GETTING STUFF DONE
I know I’ve not posted much in the past month. I’ve had some health struggles, with increased fatigue and pain, and have only been able to do the bare minimum most days. Today, thankfully, I had enough energy to get some garden and chicken maintenance done.
First, I found a nice surprise:
I was excited to see that my garlic is growing!
It’s been just over a month since I planted my garlic. With the weeks of dry weather we’ve had, I was concerned that it wasn’t going to sprout. Just as I planned, though, the nasturtiums created the perfect mulch, and the garlic came up just like it should.
I had four projects in mind for today: 1) transplant and prune the apple trees, 2) prune and move the boysenberry bushes to a new location, 3) clean up some of the mess, and 4) work in the chicken coop.
First, we were going to transplant the apple trees into bigger pots. When Oscar pulled the intended pots out of the greenhouse though, I discovered they were the same size as what the trees were already in. So, we didn’t need to do that job and proceeded to prune the trees.
Pruning really intimidates me and I worried that I’d ruin my three-year-old apple trees just as they are starting to produce. So, yesterday I watched this You Tube video. It gave me the confidence to proceed even though it was not something I had done before. I removed a sucker and a few branches that were crossing over and rubbing on other branches, removed a few inches of new growth so the tree would force its energy away from the tips, and ensured there would be good air flow between the branches. Finally, I top dressed the pots with worm compost.
I also cleaned out some plants that finally bit the dust after the frosts we’ve had over the past couple of weeks. I cleared out the weedy grasses that had invaded my elderberry bushes and fig tree. The fig tree received a bit of a prune also. Then I top dressed those pots with worm compost.
Next, I donned thick leather gloves and pruned the boysenberry canes all the way back to inside their individual pots. I was so happy that the gloves successfully protected me from their vicious thorns. Man, those are nasty and up to this point, nothing I had tried saved me from the painful pricks and irretrievable stickers in my fingers. I put the trimmings in the garbage can, rather than the compost pile, so they don’t take root in areas they are not wanted.
I was running out of steam at this point, so I shelved my plan to move the boysenberries for the time being and focused the remainder of my efforts on the chicken coop.
Since there was a crow in the neighborhood, I let the girls out to free-range for a bit. This is the first time they have been out of their run for many weeks, and they were very vocal in their excitement.
I put another layer of bedding in the coop, so they would have some nice clean wood shavings to sleep in. I made sure they had just the right amount of straw in the nest boxes they have ignored for weeks and weeks (no eggs!). I refilled their dust bath – which they had completely emptied – with straw, peat moss, and diatomaceous earth. I raked two or three chickens’ worth of feathers off the ground. Oscar had raked an even bigger pile three weeks ago so maybe they are nearing the end of their molt for the Fall. Finally, I mixed in some of their new food into their old food to transition them to the new stuff. I hope the new feed will help flip them back into egg-laying mode.
While I did these things, Oscar cleaned up some of the gardening equipment and supplies that were still strewn about the property and swept up debris. The area looks quite a bit better as evidenced by the front garden area:
By this time, we were both starving as we hadn’t eaten lunch, and it was three o’clock, so I came inside the house and made Sheet Pan Nachos. Yum! Yum!
I am really grateful we were able to get so much accomplished.
Two Chickens Homestead 
You were certainly more energetic than I was! I crocheted and finished my “Mother Bear Project” bear and am sending it off today. Otherwise – not much else of note happened (except I was installed as an official member of my church – after 18 months of attending). I figured it might be a good thing as I was asked and accepted as a member of Church Council, LOL! OH…and I spent several hours last week doing some beadwork which I haven’t done in 10 years…hands are a little shaky holding tiny needles but I made an eyeglass chain and then several little hanging ornament type chains for either a mini tree or….whatever they want to hang it from; and a few earring sets w/crystal angels. These were all for the December sale at my former church in Newport WA (I still go to the women’s group every month…love the ladies…didn’t like the new pastor…who is now gone! Yay!) Went to visit a craft sale after church w/the other Sue. She needed to get out as she has had her nose to sewing machine finishing stuff for the artisan’s sale which is this coming weekend…it’s going to be a long one…we set up on Thursday afternoon, then Friday morning 9 am to 8 pm, Sat 10-6 and Sunday 10-4…long days! Hoping she has a good sale and as she said – “at least break even!” I’m hoping for more than that! She deserves the affirmation! Hope you have a great week! Love you much! ________________________________
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