A Roof

   It has been about year since the completion of our coop and run. Almost complete I should say. We have had this temporary covering serving as the roof through wind, rain and snow. It did a fine job.

   As you can see from this picture there is now a metal roof covering the exsisting temporary covering. We have had this sheet of metal waiting for installation on the coop since the end of summer. 

So, during our unseasonably warm weather a few weeks ago, I got myself in gear and went out and measured and cut the metal and proceeded to get it on the coop.

Now that the roof is complete it is time to move towards enlarging our run for the addition of new peeps and refiguring the roosts in the coop.   

                

One Year Ago Today

    One year ago today was the first post made to this 3Beeze Homestead Blog. I started this blog to chronicle the events that would form and change the way we approach, think and live our lives. Little did I know then how much this past years events would shape and change that approach and thought process. It never crossed my mind when I made the first post that I would meet so many wonderful people. I am happy to have met you and have come to enjoy your visits and visiting you as well on your blogs. Through this long year-for it has been that for us here at 3Beeze-I have valued those of you who have sent your hugs and encouragement via cybor space. Your encouragement and prayers helped during some very stressful and tough times. I consider you friends even though I have only ever spoke with you via blog and sometimes FB page for those of you who have them. Who knew?! I look forward to growing and continuing these friendships with you and learning and sharing with you and living this life. So much has happened over this last year that has caused me to think differently about life and how we move forward with living it. Realizing the importance of really living life, taking nothing for granted, surrounding yourself with those who love and cherish you and loving and cherishing your loved ones every chance you get. Seeing the many blessings we have and realizing that even at times when it doesn't seem like it, how tremendously blessed we are. I look forward even more to this year in recording the events and happenings here at 3Beeze and sharing encouragements, triumphs, losses and day to day activities.

Adding Clucks

      The other night my Husband and I were talking about the clucks and adding more to the flock. My Husband was remembering back to when we had chickens when we were first married. He loved collecting the bunches of eggs the clucks left in the nesting boxes and being able to share the wealth. (We had 20 or so clucks then.) Last year I did my math carefully and purchased only pullets, as well as paying close attention to the number of eggs each cluck was projected to lay in a week. Our original number was 12 clucks. This would give us close to 3 dozen eggs a week. Enough for the 2 dozen eggs we typically go through in a week and some to share. Things didn't go as planned. We ended up with 2 roos, who obviously do not lay eggs, making us short 8 eggs from the start. Then our lab got a hold of one the clucks that had managed to escape the confines of the outer run and that put us down another 4 eggs. So naturally I have always planned to add more clucks. Being careful again to do the math and research. Making sure to look at breeds that will meld well with breeds we currently have and not upset our calm, docile and sweet clan of clucks.  

Or Not To Garden

     Another day with sunshine and blue sky. Love these extra bonus days. My husband and I were talking about the garden yesterday and some landscape ideas. We have been tossing around first, moving our garden location but also possibly not doing a garden this year. Yes I know you exclaim WHAT?  No garden!!!?? But yes it has crossed our minds more then once. First reason is that last year where we planted the garden, which has always been its spot since we moved here 9 years ago, the crops in that space just didn't do well. We were skeptical when we planted last summer if the crops would do well because counting back - last summer in that space was year number 7. The year that the earth needs to rest to replenish and heal from being used. With that in mind and how badly our garden did brought to mind that we should change its location this year leaving only the berries in that location and making a badly needed parking pad. We would move the location of the vegetables to the back yard next to the clucks coop and near a rain gutter spout that we could use to make rain barrels with and use that water to water the garden. We think it is a good idea. So maybe just a small herb garden. Not sure yet. Not having a garden to tend and take care of would allow us to focus on other things around here that need tending. Some home improvements that desperately need attention and the yard and landscape that need to have attention, as well as the flower gardens and adding more clucks for more eggs. So I wont miss out on playing in the dirt, I will still have that and we are very fortunate to have two farmers markets that we can visit, as well as a market that houses plenty of local fruits and veggies at a very good price. Some of it less then what it would cost for us to grow here. I am fine with that and eager and excited to take care of things that need tending and increase our clucks and eggs.                                                                                                        

Landscape and Chicken Breeds

Me and Joe and the sunrise this morning. Another rare occasion in the house when it's just me and my Cuppa Joe contemplating the world. This won't last long, both my guys will be up soon. As I sit here with the sun rising and filling the sky changing the color of the sky from the inky darkness to whispers of pink and gold to beautiful blue clear sky I have my mind full of thoughts and ideas for the future. EEk I have a bunch.  I wish there was the time to tackle them all right now. Not possible. There are some of these thoughts that are long range, but others that we can take action on in the near future. Mainly landscape. That is because we have been having spring like temperatures here. What a blessing that has been. after weeks of below freezing temps we now are having temps in the hi 40's and low 50's. Can you believe it? No complaints but these temps are quite out of the ordinary for this time of year here in Southeastern Washington. So with landscaping ideas and adding a few new chickens to our flock thoughts (we need more eggs), I will be outside enjoying the warm sun and blue sky (who knows how long this will last but I am taking advantage of every moment) mulling over landscape ideas with my Husband and surfing the web looking at different chicken breeds to bring home and add to our flock.