Chicken Coop

Sam took his little dog for a walk to see the chicken coop. He was not so sure about walking the plank.

Sam put his little dog inside the chicken coop but he was not about to stay inside of it. He could look out the window & see what is going on. The man who built the chicken coop added a little window in it like the photo I showed him. I will not open but it is cute. I think I would like t add a flower box under it.

It started to snow very soon after the chicken coop was delivered. Laken & Lucas helped me cover it as best we could with a small tarp. The roof will need to be finished & it will need to be stained before the chicken's can make them selves at home.

I have stain left from when I stained the out house garden tool shed last fall. I am looking for an old lard can to put the chicken food in & keep it in the out house garden tool shed. In a few weeks the yard sales will start.

Lucas passed his first interview for the job & his second interview was scheduled. If he passes that one he will be hired. Praying & crossing my fingers. He is excited. This will be his first job at a business. He mowed grass & took care of the church grounds last summer. The preacher was pleased with his work. The past three summers he has mowed for his grandmother. He has saved much of his pay for a car. He has his drivers permit still.

Laken worked her last night at the little country store Tuesday night & is ready to start her new job.

My son Atlee & my grand daughter Madison visited with us Tuesday night. She is a doll baby. She was so excited to hold potatoes after I washed them & hand them to me to cut for french fried taters. She is like all the rest of us. She likes her french fried taters. She enjoys the baby chicks. She likes how they will walk up her arm & set on her shoulder. She was no really to tickled when one landed & sat on her head. Atlee had to take it off. I don't blame her. I hated to take her back to her Mom. She is so fun to play with & I enjoy spending time with her. She told me she would be back again not to worry. How cute she is.

No kidney stones showed up on my KUB. Praise God. I am still waiting for the test results of the tests I had done at the hospital Monday. Thank you all for prayers. I am touched by all your kindness. We all need sheltering trees friends in our lives to lift us up before the King of Kings. I so love that song. Shelering Tree by Newsong. It says so much.

It is time for the boys to get off the bus so I will close at this time & wish you all many blessings in your life.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Graduation Is Coming

Sam is going to be having his sixth grade graduation soon. A letter was sent home to announce it & ask for baby pictures to be submitted for a presentation that will be displayed during graduation so I got out the baby pictures for Sam & I to look at & pick one. Oh how fast my cute baby has grown. This is the one he picked.

Laken works her last night at the part time job Tuesday then starts her new full time managing job within days.

Lucas got called for a job interview at a fast food place. So Tuesday will be a busy day again. I will have to have Lucas at the interview right after Laken goes to work.
They are both really excited. Me to!

My kidney doctor called to confirm my appointment this week. I had the X rays last week. I am a little worried. I have been having pain again. I guess I will know soon enough.


Today I was busy cleaning & packing some things. Not a fun chore to do but it must be done. I did not have time to work on covering the doors today but I know I must get it done very soon. No time to waste. I cooked a meatloaf in the slow cooker for all the family to enjoy. Hubby's lunch was packed for work. Then I started planning for the kids dinner next.

The kids & I shared our dinner. Sam has to have mashed taters & peas with his meatloaf. After the kitchen was cleaned & the dishwasher was running we all watched some t.v.

I am looking at a basket with some little dolls I need to finish but I am beat & need some sleep so off to bed very soon. Wishing you all a good week.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Paint For The Doors/ Chicken Coop Coming

After reviewing your comments & moving the already covered & painted kitchen closet door around the hall in front of the three doors I decided to paint the doors since the bead board & all the door trim is painted & the peg board is painted in the hall. I was considering using the left over panels to do the ceiling & stain it to match the wood stained floor. After the doors are done this week that will be the last of the remodeling for me.

I have seeds to get started & will be getting a very small chicken coop this week. The boys & I will be getting a spot ready to place the chicken coop. It is built very much like the same style as the outhouse tool shed we have. It will be big enough to house our six chicks who are growing fast. It will be little enough that the boys & I can move it around. In the future we can put it in the bed of the truck to move it. When the chicks are moved in we will share some photos with you.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend & many blessings as I close tonight.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Stain Or Paint

I am finishing remodeling the hall that I started. After seeing the newly covered door a while now I am not sure I want to paint it like I did the kitchen closet door after I covered it. But I do like it painted for the kitchen. There is much more light in the kitchen. The hall doors I think I may stain them like the wood floor. I stood the painted kitchen closet door in the hall just to compare. I am thinking the hall would look longer & wider with stained doors but small & dark with painted doors. So what do you all think?

Sam is feeling better & has not missed any more school. Thanks for your well wishes. The baby chicks are growing much faster than I thought they would. Their fluff is turning to feathers. My daughter asked can't we pluck the feathers so they will be soft & fluffy? Well no not unless they are grown & you want to eat them. She changed he mind. She was offered a full time managing job & accepted. This will be her first full time job. She is very happy about the new job.

I am working on some tiny doll bodies when I can. There has not been much time for creating the past few weeks. I want to catch up on all your wonderful blogs tonight after all the kids are home & tucked in.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

More Ramblings From The Homestead

The red robin hood tulips are coming up through the soil. The sun is shinning. If the wind would stop blowing it would be a splendid day to sit in the gazebo. For now I will just enjoy the day looking out windows. Sam is feeling better & the doctor advised he not go back to school until next week & take his meds as directed. I will miss him when he goes back. Summer is coming soon & he will not have to be sick in order to be home. Both ears & throat have infection & his one lung has wheezing in it as he breath's. Thanks for all your well wishes. The rest of the week was spent doing some sewing, woodwork & watching the feathered friends.

I have been busy sewing some more creations. I started the bonnet & I am disappointed in it. It looked so nice in the photo I seen before ordering the pattern but when put together it is not what I was looking for. I have seen so many beautiful bonnets on your blogs. I thought they were made that you could even wear them. This one is to just hang on a peg board. To keep the head area filled out it says to stuff with tissue paper. I need to find another pattern.

I have always disliked the doors inside the homestead. Not sure why anyone would put yellow door knob's on the doors either. Month's ago I experimented & covered the kitchen closet door & changed the door knob. The wood has been here unopened so I covered one of the three doors in the hallway.

The door covered waiting for the trim & finishing touches before being painted.

Not sure if this is Lucy or Ethel but she likes to fly to the top of the brooder & sit when the lid is off for feedings & cleaning.

The ducks took another quick swim in the garden pond this week. The fish are all safe. I am thinking they may be to big for the ducks to swallow any way. It dose not seem to be causing any harm to the pond that I can see. I have been wondering if it will cause any problems or if I am wasting time wondering. Off to take Laken my daughter to apply for a second part time job. Nice chating with you all.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Ramblings & Thanks

The weather is clear but cold with a mild breeze blowing outside the homestead today. I had company today as I worked on my blog side bar, cut out a bunny & did some tweaking to the old barn sink. I added some sheep that I had on top of the sewing machine cabinet to the barn sink. They are peeking out from the flowers in the corner. As I mentioned I had company today meaning Sam who is feeling under the weather & stayed home from school today. He will be going to the doctor tomorrow.

Thank you all so much for your support & well wishes on my creations selling at the shop. As far as I know nothing has sold yet but the shop keeper told me he was going to display my #10 doll Andy in the jointed doll collection in a child's rocking chair he has in the front window of the shop. Her legs & bonnet were made out of an old feather ticking pillow case I got at my Pap & Grams home.

I tried a new recipe for cinnamon rolls that Katy shared on her blog The Country Blossom. They are yummy.

The baby chicks are sleeping in the brooder as I chat with you all at this time. They can actually fly to the top of the brooder & perch on the rim of the storage container when the lid is off. I was shocked when I saw the first one fly up & perch. Or should I say roost? Well you can say I have learned not to leave the lid off of the brooder. They seem to be becoming pets at this time. I read in that How To Raise Chickens book not to name them but they all seem to have names at this time. Not sure what the kids will do if the two brown baby chicks names do not match their sex since they could be roosters or hens. There may be some name changing later. Time will tell. As I close & say good evening I wish you all a fine evening.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Meet The Homestead's Six Baby Chicks

We now have six baby chicks in the brooder. Two Golden Comets. Two Red Pullets & two Silver Leghorns was what we were told they were. We were also told the only two that could maybe be a rooster are the Golden Comets. We are hoping for just one rooster. Sam & his little dog are watching over the little flock. The little dog is protective of them just like he has been with all of the ducklings our ducks have hatched. The first duckings we bought at Tractor Supply eight years ago & the little dog would let them sleep next to him in his little dog carrier. I was surprised the baby chicks can already hop & fly a short distance inside the brooder with such little wings. They are all so small & cute. They are much quieter than I thought they would be. But then they are not alone very long. We no sooner got them in the brooder & all three of the kids were reaching in to get a baby chick to hold. Then I heard them talking about what to name all of them. Oh my I really did not plan to give them each a name. Since they are to be raised for laying egg's then later eaten. Not sure how this will all unfold in the month's to come. We may just have egg layer's. I forgot to ask how long it would be until they start laying egg's. Do any of you know? I received a phone call from the man I contacted about building us a simple little chicken coop & he has given me a price. I took my dolls to the shop over the weekend & I am really hoping they & the other craft items I took in will sell so we can use the cash to pay for a chicken coop. I almost did not take anything into the shop. I was discouraged by a comment made by a family member. I am glad I took the leap & went ahead & went to the shop with my creations. The shop owner said he was really impressed & did not expect anything like them. He said he really liked the dolls & all the other creations I took in. He took twelve items to try on consignment to start with. He went as far as to offer to do an open house for me in the fall & at Christmas. I was shocked. I like my creations but never really gave a thought that someone else would be that impressed with them. Be fore leaving he told me I had free rein as what to make & bring in & I would have no one else to compete with. For me this is an honor that I must give the Good Lord thanks for.

The weather is improving & the mild winds are drying up the mud around the homestead. There is so much I want to do outside in the rock flower beds. I want to start some of the flowers seeds I have soon. I finally found Viola seeds at Lowes. My hopes of having the potting shed & box garden this year looks like they will not happen. Maybe another year. I am not giving up on my dream.

The ducks are still sneaking into the pond for a quick swim. So far they have not eaten any of the fish. I have been counting the fish each time I catch the sneaky little ducks swimming on the garden pond. I will still be looking into a netting for the pond Or a small fence for around it.

Thanks for stopping in & meeting our baby chicks. I will try & share more photos of them as they grow. I will be busy trying three new patterns I got really good deals on. I will let you in on what they are now. A Piggy, Bunny & Prairie Bonnet. If I can make them I will share some photo's of them as I finish them. I have been digging in my fabric stash today. Time to use some of it up.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Making Mice & Eggs & Oh A Chicken Coop

Today the sun is shinning the snow is melting creating much mud around the homestead today. As I sew & look out the window from my sewing area the fish are swimming to the top of the garden pond in search of food. Only to find feathers lost by the ducks who took another quick swim today. I am sewing up mice bodies & eggs. This was my first mouse after I finally cut out a pattern that worked.

I am waiting for a call on a price for a little chicken coop the size & shape of this one. I took these photos at an Amish place. No bells or whisles like this one. Just a simple plain unstained rough pine board & wood roof much like the outhouse tool shed I received last fall. After pricing the materials to build one it may be cheaper in the end. I am crossing my fingers for a cheap price.


I found a cute bunny pattern on Ebay for only $2.00 & I snatched it up fast. I am waiting for it & another small piggy pattern I ordered from another blogger to arrive in the snail mail. I will be getting back to my sewing & creating a pattern now for another creature I have in my head. Good day to you all.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Weekend Drive & Still No Baby Chicks

We went for a drive this past weekend & passed by this beautiful old log home. Another dream home to me. We visited an antique shop just to look see what they had. So many great old items I would have loved to have brought home with me. While there I saw a rag doll & some other prim craft items that were unpriced. After asking the prices the shop owner said he carries some handmades to help bring business in. He said most of his customers are women & they eat up the prims. He said the doll was the last one he had because the lady he purchased them from was no longer making them. I talked to him about my dolls a bit. He was interested in seeing them & asked if I could bring them in next weekend. I am really praying he will like them & sell them in his shop.

We stopped at another Tractor Supply Store & they had one breed of baby chicks. There was no sign posted on a minimum of chicks to purchase. As Sam & I waited to be helped we spied such a cute one in the trough. We got our turn & was told we could not purchase one chick but had to purchase six chicks. Still no baby chick to take home to put in the brooder. I thought the chicken coop was going to be the hardest thing for us to acquire. I guess I was wrong.

The rain turned to freezing sleet & snow over the weekend & covered the garden pond as it froze over once again. Today there was mud every where that the snow was not covering. When will winter end? Not soon enough for me. It has been a long one. Off I must go to pick up my daughter from her work.

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

From The Homestead Kitchen

You all know I spend alot of time in the homestead Kitchen. I thought I would brighten up the entry way by adding some yellow flowers to the basket. Yellow is a happy color to me & just screams smile. I hope you are smiling as we chat a bit today.

It is calling for rain today so what better time to have warm chili & corn bread. When things are cool & damp I say warm the bellie. The smell of chili simmering in a pot & baking corn bread in a cast iron skillet in the oven warms the kitchen. I have had a little taste of the chili & it is yummy. Nen shared the recipe for Flatlanders Chili on her blog Living The Small Town Life this week. Yesterday I picked up fresh ground beef at the butcher shop & a few spices at the market to try it. Left over chili will go in my little jars to be eaten later.

Yesterday I visited Tractor Supply to take a look see at the baby chicks they got in. Oh my I heard the sound of peeps as I entered the store doors. Off I followed the sound of peeps until I arrived at the large water troughs they keep them in. They were so cute & running about in the pine shavings. I had to pick one up & hold the little sweet creature. Only two breads to pick from. With my mind made up I was going to take 2 home with me. I was disappointed to see a sign reading chicks must be bought in a minimum of 5. I planned to buy 4 of one bread & 2 of another breed. I could not buy just 2 chicks to take home with me to start the small flock. Now we have to wait until they get another shipment of baby chicks in. They will let you mix breeds within the minimum of 5 chicks. Sam was expecting to find baby chicks in the brooder when he arrived home from school. I had to tell him we will have to wait a little longer.

I wish you all a wonderful safe weekend!

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Ramblings From The Homestead & X - Stitching Question

I worked on this spring display for the top of my sewing machine cabinet today. I was happy with how it all came together just using what I already had around the homestead. This time I used my noodle & put it on a wood tray making it easy to move when I need to lift the hinged lid to get into my sewing notions.

The much unwanted snow has all melted leaving a muddy mess about the homestead. I took a look see at the garden pond today. Just a thin sheet of ice over the top. I was happy to see all of our fish made it through the winter after counting more than once. I see the spring flower bulbs I planted have sprouted through the cold frozen soil. What an amazing process the Good Lord has called them to do. Soon the green shoots will be clothed with colored blossoms unfolding into beautiful flowers to enjoy. I have started to buy seed packets of flower seeds as I find the ones I so love to plant. I am just waiting for the ground to thaw so I can plant the pea seeds I bought a few weeks ago.

The ducks roamed the homestead today quacking as they waddled about the garden. Oh my the thin sheet of ice on the garden pond had melted in the sunshine & those feathered friends of mine took a swim in my garden pond. Another count of the fish. All were safe and swimming on the bottom. The ducks were having a great time swimming & dipping themselves. But I feared for the fish. Not sure how I will keep them out of the garden pond all summer. They will be out and about much more as the weather warms. I had a large window screen I used to cover the smaller pond while the ducks were roaming. The screen will not cover the new larger pond. I will have to find a way to keep our fish safe. With all of the neighboring Tom cats I will surely have to have something. The Toms are still visiting the homestead each day.

Talking about feathered friends I gave Tractor Supply a call. They have gotten a shipment of baby chicks in. None of the breads I was interested in. I may take a look see any how when I go for groceries Friday.

On to my question for you all. I have stitched samplers for some time but never done them in the X stitching. I would so love to try my hand at it. I have seen some amazing ones on your blogs from time to time. I really know nothing about the cloth used or the 24 28 count or how to even use a charted pattern. So before I go off & purchase a pattern can any of you offer some advise to a new X stitching to be learner?

I saw a little verse I wanted to share with you all tonight.

MOTHERS are like buttons....
They hold everything *** Together***

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara

Yesterdays Dreams

Yesterday after every one was off to work & school as I cleaned I did some dreaming. I remembered a beautiful old two story cabin I saw last summer. I had stopped on the road to take a photo of it & stored it in my computer.

This would be my dream home with the exception of the blue on it. I really love shades of brown so it would be painted. I saw this old beautiful cabin last summer. To bad they were making some changes. For shame. A very new looking brick addition & a huge metal building with more than one large bay opening. I have not seen if all is completed. This summer I may.

My dream kitchen would have cabinets that look like furniture up against the walls. Appliance would all be hidden inside the cabinets & an island with a butcher block top. A soap stone apron sink & water pump faucet. I found a photo online but it would not load so you can dream with me on this one. I pretty much have my dream dining room & living room already. I would keep it all the same.





My dream bedroom would have this beautiful bedding on my four poster bed from Family Heirloom Weavers with my wood chest (that I plan to refinish) at the foot of my bed & two large wood clothes cabinets on each side of the headboard of my bed. I hope some time soon to refinish my chest & finish the blanket crane Lucas & I started. My large windows letting the sunshine in & making me smile as I sit at my sewing machine sewing located in front of one of those windows. My desk sitting in front of the other window. A fireplace with wood cabinets surrounding it & filling the wall area. As I sit on my love seat watching T.V. behind a dough tray table my FIL made. I hope to give it a home in the years to come. Of course two make do chairs on each side of my love seat & my dry sink up against another wall. Well my bed room is not quiet that long but I hope to take a wall out to connect the next room to it in my dream.

After a day of dreaming cleaning & running kids to & fro it was just Sam & I for dinner last night. No fancy home cooked meal here at the homestead. Just a simple dinner of french fried taters & meat pies served in the living room where we could watch a little T.V. No homework. Ya!

Blessings Til Next Time!
Lara