New Additions....

My brother brought us four Buff Orpington pullets this morning. We are currently down to five layers and plan to add more ladies to our flock this spring. We will also be adding six more Silver Laced Wyandottes and four more Ameracaunas in a couple weeks.  The Wyandottes that we have raise so far are such sweet, calm hens. The Ameracaunas are a little mischevious, but I love the blue eggs. The one Buff we have is much like the Wyandottes. She tends to stay close by the rooster most of the time.

 

Future chicken whisperer....she is letting us know that she is holding four chicks up.

 

 Uses for eggshells

 

Do you just toss your eggshells in the trash or do you use them to benefit your homestead? We save our eggshells in a bucket for a week or so and then dry them out in the oven. Sometimes, we just toss them in the compost whole or we grind them up very small and add them to our chicken feed to add extra calcium for the hens. These particular eggshells will be ground up to be mixed with other ingredients for our tomato fertilizer.  We grind them and put them into a glass jar until we need to make the tomato fertilizer.

 

If you have any more ideas, please feel free to share.

 Be Mine......

I am a practical person and like to be given things I will be use. I don't like James spending money on things that I won't use or just cause more clutter (we have enough around here). I don't care much for fresh flowers because they just die. I don't need candy (trying to lose weight). Last year, they bought me canning jars for Mothers Day. I was one happy mama. Add in the fact that we don't have money to spend on such items, I was one happy bride when my hubby gave me one of his homemade baskets for Valentine's Day. He custom made it for me. I love green. So, he used green raffia to make it.He couldn't have said, "I love you" anymore than he did. Yay! I finally got one of his beautiful tortilla baskets. Now, I must put this thing to use....lol. I hope your special someone made you feel special on Valentines Day.

 

Breakfast Prep...

Are you like the Henson family and get up every morning without a clue as to what is for breakfast? That has pretty much always been a struggle for me. Now, especially that we don't eat packaged cereal anymore, it is one of my downfalls. I am one who likes to have a few minutes to wake up before I run into the kitchen and start breakfast. Today, I decided to try to simplify our mornings as much as possible. I made pumpkin muffins to go in the freezer. So, we can grab them out of the freezer, warm them, and eat them with scrambled eggs or bacon, etc. I also made up four batches of muffin mix in which I only need to add the liquid ingredients that are listed on the bag. I can mix these quickly and let them bake while cooking eggs or bacon, etc.  Breakfast burritios are easy to warm up quickly. So, as I was making us some for breakfast this morning, I made lots of extra. I made 21 extra sausage, egg and cheese burritos to go in the freezer. I am hoping this will eliminate some craziness around the Henson  home in the mornings.

 

Yummy pumpkin muffins..... 

 

Sausage, egg and cheese burritos

 

Muffins (James and I add blueberries to ours....the girls like theirs plain.) 

 

Please share if you have any quick and easy breakfast ideas.

Happy New Year.....

2014 has definately been a tough year for our family, but it has been a year of growth as well. Many things have changed for our family, but our God never changes. He is ALWAYS with us and ALWAYS will be. He never promised that life would be easy, but He promises that He will carry us through all situations. I am thankful for the challenges of 2014, but look forward to God's blessing in 2015. Praying God will richly bless each of you this new year.

 

 

New Year blessings from our family to yours.

 

 

Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

 

 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

Let us not forget the "REAL" reason we celebrate Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 Preparing the Raised Beds for Winter

 

Today is such a gorgeous day in Southeast Texas. After not being outdoors much the past

several months, I decided today was the perfect day to spend some time outside working on

my raised beds and raking the yard. So, I got a two for one deal....raked yard and nice compost

material. Later, I plan on laying empty feed bags and boards over the leaves so they don't blow out. Then at some point, I will scoop compost from the chicken pen.

 

 

So, do you have any tips or advice to share? Please leave a comment. I love to learn.