My new chicken coop Episode 6 - Days 12 - 15

Day 12 - Monday morning, and the girls were eagerly waiting to enter the garden. I fed them, opened the gate and excitedly thought that today was the day the screed for the floor was going to be done! Tomorrow we could start painting and then the girls could move in! The time was nigh!

At the end of Day 12, the floor was done and we were just waiting for it to dry so that the painting could start.

 Day 12

Day 12

Day 12 - floor finished

Tuesday Day 13 and the painting started inside

Day 13

 Early on Wednesday, Day 14, Solomon started painting the outside

 Day 14

 Day 14

Day 14 - The painting of the outside of the coop was finished and the workers ended the day by cleaning up, removing all their tools and now the rest was up to me!

Thursday, Day 15 - I was up bright and early and started preparing the inside for the girls, as I would like them to move in before the weekend. I prepared the nest boxes, filling them with some lovely fresh grass while Solly constructed a roost for me.

 Day 15 - the new roost with fresh grass underneath to catch droppings

 Day 15

Day 15 - Yesterday Solomon finished with the outside painting quite early, so I asked him to construct a divider wall at the one end of the coop as I needed some space to house tools, buckets, food and the like.

End of Thursday, Day 15, and tomorrow is the big move. I can hardly wait! See you soon with the last episode!

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Finally! Indian Ringneck up-date

Ever since I spotted the Indian Ringneck parrot in my garden on the 17th December 2014, FINALLY he has condescended to visit one of my bird feeders where I've regularly been putting some sunflower seeds, apples and peanuts for him, all to no avail. Then, yesterday, as I did my usual rounds, whistling and calling as usual and filling one of the feeders especially for him, as soon as I got back to the house, he flew down and greedily started devouring the seeds. Oh my, what a sight! I can't even begin to imagine why now, after two and a half months, but maybe, as winter nears and all the fruit and berry trees are empty, he was hungry.

I quickly rushed to get the camera but didn't go too close as I was scared I would disturb him.

He fed for quite a while and when he was finished, he retreated to his favourite perch, preening and cleaning with the best toothpick in the world, one of his toe nails!

I'm particularly pleased that he seems to have settled back into my garden because, when he arrived here in December, he seemed to be fairly tame, not minding me moving around under his perch at all. Then, suddenly, a couple of weeks later, he disappeared for a few days and when he came back he was extremely skittish and afraid, retreating right to the top of the tree every time he saw me, even flying away across the road into the blue gum bush. All I can think is that he must have had a scary experience, maybe somebody tried to catch him, but whatever happened, it left him wary and wild. But it seems my patience over the past two months has paid off and he slowly seems to be gaining his confidence back again.

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My new chicken coop Episode 5 - Day 9, 10 & 11

Since I hastily erected a make-shift coop in January 2011, when I was given Henny Penny and her ten babies, the time finally came in October 2012 for the up-grade of my chicken coop! It was long in the offing! If you look back over the last few posts, you'll see the progress I've been posting since Day 1.

Day 9, which was a Wednesday, started off bright and early with Solomon and his 'handlanger' already waiting at the gate when we opened at 8am. Today was the day that the roof was going on, and I was terribly excited! Solomon got straight to the point and started measuring the length to which the IBR sheets must be cut.

While he was waiting for his handlanger, who was cutting the IBR sheets, Solomon started on the nest boxes for the girls. I've got 6 hens, so I was only building these 5 nest boxes, which would have a little roof on them, as I already had some loose standing nest boxes which some of them loved and I wasn't sure whether they would actually use the new nest boxes or not (And at the end of the day I was right - the other nest boxes are always fully occupied and these 5 mostly go unused!)

Day 9

Day 9

Day 9

Day 9

Just as Solomon finished building the little nest boxes, the roofing sheets were also ready and by end of day the roof was on! I brought out coffee and cookies for everybody and we all celebrated this event while chatting what the next move was for tomorrow.

End of Day 9

Day 10 - Thursday also kicked off bright and early (I mention this often as it is a rare event! lol!) and Solomon got ready for the plastering job. I always look forward to this, as it somehow gives the whole job a sense of reality and progress, meaning the move for the girls was getting close!

Day 10

I love watching the plastering process and after a while I asked Solomon if I could have a go at it, after waching carefully how he 'throws and slaps' the plaster into place with such apparent ease. First of all, he had to hold the trough containing the plaster mix for me, it was quite a weight! After three attempts, I had managed to dislodge all Solomon's plaster he had done up to that point and although he smiled, I had the feeling he wasn't that pleased with me! I gave up with a sigh, leaving the job to the experts!

Day 10

Day 10

Day 11, Friday, the outside plastering started. Whoot whoot! It was all coming together!

Day 11

Day 11

Day 11

The week ended with a big bang with the plastering being completed by 4pm on Friday afternoon, leaving the whole weekend for the plaster to dry properly so that painting could commence on Monday. Wow! I was totally thrilled and we once again celebrated with coffee and cookies (and paying the weekly wages!)

Next - Episode 6 - Days 12 - 15

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Help a tired Bee

Found a tired looking bee in your garden? You can help bring it back to life!

Mix two tablespoons of sugar with one tablespoon of water and put it in a small receptacle like a teaspoon to help that bee get back on track.

How often have you been irritated by bees buzzing around while having a meal outdoors at a restaurant or a tea garden? Another plight of the bee is getting stuck in a soda can or bottle when they go into it to have a sweet drink, often losing their grip and drowning. Please consider these little wonders of nature and cover your soda can and cooldrink glasses when eating out in the open and rather offer them a bit of the beverage in a teaspoon. You can make a difference!

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My new chicken coop Episode 4 - Days 7, 8

Day 7

Sorry, I've been a bit amiss keeping up with this up-date, I've been spending far too much time on my art blogs!

Day 7 of the building process started off bright and early - the building crew already arrived at 7.30am and it was a scramble to open the gates for them (normally only open the gates for buiness at 8am). Solomon immediately started preparing and installing the 6" tanalised blue gum poles and then followed a row of bricks to secure the wire they are tied with.

Day 7

Day 7

Day 7

Day 7

Day 7

Just after lunch-time, the builder started on the 2"x3" brandering, which is quite a tedious job - each piece of wood has to be measured and cut to size and then securely nailed and wired to the blue gum trusses.

Day 7

By end-of-day the woodwork was completed and the next day they could start on the roofing sheets.

 End of Day 7 - Solomon cleaning up and getting ready to go home.

Day8

Well, that was wishful thinking on my part. Day 8 came and went with, once again, no sign of the builder. My patience was wearing thin, but luckily he doesn't get paid by the day, but on a finished, quoted price. So if it takes him 6 months, that's his problem. Mine also, because I'm dying for the girls to move into their new home!

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The simplicity of Nature

“Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.”

― Isaac Newton

The inner peace and happiness created by nature forms a world in which one can view life through simple observations and clear images. Rural life is connected to nature in ways that urban life can never be. The attention to the smallest details that can come from rural life are impossible to get from living in an urban center. Living in a rural setting you are able to take in your surroundings to the fullest extent. This is possible because of the lack of distractions and slower pace of life. People experiencing rural life are able to make connections with nature and often create emotional states that accompany the happenings in this simplistic reality. This visualization of the simplistic aspects of the world is evoked through nature's response and interaction with the surrounding environment.

Many people find their greatest peace and serenity in nature. The natural world is exactly what it needs to be, no more and no less. There is no excess or clutter or a lack of organization in nature. Every rock, tree, drop of water, leaf, piece of sand and animal plays its part in nature with no thought as to whether they will match the local terrain or whether they will need extra storage to have all the things they want to have.

A walk in the woods in the fall, or in the mountains by a bubbling stream, or by the roaring ocean can bring a new perspective into your own life and how it is affected by its surroundings. Our own living spaces should give us the same feeling that we get from being in the outdoors. Peace, quiet, and the time to reflect on our place in this world.

Nature has a great simplicity and, therefore, a great beauty.

The benefits of nature is to experience the magnificent expressions of nature, who is our greatest teacher. She teaches us to experience and embrace the present moment, expand our deep appreciation and gratitude for all of life and deepen our love for self and other. Nature provides a feeling of full connectedness and aliveness with all, for all and stillness and a peaceful state of being.

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My new chicken coop Episode 3 - Days 4 & 5 & 6

When you decide to acquire some chickens, you are going to need a place to put them once they are all big enough. You have a few different options when it comes to housing your flock. There are hen houses, chicken coops, and chicken tractors, but which one works the best for your flock? How many square feet should you plan for?

I must say I have always tended to "think big". Nothing small like a chicken tractor for me, it might be fine if you're living in town with not much space, but on a smallholding there is always more than enough space.

But I must say, once my coop started taking shape, I saw just exactly HOW big I had planned! It's almost big enough for a 1-bedroomed cottage, which might be a thought one day if ever I should not have my girls any longer. Mmmmmm....

Day 4 started off with another hiccup again - Solomon, the builder, never pitched until after 10am and then he seemed to pfaff around for ever and my lunch-time only 5 rows or bricks had been laid on the side wall. But by close of day, both walls were up to window-height. Just a few more rows until roof height!

Day 4

Day 4

Day 4 - reaching window height! Concrete lintels above the two side windows

Close of day 4 - both walls at window height

Artemis and the girls getting ready for the night, still in their old coop, after exploring every inch of the new coop inside and out.

Day 5's progress, below, ended with the last few rows of bricks which will carry the wood rafters, for which I used 6" tanalised blue gum poles and 2"x3" brandering. Then will come the job of laying the IBR roofing - I can't wait!

Day 5

 At close of Day 5 

Day 6

Day 6 nothing happened - no builders pitched, not a word of explanation! But it gave me time to take stock of everything and to check all the supplies. They usually notify me only when the last brick has been used or the cement is at its last, so if I don't keep an eye open, it just causes further delays.

Keep an eye open for Episode 4!

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