Monday, September 7, 2009

September is bringing much change. The trees are turning yellow, the fireweed is turning red, it is getting cooler at night, we have started a new year of school with some new curriculum which the kids are enjoying very much, but the biggest change of all for us and all of the staff at MARC is we have a new director.

The Baker family comes to us from Afghanistan were they were serving with Missionary Aviation Fellowship . We are very excited to have them working with us. Pray for them and all of the staff during this transition.
We have a new addition to our family. This is Payton Ann Marie, born to Andy (Mark's brother) and Mary, Thursday, September 3rd. She joins brothers Andrew and Tristin and sisters Alyssa and Ashley. They live in Washington State.

With the coming of winter is the scurrying of preparations. Mark is doing his best to get the greenhouse built before the snow flies so it can be used come April. I can just imagine all those tomatoes, cucumbers, zuchinni, peppers, and flowers filling the greenhouse.
The whole family has been working hard to put up firewood. We have collected about 3 cords worth of logs so far. It was quite the work for me and the kids as we helped Mark load logs and rounds onto the trailer.

Alaina is a very hard worker and has put in much time to help get the rounds split and stacked.
Everyone pitches in, including our friends two year old little girl.
Jeremiah had a great birthday (Aug 22). He invited five friends to celebrate with him. We had a rocket for each of the boys and went to the local ball field to shoot them off. Jeremiah turned 11.

Our garden is growing great. We have been enjoying picking from it to include in our dinners.

Last week Jeremiah and Alaina got to go with Mark to ferry the Child Evangelism Fellowship's Cherokee 6 for it's Annual Inspection.
Okay, I just can't resist telling everyone about our chickens. But don't fear, my posts won't always include the chickens. I will do my best to not report so extensively about the chickens from here on out.
I just love having chickens. They are therapeutic for me. When I am stressed I just go sit on the coop step and all the stress goes away.
Our chicks have joined the hens in the coop. The transition went very smoothly to my relief. We have had some surprises as to what breeds the chicks are. We thought they were all Easter Eggers, but it was not so.

As previously suspected, one of our chicks is a cockerel. His name is Arrowhead (Jeremiah named him) he is an Easter Egger (a cross between an Americauna and a Black Copper Maran) He is a sweet boy. We plan to keep him.
Neakita's chick, Goldie, we are waiting on to see if it is a pullet or a cockerel. Leaning towards a pullet but not totally sure. It is an Americauna.


Jeremiah's chick turned out to be a cockerel as well, so we traded him in for this sweet lovable Rhode Island Red. She is by far the sweetest chicken we have. She will sit down right beside me and let me pet her. She is very easy to pick up and hold as well. Jeremiah has not decided on a name for her yet, but I call her Rhodie.

I asked the owner of the hatchery we got the chicks from to come over and see them and our set up. It was a big help to have her visit. She brought with her three pullets just in case we wanted to trade out the cockerels. Jeremiah instantly fell in love with this little lady and bought her with his own money. Her name is Belle. By far the prettiest chicken we have. She is an Americauna.

This is Katelyn's Easter Egger pullet, Peachy. She is also a cross between an Americauna and a Black Copper Maran. See the feathered feet. This indicates that she will lay olive green colored eggs
Alaina's little Bonny is also an Easter Egger, a cross between an Americauna and I don't know what (I should find that out). She is a cute little runt and the bravest little chick we have. She will sneak up behind the hens and steal food scraps. Belle will too, but the others stay clear away.


Last but not least is my girl. Her name is Margarete, the name of the lady thought to be the inspiration for the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I wanted to name her Snow White, but the kids argued that we already have a Snow White (our white zebra finch), so I had to figure something else out. Margarete is a Delaware.