Chicken-ready!

Look! My chicken coop is finally finished! My little barn no longer leans, has a new coat of paint and all the renovations necessary to provide comfortable and secure lodgings for my flock.

Here's a glimpse of the people doors into the coop, and my little office which sits atop the nesting boxes.

This is my view of the nesting boxes. There are six. The chickens can get in on the inside, and I can check for eggs from the outside via the sliding back panels.

Here's the chickens' view of the nest boxes.

The people doors straight ahead, the annex door to the left. Thanks to Nicci who came with her miter saw and built my doors. She also helped frame the interior. I was kind of baffled at the start, and she really helped me figure things out.

This is the view from the end of the chicken yard. I'm facing east. I'll add some shade cover when the chickens arrive.

The chicken door and chicken ramp.

Chicken's eye view from inside the chicken door.

It's taken waaaaaaay longer than I predicted to complete this project! There were many puzzles and challenges. And the fence panels really beat me up. My vocabulary became quite sailor-like during the fencing phase. There were chicken wire installation days when I was bleeding from nine of ten fingers. But it's done!

I'm thinking of writing a booked titled "Kay's Chicken Coop Diet and Workout Plan." I dropped a whole size since buying new Spring clothes at the end of April. I worked really long, hard days and didn't have time to hang out in the kitchen much.

The next challenge is acquiring my flock. I have two chicken dates this week. Raising from babies is easier in some ways. But I'm looking for chickens that are already laying. They are harder to find.
My gardens are mostly planted. I got to harvest my rhubarb!

I also pickled five jars of asparagus this week. I was overstocked!

My first snow peas are just setting on. So far, I've eaten all I've harvested on the way to the house. Maybe this week I'll have enough for an Oriental chicken salad.

In other garden news, this will not be a stellar fruit season in my yard. The cherry tree set about half as much fruit as last year, and I have exactly one peach. No apples on my new Granny Smith dwarf. I'll have lots of black currants and gooseberries, though. And the black raspberry vines are loaded!

Here's my pretty water lily. I had three blooms at once! Big accomplishment in my little pond!

This is the last of the peony blooms.

I hope you're all enjoying this pleasant Spring!

At long last, sandal weather!

Can't believe I've been away from my blog this long! So much to do around here that I've barely been indoors since finishing my school year at Butler on May 5.

The chicken coop is progressing nicely. I took an extra week to reset my little barn on its foundation. So now I'm looking forward to being chicken-ready by Memorial Day instead of Mother's Day. The interior is near completion. Now I have to dig some post holes and set up the chicken yard.


I found all these four leaf clovers back by the chicken coop. I think I'll have me some lucky chickens.


Look! My first radish! I already ate it in a salad with some fresh-picked lettuce and asparagus.

Bibb lettuce is sooooo photogenic!

The potatoes are growing like crazy!



This beautiful visitor stopped by to admire my poppies.


And some new neighbors took up residence above my downspout. I think they are ambitious sparrows. They built their nest out of last years Siberian iris fronds.


Here's my first peony. It's the fanciest variey in my yard, and always the first to bloom.


My mud shoes sit by the back door, ready for action.

Looks like the weather is finally going to cooperate with us farmers. Dry days and weekend temps in the 80's! Yahooey! I hope to wear sandals to Mike and Steve's Indy 500 party on Sunday, and Leanne's big birthday bash that night. It will be great to take a break from digging and construction to hang out with my pals.