The Chickens and Summer Vacation

Well, with all this new bunny talk, there hasn't been much talk about our chickens.  They are growing quite large, and are becoming quite easy to take care of--I just feed them and water them every day, clean out their roost once or twice a week (just kind of by spot picking out the poop and tossing it into the compost) and moving it a few feet every day so they have fresh forage.  They are getting big, and their voices are changing from peeps to more adult chickeny clucks, which is funny and fun.  Farizad got out the other day--there are definitely some things we need to work out with the coop still--and I had to pick her up to put her back in.  She was definitely eager to go.  And she is a lot bigger.  I think there should be eggs by September.  I also think that my endless worry that one is a rooster was needless. 

Also, I would like to rhapsodize for a moment on today's beauty.  I am starting this now because I don't want to forget in the probable case that tomorrow will be less delightful.  It was the first day of summer vacation, and I just loved it.  The kids woke up and literally played school for about two hours, having to be coaxed out to eat breakfast.  I cleaned up, folded laundry...read a little, I think.  Then Elsa and I worked on the Hooked on Phonics set that she wanted to get out from the library.  It was very exciting--she is beginning to get reading, and actually be interested in working on it.  She loves to be read to, but has shown very little interest, at least with me, in learning the mechanics.  After a good bit of that, there was still so much time.  David and I planted some more flower seeds in his garden and fed grubs we found there to the chickens, snuggled bunnies, read books, walked to the playground (where I got to knit), counted steps, found a Luna moth and baby acorns, walked home, read more books, picked more stuff in the garden (Elsa and David both like to pick me salads throughout the day, which is doing wonders for my energy).  I went in to start dinner at like 4:30, so the kitchen did not become a total disaster area, while Elsa played some more in the garden--leaping beds, picking peas, examining bugs, and David drew with chalk on the patio.  Oh, and Elsa fell out of a tree and got a bloody nose.  We ate dinner outside, and started bed preparations.  It was just a sweet, sweet day...nothing exciting, but still jam packed with good stuff.  I like having my children at home.  I like not having to rush off somewhere.  I like summer.