool this summer?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl


PS. i'm getting really tired of eating eggs. might need to start baking. zucchini bread!!!

a full and happy family

Thanks to BarnhengeMomma and hubby, we now have chickens. We spent a lovely evening in barn-henge under the twinkly lights, eating yum-tastic food (like a very fresh salad with lemon vinagrette and crab-stuffed mushrooms and a divine swiss chard-sausage-lemon lasagna), and enjoying a tour of the gardens with good company. And at the end of the evening, they sent us with a cat-carrier with two of her flock. Chicken Karma is on her side, as she's about to receive another five :)

This is Ginger.
She is a Buff Orpington. Generally pretty easy-going.

This is Mac.
A Barred Rock and very very pretty. Also a little uptight.

This is Bella trying to be good and not harass the ladies.

This is our first egg.
We believe it was laid by Mac. We're still teaching them about the coop and their nesting sites. In the meantime, Mac seemed to enjoy the cool grass under the coop.










We have them set up in the coop, with a 10'x10' dog fence surrounding it, covered with a tarp. The coop itself is dig-proof, so that's where they will be at night. During the day, we let them into the larger run. Since it is covered, we are not too concerned about the birds-of-prey. But they have demonstrated that they can run into their coop if there is a threat. Like a turkey buzzard or a Bella.


Did you figure out where the names came from?

Much Love,
Able-Bodied Girl