Been exploring more photography and trying not to forget what I’ve learned so far. Easter Sunday, with it’s beautiful weather and a few hours to kill after church, was a great day to play around at a cute little park in Frisco.
I also took some photos of a cute project I did to decorate for Easter. The eggs were super easy and quick to make.
While waiting for the food I cooked to finish, I went in the backyard and took a few more photos of our pets.
I tried out two more Pinterest recipes, both containing zucchini. I really enjoy zucchini. It has a light taste and a pleasant consistency. So far all of these “going through my pinterest posts” have been food related. Well, I love food. And I have a few projects I’m currently working on that really need to be finished before I start a new once from Pinterest. So there!
Recipe 1: Zucchini Boats
These were tasty and super easy to make. Next time I think I would try a sharper tasting cheese. Just maybe.
You can find the recipe here.
Recipe 2: Zucchini Chips
These were awesome. I added som
e extra spices, cause I really cannot follow direction for the life of me. I added some basil and chili powder.
Next time I would make a ton more, cause they were gone in no time. A
lso, as the original poster to this recipe says, it is impossible to wait for these to finish. Only a few of mine actually became crispy. The rest were still moist. That is either due to the fact that I hand sliced them and didn’t use my mandolin slicer, or how I couldn’t leave them in the oven long enough. This was not an issue though. The flavor was too great.
The recipe for the chips requests that you remove the seeds and some of the guts. I thought to myself, why not feed these to my hens? They love eating, and this would go to waste otherwise. Well, happy story, they loved it. Slurped up those zucchini guts in a second. It was fun.
Nick and I enjoyed dying eggs our own chickens laid for Easter. It was interesting to see how the dye made certain imperfections in each egg stand out. Our chickens lay delicious eggs, but they are hardly ever the perfect shape you find in stores. I love seeing the odd shapes we get sometimes. Every once in a while, we get a super oval egg instead of the slightly more pear shapes you commonly see.
When we were ready to dye, we had saved up ten eggs, so that is how many we hard boiled and played with. We had three normal dyes and three “marble” dyes. To turn a dye into a marbling dye, you just need to add a tiny bit of canola oil to the dye.
I think it was quite fitting that we used our chicken mugs to dye our chicken eggs.
Here was our little setup. You just can’t dye Easter eggs without a little “Running Man” going on in the background. Can’t beat Arnold with a beard.
I hope you are all having an amazing Easter weekend and get to do something fun and colorful as well!
Freezing and De-thawing Chickens
Christmas brought snow, family, and a new problem with our rental house. Our little backyard chickens have a heater that keeps them from freezing when the weather is super cold. Sadly, when they needed it most, all of our outdoor outlets stopped working, so their heater was plugged in, but had no power. The day after Christmas, the ground was frozen, and their heater was not working. The chickens were shivering. So we did what any owner of spoiled chickens would do, we brought them inside to thaw out. They were shocked at first, and very quiet. After a few hours, they were back outside, with the heater working once again, and I was disinfecting and cleaning their temporary quarters like nobody’s business.
Thawing Chickens
Plotting Pets
Sometimes I joke about how I think my pets are “plotting” against me. But they give me legit reasons sometimes. The creepy looks, appearing out of nowhere, and of course, sitting on things that are important. Maybe they have me trained really well. I know exactly when it is time to feed the cat. And whatever he is sitting on is usually what I’m looking for. So, I guess he is just reminding me about my chores. The chickens, however, really just enjoy messing with me. Which is fair. I do eat their eggs. So it is a give and take relationship.
Blue Russian Cat
The Elusive Boots
I’ve been on the search for a great pair of combat style boots on and off for a while now with no luck. Until finally, there they were. And now they are mine. Now I can be prepared for anything. From trying out some myths on Mythbusters to surviving the day Skynet become self aware, and in style!
Combat Boots
Animal Expectations
We have been kitty sitting for my parents this week. Their kitty latched onto Nick. It’s a good thing, cause he really does not like me. So, he helps Nick out with his P90x routine. My kitty likes to mess with me during my routine as well. It’s a good thing.
Workout kitty
The chickens are getting more spoiled by the day. We got them some chicken treats and they go literally bananas for them. They will peck it right out of the container.
Chicken Treats
I have a lot of stuff going on recently. A lot of projects in the works, finishing up, or marinating in my mind space. Until the things on my “to do” list switch to my “to done list” and I can tell you about them, enjoy these recent photos of life.
Spoiled Ladies
The girls are handling the random changing of weather like pros, even if they are spoiled rotten with their heat lamp for the cold nights and fan for the hot days. They follow me when I go to the backyard to check on them, and sometimes it is a bit unsettling. I feel like they are plotting things against me, so I make sure to keep their food and water well stocked. That way I’m more of a necessity to their lives, and I can continue to steal their eggs.
Judging you
Jaydee is getting super cuddly as the weather gets cooler. He also let’s me know how important he is, when he needs to be fed, and how displeased he is when I give attention to other animals.
Fall colors have been exploding around here. I don’t remember the trees showing so many great colors for any amount of time in previous years before going bald for winter. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention in years past. Whatever it is, it’s pleasant and makes me hopeful for a good winter.
Possibly the best update is that Christmas decorations are going up. Nick and I are slowly growing our holiday collections of decorations, and this year it’s looking good. I’m trying to keep from stocking up on more lights and things, but it might be a losing battle.
I hope everyone has been having a great week so far and had an excellent start to the holidays during Thanksgiving.
The chickens have a new trick – being super creepy!
First, they learned how to run around all crazy and pumped when someone goes outside, hoping to be let out of their pen for some serious bug devouring around the backyard. Then, they learned how to lay eggs, which is awesome. Around the same time, they learned how to invoke terror in my cat. Now, they have learned how to be precious and creepy in one simple action.
Oh hey guys!
The new house has these great windows that open into the backyard. When either Nick or myself are at home, we like to open the blinds and let the chickens run free in the backyard, as long as we can keep an eye on them to make sure they are ok. The little monsters have decided to keep an eye on us instead. They jump up on the windowsill and just stare at us making little chicken sounds. They also like to hang out at the back door. It is a little strange to look over at the window and see a chunky chicken starring at you.
mocking chickens
Just a little post of the ladies, all grown up.
We have collected a total of 10 eggs since they started laying. I think only McCormick is laying, but Hardcastle has been showing serious interest in the laying box. Maybe they are tricking me and taking turns. Who knows!
This is McCormick’s rock stance. “Come at me bro!”
I only wish I could train them to eat mosquitoes before I get bit. Just follow me around the backyard like little body guards. I can’t wait for fall when I can just let them roam around more and hang out with them. Maybe I’ll train kitty to get the mosquitoes…
In the midst of all of our crazy packing and cleaning, we found a surprise this morning.
Look what I did!
McCormick laid her first egg! We weren’t expecting this until October or late September at the earliest! It was a great surprise. She seems very proud.
This is today’s haul. The tomatoes are hanging on for dear life while the jalapenos are pwning.
One of these things is not like the other
Jaydee even seems impressed by his sister’s accomplishment.
What is this madness?
Life is moving super fast and exciting as we gear up to move in two weeks, pack, get some eggs, and gear up for fall and the best time of the year (October – Jan)!!!!
Just a quick recap of Sunday.
They love playing in the dirt
The chickens still love running around, even in the heat. They even go to the gate in their pen when you go outside, waiting to be let out.
Ready to pick
Sunday’s Pickings
We had a good haul. The tomatoes never last long in the house. The moment they are fully ripe, we slice them up and eat them as is. Also, we have no idea how the red jalapeno happened. Neither of us noticed it until it got this bright! They smell amazing though. Very peppery.
Nick has taken charge with the gardening since I am away more from home (new job!). He is doing an amazing job!
I am just blown away by the beautiful flowers that the fruit and veggies are producing. It is very exciting.
The cucumber plants are getting to be taller than me. They aren’t growing straight up, or they would be way taller, because I didn’t set up great trellises. So, they are growing sideways a bit. Whatever works. You live and learn!
Ignore the pig tails! It is hot outside
Then, there are the tomatoes and jalapenos.
Nick has already promised that he will eat the first jalapeno that we pick whole. I’m looking forward to this moment. Big time.
So, this being my first trip into gardening, I am learning what not to do next time. I planted multiple plants in pots, and am realizing this was a terrible idea. These plants need space, so I’ve done some testing with re-potting and replanting. The soil in our backyard is not great. It is very clay like and has tons of rocks. I planted two tomato plants and a cucumber plant just to see what would happen. Surprisingly….super surprisingly, they are doing amazing.
And our baby chickens are all grown up. They no longer go “peep”, they now make chicken sounds like “bak bak” and “BAK!!!” when Nick chases then for “exercise”. Lol.
They love to eat the vines
Gallivanting Goodriches 