emerald lane

Another bit of news, Jay built a chicken tractor, which is a portable chicken pen. It allows the chickens to supplement their feed with bugs and grass and protects them from pretators. Anyway, this is one of two Jay will build to house all the new baby chicks as well as the 9 existing chickens. Well, that was our Monday!

Hinged door for access to nesting boxes, water and food

Chicken tractor under construction

Here are the chickens in their new “Mobile Home”

Lately, we have been busy working outside. Here’s the run down:
A few weeks ago, Jay put up a tire swing by the pond, which Ian loves! (better picture to come)

Just last weekend Jay found a new love, compost. He read this book, Let it Rot and decided to build a 4 bin compost and loaded it with hay from the chicken coop, which was very fertile!! It is heating up quickly and Jay is so excited! So weird, he asked me today with this big grin “did you see the steam coming off the compost this morning?” It was like he was telling me about some great news, like “I bought you a brand new sewing machine with an embroidery attachment and serger!!” Well, maybe not that great! But you get my point! I’ve been planting flowers and transplanting plants from the neighbors (you know the other Henry’s). Pictures of my work to come. So I’ve neglected my sewing these days to work outside in the sun and the boys love to work right along side me. Ian with the hoe today and Sean with the shovel and me with this panicked look and even more panicked scream telling Ian, “stop holding the hoe above your head you might hit your brother!” Yikes! We all still have our heads and all our limbs. Not sure how?

Here is a picture of Ian and Jay taking an evening paddle around the pond!

The boys and I took a field trip today out to Uncle Pat and Aunt Leslee’s farm, they have a new calf, named Norma Jean that we just had to meet. Sean and I got to feed Norma Jean her gigantic bottle, which she gets 5-6 times per day, while Ian slept in the stroller and Ramber, the pony, and Donquijote, the donkey looked on at us. Norma Jean loved her milk, and sucked it up as fast as she could. Every once in a while she would head butt the bottle to get the milk out faster and the bottle hit me once and hit Sean in the head. Not to worry we are both okay! After Norma Jean had her bottle we took her out to the field for her exercise and she frolicked with little Spot the dog, very cute! In the mean time, I was finally able to wake Ian and he enjoyed watching Norma Jean run around with Spot. The boys had a great time!

Thanks Aunt Leslee for letting us meet Norma Jean!

Found this site while browsing, tie one on, it’s a crafty person show-n-tell blog. You make an apron, based on the month’s theme, then email pics and share your ideas. Thought I would give it a try.

This month’s theme: apron from clothes, love the idea. Feels good to cut up old clothes and reuse them, I feel thrifty! I used a pair of cut-off shorts for the apron front and a dress for the tie. I used the existing belt loops to hold the tie in place. The back of the shorts are actually the front and the front is gone except for a the belt loops and pockets.

Nap time at our house today!

I must correct this error, Ivy Grace weighed in at 9lbs. 10oz., 4 more ounces than I previously posted. Sorry for the error Monica, I wanted to make sure I corrected that because I know you worked hard carrying that large baby!

Thanks for the picture Katie!

Ivy Grace Dowd was born weighing in at 9lbs. 6oz. and 20.5″ long!!
Her proud parents, Jeff and Monica Dowd, Monica is my sister, welcomed her at 1:58pm on the 6th! Oh, by the way the 6th is also my Mom’s birthday, Happy Birthday Mom!!!
What a present!!