SPECIAL DELIVERY X's 17!!!!!

Our babies have arrived! We picked up the baby chicks at the local post office today and they all seem to be doing quite well. After several counts and recounts - they sure are quick - we have confirmed a total of 17 peeping, pooping, sugar water drinking, chicken feed eating little bundles of joy.

Gabriel has become the guardian of the brooder and doesn't let Navarre near the chicks. Navarre seemed to be unsure of all the new smells and noise coming from the brooder and when Gabriel wasn't looking he was able to sneak in for a closer look. Thankfully Ariel was there to keep him from licking them all! To be honest both Becky and I were wondering how the dogs would interact with the chickens and were trying to figure out a safe way to introduce them to each other - from what we've seen so far, problem solved.

The chicks were eager to run and climb around in their brooder we made and wasted no time drinking and eating - a good sign!

Both of the kids are excited about the new family additions, we are looking into the local 4H program which will help them with their involvement with the daily chores while keeping it fun and exciting.

We are doing our best to let them settle in without too much disruption but due to the fact they are so darn cute it seems one of us is hovering over them at any given moment. We have all gotten a good laugh watching them, especially when the fall asleep while still standing, they fight it until they finally pass out and then are abruptly awoken when the fall over - especially funny when this happens while they are eating!

Simple Truth!

Sometimes the simple truths are the best. I saw this last week and after several long laughing fits I realized I needed share it with all of you.

HAVING A SMOKING SECTION IN A RESTAURANT
IS LIKE
HAVING A PEEING SECTION IN A SWIMMING POOL!

The Blogger Bug

I decided to let Rebecca use the Blog to showcase a cake experiment she was working on last week and after just one posting session She caught the Bloggin' Bug!
I decided to help get her started and set up the basis for her own blog so she can share with the world her talent - Cake Making.
Please make a stop by her new site The Art of Cake during your daily blog surfing.
Hopefully she will have some content for you to feast your eyes on during the upcoming week, including the results of her cross country cake!

An Experiment - By Rebecca

As some of you know, I dabble in the art of cake decorating. My latest endeavor may be historical! At least in Google history, since no where via Google, could I find anyone attempting what I attempted. In fact, everything I did find was DON'T do it! What is this great historical attempt you ask? I shipped a cake to Silverdale, Washington. The cake was a 1-year anniversary present for friends stationed in Washington State. So I decided to take a chance and ship them a cake - we will have to wait and see what happens. I am posting a picture of the "Before" so they can see how their cake looked before it took its journey. I asked for an "After" picture and will post that when I get it. Should be interesting......

CHARLIE & THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

It's a dangerous world out there - well, actually I'm just a klutz!

Taken from one of my favorite movies: "Someone is having a case of the Monday's"

I realize that today is Tuesday but I really don't think it matters any more. Yesterday (Monday) I decided to clean my shower/tub with a new bathroom cleaner I purchased recently. My first mistake was that I assumed it didn't have anything toxic in it as it was an Arm & Hammer product! I decided to be a true "Mr. Clean" and scrub my shower till it was sparkling clean.

Normally I am more cautious but for some reason my smart brain cells were on holiday and I was about to pay the price.

As it turns out the cleaner I was using had bleach but the fumes were not very noticeable in the beginning. I climbed into the tub and began scrubbing, the overhead fan was on and all was well with the world. Within a minute or two I felt like someone had poured acid down my throat and into my nasal passages. I immediately removed myself from the room and went outside to get some fresh air. I decided to stay home from Karate class due to the fact I could only take short and shallow breaths and kept myself relaxed and in bed. In my mind I just kept telling myself, "I'm just having a case of the Mondays and tomorrow will be a better day!" Boy was I fooling myself.

This morning I awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the ability to take a full breath despite my chest muscles being sore - aah the joys of Tuesday. All seemed to be going well until my work phone began ringing and I rushed into the house to answer it. In my mad dash I stepped on one of my darling son's toys causing me to loose my balance momentarily, when I stepped onto my other foot my ankle rolled under my weight and it made a loud popping sound which Rebecca heard across the room! I thought today was Tuesday!!!!

I'm starting to feel like the little boy in the book, "ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY "

With the help of Ibuprofen and a good ace bandage I am able to hobble around quite well so even though the past two days have been rough I keep reminding myself that tomorrow is Wednesday which is a whole new day!

Oh, in case your wondering; yes I would like to go to Australia but only for a vacation not to live forever!

Happy Father's Day.

For some strange reason I have written and saved a lengthy post here 3 times tonight and it keeps getting erased even after I have saved it? I have tried the cut and paste process from another program but still the end results are the same.
I have decided that there must be a reason beyond my comprehension as to why my thoughts shouldn't be broadcast tonight so I will keep it simple and hopefully this one will make it to the final publishing.

Happy Fathers Day!

Thank you to my wife and kids who always make this bittersweet day into something extra special. (Each year it gets less bitter and much more sweet!)

Thank you Dad (Chuck) for being a dad - not just a fill-in but a true father figure and mentor.

Thank you Roger for being a part of my life and for being a loving Grandfather to my children as well. (I might not call you "dad" but I love you as a son loves his father)

Thank you Luke for being the man that you are and being an encouragement to me.

Last but definitely not least:
Thank you Lord for sending your Son as a Sacrifice and thus allowing me to have a one on one relationship with You (as a father now myself the thought of making a decision like that makes it that much more powerful and meaningful). Thank you for my family and friends and all the blessings You have bestowed upon me on a regular basis.

Happy Father's Day

Take me out to the ball game...

Last night Alex and I got to experience our very first baseball game together. I know most of you are saying; "I thought you didn't like baseball!" Last week a good friend of ours called and asked if I was interested in going to a ballgame with him and his son. I am always looking to experience new things and Alex has taken an interest in baseball so of course I said Yes.

The game was the New Britain Rockcats vs. the Binghamton Mets.

The weather here was beautiful in the morning and just about the time we were getting ready to leave the sky opened up and the thunder storms began. We kept a positive outlook and headed out to the game anyways. The lightning was quite spectacular and the boys were constantly gasping and after each flash of lightning the counting would begin in anticipation of the pending clap of thunder!

As you can see by the time we reached the stadium the storm had blown over and the sky cleared enough to allow the game to start. The pre-game ceremonies were conducted and it was quite refreshing to see all the local children get recognized and applauded for their efforts. Alex and I were both surprised at the amount of balls that went foul into the stands and over the stadium and into the parking lot - note: unless you have full glass coverage on your vehicle save yourself 2 dollars and go for the general parking! In the first inning of the game a Mets player broke his bat when he creamed the ball into center field, something I would never have expected to happen. Needless to say the Mets were destroying the Rockcats but thankfully for the home team the skies opened back up and the extensive lightning required that the game be stopped after only 2.5 innings.

Despite the short game and getting all wet, we all had a great evening and Alex and I will definitely go to another game and eventually drag the rest of the family along with us. It was an enjoyable Guy's night out which was ended after a hearty meal at Red Robins. Food, Fun, and lots of great conversation with friends and family what more could you ask for?

Local wildlife - and Sasquatch???

Today Alex and I went out to run some errands and we came across a painter turtle crossing the road. The funny thing is we were about 1/2 mile from the nearest pond or swamp. As I feel it is our families calling I stopped the truck and rescued the little bugger from certain death. I realize that they are in no way endangered and there is something to survival of the smartest but I have a soft spot in my heart for turtles. We drove to the local lake and Alex released him back into the wild. We were amazed at how quickly he moved when presented to the open water. We watched him swim out of site and went on with our chores.

When we got home I decided to start cleaning up the old wood pile so I can split and stack the wood I was given by a friend for camp fires. While I was digging through the pile I found a baby garter snake which Alex proceeded to bring inside to show Ariel and Mommy, needless to say this did not go over well with Mommy who is not the fondest of the slithering creatures.

Ariel on the other hand was quite intrigued and wanted a "pet" of her own. I was able to find another snake which was about 12 inches long but Ariel wanted a baby snake like her brother's.


I eventually came across this one which is over 28 inches long and was really cool to watch and "play" with. After the kids and I admired his coloring we brought him into the middle of the yard so we could take a picture of him. He was not very happy about our decision and kept trying to scare us away by puffing himself up and flattening his head out so we would think he was dangerous.

While trying to take his picture he kept striking at the camera which I was unable to capture in still form. I tried to get him to strike at the camera in video mode but he decided to make my life difficult. When I stood up he struck my boot so I took the video below and after some persuasion he performed for the camera.



Last but not least, Ariel was walking around with the camera when she saw a large hairy beast in the woods by the chicken coop. Thankfully she kept calm even though there were no adults around to protect her and with a quick press of the shutter button she captured what appears to be a Sasquatch with its head shaved! I am not one for folk lore so I will let you be the judge of this one, although I must say if it is Bigfoot- he sure is handsome!

P.S. If you cant find it, click on the picture for a full sized view.

A change of plans

We received a call today from the hatchery to let us know that they were sold out of Silkie chicks. I must admit we were disappointed at the news but that emotion was short lived. The lady gave us several options for replacements and we decided on the breed called "white crested black polish". We had discussed this breed in the past and a lady about a mile down the road has one which always puts a smile on my face when I see it out in her yard rounding up the hens on my way to work in the morning. I guess part of me is attracted to the breed due to "hair envy":) The research I did on them says that they are great as pet/show birds who love attention - something that won't be hard considering their commanding appearance. We were informed that they will be shipping on Ariel's Birthday and I have already informed our local post office who said they will call me as soon as they arrive, around 5:30am! I am very excited and look forward to posting pictures of our flock as they grow from helpless little chicks into fluffy pets, providers of Saturday breakfast, and the occasional organic Sunday dinner!

DETOURED BUT INSPIRED

After my last post I have been paying attention to the little things I would normally ignore. Today on my way home from working in Rhode Island I found myself getting detoured due to a road closure caused by an accident. On my way back to the connecting main route I noticed a large snapping turtle attempting to cross the road so I stopped and dragged it across the road so that it would make it to the large swamp without becoming a messy bump in the road.



While I was working we had some fairly intense storms in the state and as I was making my last leg of the trip home I was once again faced with a closed road. This time it was due to a downed electrical pole and wires across the road. As I began to turn around to attempt a different route home I passed the entrance to the state forest that I spend much of the fall and winter months exploring during hunting season and I immediately realized I had never experienced the area in its full foliage state.



I decided to pull in and after putting on some bug repellent I went a-wandering. Almost immediately I found several indigenous plants I never realized were there. As I wandered through the woods I was inspired by my recent discovery of the CT Botanical Society and their web site and decided to take some pictures with my cellphone of several of the plants I discovered while on my walk.



I was surprised to find the road reopened as I emerged from the woods and rushed home to plant some of the flowers I found (I did my best to be responsible and only take home plants that I found to be in abundance) in the flowerbed surrounding my pond garden.



As I was transplanting my treasures I began to reflect on the memories I have of days spent at work with my father (he was a truck driver) and stopping to dig up lilies and other ornamental flowers/bulbs that squirrels had dug up and replanted in obscure locations on the side of the road for my mothers flower gardens.



I began planning in my mind the next raised flower garden for the yard. I have made a mental note of areas I saw plants on the side of back country roads recently that can be claimed as my own. I will be sure to bring the kids along to dig them up with the anticipation that they will enjoy memories of time spent together when they are older; just as I have done today.

Here are some pictures I took today in the woods and around the yard.

What did we do before the Internet?

I have always been one of those people who likes to do things the "old, albeit often slow" way rather that embrace the new technological advances of our times. Usually I come around to sense and sensibility but rarely do I reflect on the advances we embrace on a daily basis.
I grew up with a father who as a truck driver seemed to know his way no matter where we were and thankfully passed on his awesome sense of direction. I also grew up with a mother who enjoyed plants and flowers and found a way to teach me about them without sacrificing my masculinity! I am always reminded of the Wonders of God when I look into a flower whether it is the simplicity of a common violet to the intricate details of an orchid.

What does the Internet have to do with all of this you ask? Well the story goes like this....

I was driving down the road this week with the family when I spotted something that brought me back to my childhood, at warp speed. I slammed on the breaks and threw the truck in reverse without saying a word which Rebecca was quite confused with, you would think after 13 years of marriage she would be used to it by now!

What was it that I saw that would demand my immediate attention you ask? Are you ready?
A flower growing on the side of the road - not just any old flower though, it was a Cypripedium acaule also known as a Pink Lady's Slipper (or Moccasin flower) which was something I haven't seen growing in the wild in quite some time. Needless to say the entire family was intrigued and enjoyed the beauty of this rare site. I must admit I felt rather like a smarty pants when the kids asked me what it was and I actually knew (once again - Thanks Mom) but it also got me thinking about some of the wild plants and flowers I have located on our property that I have no idea what they are.

Here it is the whole Internet tie-in to this story.

Tonight I went online and started looking for identification guides for the local New England flora and fauna and came across a great web site for the Connecticut Botanical Society. While poking around the site I was able to locate and identify many of the plants in question which I hope to take pictures of and post here throughout the year as they make their presence known.

When I logged off of the Internet I realized how easy and quickly I was able to get the information I wanted and cringed when I thought about the research that would have gone into the same project 10 years ago. Now don't get me wrong I have nothing against the library - heck its a nice air conditioned place to go during the summer (especially when I'm too cheap to put the air conditioners in at home) but I am now wondering how long they will exist with the rate technology is going. When my kids are my age will the library be more like the museum?