Catching up

It's been a little while since I've posted, but it's been a busy summer. Baseball games, a little vacation/family reunion, gardening, all that good stuff.

I'm really pleased with how my running has been going this summer. I really feel that I am getting much stronger. I am sure it has to do with the fact that Miles is barely still nursing and I am also really listening to my body's nutritional needs. I remember feeling really drained quite a bit last summer, and even some over the winter, and now I just feel so much better. I wasn't able to run a race in June because my weekends were full with baseball games on Saturdays and church commitments on Sundays, and I am itching to race again. I would like to run a 4-miler on July 4th. Last night I slipped in the barn and sliced open my big toe on a piece of metal (I will NEVER wear flip-flops in the barn again!), so I will have to see how it is healing before I plunk my money down.

I bought some new running shoes and did something shocking! I have run in Brooks for the past 10 years, but I decided to shake things up and I purchased a pair of Asics (GT-something or other). They felt good at the store, but I had a hell of a time breaking them in. My plantar fasciitis flared up and I was ready to return the shoes when finally they started to wear in. It is amazing to me that breaking in a pair of running shoes is such a big deal. I mean, they really aren't all that structurally different, especially the ones that I run in. But I also can see how with all the stress I am putting on my feet, just a small adjustment can make my oh-so-sensitive feet cry out.

The garden is thriving, the chicks are getting nice and fat, and our hens are adjusting to life without Big Daddy Rooster. We said an overdue goodbye to him last week. RIP Big Daddy Rooster!

Delaware? White Rock? Delaware? White Rock?

We have a situation here.
We got 3 female Delawares from the Hatchery this year. When mature, they look like a White Rock, but with some black feathers in the tail and wings, and black markings around the neck.
Now, we also hatched several White Rocks in the incubator. When mature, they are snow white, and as chicks they also feather out as all white.
The chicks are all 4 weeks old now, and it looks as if we have 4 Delawares! One of our White Rocks has the markings of a Delaware and I have no idea which chicks are the REAL Delawares and which is the White Rock. Can you tell?



I'm thinking that the rooster (the one on the right) is the White Rock because I ordered females from the hatchery and even though they do sometimes make a mistake they were all smaller than the ones we hatched, and they still are. Now if that rooster does turn out to be one of the Delawares I will be happy to have him. The rooster we have now is vicious and I would be thrilled to put him in the pot!

Fresh butter and chives-oh my!

I don't really enjoy cooking or baking, you won't see any recipes posted here! However, I do enjoy cooking and working with veggies or fruit I have grown, or eggs from the chickens. It is very satisfying for me prepare a meal using ingredients that I have worked hard to grow. Right now all I have in my garden that is ready to eat are a few greens and some chives. I tried something new today, and when I made butter I kneaded in some chopped chives and chive petals. Oh my-it is delicious!