Preparing...

That's what this week feels like - preparing.  Next week we have Family Camp - a few days away on the coast with our uber-wonderful church family.

But this week?  Preparing.  The fishtank must be cleaned, arrangements for chicken-sitting made, and somehow I can never leave without doing some deep cleaning around here - so, floors must be swept and mopped (Friday), bathrooms must be scoured (Thursday), and I really must decide what to do about our garden while we are gone.

Our county has mandated that we can only water our landscaping twice a week, so I've been manually turning the sprinklers on (Wed & Sun) and off, and handwatering the actual garden each day. If we are not here for several days, what will happen to the tomatoes, bell peppers and the cantaloupe?  For that's really all we have left in our garden.  Should I let them just die? The season is nearly over. Or ask a neighbor to water?  hmmm....or I can be a rebel and just leave the sprinkler system on.

Chickens!  Our little girls are one month old today!  Our friend Sarah calls them monthlings.  I like that term!!  They are scraggly looking right now with their feathers growing in.  The wing feathers are all grown, now the body feathers are coming in and they look and feel sort of...nubby.  And they have distinct personalities now too.  A couple of them like to flutter up and sit on the edge of the box, but they don't seem inclined to hop out and explore yet.  Perhaps the box feels safe?

Other little chickies like to sit on top of the water or food bottles. We made a little roost/perch thing, and they much prefer to stand on that than just on the flat bottom of the box.

Well meaning friends have assured us that some hens get pronounced combs, and that there is still hope that Peaches may be a girl.  Apparently, we will have to wait until around the end of Oct to be sure...

In other news, the kitchen is still not finished. Michael took a break and worked most of the summer on outside projects - replacing eaves, siding and trim.  That part is nearly done - the siding is up, it just needs to be painted and the trim put up.  Another full day of work perhaps.

The chicken coop is nearly done as well. I think one more full day of work on that to complete it as well.  It will be nice to actually have a couple projects done.

Ok, The children are complaining of being hungry. Again.  I just fed them yesterday...sigh.