WW - Angry Bird

Linking up with

The Bliss of A Cooler Day and Other Things

My Little Bliss List (Remembering the things that made me happy this week, because it's so easy to forget them.)

It rained!  We had a wonderful day of rain on Wednesday, and we needed it.  It washed away the humidity and has brought twenty degree cooler temperatures.. it only got up to 84 today!  I never thought that I would say that was cool, but it is.

Today brought blue skies and big white fluffy clouds and cool breezes. I had the windows and doors open from early morning to about two in the afternoon, letting the breeze blow through and freshening everything after being closed up tight for air conditioning.  It was wonderful.

A Perfect August Sky

I'm happy that it has been so hot though, because our chicks were able to move outside, last weekend, at three weeks of age.   They were ready for it and because chicks like it warm, they are comfortable outside, in their mulberry tree shaded spot.  They come running to meet me when ever I go out to check on them.  Sometimes I go with a treat for them and I think they were wondering where it was when I snapped this.  Can you guess which one is the rooster?

Where's The Treats?

I've had a wonderful time with art this past week.  I am participating in Jenny and Aaron of Every Day is A Holiday's Art Journaling Class.  The first class was this week and I thoroughly enjoyed the class and making my art journal pages.

She Wore A Hat Art Journal Pages

If you want to know more about the classes (there's still time to join in the fun) and how I made my pages, hop on over to my art blog for the whole story.

Now, maybe you would like to get a cup of tea and a cookie or two and get comfortable for this last little blissful thing that I will leave you with.  I was looking at a little video on YouTube and I looked to the side and spotted this wonderful treasure.... The Secret Garden, 1949 (full length version ) starring Margaret O'Brien.  I've seen this version and probably every other version of this story, because it's one of my favorite books.  The movie is an hour and a half long, but you have the luxury of hitting the pause button if you need to.  Enjoy!

What made you happy this week?  Share your bliss.

I'm linking up with Liv Lane's Little Bliss List.

Almost Wordless Wednesday - What I've Been Up To

Our new chicks are getting their own special area to the west, behind the house, complete with mulberry tress, which I'm sure they'll enjoy come next spring.  I'll have a good view of it from the kitchen window.

The chickens area is an area that was completely overgrown with brush and blackberries.  Guess what we've been doing for the last week...

Before and After Brush Clearing of Chicken Pasture Area

Armed with machetes, an axe, rakes, pruning shears, a pruning saw, Mr. B. and I have it mostly cleared.  There are still a few stumps left, but their numbers are dwindling every day.

Otis had to check out the newly cleared area.

It's fenced on three sides.  We'll add the front fence and gate, after we've finished building their run, or as I call it their "safe house".  The run will enclose the coop and be their safe area and protection from predators at night, and for when we aren't at home during the day.  I really want them to free range, so I don't expect them to spend a great deal of time in it.

The coop is built, but not in position yet.  We'll move it when all the stumps are out.

Our Chicken Coop

Who knew that eight little chicks could cause so much work!

The chicks are growing like crazy and because it's been so hot, they've been coming outside with us since they were a week and a half old.  They enjoy scratching around and catching bugs while we work.

The chicks first day out.  They grew so fast and now they're twice the size they were here, just a week ago!

We use our smallest dog crate as their home base, using cardboard to shelter them if it gets breezy or the sun is too hot.  They stay in it most of the time, making short little runs out and back occasionally.  As you can see we don't have grass left because of the heat.  There's even less green this week.

When we take a break from working, we sit down with them and they run over for a little handful of oats.

Chick Picnic.  The pretty little star of this photo is one of our Speckled Sussex chicks, Henny Penny.  Ringo , our Plymouth Rock rooster is sitting on Mr. B.'s hand.

Lacey, our one Silver Lace Wyandotte chick

I'll keep you posted with our progress on the run and of course I'll have more pics of the reason for all the work.

Linking to The Barn Hop

Another Little Bliss List

My Little Bliss List (Remembering the things that made me happy this week, because it's so easy to forget them.)

It's been a very blissful week.

1 - It was my Mom's birthday this week and we had a lovely visit on the phone.  The next best thing to being there.

2 - I discovered this wonderful site, Tagxedo  which will take the words used on your blog or website and turn them into a word cloud.  You have your choice of fonts and shapes and colors.  I simply loved this teapot, made with words from this blog and had to share.  I had so much fun making it.

Tagxedo Teapot  - Click to see it larger

3 - Our chicks arrived at our post office, from My Pet Chicken on Tuesday morning.  All were healthy and happy after their journey through the postal system, which brought immediate joy and relief.

How fast they're growing!  I can't believe how much they change from day to day.  They have brought endless smiles and chuckles with their antics this week.

I really adore the "chipmunk' markings of the two Speckled Sussex girls, Henny Penny and Bonnie.

Chipmunk Markings, Photo by Tori Beveridge

The chicks are definitely not shy anymore and will jump up on our hands and arms.  The black and white girl is Pearl, a Barred Plymouth Rock and the red girl is Lady, one of our two Rhode Island Reds.

Pearl and Lady, Photo by Tori Beveridge

We think the chick below is our rooster.  The markings are different than on the other two Barred Plymouth Rocks.  He, I'm already calling him he, loves to be up high and was the first to be able to hop up onto the little roost we made.  We've named him Ringo because of the white ring around his head.. sure hope he's the rooster.  If any of you chicken experts have any thoughts on whether he may or may not be a rooster, I'd love to hear them.

Ringo, Photo by Tori Beveridge

Mr. B.'s favorites are the two Rhode Island Reds, followed by Ringo.  His very favorite chick is this one, Lady.

Lady, Photo by Tori Beveridge

4 - The weather has continued to be hot and dry here.  We had a power outage this week, (common here in the summer heat) which gave me the opportunity to sit and read for a couple of hours before the power came back on.

Ohh.. must give credit to the "hand model", Mr. B. himself.

What made you happy this week?  Share your bliss.

I'm linking up with Liv Lane's Little Bliss List 

Baby Chicks & July Notecard Party

Two occasions coinciding.. A Haven for Vee's July Note Card Party and the arrival of our chicks!  One of the photos of the chicks should work for a note card.  The others have appeared on my blog previously.


Yes, the chicks arrived yesterday.  They weathered the long, stressful ride through the postal system without any adverse effects and are settled into their brooder.  Mr B. made the brooder from a Rubbermaid storage container and it's perfect for them.

Mr B. making the brooder

There's eight of them total:  two Rhode Island Reds, two Speckled Sussex, two Barred Plymouth Rocks, one Silver Laced Wyandotte, and one Plymouth Rock Rooster.  The Plymouth Rocks are by far the leaders of the flock, all of the others follows their lead.

Having a look around.

Mr. B. making friends.

I think the picture below will make a nice notecard.

Not shy once they realized he had ground up oats in his hand.

Now for the rest of my note cards.   I decide to go with an animal theme this month.

Otis' "you talkin' to me" face, Photo by Tori Beveridge

Good Morning photo by Tori Beveridge

What!?  You've never seen a cat in a frying pan before?  Photo by Tori Beveridge

Visit A Haven For Vee's Note Card Party to see all the lovely photographs chosen by others to be Note Cards, and maybe join in the fun yourself!