All day yesterday and narry a peep from the coop.  Today--- Holly just couldn't help it and crowed 3 times while I observed.
Puff is leaving us as well.  It is that look... I just know it will only be a matter of time before he is busted as well.  

I went out with a cup of coffee and some chicken snacks Sunday Morning and as I am headed down the path what do I hear??? A rooster crow!  Oh no, we thought we "could" have one but come on DENIAL makes the world go round right?  I hurried down the path to see who the culprit was.  I get a stool and sit with my coffee in front of the pen.  You can imagine 6 almost full grown chickens looking back at me like UHH what do you want?  I tried to get the TO crow--- you know like crowing yourself so that they crow back.  I crow---- (yes it sounded like a rooster being strangled)        SILENCE  6 pair of eyes staring at me making a fool out of myself.  Come on will the boy or boys please step forward so you can be evicted out of your posh home and given up for adoption.  No dice, silence.  Can you hear the conversations coming from the girls...
Don't even clear your throat..she is still looking.
Just keep scratching ..just keep scratchin.
Swallow.... don't do it.
So I turn to walk away up the hill, I get half way up no longer in site and ...... a crow!  Dag gum crazy rooster.
Here are the Suspects:
SUSPECT #1
Wearing very pretty tail feathers and small but very red comb is Holly.  Holly is the funniest chicken we have ever had.  Prefers live bugs to fresh cream corn.  She/He has the best flying skills of the group.

Really- I am alive just busy.  Between the c's and the other c's chickens and children.. I am very busy.  The garden is almost to the point where I just say DONE!  I am at the place where I pull plants and replace with a few others.  Here is a few pics of the garden. 
Much to the groans of my husband I have decided to learn to make cheese!!.. Homemade cheese with fresh tomatoes..  I think he is worried I will be on the path to a goat but really I can't take ANYMORE animals!  I will be looking for some fresh milk from a local farmer and maybe some fresh goats milk ... I know what you are thinking... crazy girl just go buy some cheese.  HEY --it's science and a challenge!

I am starting a new section because I know I will be doing this again!  I loved it and so did the kids.  The last morning there Matthew woke up and his first words were I do not want to leave.  I agreed. 
So the camping was fun.  Matthew and Abby got to eat smores!  My brother cooked hamburgers on the grill.  It was such a textbook camping trip.  They had this cult of raccoons that would come out at dusk.  They were like gangs.  It was funny because we came back from the shower and the BOY cousins were hiding in the tent.  They were hiding from the raccoons!  There were like 10 in my Sister's camp.  We laughed and laughed.  Connor my sister's son came screaming by saying that a coon was in my sister's car.  They were like that movie Gremlins.  I did my best cougar cat yelp and they would just look at me. 
We took a trip to Key West to see all the Leatherbacks, drunks riding on bikes!  We ate Key lime pie and Jaycee and I got Henna tattoos.  Mine was a Chinese symbol for Butterfly.  I was a little worried it said "stupid tourist" but I emailed a pic to someone who knows and they confirmed it said butterfly.  I really want a real one.
I apparently did not do a good job packing.  I forgot the little things like UHHH flashlight?? OK so yell at me.  I know I just figured in a campground it would be light enough---- I was wrong.  Oh and charcoal oh ya then there was the matches.  I did have coffee and a coffee pot, the most important things.  I also brought battery operated fans and ...well and a air mattress that blows up with batteries.  I think I bought out costcos D batteries.  We used gallons of sunscreen!  I also felt compelled to buy the solar shower thingy bob.  You can laugh!    ---- I let Matthew eat Rice crispy treats for breakfast.    What memories we made!

Here are the pics....

We are in Orlando spending a few days with my wondermous brother and his sweet children!  We started out on Wednesday leaving Columbus late in the afternoon.  It did not stop us from getting a flat of strawberries outside of Tifton GA.  Abby and Matthew enjoyed some strawberry ice cream.
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I spent the day NOT fishing.  It is funny because I am trying at break neck speed to get all done that needs to be done.  I have 78 tomatoes planted.  That sounds really easy but when you have them in 11 gallon pots and are hauling 40lb bags of dirt from the front to the back for each pot...well it gets a little bit tiring.  I planted 2 trays of Zinnia's in Abby's butterfly garden, 2 trays of Giant Kong Coleus at the Neighbor's yard (and then I pushed her golf cart up the hill) 2 trays of sunflowers, 14 or so more pepper plants, pulled an acre of weeds (lot really but it felt like it) !  It was a busy day.  I sat down to look out at the water and what do I see but a dog in a boat wearing a life jacket!  Obviously the dog KNEW I was a uber dog Mommy because it was so wanting to dive overboard and come and visit me
I started to think that I should be fishing with Matthew and Abby.  We do not fish enough!  I think we got so much fishing in when we had the boat and condo in Shalimar that we needed to recover.  I think this week I will dig some worms and take them fishing out at the dock.  I know my Dad is reading this so I will THANK HIM profusely for taking me fishing as a child!  I can tell you if it is anything like fishing with my little Matt Matt then my Dad should of gotten a PRIZE.  I tell you I can recall not wanting to sit still, wanting to hunt for objects in the river beds, daring my brother to eat salmon eggs, (OH I did it!) eating corn that was meant for the fish (EWWW) hiking a mile upstream to find a secluded spot where I could tinkle (just as I started I noted a dead carp complete with maggots right near where I was squatting) I can run fast with my pants down, non-stop chattering at my Dad who was trying to "FISH" and relax.   I always found a way to get wet knowing I had zero clothes to change into and then I would start the whining about being cold. I am sure my Dad wanted to KILL me, yet time and time again he took me.  He even took me for my 12th birthday.  I will never forget it.  I saw my first dead beaver.   I KNOW I was just like a little boy who I need to take fishing.   HMMMM???? Maybe my Dad is available?? haha
Here is me fishing with my buddy last year at our dock!

Some of you that know me will know right away where this is going... NO it is not some Latin pool boy I am lusting after, it was my garden friend Antonio.  Many years ago it was winter.  I had contractors working on some shutters at the front of the house.  The contractor had a Mexican man working for him.  It was a very cold day and he worked alone.  I went out and took him coffee and hot chocolate.  It was obvious he did not speak a lick of English.  Work in the winter for migrant workers is sparse and I got the feeling his "boss" was not really doing Antonio right. (southern speak)  He never returned to bring him lunch or a drink and it was really COLD that day.  I brought him inside much to his no, no, no and fed him lunch.  It took awhile but before he left that day he looked at me and said in broken English "I work for you?"  I was so surprised I just nodded.  The next Saturday he showed up with gloves in his hands.  That started a friendship that still brings tears to my eyes.  Antonio was the hardest worker you have ever seen.  In Spring we worked side by side putting in the garden, pulling weeds, trimming shrubs.  He would teach me Spanish and I taught him some English.  We would laugh at our efforts.  He helped move John's parents to the Nursing home and helped me clean out their home.  I never had to tell him what to do he just did it.  He even put his wife back in Mexico on the phone one day to say hello to me.  He was proud of his children back in Mexico. They went to private  school and learned the internet.  I am doubtful Antonio could read.  Every Saturday for over 2 years Antonio came to work for me.  I learned how hard it was for him to cross the border and how he slept in the desert during the day and then would travel at night.  His smugglers would give him one sandwich a day.  The day came when Antonio announced that he would be going back to Mexico in October it was time for him to see his family again.   I researched ways to bring Antonio back legally, without any luck.  It was July or so Antonio came to work but he was sad I could tell.  I said to him what is it Antonio.  He said his brother had been killed the night before and it was time for him to go home, his mother needed him.   I asked him how do you get back so fast?  I knew that each week that the Mexicans wire their money back to their families.  It was Saturday how could he wait with a funeral back in Mexico?  I told him to stop working and I would take him home to pack, I took his ID and went to the Airport so that I could buy him a ticket home.    As most of you know traveling after 9/11 was insane.  I knew the best way was to take Antonio to Atlanta.  The trip was quiet.  When we arrived and got him checked in I worried about him being able to get through security .... As we approached the area where I had to say goodbye a well dressed family speaking Spanish could see that I was visibly upset and worried about him.  The woman took my hand and said that she would help him as his flight was running late.. Amazing how people can show up right when you need them.  I hugged Antonio goodbye.   A few years have passed, I keep thinking that some Saturday Antonio will show up with his gloves and say "I work for you"?  but it is Spring and no Antonio.  There will be no other.  I think when the children are grown I am going to find Antonio and his family in Mexico City!  Imagine his face when he answers the door HOLA!!!

I am hanging up my tweezers and flashlight, cleaned out the incubator.  The hatch is over!  We had 18 chicks I believe and we gave away all but 2 today.  It was a great time seeing those peeps come pecking out of the shell.  Abby and Matthew loved every minute of it.  I sweated bullets as the 20 hour window would pass and some did not come out.  YES--- I operated and it worked out.  One chick died this morning as I should of let mother nature take it in the shell but alas I could not let it go.  I started thinking about how it was going to live out it's life as a special needs chick and that it would have to live inside. Sigh
Here are some pics of the cutest creatures on earth and a pic of one of our friends getting to know Powder.
PSSST... Jenny my Home school friend is starting her brood on Monday   Passing the flashlight and the incubator on!

OH MY---- look up cute in the dictionary and here is what you will find..
Our freshly hatched peeper Powder (like the snow in Colorado)  She is a white bearded Silkie.  The kids got to see her slide right out of the egg.  It was INCREDIBLE.  I am so glad they had a chance to witness the little miracle.  Right now she/he is a little miffed she is alone in this world.  She has peeps hatching hopefully soon!