As some of you may recall, I have had two batches of chicks this year. My first batch were hatched at the end of January. I placed some in an incubator and some under my broody hen. I hatched a few of my own chickens eggs, but I had also ordered some French Copper Maran eggs. They lay a dark chocolate egg and are much sought by chefs and egg connoisseurs.
Well, these first batch of chicks, containing the Marans, are now finally old enough to lay. Some how I was lucky enough that all the eggs that were hatched turned out to be hens. This almost never happens. We simply thought we would eat any roosters born, as we already have a lovely Rooster who guards our flock.
I have another batch of chicks that were hatched about two months ago and they are happily living with this flock. We are having a very good and happy farm like summer around here.
I would also like to apologize for my laxness of late in my posting. I have finally got to the final push of a large project. I have been literally emptying, organizing and trying to set up our two story barn building. A few years ago two houses an and apartment were emptied into the barn as well as various old papers and photos of family. As we now have our home on the market it has finally given me the push to get to it. I have been spending about 8 hours a day simply cleaning, sorting, organizing and making various trips to our local dump which also has a swap shop for donations. I am finally getting to a space useable and certainly more appealing to the eye.
I plan to return to daily posting and think I will make my news become a weekly event. I hope all are willing to wait it out, as this week is also our court date with our tenants. I cannot wait to get that over, though there is still a 10 day period after that they they are allowed to stay in the house (Putting us into August). On top of that I am having showings of our home, as I am acting currently as our own real estate agent. And I have been giving myself time to enjoy the summer as well, with bike rides to the beach and town. Swimming and enjoying fires and of course playing in the gardens.
I hope all are having a lovely summer thus far and thank you for being patient with my rather busy summer. What are any of you working on this Summer? Any big projects or plans or simply fun? Maybe you hate the Summer or the traffic if you live in a tourist areas, as I do, share with us I love a good Summer story.
Happy Homemaking.
How big are the eggs you get?
ReplyDeleteWhile it has been decades since I had chickens (and yet again chickens have been ruled a no-no in Boston) I recall our eggs being so much larger than store-bought eggs. They routinely maxed out our egg scale! It's hard even to find jumbo eggs (which are still smaller than what my Rhode Island Reds used to lay) in the shops these days, but I am starting to splurge on fresh eggs at the various farmers' markets around town.
Another earthy-homey post .. what a treat! I used to summer on the cape (Falmouth for 50+ years), and I agree that the current state of traffic is horrendous. Another gripe is having to obtain a beach parking permit or paying $15 for beach lot parking. If more people just got off their keisters and walked or rode their bikes to the beach this would not be a problem, What happened to the days when all one had to bring was a towel and perhaps a chair or an umbrella. Nowerdays, people bring an abundance or beach toys for their children coolers full of drinks and food and sometimes even electronics. Can not the children amuse themselves with the sand and the surf and the natural treasure-trove the beach has to offer. And, can not people go without food and drink for a few hours between meals? America has become such a gluttonous sensory-overloaded immediately gratified nation; I long for the days of ole when a 2 cent ice pop at the beach carried me through for an entire summer of memories.
ReplyDeleteClass of '34
Teru-I wished I lived closer because you would not have to pay for farm fresh eggs, I would gladly share with you. It is so sad Boston still says 'no' to chickens.
ReplyDeleteClass 0f '34-I know we never buy beach stickers. They are far too expensive and we simply ride our bikes. It is much more enjoyable and you don't have to waste gas, sit in traffic, or find a parking spot.
I agree with the American ideal of constant food and bevarage. I know when cars are imported to this country they have to add drink holders as many Europeans would laugh at the concept, as they do with our 'doggy bags' to take our food home. It is amazing the acoutrements required in cars now, GPS, Cell phone, music, food, beverage, dvds/tvs for kids, its amazing people remember to drive. Though, especially in the Summer, one wonders if many DO remember to drive. I am always extra cautious when I need to be in the car in the Summer. And now that we are down to one vehicle, I rarely need to be. Having the advantage of being at home does make me appreciate the Summer in a better light, that is for sure.
50s Gal, while undoubtedly many families do carry too much stuff for their children, I do know many families that go to the beach for the entire day. I live in area on one of the Great Lakes, so we get plenty of tourists. Lunch choices right off the beach are expensive, so it's frugal to bring your own.
ReplyDeleteI'll concede that there is no reason to bring monster coolers, when some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, something salty (chips, pretzels), some fruit, and water bottles to fill up at the water fountains would be a better choice. Plus, those food items wouldn't spoil in heat.
I may have missed the house sale announcement. Are you selling the pretty house where you were painting the dining room that pretty robin's egg blue or the current house you are living in?
Marie
I have been reading your old posts and I do have to ask, what happened to your dear "Vintage friend?" You seemed like such kindred spirits.
ReplyDeleteAlso, is your friend Gussie still dressing up and playing your housemaid? What fun y'all must have.
A fan from the South
I had forgotten about Gussie. I recall the lovely party photos you posted awhile back with many of your friends at your home in their fancy dress costumes for a vintage drinks party. I miss your food & entertainment posts. You truly seem to be a hostess with the mostess .. all your lovely vintage dishes and recipes ..
ReplyDeleteWow your chickies grew fast. I remember when you first got them. I hear the Maran chicks are really expensive if you can even find them. Even the hatch your own eggs are pricy. You did a good job raising them. I hope they bless you with the best eggs.
ReplyDeleteSomeday when we are ready for chickens I'd like to try raising a few of them also.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings, Janet W.
It's the oddest thing, I kept trying to sign in to this post to respond to comments and it didn't work. I could access my previous posts, but not this one.
ReplyDeleteSO, here goes:
Marie: The house I redid in my '55 blog is the one currently 'rented' that we are battling the bad tenants. They have destroyed the place, it smells of many cats, the yard is a wreck and the floors are scratched beyond belief. We have to go to court tomorrow to do the next phase of eviction. They will still be allowed legally to stay well into August, despite this. They have not paid rent since March. The house we are selling is the home we currently live in, which is the antique Cape I have spoken of before.
South Fan:My Vintage friend and I made up and are again friends. She still occasionally dresses vintage with me, but as I have moved a bit further our dinner parties are not as often as they once were.
Gussie still lives with us but stopped being Gussie the maid quite awhile ago. She did that for roughly off and on for about two months. Where we now live, she lives in a separate cottage on our property where before she lived in the house. She still sometimes dresses vintage with me and certainly is part of any vintage gathering we do (As a guest not a maid).
I wish to get back to my food and entertainment posts, but these past months have been spent doing all that needs to be done to prepare this house for sale. That included cleaning out and having yard sales of our barn building. And now dealing with our deadbeat tenants, so much of my entertaining has had to be put on hold. We do still have occasional dinner parties, though, but they are such a matter of course that I often forget to photograph them. I am trying to get back into remembering to do so.
Janet W: Marans are ridiculously expensive. I simply lucked into a dozen eggs on ebay, but still paid a dear price for me. Much less than I would have had for chicks, however. And only the three I put under my hen hatched. I was just lucky that all three that hatched were hens. Though I sort of wanted one rooster so I could breed more pure bred Maran hens, but as we are selling our home, the chickens might have to be sold in any case, so I thought another 'breeding program' best wait until we are settled some where else.
Beautiful pictures! I hope all the packing and house prep goes well, and I'm praying you have favor with the courts tomorrow.
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