peep show

The time of year is here!

The road sign at the local feed store has announced that it is time to "order your chicks".

(The best thing about small towns is that this can be posted on a sign without questionable looks or visions of Russian brides)

We've ordered our chicks this way in years past.

Imagine flipping through a catalog of speckled, mottled, fluffy and feather footed chicks! How do you choose? One of each?

Two years ago we decided to hatch a couple of eggs ourselves. These chickens are extremely prompt. 21 days to the day they will hatch. Like a nervous hen I watched all day as the chicks meticulously pecked there way out of their shells.

As soon as the tiresome chicks hit the air I scooped them up and daintily placed them in their new home under heat lamps.....what lovely little hens!

Sadly our experiment went awry when we realized we were cursed with two more roosters.

The odds were against us.

I will not be gambling anytime soon.

So needless to say not only did we add two more roosters to our flock....but one that is legally blind and can only make out shapes. ( we can't figure out how to get a pair of glasses to stay on.....)

and the other, well....let's just say he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

So will we try and hatch again? Yeah probably.

It's a wonderful experience nonetheless.

So for those dreaming of fresh eggs and fickle chicks check out www.McmurrayHatchery.com or your local feed store.

Just remember that those chicks have specific needs...and be prepared for boisterous roosters!

facts or fallicies?

Word on the street is that I've been tagged for "Five interesting facts nobody knows about me." Hmmmm, a real head-scratcher. Do I reveal my true self in all it's dorkiness? Or do I try to sound fascinating and hip with witty, fluffy facts?

Ok the little angel on my shoulder demands that I be truthful....thou that little devil on the other is really jabbing me hard with that pitchfork!

So here goes nothing:

1. I have known my husband since grade school. Thou he's a scandalous 5 years older. He was my best friends' brothers' best friend...(you have to say that slowly) he was the icky boy in camouflage who played in the woods. He is still the icky boy in camouflage that plays in the woods.

2. I used to work at a garden center where I ran a tractor and a small skidster. I was the one who would load the mulch in the back of customer's trucks. Ahh, memories! I can still see the horrified looks on stern,manly faces as little ol' me clamored onto the tractor creeping the bucket closer and closer to their precious vehicles.....never a mishap mind you!

3. I am the youngest of 4 kids. And was always dubbed "the brat". I believe I still may hold that title. At least my siblings have the tact to say it behind my back now. I can't exactly challenge Jen O'Connor (earth angels maven)with her extremely large extended family...but I can boast that my father has 11 brothers and sisters...so yes, there are cousins a' plenty.

4. I really love food. Who doesn't right? I even went to cooking school for a year....until I realized it wasn't just all about making pretty desserts and eating them!

Buffalo wing pizza with Frank's hot sauce anyone? Chocolate a must...(did I mention that I once worked in Hershey,PA?) I guess I'm lucky I have a fast metabolism....all that red bull doesn't hurt I suppose.

5. I have shamelessly been to Gettysburg, PA 6 times. I used to live in Harrisburg, so this was the "go-to" place to take visiting friends and family.

And yes, I loved going ....not afraid to admit it.

I'm a bit of a history junkie. Not an expert by any means.....But I can sure play a mean game of jeopardy in that category. ( ok and I can clean up in pop-culture as well)

I do apologize for all these random facts....ho hum

I think next time I am asked to do one of these lists I will do it as my alter ego with some fantastic fallacies.

Tag Diane Allison-Stroud! Lets' hear some juicy facts! http://dianeallisonblog.blogspot.com

never enough

the truth hurts




a cluster of enameled watch faces


An indulgement of western boots
a variety of florals on copper verdi















a jumble of milkglass









a crate of belgium coffee cups






a clutch of tiny spoons



How does that saying go?... "Life is like a box of chocolates...you want as much as you can get"? hmmmmm
Well, that be my words to live by. Funny how everything in my life relates to chocolate. Just one taste and I'm a goner. I want the whole box or jarfull!
So why have one of anything ?
I guess that need for excess has leached over to ever other aspect of my life as well.

There's something about groupings and collections that really does it for me......be it tiny spoons too mini to use, a bevy of boots that I'll never have enough occasions to wear, a variety of discarded watch faces .....

It's all in good fun.
So my fix was satiated this past weekend at the Schoharie Antiques Show.

Now you may never want to be my friend again when I tell you I purchsed the "greedy" mug, watch faces, pair of boots to the far right (in my size , yippee!), 30 belgium coffee cups and silver spoons for a grand total of......$74.00. Yeah, that's right....

That's right people...I may be greedy....but I'm thrifty!

mudroom progress

This may be the best this room ever looks....it's all downhill from here.......bring on the mud!