Freedom Rangers-2 Weeks old

You can't really see much in the boxes, but these guys have more than doubled in size in just 2 weeks. I am filling up the gallon size water jug twice a day now. And just added another feeder to the other side of the brooder box. At a few days old, they barely filled a corner. Now they hardly have enough room.

Next week I will let them outside. There are some things I need to get ready or fixed before I let them out first. But it's amazing how well they are doing and how fast they are growing. And I only lost one chick.

Russell Crowe

I know all you that have chickens will know what this is like. You hear that strange noise out in the chicken coop one day and wonder what in the world got in there? So you run out to investigate and see the new little roo strutting his stuff and standing tall and letting out this awful noise.

That's what happened this morning. Russel Crowe's first crows!! I am so proud of him! But the girls didn't know what to think about it. They kept picking on the poor guy.

About the end of winter when the feed store was getting chicks in, I got 6 4 week old chicks. 3 Barred Rock and 3 Red Star. Well, all the BR turned out to be roosters. I sold 2 of them and decided to keep one because I do have a lot of Barred Rock hens. He is a handsome little fella.

I also have a Buff roo named Mr. Rooney. They get along great right now. But we shall see.

It's Here!

So here is my brand new garden shed! It's 8x12. And very solid. Made in Tennessee too. By Mennonites. They even designed the trailer and the little tiny thing that moved that big shed to the garden. Very smart folks. And it only took about a half hour from start to finish.

You can see the guy getting the little loader off the truck here. It's so little. But it moved that shed right where I wanted it to go.

 And they just leveled it up and that was it.

 I just love it! And it has a lock on the door too. I'll lose the keys probably. And it does need a door stop so it won't mess up the cute little window. It already has a little dent. If the door flew open it will tear up the screen.

 I need shelves and tables now. Then just load it up with all my garden stuff. I went to a friend's today and she has old dressers for storing stuff and I thought that would make a great seed storage. So I will have to look for an old dresser now.

To the left I will have a shelter for the sheep that will go into the pasture. And on this end will be a lean to for mowers and tillers and such. I'll have to move my little lettuce patch and hostas now because I would love to have a little porch one day soon.

So there it is all nestled up under the cedar tree. I am off to market now!

Garden Shed

I bought a garden shed today. I  have been wanting one for so long. There is a place on Hwy 27 between Rock Spring and Lafayette that has all kinds and sizes of wooden buildings. But I only had enough cash for an 8x10. It has like a barn door and a window in the front! I'll put a little window flower box there. And I called a friend up the road who is a carpenter. I want a lean to on one side for the garden stuff like tiller and mower. And on the other side a shelter for the sheep. Seems like I have already written all this before. Sorry if I have but I am just so excited to be finally getting my garden shed. A place to put my farmer's market stuff like baskets and things. Also seeds. And rakes and shovels and all that garden type stuff that gets lost or stuck in strange places. Or left out and breaks and we have to keep replacing it.

I'll get the guys to make me a work bench on one side and shelves as many places as they can. And lots of hooks for hanging things. I would love to have a little porch too. But that can wait.

 I have an old metal sink cabinet with the cast iron sink that was in the kitchen when we bought this place. It's out back. I want it out there with a faucet to be able to clean veggies out there so I won't have to drag everything to the house. And some water faucets for watering too. Oh, there is so much I need. But as long as I have my little garden shed, I can add things later.

I'll take pictures when it gets here. I can hardly wait now. Oh, and it's made right over in Tn. by Mennonites. So I am supporting local business and keeping my money here in this area. And this little shed is sturdy and will last a long time.

Busy Weekend

Friday my brother got here from Colorado Springs. He's riding his Harley to New York and stopping all over to see family. He stayed with me Friday night then with our parents Sat. night. Left for S. Ga. to see our Aunt and Uncle in Metter and a cousin there too. Then off to New York to see a NasCar  race and meet some friends. Then he's taking off back to Col. Springs. I think he'll be getting a bit wet on the way to NY because the whole way up there is raining on the weather maps. But he's got good rain gear. Have fun, Mark!




                This is my brother's Harley. He's got everything he needs in there. Even a little stove.

This is my husband's bike. He took Mark up to Desoto Falls near here in Alabama. It's a beautiful place. They had to get some riding in before going to our parent's to EAT! Mom had all kinds of good food. She always feeds us good. Thanks Mom!

Then Sunday was the Sherrill family reunion at Cumberland State Park in Crossville, Tn. Lots of the family lives in Indiana and come down for this. It's a 2 day reunion. And ends up at this park. This was my 34th since joining this big family. These are my in laws. My husband's brothers and sisters. He's the youngest of 9 and the biggest! He's the guy in the red shirt. I would say the guy with the white head but they are all white headed and have been forever now. He has 2 other brothers but they died several years ago.

                           Patricia, Liz, Yvonne, Marylou, Clarence, Charlie and Jim. The Sherrill clan. 

Mt husband rode his Harley and our daughter and husband rode their Honda. I had our 2 granddaughters so drove the car behind them to the reunion. It was nice all the way there. My SIL found some really back roads. Windy almost one lane mountain roads I had never been on. Then at the end of the reunion as everyone was leaving, it started raining.And it rained the whole way back home. Poor hubby was soaked. He does not have any rain gear. Chloe is in the front seat wrapped in towels. It was a bit cool. Coryn is in the back seat asleep. Good day for a nap!

We had a fun weekend. And now it's just me again. Hubby had to leave last night for Ohio. So I will be working in the gardens and mowing this week. I am going today to get a garden shed!! I have wanted one for so long. Now I can get one. Also want some water faucets IN the gardens and sheep and chicken yards. I am so tired of dragging water hoses. I do stay in shape though from all the walking I have to do around here. But those are 2 things I have needed for a long time. We will add a lean to on the garden side for tiller and mower and a sheep shelter on the other side for the far pasture. There is no shelter over there. Well, there is a barn way over on the other side of the pasture. But do you think a sheep would go way over there away from their shepherd? No.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Farmer's Market

These are some of the farmers that come to market every week. These are the neatest people. True farmers, all of them. Some have been farmers all their lives. Some just starting out. I learn a lot from them. And they all love what they do. Some have stands on their farms. Some raise grass fed beef. Some have honey bees. And some like to can what they don't sell and bring it back in jars. Very clever folks, these. And some play guitar and sound like Johnny Cash too! I love my farmer's market. The last picture is mine. I like taking pictures, not being in them.

Finished Soaps

                       And here are the soaps I made yesterday. All cut up and on the drying racks.




                                                        The top soap is the peppermint.

                                                 The bottom is the tea tree castille soap.






                                     The top in this picture is the cedar-saffron. It smells so good!


                                    Then in the middle is the clarey sage-rosemary goat milk soap.


                                                               Then the plain goat milk.

 And these are the little tiny clarey sage-rosemary soaps from the candy tray mold. They look big but they aren't at all. They actually look like white  fudge. I'll have to make sure no one tries to eat these!

            Not I have to wait at least 4 weeks for all to dry except the castille. It takes up to 3 months to dry.