Author Archive | Tricia

I am finding that as the days go by, I am less and less able to keep up with everything I want to do.  This idea of not getting everything I dream of done is intolerable and only subdued by the thought of a new life coming into our family and the reminder that nurturing this little baby bean in my belly is the main thing I need to do right now.

The nagging thought of those weeds that have been growing outside during the week of non-stop rain that kept me out of the garden, made worse by the muscle I pulled in my lower belly that won’t allow me to bend over those beds too much is more than I can handle so I must keep my mind on other things.  Phew, that was a long sentence, no?  I keep telling myself that the garden will be there when I can get out there but the reality is that there is a stray and uninvited family of bunnies that has decimated my huge patch of sweet potatoes and jerusalem artichokes as well as the weeds which have sprouted up everywhere, will not wait.  They are opportunists and that thought pushes me out to do what I can…as soon as the rain lets up.

This morning I went to do what I love, see and buy more plants.  I am unabashedly addicted to plants, mostly edible ones.  There are so many hundreds of plants I have on my wish list that I hope to live to be very old in order to have or see each one. I heard about the USF Botanical Gardens herb and plant sale and planned on being there.  Poppa stayed home and Alex took the little ones to play practice so that I could go and freely wander the aisles between vendors and gardeners.

I found a few plants that I did not know I wanted and a few that have been on my to acquire list for years.  Among those now crossed  off the list are a bay leaf tree, a miners lettuce, lemon verbena, some Italian dandelions, a rare type of raspberry and a curry plant.

I also came home with a few kinds of mints that I do not have, a stevia plant because the kids have been protesting since March that I did not plant any this year and some pretty polinator attractors.  Upon seeing me packing up my treasures to head for home, a nice gardening guy in a golf cart decided he should probably rescue the waddling woman in the exit and I was offered a ride to my car, which by then was like winning a large prize.

For now I am keeping all my new additions in the front porch where they can get watered everyday until I am able to get out and plant them in their new homes.  I would say that I need to learn some patience but my mother always warned me against asking for patience because with it comes a reason to use it.  So, for now I will ask for tolerance.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.  I’ll be back tomorrow with a belly update.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or follow me by email at the top right hand of the screen to have future posts sent to you. Tricia (Crunchy Catholic Momma)

As promised, here is an update on Broody the hen.  Actually this happened last week but I have not had a chance to share it.

Last Sunday night, after all the hens were back in the chicken tractor, and we were getting ready for bed, I heard screaming and almost crying sounds coming from the kitchen.  I ran down to find Erica and Ronnie holding something in their hands and everyone jumping all around them in excitement.

In a one last look for the night, check on Broody, they discovered two newborn chicks.  One chirping loudly and another looking kind of strange with half an egg shell still stuck to its head and not moving very much.  As soon as I looked at the poor little chick cupped in Ronnie’s hands I knew it was not good!  The chick could not pick up its head as if its neck was broken.  How do I tell my precious Ronnie, lover of all chickens, that her chick (she had claimed it after all) would most probably not make it.

We pulled out the chick brooder, filled the feeder with chick feed and put in the waterer, gave them some toweling to snuggle up in under the heat lamp and watched them for a few minutes.  Erica’s chick was eating and wobbling to and fro.  While the sick little chick, dragged itself around unable to open its eyes or lift its head.  It was also getting stepped on by the healthy chick.  I had a talk with Ronnie and reminded her that this is part of our life on the farm and we decided she would hold it close to her chest and keep it warm and comfortable until it passed.  In a few hours, it was done.

The next couple of days we waited to see if any others would hatch but after 3 days of being a momma hen, I decided to buy Ronnie a chick at the feed store which was also 4 days old and now they are a pair and I am up every few hours to turn on and off the heat lamp and make sure they are OK…farm life!

Broody is still sitting on the eggs but I will give her another few days and then we will take the remaining eggs and dispose of them and put her outside where she can cool off and get back to her normal non-broody self.

I realized last night that I posted Thursdays Stash Bash on Wednesday…yeah that is how fried my pregnancy brain is.  Next week, it shall be on the correct day.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or follow me by email at the top right hand of the screen to have future posts sent to you. Tricia (Crunchy Catholic Momma)