lucky ducky

I had thought my favourite farm animal/bird/white noise was the chicken. I adore their soft clucking. I enjoy the versatilityof their eggs and the meals I can create with the central theme of 'egg'. I love to carry one under my arm and feel that I am not just talking to myself about the minutae that happens in my day. I think it's genius that not only do I get food from these creatures, but I get fabulous compost material from them as well. Watching their daily activities is calming and peaceful.

Although I still have such large affection for my chickens that it verges on 'odd', I have found a new obsessive love. Ducks.

The only time I have ever had ducks/ducklings in our home was the short span of time that our poor ducklings were hatched from their shells before 'Freckles the Duck-Killer' broke into the warm, seemingly safe haven that was their incubator and annihilated them all before they had even a chance to dry off after the tedious chore of hatching. "Welcome to the world, Duckies!! Chomp! Chomp!"

Ducks are certainly cuter when they're dry.

I have noticed that the chicks find any morsel of difference between them and peck at it. Although they aren't doing it maliciously, they have been known to kill each other just by obsessing over a piece of shell stuck to another chick's back....or possibly by 'gang-pecking' the man-made orthorpedic shoes on one of their nestmates. In fact, the reason that a brooder lamp is red is to discourage the chicks from noticing bits of blood or slime on their sibling's bodies after hatching.

But ducks? No, they are so much more community minded. As you add another newly hatched sibling to the brooder, the small flock welcomes them in, absorbs them into the fold and allows for differences and individuality in their goo-patterns. Immediately they are all part of the clan. With chickens, you often have to slowly introduce new flock-mates to ensure that no one is harmed. But I suspect that with ducks, it's all good.

I have never attempted putting a chick in a bathtub of warm water but I can bet it wouldn't end well. But add a duckling to the bath and you have reason to never regret disconnecting cable. Although a beak sort of hinders their ability to smile, you can tell they are giggling and grinning as they frolic in the tub. They dive under like mini feathered submarines. They duck their heads into the water and then throw their heads back with glee. They paddle around with their tiny webbed feet fluttering beneath the water.

Although we had planned to give away all our little ducklings once they were big enough to not have to be kept warm under the brooder lamp....I have to say that we are now keeping 2....maybe 4 of our new little buddies.
I LOVE me my duckies!!!!!!!

Amazing!!!!!!!!

felted wool Easter eggs

For the last few years, the kids and I have been making felted wool eggs and chicks to give for gifts at Easter time. As a gift to anyone who has wondered how to make these little sugar-free Eastery-goodness, I've decided to do a bit of a tutorial on them. (I say 'bit of a tutorial' as I am sure that after I have written it out, I will realize that there is some bit of information lacking....If not or if you have questions, please don't hestitate to leave a comment mentioning what I have left out. I'll try to fill in any blanks!)

****Although they are relatively easy to make, kids do need help and supervision as you will be dealing with HOT water for the wet felting of the eggs and sharp needles when we get to the creation of chicks/ducklings****

Materials

• 30 cm (12") Wool roving (in the desired colour for your egg shell)


• Plastic egg (We use refillable 8cm tall plastic ones from the dollar store taped closed)





Hot water (large bowl or sink full)


Cold Water (large bowl or sink full)


Dish Soap


Rubber Gloves (These are to allow you to handle the hot water more easily without burning yourself)


Xacto knife or rotary cutter

Fill one sink/bowl with very hot water and one with cold water.

Put on rubber gloves.

Wrap the wool roving around the plastic egg.

Holding the wool wrapped egg firmly to prevent the wool from slipping off, generously squirt dish soap onto the wool/egg.

Gently dip the wool covered egg in the hot water to dampen it and bring it back out of the water.

Start squeezing the water/soap into the wool. Turn the egg as you go, but be careful to not 'slide' the wool around on the egg or allow it to fall off.

Dip the egg in the hot water occasionally to keep it hot enough to shrink while you squeeze.

The wool should start to tight-up and hold it's place on the egg. As it does, you can add some more soap to make it 'slippy'.

As long as the wool has begun to hold its' shape, you can start rubbing the egg gently (rather than squeezing) in small circular motions.

Alternate between the hot and cold water as you rub to add in the constriction of the wool.

When the wool is suitable hard and tight against the egg, rinse out as much soap as you can by dipping in fresh water.

When rinsed, squeeze out the excess water and let it dry. (You can also use a towel to blot out water to aid in the drying.)

After a few hours, use the Xacto knife or rotary cutter to carefully cut a zig-zag line in the side of the egg. Only cut this line 2/3 around the egg as the intact portion will act as a 'hinge'.
Yahoo!!!!! A wool egg!!!! I'll do the chick/duckling in another post.....

signs of Spring

Since Liv attended preschool at the age of three with our beloved Marylou, she is always on the hunt for "Signs of Spring". She has given many a child grief for destroying or harming a perceived 'sign'. Consequently, I too am always on the look-out for things that are Spring-like to show my little Bean. I can't wait to show her this tomorrow morning!!

finding beauty

I found the charger for my camera. Can you tell? I don't want to spend my life as a victim.

I want to find joy and beauty in unexpected places.

I refuse to take score of all the 'bad things' that have happened in my life.

Because if you're looking for the bad things, that's all you'll see.

But if you can find the wonder and the radiance hidden within the sadness and fear, you can conquer, grow and thrive.
I don't want to just talk of that which has been done 'to me'. I want to marvel at all I have done.
I want to giggle, because screaming doesn't feel as nice.

I want to learn, because not learning would feel stagnant and boring.
I want to look from different angles and in different ways...and maybe see a different perspective.
I want to remember that the sun is always just behind the clouds.
And something strange and amazing may be just around the bend.
I want to hold those I love close.
And that which I find draining or harmful at arm's length.
I want to sit and ponder and not need to be 'entertained'.
I want to question.
And think.
And wonder.





Because life is really actually quite beautiful if you let it be.

the birds and the bees

Olivia drew my attention to the scene unfolding on the back lawn the other day. There, I found a sight I've never seen. At first glance, it was one bird laying on the ground. We quickly realized that one bird was pinning another down. Liv thought the top bird was killing to bottom one. I absentmindedly told her that I thought they were mating, not thinking if she even knew what 'mating' meant. She said,"Yes, the top one is the daddy." I just can't remember having a conversation about 'mating'....Weird.

>
For some time, Olivia has been very interested in bees. One of her favourite errands to run is to pick up some honey from the local apiary. Unfortunately, they won't let her go see the hives (I can understand why, though). So we decided that the only compromise other than getting honey bees ourselves (which is NOT going to happen) we'd get some mason bees. They're pretty cool. I am excited to see the cocoons once they are in the little house. In the Winter, you're supposed to take the house apart and clean the little cocoons and the trays. I know Liv will find this very cool.

one good thing today

Today I smiled...really truly inside smile. Not just the pseudo 'See-I'm-doing-okay' outward variety.

I had just left Jeff's workshop with a wrench to fix the hose nozzle under the deck when I passed a little goldfinch on the railing. It just sat there and watched me walk by. I was about 20 cm away from it. This was pretty cool because we've just started having these little goldfinches at our feeder this week for the Spring. The cat even gets really close to them! They are so fearless and sweet. The other day I even saw a little male with all it's bright yellow breeding plumage already intact! I can't wait to see more of them.

Anyhow, I went to the backyard to undo the nozzle. I was bent over the hose when I suddenly felt fluttering on the back of my neck. I thought it was a bug and went to shoo it away. It was the little goldfinch trying to land on my neck!! I looked up and saw it perch on the deck railing above my head.

It made me smile. It made me feel special - like only those little brushes with nature can make you feel.

*P.S. I didn't take this picture. It's one I got off the internet since my camera is still broken...I'm going to check it out tomorrow. I am feeling very naked without it.*