Chick Update

The chicks are doing well, and they're growing quickly! My babes have been living inside for the past week (tomorrow will be one week since we got them) because it's still pretty cold outside, we have not yet built them a coop, and they are itty bitty. My mom told me that as soon as they have feathers they will be ready to be outside. Also, I figure that when they have feathers the weather will be warmer and we will have a coop built. Here are the little buggers... they're already getting taller!

As I was outside preparing my soil for the garden I let the chicks outside in their fenced-in area.



When I took this photo the sun was shining. As soon as it began raining I ran to the chicks to see how they were doing. The first time they looked like this, all hiding their faces in the straw.



The second time I went to check on them I could not see one of them! Upon closer inspection I saw three little butts. I picked them up and put them back into their tub. But where was the fourth?! Her orange fuzz matched almost perfectly the color of the straw and for a good few minutes I could not hear or see Raphael anywhere! I freaked out for a bit, put Leo in the house (my loud beagle who was shouting back and forth with the Doberman through the fence), and came back and could hear Raphael screaming for help. I barely spotted her in the straw and back in the tub she went.



I decided my chicks were not yet ready to be outside, so I brought them back inside where they were kept warm and protected by their heat lamp. They were content.

My Garden

Spring break has brought many things, one of which is my organic garden. I have much to accomplish at this point, but a start is a start... and I have begun.

Yesterday and the day before I bought the majority of my seeds.


I prepared the tiny beds for my seedlings to live in before they are ready to be outside in the dirt (only some plants desire this method).

Upon waking up this morning my garden looked like this:

As I started removing unwanted weeds and things, I stumbled up some big, poky plants.

I looked at them and said to myself, "I have no idea what these things are, but I do not want them in my garden". I began to hack away at these funky plants and stopped myself; I had to know what they were. I went inside and typed into the Google search engine: palm tree bush. I had no idea what else to call the plant. The only thing that popped up that somewhat resembled my plant was an agave plant. Agave, the very thing of which I use its nectar to sweeten my teas and treats, and the plant that grows in regions such as Mexico and becomes tequila. I knew this couldn't be right so I called my father, the tree guy, the smart plant man, and the soon-to-be certified arborist. "It's a yucca," he said, "I don't know why people like those things". I didn't like them either, solely because they were taking up my vegetable garden space, so I continued to hack.

Hours later, with a sore back and wrists, a bruised leg, and a broken shovel, I nearly removed all the yucky yuccas.

The reason for my saying nearly is that there was a HUGE root that was immovable... by my truck, two gentlemen, and me, anyways.

This truck with this rope:

Pulled out this root:

And the rest was, well... stuck. Upon looking closely one can see that this gigantic yucca root is growing underneath the concrete slab on which the sun room sits.

Here we have it... the end of gardening day #1. As soon as the dark clouds came in and the rains began pouring on me I decided my work was done.

I have yet to decide what to do with my pile of yuccas, but it's looking like I will attempt to transplant some of the lively ones (I've read that they are a challenge to transplant, but I shall try). I don't mean to dis on any plants, even if their name sounds much like "yucky"... so I plan to save the majority of the pile I created. But look, now I have a lovely space for my veggies and flowers!