Well, now that its all said and done, it seems Tarot had to work the hardest - thanks for everyone who helped figure out bugs and joined up wanting to play. I just had to sit by and answer a ton of questions. And truthfully, you all were easy on me! Thanks!

Now, switching gears...

In the middle of the 'grand opening', Gillar and I went up north and hit Shipwreck beads - a massive bead store to meet a very lovely young woman (brownlikewoah) who had a rooster that needed a home. It's so awful that people can't keep them in the city because of ordinances. They are a joy to wake up to in the morning when they crow. Mine don't crow yet, but the neighbors do! Right now our roosters talk with the best of them... but anyhow, in the middle of the excitement we met her up in Lacey to pick up this young Americana rooster.

I think we're gonna call him Goblin.

Wow.. I saw pictures of him before, but I didn't realize how beautiful he is. I spent an hour today just petting and spending time with him and couldn't stop marveling at how many colors he has. I'll post up a pic or two in a minute. Okay, this Rooster is so gorgeous I can't even begin to describe him. The pics don't do him justice... seriously. I posted some I took today and one his mom took and sent to me when we were deciding if he should come live with me. I got some close ups of his feathers too. He's like this neat slate blueish gray, feathers ringed with white, then he goes into a rust red and gold, followed by a purple layer, then more slate blue. He's pretty scared in the first pic. He doesn't like being by himself while the chickens play outside without him.





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Well, its always odd actually meeting irl someone for the first time you've known for a long time and shared some of your most intimate thoughts with over the net. In fact, the last time I met someone irl I had struck up a friendship with on the net, I ended up marrying him. That was a sort of blindside that I hadn't expected. I know people diss internet romances, but I have a dreamy happy ending one that is going on its 5th year anniversary... and standing at my side at SeaTac Matt reminded me of how nervous we both were last time we were meeting strangers in the airport - and how well that turned out.

I was worried I would be late... you know, the old horror story of leaving someone in the airport that has put their absolute faith in you and flown halfway across the country just to meet you. Then you get there and find out your early (plane delayed right?) and worry again that you won't recognize them. Then.... with Cayenne I was worried we would have communication problems. I don't know anyone who has hearing impairments - nor someone... *gulp* Canadian. *crosses herself*

Well, as it turns out... I spotted her right off. Then I carefully snuck up behind her to give her an attack hug from behind. We waited on her bag, and headed home. There wasn't much talking in the airport - frankly all those people terrify me and I kept being worried we'd be lost. I am totally turning into a small town recluse. Normally when someone is flying into SeaTac I'd take them on into Seattle to see the space needle and visit pikes place market, but in the case of this Sun, it was pouring down rain (bad view, cold weather, hideous timing for the market. So we just headed home... everyone was tired. Seattle can wait until later in the week.

Matt and I were worried about the state of our house, yard, barn, everything. We didn't want to give Cayenne the wrong impression - that we were slobs etc. We spent the entire day Saturday before she came cleaning, rearranging...

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Honest! We're just super busy with Mish coming after the fourth, and the holiday this weekend. I thought I'd post up some pictures of some of the stuff I've been up too. First and foremost the chicken house, Matt, some of the babies, and an arbor we've made. But don't worry... I have mizahar stuff done too. I just finished Zulrav, his followers called the Stormwardens, and a ton of beasties for the game as well. Friday its supposed to be well into the 90's here... and i have the day off (imagine a three day weekend!!!) and so I'll be working on Miza in the shade when its just too hot to do anything else. I promise I have so much done it will blow you all away. In the mean time, here's whats been going on.

(Stop messing with the chicks and post to mizahar!)


(Arbor built last weekend - the climbing rose - a dreamweaver, was planted previous year and grown on a temp trellis)


(Hot hubby sweating away in the sun working on new chicken coup)


(You can get chickens in the mail even!)


(Group shot!)


(Gardening Chickies - they make good helpers)


(Meanest Chick alive - aka toe biter)


You know its just a phase right? I promise I...

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I had the best intentions. Its supposed to not be nice today... rain showers later. I didn't get the chicks outside at all yesterday because I was just too tired and spent the morning in jammies and watching Jaws on TV. I cuddled with a few cats, made a great lunch, and then went off to work. All in all I probably killed the three spare hours before work easily. Today is a different story. I got up at 8:30, after about 6 hrs of sleep and fed hroses... then moved outside to get some work done on my computer. I brought the chicks out to play, but I'm worried. We need to get the coup done fast because sitting here I've seen a pair of bald eagles, a coopers hawk, a harris hawk, and a northern harrier 'wander by' all in the first hour.
I cleaned cages, stalls, and let horses out too. I've caught up on some of the stuff I'm working on, and am sitting here by the firepit watching the chickens learn a brand new fun game.

The Easter Egger chickies... the Ameracauanas... have discovered if you get into the flower beds and scratch, you can find worms and all sorts of cool bugs. When one finds a bug, all the others chase the one with the bug around until the bug is consumed (by whomever ends up with it). so now all the chickies are out comfortably weeding the garden. The Rhode Island Reds have put themselves to bed... they are fair weather flowers.... when it gets windy, which it is now, they tend to go to bed and stay there. Since the EE chickes are still in their wire cage, they don't have that option... so they are staying out still looking for bugs... juicy bugs.

I've never seen a creature love bugs so much.

My fearless leader hen, Sugar, just offered me what looks like a grub of some sort.... I think shes telling me she loves me. I need to charge the digital camera... but when I do, I'll take some pictures and show everyone. I really shouldn't be so obsessed with my chickens... .seriously... but they are a delight.

I think I just finished one of those weeks. You know the kind... where there's something IMPORTANT (tm) planned each day. We've had a lot of stress lately because there were a few more layoffs at work (inside, the union guys), and the news that 'Sunday Swing' is now canceled permanently (unless the economy changes). This doesn't effect my company, but it does mean no more working sundays (at straight OT!) and simple just 'on call' for saturdays now. It's a bit of a break truthfully! This whole weekend has been a bit of a break from 'all week'. I have been seeing the doctor because I need some work done on my wrists. So I had no less than three doc appointments this week during my morning. I had a noted lack of sleep (I couldn't sleep all week for some reason!) and then having to crawl out of bed after 5 or 6 hrs... go to an appointment, fill out paperwork, etc... come home, go to work, fight tooth and nail to stay busy (when its not) and crawl home to go to bed... getting progressively more tired all week. I seriously was absolutely done for by friday, and that day was taken up with the shoer being here for 2.5 hrs in the morning (starting early, of course ) before I headed to work.

My chickies are still a joy. Matt has a very funny picture of me sitting in his office with two 5 week old EE chicks perched on my head looking gleeful after having flown up there themselves. They are getting so big.

I still need names. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to make them. I have this so far...

1 Rhode Island Red Rooster - Giovanni
1 Rhode Island Red Rooster - Naked Butt
1 Rhode Island Red Hen - Big Mamma
1 shy Rhode Island Red Hen - ?
1 small Rhode Island Red Hen - ?
1 plain ordinary medium-sized Rhode Island Red Hen - ?
1 White Easter Egger Hen - Sugar
1 Multicolored Cream Easter Egger Hen - Spice
1 Butterscotch Easter Egger Hen - Whistler
1 Black Austerlorp...

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