My Urban Chickens

         This summer I can finally cross an item off my bucket list: raise chickens.

         I have always wanted a little flock of backyard chickens, but I figured since we now live in the city, that would have to remain a pipe dream.

        Not so! Apparently, there is a big movement of urban chickens, and you would not believe how many chickens live in the city. As a matter of fact, in Mobile, Alabama (where I live), up to 25 hens are allowed per household- no roosters- and rogue chickens are monitored like any stray cat or dog: by animal control. Luckily, chickens like to hang out close to home, and don't go rogue too often.

      The previous owners of our home had installed a gated dog run, which we were not using.  My back-yard neighbors were interested in raising chickens, too, so we put a gate in the fence and built a coop. (**By 'built' I mean 'bought' and by 'coop' I mean child's playhouse that we got at Sam's club and converted into a coop). We got some hay and some chicken feed and we soon had visions of yard eggs dancing in our heads.

     Since we primarily wanted to raise the chickens for eggs, we decided on a flock of eight chickens to start. We wanted good layers with different colored eggs. After doing some research, we agreed on young hens that were already laying- which was great! The disadvantage to that is hens that are raised as chicks are used to being handled and are actually pretty good companions- just like a cat or a dog. We bought eight chickens: 3 Turkins, 3 Leghorns, 1 Australorpe, and 1 Americauna.  Our girls are getting used to us though, and even let us pat them now and again when we tuck them in for the night.

Two Turkins- Prudence Blue
& Henny-Penny 

     The girls had fun naming the chickens, and our original flock was: Henny, Penny, Prudence Blue, Beyonce, Presley, Callie, Fancy Nancy, and Marshmallow.  Prudence Blue died the first night, we think because of the stress of being moved, and the fact that our dogs barked endlessly at the new intruders to their back yard. All indications pointed to 'chicken heart attack'.  Already, our flock was down to seven.  And then came the "Great Chicken Massacre of 2012".

R.I.P. Marshmallow

     We didn't realize that the latch to the gate of the chicken coop wasn't secure, and the dogs were barking at the chickens, and jumping on the fence, and the gate popped open.  It wasn't pretty. Fancy Nancy and Marshmallow were mortally wounded- the husbands had to put them out of their misery.  Henny or Penny (we don't know which- they were our 'twin'  chickens) died of another apparent heart attack.  What was with us, anyway? We were shaping up to be the worst chicken owners ever!! And then there were four.

     We fixed the gate, and the neighbors went to the local Chicken Swap (I know, I know- but they exist..I promise!) and came home with a beautiful teen-aged Copper Maran chicken we named Roxy.  She has not produced any eggs yet, but she is the softest chicken I have ever felt.

     We have five chickens now.  They all have their own personality.  They all know their names: if I can't find one, I just call their name and they pop out of their hiding place.  Egg laying slows down in the summer, so with four actively-laying chickens in the Alabama heat, we average two eggs per day, which we split with the neighbors.  This fact alone has me wanting to add a few more girls to the flock- my ultimate goal is to have enough fresh eggs to consume, with enough left over to share.

Presley: because her comb
flops over like Elvis! 

     Chickens eat table scraps along with their chicken food, and most of ours will take a treat right out of your hand.  Henny-Penny is a little aggressive with this, and sometimes pecks a little too hard. They help keep your yard free of bugs and weeds.  They sing when they lay an egg, and will complain if another chicken is in their laying spot when they want to go lay. They want to go to bed at dusk, and will all gather in the coop and wait patiently for you to close the door. The dogs hardly bark at them at all anymore.  Overall, my chickens have become members of our family, a conversation starter, and a source of entertainment as well as nourishment.  In my opinion, qualities like that rank right up there with cat or dog when talking about household pets. I adore the girls, and don't regret a minute!

   





     

Every Day Cleaning

Someone once said: A clean house is a sign of a boring person!

...or at the very least, somebody who is not busy!

Although I love a clean house, it seems like housework gets put on the back-burner of life lately. Two active teenagers, school projects and homework (them & me) and various sports leave me with very little time lately to do anything but the basics when it comes to housework.

My cleaning schedule goes something like this: Ring around the toilet= time to clean the toilet
                                                                           Dog hair on floor= vacuum floor
                                                                           No clothes to wear= wash clothes
...all while doing everything else I need to fit into my busy days!

Martha Stewart has a list of 6 items that you should do every day.  I have to say, I do try to keep with this list, and it makes the house appear more tidy (if not actually clean!)

Here is Martha's list:   Click here for Martha's printable version: Martha Stewart's Printable Checklist

1.Make the Bed

Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you’ll let other things -- such as clothes and papers -- pile up around it.
- It's true.  An unmade bed just makes the whole room look messy.  Making a bed takes 5 minutes, and even a child can do it!!  When my kids were little, making my bed everyday in addition to their own was one of their chores- a luxury that I miss dearly! 


2.Manage Clutter
Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn’t where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same.     
- Well.... I almost follow this...I walk around and put everything in the room it belongs in. I will put my stuff away, and dirty dishes in the washer, but the kids stuff just gets put in their rooms to put away later. (on their bed. so they can't miss it. or go to bed until they put it away. In theory- ha!) 


3.Sort the Mail
Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Keep a trash bin near your sorting area for junk mail. Drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing. 
-Ummm....OK, a little overkill, but yes, put junk mail directly into trash. I have a "designated mail area" that is also the "designated debit card receipt area" and "little appointment card area". I don't have room for four inboxes.  I do, however, pay bills and sort through this pile once per week. It works for me, and I know where all the bills, receipts, and cards are. 

4.Clean as You Cook
Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, wash them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal. 

Assuming you cook! Some days (or weeks) are just too busy with kid's activities to cook much at home- and we are eating on the fly. yet, somehow, the sink manages to get chock full of dirty dishes anyway.  I do empty the sink after the kids leave for school, and in the evening. A clean sink makes the kitchen look so much cleaner! 


5. Wipe Up Spills While They’re FreshWhether it’s tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the bathroom counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.
Really, Martha? Ummmmm......duh! 

6.Sweep the Kitchen Floor
Every evening, once you’ve finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-to-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker. 

Get a good broom. Seriously, it makes a difference.  I sweep every day. Between the pet hair and the red clay the kids and dogs track in, it's a must.  Nothing makes your house look dirtier than when a tumbleweed of dog hair rolls past a visitor, or a gritty pile of sand in front of the toilet.  


And I will add one more of my own. (So that really makes *7* quick things to do every day to make your house more tidy: 


7. Wipe Down Counter Surfaces 
    After the kids leave for school, I run a Clorox Wipe over the bathroom counters, kitchen counters, and sinks.  I do a quick toilet check, too, to see if the seat has any stains that need to be swiftly dealt with. 


Get your kids to help you follow these steps and you will have more time to spend at the beach this summer, and enjoy a cleaner {looking} house, to boot! 


In the mean time..if you come visit me, please follow this one simple rule: Do NOT feed the dust bunnies!! 

Dollar Store Gifts

Most of you know by now that I have returned to school full time, so I have let my blog drop off....

But- WOOHOO!- it's spring break!! Am I at the beach? No- I'm blogging!

And, coincidentally, I had to prepare a speech for my public speaking class which I thought would fit perfectly onto my Living Simply blog!

Chinese philosopher Lau Zhu said, "Because we are frugal, we can be generous."

In today's economy, people are living from paycheck to paycheck (or in our case, paycheck to gas tank) and have very little extra money for gifts.  Since we all like to be generous and make people smile with a gift, I have put together several gifts that I bought from the Dollar Tree.  Yup, that's right- the Dollar Tree.

I was inspired by posts that I have seen on pintterest.com (so addicting!) and another favorite of mine: dollarstorecrafts.com,  which is a website that features inexpensive crafts that you can make with items found in your local dollar store.

Intrigued, and armed with $20.00, I went to my local Dollar Tree and was able to walk away with six gifts that I would be proud to give.  P.S. - nobody has to know it came from the dollar store! Let that be your little secret!

1. Nail polish 'cupcake'.  Simply put a nail polish in a cupcake liner and to with gift wrap crinkles. Tie up       in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon.  Perfect for a teen or tween, or as a party favor. (Idea seen on Pinterest)

2. Bride and Groom bottle toppers found in the bridal section of the dollar store. (yup!) Adorn a bottle of champagne and tie on a couple of dollar store wine glasses.  Champagne not bought at the dollar store, but still an inexpensive and tasteful gift.

3. For the cook: Fill a pot holder with a few kitchen tools and decorate with a matching dishcloth or towel.
I even raided my own pantry to add a pack of microwave popcorn and ramen noodles. Excellent housewarming gift!

4. For Mother's Day, or for grandma: Add some pretty scrapbook paper to an 8x10 desk frame.  Glue a chip clip to the front of the glass and add a sticker monogram and a pic of their favorite children..as a bonus, (because of the clip), the picture is not locked to a size, and can be changed out easily!

5. More scrapbook paper & sticker embellishments cover a mini clipboard.  Glue on a notepad and tie on or velcro a pen to the clipboard and voila! An easy, inexpensive teacher gift for the end of the year.

6. Fun for your front door! Hot glue Easter grass and plastic eggs to a straw wreath- add a bow and a stuffed bunny to finish the look!

$20.00/ 6 gifts = an average of $3.33 per gift!   Not bad in today's economy!! Happy Gifting!

Simplify the Holidays

Is there any such thing as simplifying the Holiday Season...?

I had wanted to write a blog about simple holiday preparations, but then I realized I have yet to achieve such zen.  Oh, my intentions are good. It's my reality that's messed up.

It's all my fault, too.  When my children were babies, I wanted them to experience a magical Christmas.  Sugar plums dancing in their heads, waking up to the wonder and awe of the arrival of Santa's gifts- a mountain of surprises left under the perfectly decorated tree, worthy of Southern Living magazine.  Even though they are no longer babies, how can I disappoint the magic of Christmas? Planning the perfect celebration often leaves me stressed and Grinchy.

The Result? The holiday always happens magically, without a hitch- but leaves me vowing for a better, more simple holiday next year.

Christmas Resolutions for 2012


1. I didn't do a Holiday card this year. For those of you who are reading this, you didn't get dropped from my list- everybody did! And you know what? It was quite freeing! I'm toying with the idea of a New Year's card instead....something I can concentrate on after the stress of Christmas is over.

2. My extended family doesn't pick names for gift giving.  We had tried before when the kids were little, and it didn't work out, mainly because our family isn't quite big enough.  I think the kids are all old enough to revisit this idea, and the idea is giving for the pleasure of giving...not giving for the need to get so-and-so something.....I think it would be hysterical to have a 'Dollar Store Christmas'... or an Ugly Christmas Sweater theme (and make everyone take their holiday pictures for cards and newsletters wearing the ugly sweaters).....or a 're-gift swap' among the adults.....or a 'handmade only policy'...you get the picture!

3. Shop for gifts all year.  I am happy to report that I have purchased the first two Christmas gifts for 2013!
(Note to my family: if you are reading this, and we decide to draw names, I will need to 'draw' Alisha!)
I am trying to devise an easy way for my kids  and husband to write down their desires for gifts all year, so I have a plan in mind, and can pick up bargains during the year.

4. I would love to take a family trip for Christmas, and forgo gifts altogether, save for one meaningful gift to be opened Christmas morning.  I think that memories would be magical, and we could focus on the reason for the season. After all, family togetherness is the key, and memories are priceless (All the better with a suntan!).

5. New Rule: now that my kids are teenagers, they want all of the traditions of Christmas' past, but are too busy to be around to help them happen.  I am one person- if you want to bake cookies and pie, let's set a date to bake cookies and pie together. Time spent together is a free gift well cherished.

And now that all the decorations are put away, and the holidays are but a memory remember this: in only 10 1/2 short months we get to start the holiday season all over again....let's all aim for a simpler, magical 2012!