A quick trip

On July 16, 2021July 14, 2021 By CarynIn chickens

We recently ventured forth for a weekend trip to see family in the next state over. It was our first overnight trip since the whole pandemic exploded (and my heart goes out to those still locked down). We’ve had our shots, the dogs were boarded, which was not a happy time for Missy, but she survived and ate, but wouldn’t leave her room. Griffin was excited, so he probably kept her from complete melt down, as they bunked together. The cats had food and water, but told us what they thought about being locked down for two days when we got back. They are not big fans of it either.

I set the chickens up with a full feeder and all five watering stations filled, with one foot bath set up to flush with a hose every night (it wasn’t very efficient but it made me feel better). I was unable to rig the doors to open and shut to cool the coop before bed, but luckily the weather was relatively mild for a Texas summer, it was “only” 90 degrees in their coop at night. I could see on the camera that their necks were stretched out more than usual, and their wings held away from their bodies to dissipate the heat held by their feathers.

When we returned home the chickens were fine, but there were seven eggs in the nest boxes, and one left by the pop door. Amazingly, none of the hens went broody, even with a clutch of eggs beckoning. (I did open all the nest box curtains, which they don’t care for.)

Emergency crafting

On July 15, 2021July 12, 2021 By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

This is not about crafting things for an emergency, this is about having to wait in the car for a half-hour, and despite my best intentions I still have not squirreled away a small spindle and fiber about my person, and I was getting fidgety. My oldest handed me a fast food napkin. I tore it into strips and twined it. Ah. Better. We almost always have a stash of napkins in the car, and the resulting twine is surprisingly robust, for a short stapled fiber stuck together with starch. So there we go, fidgets fidgeted with readily available materials.

Twine made from a paper napkin (the pin is to keep if from unraveling until I get back to it)

Watermelon oops

On July 14, 2021July 12, 2021 By CarynIn chickens, Wildlife

I did not read carefully when making my grocery order and ended up with a super-sized watermelon rather than a small, reasonable sized watermelon. Oops.

I cut up half, saved a couple slices for the chickens, then ran out of fridge room, so set out the remaining section for the wildlife (in front of the trail cam of course).

The mammals were only mildly interested, but the ants, flies, and butterflies loved it and quickly made a rather grotesque mess of the melon. I suspect the opossum that visited was more interested in the larva than the flesh. The cats just watched the butterflies.

Spin, spun, almost done

On July 13, 2021July 9, 2021 By CarynIn Craft

This phrase goes through my head often lately. Wonder why.

Singles spun of BFL/silk blend (and the start of two-plying because I ran out of roving mid-walk)

My balsam-colored Blue-Faced Leicester and silk blend spinning is done. Spun and plied entirely during walks around the neighborhood. Ok, well except for getting the cop started and detangling, which were more efficiently done sitting at home. I have a plan for this yarn, but it involves knitting, which is not my favorite, so may take awhile (to get started and to finish). Plans change, though, so maybe another possibility will present itself in the meantime.