This and That

It's been quiet around the homestead lately.  In between storms we've been working outside to get all the odds and ends wrapped up.  Cleaning up the remodeling debris is the worst. 

I've also been working on planting my order from Northern Trading Co. that I got earlier than I expected.  So far I've gotten everything planted that they've sent (all but my apple tree)--so that's a load off my mind.  They sent a Robin Hood rose and some hyacinth and crocus bulbs as free gifts.  Everything looks fantastic!!!  I can hardly wait for spring now to see it all grow!

Another project I have coming up is to pull up the poison ivy along the fence line to plant daffodils and the hyacinth/crocus bulbs.  The last time I attempted such a feat (in 2004) I was laid up in bed for 2 weeks afterwards with poison ivy on my face and chest (I was breastfeeding Son #6 at the time and I didn't know that I was covered in the oil when I nursed him.  He proceeded to help spread it on me though he didn't have any reaction himself--Praise God!!).  Sadly, I didn't realize that all those stringy roots I pulled up was poison ivy until after the fact because the leaves had fallen off already.

This was BEFORE it got really bad!!!

The best memory from the whole ordeal was when Son #4 said to Son #5...

"Don't kiss Mommy or you'll get poison ivy and you'll

be UGLY too!"  It still makes me laugh. 

The children constantly told me how much I looked like Gothmog

on Return of the King (Lord of the Rings)

Honestly, they were just about right!!!

It really was horrible!

They almost admitted me to the hospital but I was allowed to agonize at home on my own with the help of lots of Benedryl and some serious steriods! 

This time I'll pull the ivy while I know what and where they are and I will be prepared by wearing rubber gloves, jersy gloves, long sleeves, and pants with all of it coming off as soon as I'm done and being thrown into the washer immediatly.  Then I'll wash up with Dermoplast Poison Ivy Treatment/Wash.

I will never be without this most excellent product again!!!

It truly is miraculous!!!

I must do this dreaded job myself as I don't want anyone else to suffer if it goes badly.  I've got lots of experience in how to avoid it now while working in/around it.  I ignored pulling it up last year and it went forth and multiplied.  I cannot ignore it any longer. 

And now, on to happier thoughts.  :-)

A well camouflaged grey tree frog on our weathered window sill.

He's so cute!

Our chickens are moulting.  We've kept chickens for almost 15 years and I've never seen any look this pathetic!!  I'm giving them hard boiled eggs (crushed up, shell and all) for extra protein as well as their regular feed and scratch. 

From left to right...

Wellsummer, Americauna, Gold Laced Wyandott.

The Wyandott doesn't really appear to be moulting (the fuzz

on her tail is from the other hens pulling at her feathers.  Brutes!)

I still get an egg from her almost every day. 

But the other two are terrible--feathers missing, they're not laying

and they've lost weight.

I'll be glad when they're new feathers come in and they look

whole and healthy once again!

Just look at all those pinfeathers!!

I'm so excited about this little thrift shop find!  Dh had a pretty good day last week and we went shopping.  One of our stops was at our local Goodwill where I found this tiny little desk...

Toddler size!

As I looked closer I realized that I knew that little clown face in the

center of the upper part of the desk.

And those little red knobs.

The neurons in my brain were firing furiously.

Revelation...

I realized that I had a desk very similar when I was little.

Very little.

My most vivid memories of my desk are of wiping chalk

dust off of the inside groove where the chalkboard top rests

when it's closed.

When you erase the chalk marks some of the dust gets

caught underneath.

I can also remember the way the pegboard smelled when you

lifted the lid.

$12 for a little piece of my past.

I'm working to replace a few little things that I've lost through the

years (to our many moves as a child and getting flooded a

couple of times in my married life).

Funny how I didn't even remember this little piece of my life until

I saw it sitting there--waiting for me to come and take it home.

Now to get it cleaned up and find it a comfy spot in our home.

 I'm so happy to have this little jewel (back) in my life!

What I don't remember though is the little attatched seat.  Perhaps my desk didn't have a seat.  I'll have to see if my mom can remember.  :-)  It boggles my mind that this desk could be 40+ years old and in such wonderful shape.

It's the little things in life that give me so much pleasure.  :-)