Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Hey there! Happy Memorial day folks! I am using my clothes line for something other than quilts in this beautiful weather. So in the spirit of break from quilts let me show you what else we have been doing around the house.

My husband has been busy around the house. He built a chicken coop for our new tiny flock of hens. We have long been a fan of Backyard Homestead, and were inspired by all our Australian neighbors when we lived in Alice Springs who had chooks in their yards. We have wanted them for years, but living on military bases all over the world, we didn't get to have them. Now that we have our own house, we felt it was time to incorporate hens into our life.

I will be painting a quilt somewhere on this coop. A simple Amish one I think.

After a few last minute adjustments (Notice Stu's shirt? I made it for him. A big rooster. Funny.)

It was time to add the little ladies. They are young...about 4 weeks so we don't have to incubate them inside. That was a bonus for me. I didn't want them in the house if at all possible. We bought them from  the Kansas Farm Store in town.

The gals are pretty happy with their coop. We are starting with 4 Ameraucana pullets. When they grow up they will lay blue, green or pink eggs. Or at least that is my plan ;o).  As you can see they are not terribly magnificent at this stage, but when their plumage comes in and they put on some weight they will be more lovely.

The kids think they are great too. We made the chicken coop mobile  so we can move it around the yard and give the girls new places to hunt and peck.

Upstairs are nesting boxes for when they need more security and when it comes time to lay eggs. We won't have eggs from these girls until next year, but it is fun to plan.

My husband Incorporated a big Plexiglas window for sunlight and warmth.

Emma has been keeping the house filled with lovely cut flowers from our little garden.

Stu also built a table for the back porch. We need to sand it some and add a sealant when we add sealant to the porch. He used an old door and the porch posts I gave him for our anniversary. I love tables made from doors and I am as happy as a clam with this one. We need to find tall stools or chairs to sit on though.

My tomatoes are doing awesome! I am just now staking them, but I am pretty excited about them for sure. My tomatoes in Texas were MASSIVE plants, but I didn't get a single tomato off them. It was just too hot.

I am so determined to have tomatoes that I planted them over on this side of the porch too! I case you are wondering WHY???? Am I planting so many up on the porch I am trying to be selfish and have the fruits and Veg for my family and not the myriad of varmints that visit my yard everyday. I do need to sweep the dirt up.

My Meyer Lemon is covered with blooms and tiny fruit....ahhh. It is so exciting all this growing and life that is bursting up in the yard. OK....next post will be back about quilts.

Have a Happy Memorial Day and go find a Service Member to hug. This glorious freedom we get to enjoy is not free. Great men and Women have made terrible sacrifices for us to wear shorts and dig in the dirt and plant whatever we want...or just go the the store and buy it.

Oh and for all my husband's hard work he rewarded himself with a motorcycle. It has been a couple years since he had one and I have been watching him fight the fever for so long. He gave in....and I like riding around on the back.

Have a great day!
Tia