When the Farm-chick is Away, the Critters Play

As I’m sitting on my deck on this warm glorious evening, I’m tired but happy.  This past week-end was spent partly with my other daughter, Jen and we invaded Spokane to go to the Farm Chick sale and attend a craft workshop.

Yup we have fun together!

Chaps is one of a kind, must go kind of place

Any trip to Spokane always has to begin with a breakfast at Chaps ( I’m pretty sure it would be pure sacrilege if we went anywhere else!  Lol).  Throughout the day, good conversations took place and the mom/daughter time was very special, as it doesn’t seem to happen often enough.  Of course I remember the days of raising a young family and working, so when she can sneak away, well we grab the opportunity and gleefully run with it.  The other bonus was getting to stay with good friends, Gwenn and Dave.   Gwenn and I sat up late and had heartfelt conversations.  And once again the power of positive connections with people you love is the recipe for a good life.  (that and a good cold beer on a hot day.... well it just doesn't get any better!  Just sayin.)

While I was away for the week-end, Lulu the farm dog decided she wasn't going to let my close neighbor take care of her, and decided to take it upon herself to meet our new neighbors a couple miles away and break into their fenced yard to say hi......at 3:00 am.  Oops.

Who me? Running amuck in the fields???

I had another chicken fatality on the farm and the other red ruler of the roost literally disappeared.  So now I’m down to Betty Bossy Butt and she now has started hanging out the with plastic pink flamingos.  Good thing I have two more babies coming and will work on integrating them so they can once again go on chicken adventures and run amuck to annoy this farm chick!  =)  Lol (in case you are wondering, they completely annihilated a raised bed that contained my basil, after they ate all of it, then they took a dirt bath and well..... guess the grocery store still sells it, so I'm good to go). 

Betty hanging with the plastic flamingos

Miss N has helped raise one of my newest chick-ettes

The peas seem to have grown by leaps and bounds over the week-end.  I'm going to be excited when I can go out and pick fresh peas out of the field.  Once the chicken and chick-ettes discover it, then we're all gonna be happy campers.

This week, I have tentative plans to do a photo shoot with blog task master, Kristi, for the virtual cookbook of recipes that I’ve created and she put the online version together.  I have to make up a couple of cakes to showcase and the setting (I’m hoping) will be awesome.  In my mind’s eye, it’s going to be good.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by and feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com  

Talk to you next week my friend.

All my best, Gayle

The Farm-chick goes to the Big City

A visit to Boise to see Miss Kaitlyn and my niece, Miss Sarah was just what the doctor ordered. Kaitlyn had lined up fun things to do once I invaded the big city (thank heavens for GPS…. for this directionaly challenged farm-chick!!).  I’ll just say having no sense of direction makes navigating an adventure in my life.   What I learned is everyone in the Boise area identifies where they live by the “cross roads” closest to them.  It makes sense when you think about it.  Unlike us country folk who used to use landmark items such as garbage dumpsters to help direct people where to go for a rural residence……”just go past 2 dumpsters on Old Highway 95 and turn right at the dumpster by the telephone pole, then my house is 2 miles…. Lol – you get the picture.  Once the county removed dumpsters, geez I had to find  a whole new way to direct people to my house or sometimes try to help strangers when they showed up lost.  I had to learn road names and not say things like, “go past the old Smith barn”….. But still with GPS people can still get directed strange ways to their destination, so now I don’t feel so bad with my hodge podge directions.  =)

The 3 crazy artists- good thing we all have day jobs or we would be starving artists!

Kaitlyn showed her momma a grand time and we went a place that was sort of like an automated wine bar where you could get a taste or a glass with  an over-whelming selection to choose from.  We also went to a painting class where again you sip wine while painting your masterpiece. (see above)

We ate scrumptious food, we ate junk food like ice cream that looks like “potatoes”, then ordered a side of French fries….  We also just hung out in Sarah’s back yard and chatted/read and enjoyed soaking up some sun.  Going to a new city is enjoyable, new sights and things to do that aren’t available here does two things for me, I get to enjoy new things all the while knowing I love my simple and quiet rural life. I think it’s the quiet and peacefulness that helps keep me centered and happy.  So while driving home, I started thinking about my “cross-roads” of where I come from and decided my life will always be at the corner of  “loving life” and “being happy”.  Sort of makes you think, doesn’t it?  And if I may ask, what are your cross-roads? 

Clothes on the line, chickens roaming and quiet evenings

My little piece of heaven all in bloom

As for the crop report, while sitting at my new “summer spot” to write....

My summer writing spot

I watched Farmer Jay spraying the peas for weeds and other than the crop duster overhead, those were the only noises this country girl heard in her quiet oasis.  The weather forecast says it looks like it is going to get really warm this week-end and the crops should be in pretty good shape.  It is fortunate that the peas have not started blooming yet, so the heat won’t shut the flowering process down. We’ve had  good moisture and with the warm temps you will almost, if you listen careful enough, be able to hear those plants grow!

Series of 3 pictures: The sprayer folds up compactly for transport. Once in the field, it starts to unfold

The beginning of unfolding the sprayer, one side at a time

The sprayer being fully unfolded

Oh and had to share one more thing…. My farm had a chicken tragedy, I checked on the chicken girls Thursday night, shut up their coop, but the next morning, I found Miss One-eyed Bertha dead.  She was old in chicken standards – so she got to live a good life.  I have two new ones coming and are being personally raised by the grand-angels.  One of which I’m told has crazy hair, just like grandma….. hmmm.

With that, I”ll close for now and hope your week is a great one.  I truly love our time together, so hope you stop by again.  As always, feel free to email me at swheatfarmlife@gmail.com.    

All my best, Gayle

PS.  I had a first that has never ever happened to me and I had to share.  While having breakfast one morning at a small café, the male manager/waiter asked for my phone number.  And yes I did question Kaitlyn if she had paid him to do that, she swears she didn’t and she loved having it happen in front of her, then said “you go girl”!  It made my day, literally.