Settling in

Life has been crazy busy around here between all the critters and childhood drama...mama needs a vacation.  But since we're buckling down here for the summer (the Big Miss is taking a summer school course) we'd might as well get everyone cozy.  The "girls" got there very own coop donated by our sweet neighbors.  It will need some extra work, but is perfect for now just as it is.  We are so grateful to have a new home for the chicks, since they were sneaking their way out of their box in the garage and leaving little brown gifts for us everywhere.  Blehhhh.

Our ferocious beast of a dog has taken well to all the critters and they are pretty bold with her to.  I had one slip so far where I left the house for about 30 minutes with chickens and the dog loose in the back.  Once I realized what I had done, I raced home dreading the possibility of feathers and blood strewn in every direction.  Luckily she hasn't aquired a taste for raw chicken yet, but I'm hoping not to make that mistake again (at least until they're big enough to give her a fight). 

Hoping things slow down a little bit so we can relax this summer but until then, we'll just enjoy the company of our happy little friends.

Sweet blues

A day filled with delicious blueberries for the pickin and watching the chickens dance is not one short on smiles.
There really is so much to love about summer.

xoxo

Livin country in the city

To add to our ever expanding household I have temporarily gone insane leading to the 4 pooping chicks in our garage and 6 rambunctious kittens in our bathroom.  All this on top of the dog, fish and two young humanoids sharing our seemingly shrinking space.

The kittens are temporary.  They are.  I found them at the feed store when going to acquire the 4th and final chick that I'm probably not supposed to have.  They were in a small unsheltered cage outdoors.  One had already escaped.  They were all starved and had only dog food pieces set out for them so large that they couldn't get their little mouths around it.  Apparently someone had dropped them off the day prior leaving the feed store to "care" for them.  I knew that if I left them there some of them would not make it.  So, here we are all cozy with a mini farm living in our home.  Luckily, I found an animal rescue that will adopt them out once they've been spayed and neutered (hopefully no more than a month away).  We are fostering them until that day comes meaning feeding every 4 hours (except at night between 10 and 6 at which time I will only leave my bed to pee or to feed a newborn child).

All we need now is a goat and a pot-bellied pig so we can start charging for the petting zoo.

Told you I had gone insane.

Breakfast of champions

expecting mamas.

One more little one will be joining us in November. 
Life is good.

play day

Yesterday the little miss & I went for a visit to see our dear friend J and check out the amazing artwork at I MADONNARI.  I couldn't help but stand in admiration of the talent and commitment it took to finish these beautiful  pastel paintings in a matter of three days knowing all the while they will be washed away within weeks by weather and footsteps.  There was so much life in these pieces and each seemed to tell it's own story.

Just gorgeous.

There was a section of concrete dedicated just to children and I loved the vivid colors that blanketed the blacktop.

This one in particular fit me perfectly right now.

After a day spent taking in the sights in SB we had our friends over for a little playtime.  The girls played "family" and watched a movie while the mamas worked on sewing projects (well one of us did).  Miyo made this sweet little dress for her daughter while my project was much less involved.  Since mine is a gift I'll just give a little glimpse of what my hands were making:

I definitely like the little sew-op we had and am hoping there's many more to come.

Smile makers

Love letters between sisters.  Rare and beautiful.

(Those are exclamation points in the middle of the words~
I guess she really means it)

Time in the backyard with our newest family members.

Scrumptious fish tacos by our chef~in~training.

Neighborly love in the form of strawberries.

We have made a point of sticking around home on Memorial Day weekends to avoid the insanity of traffic on the roads, and have realized that we quite enjoy it.  Picnics at the park, barbeques with friends and time just enjoying the simple pleasures of home settled nicely into our days.

Of course, most important were the thoughts and prayers
 for those serving past and present on behalf of all of us. 
Grateful I am.