CHICKENS AND GARDENS

We are really enjoying our visiting and playing here in sunny Walnut Creek. We have done a lot of shopping and eating out, and some touring, but most of our time has been spent at home with Matt, Beth, Jack, and Katie. We do the ordinary daily stuff like swinging kids, chores, cooking and eating, catching up on tevoed tv favorites. After bath time and children are in bed we have adult time for talking or playing games. We play Mexican Train dominoes, Hand(s) and Foot (Feet) cards and 31 (cards). Recently Duane has been teaching the rest of us to play Muggins, the kind of dominoes he learned at GM. This game is played with double sixes, so with four people there is no draw pile. The strategy is rather complicated, but points are counted in fives and multiples of five.

Katie charming grandpa in our garage.

Since the weather is mostly sunny and mild we spend a lot of time outdoors. Matt and Beth leased this house partly because we could fit in the driveway, but also because of the (relatively) large yard and several different patio areas. This is part of the L shaped back patio. It offers protection from the chilly wind with shaded and sunny sitting and eating areas and space for the children.

This is the long part of the L. The children love to eat their meals out here.

Part of our driveway "rent" was to help Matt with some larger chores. My "job" was to plant this herb garden and the tomato and pepper garden below and help plant flowers.

Duane's "jobs" included fixing up the old chicken coop in the corner. Matt and Beth bought six different breeds of chicks to raise for a learning experience for the children, to harvest eggs, and because they think chickens are cool. They kept the chicks in an old Pack-n-play in the garage until they had enough feathers to move outside. Matt and Duane built nesting boxes, a roosting perch, and a manure box from old kitchen cupboards. Add wood shavings, a feeder, and a waterer and you have chicken heaven. Since the polts aren't quite ready for the chilly evenings yet, the warming light was moved with them. Duane also worked on tightening up the swing set by drilling and adding bolts to it. Some of the old ones kept backing out. He also helped moved the patio stuff to the patios and fenced the garden to keep the chickens and the kids out.

These chickens all have names: Repecka, Professor McGonagal (sp ?) Mrs. Peabody, Little Bo Peep, Princess Lay-a, and Daisy. The names are hopeful. When the chick are hatched, they are sexed before they are shipped to the garden store. Most of the time they are correct, but sometimes a rooster will show up. With these chickens, it is a matter of wait and see and hope, but that's part of the fun.

The chickens really like being out of the Pack-n-Play and in their spacious coop. They have the run of the yard during the day and are penned in at night.

The wood blocks are for their feeder and waterer, but they are too little to reach them there right now. They were unable to get chickens that will lay blue eggs. Four of these will lay brown eggs, one will lay dark reddish brown, and one white.

Katie likes to hold and kiss the chickens. Jack likes to hold Bo Peep (below), but likes to chase the flock.

Our time here is almost over. We will be packing up tomorrow and pulling out Monday morning. We are looking forward to hitting the road again because we are full-timers, but we are also sorry to be leaving. We have really enjoyed our three-week stay here and will be looking forward to our next visit.

That's plenty for now,

Louise and Duane