Going, going, gone!

So, when is the last time you went to a poultry auction?  Oh, you haven't been to one?  Well, imagine that!  Hasn't everyone been to at least one poultry auction?  As of last night I have and I must say it's.............well, unique might be the word I'm looking for. 

On my quest to find just the right chickens for my new chicken tractor my brother, Kelly, enthusiastically suggested we attend his local bi-weekly poultry auction just on the other side of the river in Oklahoma.  That should have been my first clue!  My next clue should've been when he told me that the last auction a couple of weeks ago went till midnight!  What??  I mean, how many chickens could there be to auction off?  It had to be a fluke, a one-time thing.  Surely this time it would be different.........I was wrong!

We got there early because you have to if you want a parking spot closer than a mile away.  The event was out in the country but up a long winding driveway to a huge barn.  The first part of the auction is spent outside where there is junk to be had.  It would be one thing if there was one person willing to buy the junk but this was an auction so there were actually multiple people bidding on the junk.  Amazing!

It was almost dark and getting colder so we took a quick look at the outside auction items before heading into the warmth of the barn.  And when I say warmth, I mean maybe 5 degrees warmer than the cold of outside, which got down below freezing last night, I might add.  Yeah, it gets better! 

I've got to tell you right here that walking into this huge metal building was a step into a world that is very hard to believe, much less describe.  It was set up like a meeting place with about 100 chairs and not one of them matched another.  And around every wall was piles of........well, I'm just not sure, really!  There was a layer of dust on most of it and under the dust was just stuff.  And on the floor in front of the stuff, circling the rows of chairs, were cages and cages of poultry and various and sundry animals.  There were chickens, guineas, ducks, geese, rabbits, and even one goat.  

It was exciting at first.  Oh, Kelly and I made lists of which hens we would bid on, how many we wanted, and what our top price would be.  We were pumped!  And then we sat down to wait for the chicken part of the auction to start.  And wait we did!  Three hours, two helpings of hot chocolate, and several trips to the lovely powder room (NOT) later, the auction started and by now we were freezing our little fannies off.  Everybody else apparently got the memo because they all had their coveralls on.  I have coveralls!  Well, Bob does anyway, so I was kicking myself that I didn't think to wear them.  There were a few little heaters set around the room but we weren't one of the lucky few to secure one of those coveted spots.  

But the auction finally started and we knew just what we wanted.  It didn't take too long for them to get to ours and it didn't take too long for someone to outbid us and take all nine of our beautiful black and white striped Barred Rock hens.  Kelly was able to win one Ameraucana hen but by that time it was 11:30 (way past my bedtime) and I was done.  Done and quickly turning into an iscicle.

So as soon as Kelly settled up we toted our lone little hen out to the truck, turned on the blessed heater, and thawed out as we drove away from my very first............and maybe last (give me a couple of days) chicken auction.  What a hoot!         

Winter Sowing

I love after Christmas because that means hunkering down for Texas' two month version of a winter and then .........SPRING!

I love looking forward to Spring and one of the ways I do that is winter sowing.  When I'm out and about in my SPAN van I'll sometimes glean seeds from pretty flowers I see along the way and sometimes I'll find them when I walk or ride my bike.  Free is always the best way to grow flowers, right?

So I cut my milk jugs in half, fill the bottom with potting soil, plant my tiny little future beauties, and then wait.  Wait till they freeze and thaw a few times and when it starts getting warmer they'll peek their little heads out in their personal green house and start growing.  When they get too big for the jug I'll pick out the strongest plants and transplant them to bigger pots or the ground.  Two years ago I enjoyed a real beauty called a castor plant.  When it didn't come back on it's own I went searching and found seeds at a house over by the university.  I can't wait to have that plant grace my garden once again. 

Chickity Doo Doo!

It's real!  Seriously!  There really is something called Chickity Doo Doo!  It's a fertilizer made from.....well, the title describes it aptly.  And I don't need any!  Why, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you anyway.  Because this is what I got for Christmas!!!!

It's a chicken tractor!  I've wanted to have chickens for awhile and I guess Bob and the kids got tired of hearing me talk about it so they've given me a push.  A huge one!  The Bob's gave up their week off to build it and that just makes it that much more special.  Now I'm committed.  I have to carry on with my plan.  The really big reason I've put it off so long is because, technically, well, legally, actually, I'm not allowed to have chickens in my neighborhood.  But two code enforcement people have told me that they really don't check on things like that unless somebody complains.  So that was my yes, sort of, so I'm at least trying it.

Now I get to shop for chickens and I'll be sure to keep you "posted" (ha!) on them......and the eggs, of course.......and my very own chickity doo doo!!

Cinnamon Roll x 2

For the last two or three weeks when I'm driving for my 2nd job it seems like all I can think about is having a cinnamon roll.  I have no idea why and I try not to make a practice of eating stuff like that but today I decided to just go ahead and assuage my craving and be done with it!

So when it was time for a break I went searching for a donut shop.  Because if I'm going to be bad I wanted to do it up right.  

Before I could find the donut shop I happened onto a Market Street.  Those are fun little grocery stores and they have lots of great looking prepared food so I decided to find something a little healthier to eat since it was close to lunch anyway.  But as I walked through, eyeing all the goodies, guess what was the only thing I wanted!  Yep, a cinnamon roll!  Ugh!  But they had one.  It wasn't like what you get in a donut shop but I was running out of time so it would have to do.  After checking out I was leaving the store through a different door from the one I came in and noticed a little cafe/coffee type section and there it was!!!  The most beautiful and decadant looking cinnamon roll just taunting me and the sad one that I had in my hand.  

Before I could even stop myself I was telling the lady at the counter that THIS was the cinnamon roll I really wanted.  I must have looked pretty sad because she immediately said she'd trade it for me.  What a sweetie.  I put my rejected roll on the counter in preparation to receive the new and improved one and, listen to this, that lady said that I could just keep the first one and that she'd just give me this 2nd one!!!  (I don't think this lady will last too much longer if she keeps this up)  But who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?  I, like the obedient but greedy person that I am, took both rolls and scrammed!  

And both were delicious!!  Yes, I did!      

A View from the Crosswalk--Gifts

I don't get a lot of Christmas gifts from the kids that walk across the street and I like it that way.  I feel like those moms have enough to worry about (been there, done that!) at this time of year without thinking they have to get something for the crossing guard.  I like to think of myself as essential but unnoticed.  But I do get a few items of thanks at this time of year and this year I got a very special one.  In fact, it wasn't even given by a parent or a child.  An old friend from my former church stopped by my crosswalk on her way to work to share with me a product of her creative and thoughtful husband.  He'd made several of these for various people and blessed me with one.  Now that's what I call the spirit of Christmas.  Handmade, simple, and.....truth, all rolled in one! 

May all of you have a blessed and Christ filled Chrstmas!

The Santa Suit

photo by Kaylee Jacobs
Catch her latest venture at
http://myownwhitehouse.blogspot.com/

It looks like a small simple Santa suit but its history is one of family memories and tradition.

When my little brother, Kelly (the youngest of six children) was about five years old my mother made him this Santa suit.  I don’t know if there was a more official intent like a Christmas program at school or church, but ultimately he wore it for our family that year when my mom had him pass out gifts to each person.

When he grew out of it I’m sure the suit was packed away but when Kelly was ten, the first grandchild, Stephanie was born.  When she turned five, the suit, along with the job of handing out presents was passed to her.  So started the family tradition of the Santa suit.  Each of the twelve grandchildren has taken a turn at wearing the suit and passing out the presents.  And now the job has been cerimonially bestowed upon  the great grandchildren.

 

I’m sure when my mom stitched up the little suit she had no idea it would still be used after forty years.  But since she passed away a few years back, not only is the Santa suit assignment a sweet tradition but it’s a reminder of her and how much she loved all things Christmas.      

Cake, a Christmas tree, and Cary!

It's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here whether I like it or not!  I can often be somewhat of a grinch about Christmas and all the "trappings" but yesterday I was able to grab a little of the mood in spite of myself.  
 

The first item of the day was a SPAN lunch party.  SPAN is the little public transportation company I work part time for.  So I made a cake.  A punch bowl cake!  For you old fogies who remember the 70's and 80's, this was a popular "covered dish" item and it seemed to fit the occasion well.   It's festive and is really fun and easy to put together.  A great way to start this day of Christmas doings. 

Next was Christmas tree time.  A friend told me about a small tree farm in Shady Shores that was reasonably priced so that's what I decided to do.  I get really tired of dealing with dry trees every year and Kaylee refuses to let me get a fake tree (I guess that's what I get for raising her with my strict live Christmas tree rule!  It didn't occur to me then that I'd get old!)  So Kaylee, Bob, and I were able to enjoy the beautiful and sunshiney day and went hunting for the perfect tree!

And here's the end result!  Before the house redo there was never a good place for a Christmas tree but now the "new" living room has a perfect spot!                                             

Now you may be wondering how Cary fits in to this post but, of course, it's Cary Grant!  Sigh!!  Isn't he just the dreamiest?.............but I digress!  Cary stars in the movie, "The Bishop's Wife" and I'd never seen it, which is strange because I love all movies old, and especially those, Cary!  Anyway, I watched it and I'm definitely recommending if for a favorite Christmas movie!  I mean, there are plenty of theological flaws and some liberal thoughts thrown in for good measure but, for Hollywood, it was a pretty good rendition of what Christmas really means.  They even acknowledged that Christmas is about Jesus' birth.  Imagine that!!