Talking Chicken

Not so many years ago, it was very common for people to keep chickens in their yards. Most people had them.  My grandparents did, and since I got chickens, my Dad loves to tell me chicken stories from his youth. I think most homes back then had chickens, and all of the men and women knew how to raise and feed them, gather the eggs, slaughter and clean the fowl.  During the World Wars, there was propaganda encouraging people to tend chickens for the war efforts.

I love Hostas! and Shade Gardens

When I first got married and bought a home, I naturally wanted to give it my personal touch through some creative landscaping.  At that time, I was all about color! I experimented with flower beds that portrayed multiple colors...the more, the better.  Red Impatiens, orange and yellow Marigolds, pink and white Begonias, purple Petunias, blue Ageratum.

At that time, I wasn't too crazy about Hostas.  I thought they were ho-hum.  Green and white ... no color.  I didn't care for how wilted they look mid-summer, or how tall and gangly their flowers are.  Well, I have made an about-turn. I love Hostas!

Houseplant Makeover

Marble Queen Pothos

 Some people are said to have a "green thumb" and have beautiful plants, both inside the house and outdoors. Other people claim they can't grow and a thing and call themselves "plant killers."  They don't understand why their plants just don't look good.

Having plants is like having pets ... you have to be committed to taking care of them, and they do take a little bit of time.  If you make the commitment, however, the rewards are grand as you can enjoy looking at the beautiful plants around your home.

In this blog post, I am going to focus on indoor houseplants, and I've chosen three to demonstrate how to give a plant a "makeover." You can apply these suggestions to just about any house plant.

Building a Stone Cairn

When we moved six years ago, we faced a lot of clean-up on our property.  As we had to do some excavating, we found a lot of stones and stacked them in piles according to size.  We were sure we would find some creative use for them in time.

The first thing I wanted to do with some of the stones was to build a cairn.  Cairns are man-made heaps of stones that have been erected all over the world since ancient times.  Varying in size and complexity, they serve as land markers. Some were built to mark graves, summit tops, or trail ways.  Others marked the location of historical or memorable events. A carefully built cairn will stand perfectly balanced without the use of cements or adhesives.

I chose a very large, flat stone (rock) to serve as the base for our cairn.  Then I chose varying sizes and carefully balanced them on top of each other, interspersing a larger one in between a stack of smaller ones.  As I neared the tops, I used increasingly smaller stones.

The trick is to keep it level and balanced.  You should wear heavy shoes when you're building a cairn (definitely not flip-flops!) and be aware of where your feet are.  It if topples over while you're working on it (which it most likely will, a couple of times), it could really hurt if those stones land on your feet.

This cairn has been standing in perfect balance for six years. I built it to serve as a monument to the greatness and goodness of our God, a memorial for us to recount the ways He has blessed us and to testify to His mercy and faithfulness.

"When your children ask their fathers in times to come,

'What do these stones mean?' then you shall let your children know. . .

 that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever" 

(Joshua 4:21-24).

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An Immigrant's Trunk

This is an immigrant's trunk from the 1800's.  Rare and unique. When you look at it, what do you see?  Old? Worn? Ugly? That's what it looked like to me when I was a little girl.  It sat in my Mom's basement and stored our family's camping tent.  Years later, after I was married, my Mom said she wanted to get rid of it.  At the time, I did not have the appreciation for antiques that I do now.  Rustic and primitive had not yet made its way into my heart.  But when she told me that it belonged to my great-great-grandfather and that it made the journey with him from Germany when he immigrated to the United States, I could not let it get away from the family.  I said I would take it.

It sat in my basement for a number of years but eventually found a special place in my heart and at the foot of my bed.  I sit on it every day to put on my socks and shoes.  Every day I think about the man who left the country of his birth and brought his family to the land of opportunity, the land of freedom, and land where every person is entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.   

Thank you, great-great-grandfather. Your trunk may be old, but it is not ugly.  It is beautiful. It is a reminder to me every day of how grateful I am to you and how blessed I am by God to be an American.  It is also amazing that your trunk has been passed down for over 100 years through five generations. It may be worn, but it still has its original paint.  I can faintly see your name stenciled on the front.  Jakob Ritter.

My great-great-grandfather Jakob had a son named Jacob, who also had a son name Jacob (my grandfather's brother).  Two months ago my daughter had a baby boy--my grandson. He's brand new. He's an American, seventh generation. His name is Jacob.

I Can Can

Canning is something that I've always wanted to do.  Married for 36 years now, I somehow never found the time to give it a try.  I did a lot of sewing, cooking and baking, and I did do some freezing of fresh foods, but I never did any gardening or canning.  Now that I am retired, I am finally finding the time to do some things I've always wanted to do.  Canning, for one. I decided I wanted to start with tomato sauce and canned tomatoes.

We don't have a vegetable garden yet.  I hope that is in the future.  But, we are so blessed to live only a few miles from a super vegetable farm and market.  My husband asks me, "Why would you want to have a garden when you have Ambrose Farm Market right down the road?

Ambrose Farm Market, Cabot, Pennsylvania

On our canning day, we were the first to arrive at the Farm Market at its opening, 9:00 a.m.  Moments later, the parking lot was full, and people filled the market, selecting their fresh produce grown on location:  melons, peppers, cukes, zukes, tomatoes, corn, onions, garlic, herbs, and on and on and on. Look at all these colorful, ripe vegetables waiting for eager hands to guide them into some succulent recipes.

Ambrose Farm Market - Photos courtesy of Becky DeSantis

Having no experience at canning, I had some trouble making my selection.  But the owner was so kind and helpful and steered me to mix Roma (for their meaty flesh) with canning tomatoes (for their sweet flavor).  We bought a bushel and a half!  As we were leaving, my husband helped another customer load her car with her purchases.  She had two shopping carts full of vegetables and a bright smile on her face.  She said, "Ahh, August!  It's the month for canning!"  Here was an experienced canner as thrilled in anticipating her project as I was for the first time.  How encouraging!

We got our tomatoes home and washed and were ready to begin canning. When we renovated our kitchen, we kept our old appliances and moved them to the basement.  It's so convenient to have the extra refrigerator/freezer for storing foods and the extra oven for large family gatherings.  It's very nice to have a "summer kitchen" for canning. We cleaned the area and got all set up for our new experience.

We're really serious about this canning thing.  A friend gave us a hot water canner, and we went out and bought some jars, a canning accessory kit, and our big splurge was buying a vegetable strainer.  (We bought a Cucino Pro 400 at Trader Horn.)  It is really slick.  It quickly and easily separates the juices from the skin and seeds.  Several times I thought about how much more time it would take to do this by hand.

 We ended up with a 21-qt. stock pot full almost to the brim with sweet smelling, robust tomato juices.  The recipe we were following said to boil the juices until the volume was reduced by half.  I did not realize how long this would take.

Four hours later, the sauce was ready, and so were the jars that I had sterilized in the hot water bath. I added 1 T. of lemon juice to each quart of tomato sauce.  I chose not to add salt (optional).  We got 10 qts. of sauce and then 7 qts. of diced tomatoes out of that bushel and a half.  I was giddy as I was cleaning up and heard the ping, ping, ping, of the jars sealing.  I felt like we had succeeded in our first attempt at canning!

Naturally, we were anxious to taste some right away, so the next day I used some of the tomato sauce to make some spaghetti sauce with meat balls.  I clipped some of the fresh basil and oregano that I have growing in my herb garden and added garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. (No preservatives, and no added sugars or salt.)  My, oh my, if I say so myself, this was the best spaghetti sauce I ever had.  What a difference super-fresh, just-picked ingredients make in food preparation.  I am hooked!

Free-Range Chickens

If chickens are able to run free and forage at will, that is really the ideal situation for happy, healthy chicks.  Not every setting or situation is ideal for free-ranging though, and the decision has to be made with a great deal of fore-thought.  Our chickens are some pretty happy gals because they get to free-range all day.  We have one of those ideal settings.  We have three acres for them to roam on; our hen house is centrally located on the property, so they pretty much stay within our boundaries.  (Chickens will usually roam within about 200 feet of their roost.)   While no area is ever predator-free, our setting does not have a high-pressure predator threat.  It's always a risk to let chickens free-range, just like it's a risk to let your cats run free or let your dog off a leash.  It's a personal decision that each flock owner has to assess and make.  I've kept free-range chickens for many years without incident and believe it's the right thing for us.

 I'm willing to take the risk of letting our chickens roam because they are happier, healthier chickens in the long run, and the eggs they produce are more nutritious. I do take some precautions and responsibilities, however.  I don't let them out if I'm not going to be home, and when they are out, my ears are tuned to listening for unfamiliar or alarming sounds.  One day I heard them squawking, and I ran out to investigate.  They had run under a pine tree for safety, but when they saw me in the yard, they ran from the tree to where I was standing as if they knew I was their guardian and protector.  I pay especially close attention to their whereabouts at dusk, because that's when night predators become more active.

When the chicks were first moved into the coop, I didn't let them out for a couple of weeks so they would feel at home there. Now that they free-range, I don't let them out until about 11:00 in the morning.  I go and visit them at the run each morning with a good breakfast and let them spend the morning hours in the coop and run so they can take care of their nesting duties and develop attachments to the comforts of their home.

In the afternoon, I let them out to free-range.  They develop a routine, and at any given time of the day, I am pretty sure where they will be.  They have their favorite foraging spots, their favorite shade spots for resting, and their favorite dirt pits for dust-bathing.

After free-ranging for several hours, when the sun goes down these weary girls head back home. It's like clock work.  If I'm in a hurry and want to speed them up a bit, I go down to their coop ahead of them.  They are used to me giving them food there, so they come running when they see me heading in that direction.  When I feed them I always say, "C'mon chickies, pretty chickies."  They are very familiar with that call and associate it with food, so I can always get them to come by calling out.

When they arrive "home" in the evening, they go in the house on their own.  At the beginning, I had to sort of herd them in by just standing back a distance and slowly moving in toward them.  Now I just have to stand there.  They know the drill and fall in.  Chickens appreciate and respond very well to consistent routines. Who says chickens can't be trained?

When they go inside their house, they might pause for a drink of water or a bite of layer mix, but then they go out into the run for a bit.  They're not quite ready to "turn in," but they are ready to relax.

As much as these gals love to free-range, they also love their run.  That's where they get their breakfast, and that's where they like to go in the evening and relax on the outside perches.  It sort of reminds me of how I feel in the evening when I finally get to sit in the recliner chair and let my breath out.  You know that feeling of unwinding at the end of the day. That's what chickens like to do too.

And when dusk turns to dark, they go inside the house and climb onto their roost for a good night's sleep.  They like to cuddle close together, and they all want on that top perch.  I've noticed that Buffy seems to be their quiet, gentle guardian/leader. She's not aggressive in her leadership, but she is very watchful.  She is always one of the first to arrive at the house but stands outside the door until everyone else goes in.  I think she does a head count.  When they climb on the perches, she will stand back and let them all find their places, and then she will squeeze in.  Ruby, the RIR is usually the one who will scoot over and make room for her.  I always do a head count myself to make sure everyone is "home sweet home" before I close and lock their door for the night.

More articles on keeping chickens at Maple Grove.

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Poison Ivy Comes A'Creepin'

Today we were cleaning out some thickets and brambles and, of course, we came across some poison ivy.  I always keep an eye out for it. The first step in preventing an allergic reaction is to know what it looks like and avoid coming in contact with it.

You've probably heard descriptions of poison ivy since you were very young.  You know the saying, "Leaves of three, leave it be!"  Poison ivy does have sets of three leaves, but so do a lot of other plants.  Here are some tips on recognizing poison ivy:

1. The leave are usually dark green, smooth and shiny, but can be different shapes: rounded, lobed, jagged.
2. The leaves are in sets of three with two opposite each other and one at the tip.
3. The stems are smooth, not prickly or thorny.
4. The sets of three leaves are placed alternately on the vine, not directly opposite each other.

The plants can be in clusters on the ground or vining on trees and structures.

If you know you're going to be working in an area where there may be poison ivy, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs.  Wear rubber gloves and boots as the oils from the plant can penetrate through fabric.  The oils can bind with your skin in 10 to 30 minutes, so be sure to wash up quickly.  Wash your tools and boots with soapy water, throw away your gloves, and wash your clothes. The oil can stay active on these objects for a long time, even years.

Take a shower immediately, washing thoroughly with soap.  This may be an old wives' tale, but I figure old wives have been around long enough to know what they're talking about, so I swear by it.  After I've been around poison ivy, I shower with Fels Naptha soap.  I even wash my scalp with it and then follow up with my regular shampoo and conditioner.

And the last ounce of prevention for getting poison ivy is provided by God himself.  It's Jewelweed, a native plant of North American that often grows where soil is moist and, ironically, poison and ivy and Jewelweed are usually found in the same area.

The thick lower stem of the Jewelweed is filled with a liquid.  Cut a stem off at the base and release the liquid onto your clean skin on areas that may have been exposed to poison ivy.  You can slice the stem open and rub the moist lining on your skin as well.

Jewelweed grows in moist soil, has long stems, smooth, round leaves, and small, pretty orange blooms. The leaves and juice from the stems are a folk remedy for prevention and treatment of poison ivy, skin rashes, burns, bruises, and insect bites.  You can boil the chopped leaves and stems of Jewelweed until you get a dark orange liquid.  Strain the liquid and freeze it in ice cube trays.  When you have a skin rash, bruise, scratch, or insect bite, you can rub it with one of the cubes for immediate relieve.

I've been married for 36 years, so I guess that qualifies me as an old wife and allows me to share old wives' tales.  For what it's worth. I tried these remedies for prevention of poison ivy rash today.  I'll let you know!

Disclaimer:  Dial Corporation, in its own caution use sheet, stated that Fels-Naptha is a skin irritant and not to be used directly on skin.

I love doing laundry now!

This post is for anyone who loves chickens ... or antiques ... or nice views.  If you appreciate any of those, then you'll probably appreciate this.  I hope it gives you some ideas.

We lived for 29 years in a multi-level home.  And I do mean multi!  It was a split-ranch, but we had finished the basement into a family room and then raised the roof and added two bedrooms and a bath above the main living area (with the original three bedrooms and a bath on the split level in between).  We referred to the top floor as the mountain top.  It was great for our large family, but when we moved six years ago and became empty nesters, our goal was one-floor living.  We bought a one-story ranch, and to make that dream a reality, we added on a laundry room/sun room next to the kitchen. 

I had been hanging onto some antiques for years with this vision in mind.  The enamel top table and cabinet belonged to my great-aunt.  They were rusting out, but we rubbed them with steel wool and sprayed them with appliance paint, and they look like new.  Because this new space is next to the kitchen, I gained an extra sink and counter space for food preparation and clean-up when we have the whole family at our house for holidays.

 On top of the wall cabinets are some of my treasures.  The wash board and basin on the right belonged to my grandmother. And here's where the chicken lovers come in: my girlfriend gave me the antique chicken crate that was from her aunt's farm. This made it easy to tie a chicken theme into this room.

I love doing laundry now!  It is hard to dislike folding clothes when you're in a room with some of your favorite things and have a grand view of the outdoors!

And now for the final salute to chickens. My uncle was an artist and painted this painting of chickens many, many years ago.  I held onto it for a long time, way before I even had chickens.  It fits right in!

It's hard to tell which I like the most -- the room, the antiques, the chickens, or the view.  I feel so blessed and thankful to God for giving us all of this!

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