Welcome to my homestead! Gates are a big things around here lately. They keep things in and they allow others to move through them with ease. I hope your summer's gate is opening gently.
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| Gates allow us to enter an new experience...sometimes that experience is AHHHH! the chickens got out! |
I don't know about you, but summer is flying by in my part of the world. Before August arrives though, I thought I would give you an update on what's been going on around here and also share what may be around the corner. If you dropped in for a piece of my Broccoli and Three Cheese Quiche, scroll down to the bottom of the page, but I hope you come back for a longer visit next time.
If you can stay....
Come, let me pour you some sun ice tea and join me for a visit.
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| After this picture was taken, David secured our wobbly front yard chairs, finally 'cause we have been eating outside a lot this summer and these are my fav chairs to sit in, the arm rest holds a glass of ice tea perfectly! |
I have to ask you,
do you like chickens?
We love our chickens!
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| Sadie, (always in the middle of all the pictures) and Clara and Annie check out some lavender which I put in their nest boxes |
"Sadie, (aka, Sweet Girl), Cocoa, Clara and Annie," are a huge part of our family, much to the dismay of our Siamese Cat, "Ryukki." Ever since they moved into our back forty last year, he doesn't meander as often into the back garden. No, now he seems to prefers sitting on the deck, perusing their activities from above, like a king on his cushion. When he does venture passed their coop, he haughtily holds up his head, his tail flicking, as he ignores their existence.
But, just like us, I think he finds them intriguing.
And while we love our chickens, the challenge with chickens is that they don't co-habit well with a garden. At least in an orderly fashion.
Oh no!
Their favourite activities are digging holes and having dirt baths, scratching up worms but in the process preventing seeds from germinating, and then there is the bathroom issue, ahem, they go WHEREVER they want.
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| Our girls digging along our cedar hedge. In the summer time they love sleeping under these bushes |
No chickens are not ideal if you are wanting a well groomed garden and certainly not a good idea if for instance you enjoy walking barefoot in your yard.
The other thing about chickens are once you get them, it's a bit like that book I read to my kids, "If you give a mouse a cookie, he will want milk to go with it," etc.
Once we finally decided to get chickens, we had to have a brooder box, a little water font, a small feeder, then a coop, then a larger run, a bigger feeder, then a water font, and then it's winter and they need a heated water font, and a heat lamp, well, you get the idea.
Who would have thought that they are high maintenance critters.
ALSO,
If you have chickens, and a garden, you may need a fence, or a larger run for them.
All through winter as I kept my chickens alive in our back forty, despite our very cold, often 20 and 30 below weather, I thought about the challenges they pose as I trudged through the snow with their fresh water and food. What to do about my love of chickens and my love for a garden?
So this spring before we planted the veggie garden, I knew we had to do something to keep everyone happy. Especially after reading the book below last winter I knew we had to set things up differently.
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You see, I wanted to let them have some freedom and exercise but knew they would mostly need to be "cooped" up so I finally came up with a plan to add an extension to their current roomy coopy cottage.
The only other big problem was that I started working at my gardening gig the day after Earth day (April 23rd) and our family was extremely busy with various family commitments and activities. Then the kids got sick, which I wrote about a few posts back, "layering faith." Add to that, I also wanted to build additional raised beds and get my little kids involved in gardening this year.
After David and the boys ripped up the plants above the pool this spring, since the retaining wall is falling apart and has to be rebuilt, he got working on building new raised garden beds. While he did this, I prepared the garden spaces I did have, I moved my strawberries to two of the new raised garden beds and then I planted my garden.
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| DAvid putting his new chainsaw to good use |
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| Some of the stumps weighed several hundred pounds |
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| And this project is NEXT now that the chickens have their new run |
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| The little kids and their garden beds |
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| Sadie likes to get into every photo...it's uncanny how she creeps into pictures! |
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| Early July, the raised beds are just starting to grow |
The whole time we were out doing projects in the yard our girls/chicks were looking out through their hardware cloth walls and saying, "Bok, Bok, Bok." I would let them out for short stints to run around the yard, nibble grass and dig where they were allowed. I always had the garden hose, with a dynamite spray head on hand if they got into my newly planted garden.
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| I let my green onions return for the 2nd year and as you can see in the foreground they are turning to seed....I love collecting seeds. This is a picture of the garden next to the pool in early July...things are just coming up |
Did you know chickens are smart! They knew exactly where they were allowed to roam and quickly caught on that mom's garden beds were OFF LIMITS. And yet, they could be found glancing at me to see if the rules had changed as they tried to casually wander, "pluck, pluck, pluck," into garden territory, only to be shocked and offended when a spray of water hit them. I would be standing there, garden hose in hand, yelling in my mom voice, "No chickens in the garden!" They are just like my kids, I don't know how many times I've told them to close the gate after themselves so the chickens don't get out! and they always act like they never heard this request before as we are madly chasing the chickens around our side and front yard.
Finally, most of the projects were completed and David bought some framing lumber, some hardware cloth and got down to framing. But it was slow going. (THE cool thing is that Harrison, our 18 year old has been working at Home Depot so we are there a lot dropping him off and picking him up)
I didn't think it would take long but it took forever to find a few free days to get the framing done.
This spring....
We had birthday parties.
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| On May 20th the twins turned 6 years old |
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| Victoria and Kathryn playing at their year end concert |
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| The theme for the Country Fair was Fiesta so Will wore a Canadian flag and a Sombrero...since we are celebrating Canada's 150 year old birthday this year...and well a Sombrero says...party like nothing else...the little girls had Mardi Gras beads and fancy glasses for their Fiesta costume...Grace went as a teenager...enough said |
Then there were.....
And more soccer....
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| Victoria hamming it up for the camera |
All the little kids played soccer this year.
Oh, then there was a graduation. Our son Harrison completed grade 12 and is off to University in September.
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| Alyssa and Mitchell (our older kids on the Island) sent their best wishes and our oldest son Clark was working on this day but the rest of the gang was here, David and I with Harrison,Grace, Will, Kate and Tori |
And as if this weren't enough, we had more birthday parties....William turned eight!
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| And wanted to go and climb some walls for his birthday experience |
Then there were the final year end school activities....
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| At the beach...I relented and bought them a ice drink with vanilla ice cream in it |
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| Bittersweet...the year end wrap up for the kindergarten class. Welcome Summer! When they return to school they will be big grade one kids |
And around this time was also Grace's grade 8, RCM piano exam, my gardening gig wrap up, somewhere in all there was Mother's day and Father's day and at the beginning of July, my grad reunion back in my hometown of Creston and FINALLY, a BIG 150 birthday celebration for Canada.
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| Happy 150th Birthday Canada....our flag on our deck |
It was a activity rich spring and early summer, hence my lack of blogging. I find it hard to live life fully, and blog about it. I would REALLY like to meet real life bloggers who are actively writing. I would ask, "Where in the heck do you find time to write?"...and then live the life you are blogging about?"
Did I mention that during this entire time I was also writing with a group of lovely women at the historic old Caetani house...which is a mecca for the arts?
Yep! but hold your breath for my memoir or first novel.
FIRST.....
We need to build a chicken run.
Throughout all the activities and projects we had on the go, our beautiful chickens were patient.
Of course they ARE spoiled chickens, even if they are mostly cooped up. I bring them treats from the garden; kale, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, lemon balm, and now that we are into berry season they are eating luscious strawberries and raspberries. Then every night they get a bedtime snack which varies but their fav is sunflower, pumpkin seeds, and Cocoa LOVES raisins.
When David and I returned from Creston, and my grad reunion, he finally got down to business. Once he starts rolling with a project, he puts every waking hour into it and recently he was able to attach their addition, which he mostly built and painted in the garage.
It would have been easier had our property been level but everything is on a slope and he had to build up the area with landscape ties before securing the addition.
Okay, drum roll please.....
And here is how it turned out....
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| Here is their new addition...the roof is a lovely lattice work top which allows the sun to shine on our chickens....and offers a bit of shade too (the wood parts are white washed so they are protected and the top was a sage green stain) |
Now they have extra space and yes I wish I had pictures of their expression when they checked out the expanded real estate. Did you know chickens can smile? "Bok, Bok, Bok." In the mornings I find them enjoying the first rays of the sun and digging their beloved holes in the dirt.
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| One of my raspberry bushes hedges is beside them and then I'm also growing some pumpkins next to their run. |
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| Here's a peek through the plum trees at the new run. In time the trees with give them more shade which will be lovely on a hot day |
Well, now that the run is built, our next project is to take down the old landscape tie walls above the pool. Since we have chosen to build a river bed rock retaining walls, like many of the other walls throughout our yard, it's going to be a big project. When it's done, I can see herbs, perennials, and vegetables all growing lushly. I even have a day dream of watermelon and cantaloupe growing in this bed, since it gets full sun and there is good irrigation. Wouldn't it be cool to be down at the pool and have guests over and ask them if they wanted some watermelon and then just going and picking one off the vine?
I will keep you in the loop on our progress. It's going to take the rest of the season to accomplish this wall and probably well into fall too.
But getting back to summer and chickens. We have been really lucky to have such great layers and what to do with all those nutritious eggs? Well, vegetable quiche of course.
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| Every day we usually get 3 or 4 eggs which is not tons...but keeps us in eggs for baking and the occasional quiche |
I have made several quiche over the last few months and they are delicious. The texture is beautiful and I find the combination of broccoli and cheese perfect. Who doesn't like cheese with broccoli? Also, they are such an easy thing to make the night before and you can easily warm them up for dinner the next day. Perfect for summer. Just add a salad, some fruit and you have a wonderful meal. But here is my warning. Don't expect......
ANY
leftovers!
Wahhhhhhh!
But it's all good, since everyone is smiling before dinner and it's a light meal when it's boiling hot outside, like today and you want something but nothing too heavy.
The only thing a bit time consuming is making homemade pie crust but I have found a no fail, always flaky recipe for pie crust.
Come on....
Want to join me in the kitchen and we will make some pastry? I use the Tenderflake lard and the recipe is on the box.
It's perfect every time!
Pastry for two pies (You can always freeze one of the quiche if you want to as well)
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 pound of Tenderflake lard
1 egg, stirred slightly
1/2 tbsp of vinegar
A bit under 1/2 cup of cold water
Directions
1. Mix the flour and salt
2. Cut the lard in with a pastry blender until the shortening is pea size pieces
3. Crack an egg in a measuring cup, stir, add the vinegar
4. Add cold water to make 1/2 cup
5. Stir the liquid into the flour mixture, but mix until the dough is forming a ball, don't over mix
6. Take ball and break into 2 portions. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour
7 Pull it out and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, being mindful not to use too much
flour, sprinkle it on a flat surface and roll the dough evenly. When rolled out transfer to your pie
pie plates
Broccoli and Three Cheese Quiche
Ingredients (double for 2 pies)
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped onion
3 - 4 cups of broccoli
4 eggs
1 cup of half and half or whole milk
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp of dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Saute garlic and onions in oil in a frying pan. Add broccoli, salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes
While broccoli is cooking, stir eggs and half and half together in a bowl
Once broccoli is lightly tender, place it in the bottom of your prepared unbaked pie crust.
Add the egg and half and half mixture to the broccoli, then sprinkle with the cheese. I put the cheddar down first, then the mozzarella, and finally the Parmesan on the very top....add then sprinkle the dill and you are ready to bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
Ta Da!
That was easy hey? And it's a good thing as it gets eaten in a blink of an eye around here.
Dig in!
Well that wraps up my update. Before you go, want to hear an old song that I remember being played on the radio when I was a child? Warning, it may linger with you.... It reminds me of long days, warm sun and lemonade. I hope you enjoy listening to "A Theme from a Summer's Place by Percy Faith." Click the hyper-link if you can click below.
Until we meet again, may you be well, peaceful and happy.
Happy Summer!
Blessings from Hope
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