Around The Homestead

If you read back in my archives you will see the story of Mandy the dwarf goat my daughter Maggie gave us. We found a new home for her last year with a young couple that had purchased one of DiDi's and Brown Robin's bucklings Pickles. Well, Mandy and Pickles had twin mini Nubians! The little doeling has found a home here at Hidden Haven. Because Nitro and Diva are the great grandparents of this cute little kid I had to name her Precious Memories and call her Precious. She has a lot to live up to if she wants to fill their hooves! Mandy and Precious twin brother are here at the homestead for a few days to help her get settled in. Mandy seemed to remember the place and knew right where to go when she got here and even remembers feeding times and calls out to let me know. I am looking forward to having a mini Nubian. She's not Diva but she has some of her in her and hopefully will be a wonderful milker.

We finally got rain! Though it brought a small tornado with it about 5 miles from the homestead along with hail, winds, and down trees the rain was a welcome sight. Its still raining and the gardens are growing right in front on my eyes. I just love nice warm rain.

Otis, the possum along with his brothers and sisters that were later found by the same couple finally got big enough to be released. We think the mom must have gotten killed and the babies trying to fend for themselves went into the couples chick pen to eat their food. Each morning they found another one. The last one was the runt and boy was he feisty! We took them to a nice woods with a pond for releasing. Most of them went running off into the woods but a couple climbed a tree and the runt wanted to stand there, hiss and fight with us. Hopefully they will do fine in their new area and stay away from farms and chicken pens.

Look Who Moved To Hidden Haven

A very sweet and kind lady let us bring her farm animal family to Hidden Haven. Wizard, the big, HEAVY turkey along with a big beautiful rooster and his 3 hens now have the job of being house parents to the teen chicks. At least for now. After they have adjusted to their new home we will let them retire from their house parent job, roam around and enjoy the homestead. They seem to like their new home and came right up for breakfast and Wizard even allowed me to pet him. We also brought Daniel and Ms. Oreo Duck to Hidden Haven. They are enjoying their pool and sharing a pen with our white rocks for now. They too will be free to roam and enjoy the homestead with the other ducks once they have gotten use to living here. Fred doesn't quite know what to do with Tessa making goo goo eyes at Wizard. Wizard is 3 pens down but Tessa stands at the fence looking at him and drooling. I think Fred is jealous but shouldn't worry as we are in the process of finding a wife for Wizard. So say hi to our new homestead family members. You will be seeing lots of stories and photos as they settle in and enjoy their new home. What a wonderful blessing to be able to have these beautiful animals to share the homestead. You never know who you will see next around here!

Around The Homestead

Isabella the baby wild bird is doing wonderfully. She has a temper though and if you don't feed her as soon as she chirps the first time you are in for a earful! She screams very loudly without stopping until she gets that first mouthful of food. Isabella eats baby food rice cereal and beef mixed together and fed from a dropper. She even lets me wash her face after she eats. She can get messy when she is really hungry. Feeding her every two hours is sometimes a pain but at bedtime I put a washcloth over her to feel like her mommy is sitting over her and she sleeps all night. First thing in the morning when she hears me get up she starts chirping then screaming for her breakfast. Several times during the day I let her sit on my shoulder while I do chores outside. She loves it and I enjoy it until she starts chirping in my ear when she talks to other birds.
Things have been very busy around the homestead. No rain means watering the gardens. Trying to get more items together for another yard sale. Cleaning up around the homestead is never ending. Men tend to think having tools all over the property, in the house and on the porch is fine. Even parts, wood, projects are left everywhere. I am slowly getting everything in its rightful place and get my yard and home back to what it was. I haven't blogged everyday but I have read your posts and love keeping up with all that's going on with you. Have a great day and don't forget to count those blessings!

Meet Mr. Stanford. He is our new Angora buck and such a gentle sweet cutie pie. Thank you Christina and Jim for letting us bring Mr. Stanford home for Bashful and Happy.

This is Happy. She is waiting for her haircut. She also had a visit from Mr. Stanford the past couple of nights so is a tired but content bunny.

This is Bashful. She had her hair appointment with my clippers and scissors two days ago. She has small babies at the moment so will not be meeting Mr. Stanford personally for a while.
This is Otis. He is still too small to release but it won't be long. He is eating good and we no longer have to stimulate him to poo or pee. Yes, you have to do that to baby possums.... yuck!

Here are two of the baby birds from Momma Chickadee. There was another off to the other side I didn't get in the photo. I didn't realize it until I came inside and didn't want to disturb them again.

Hidden Haven Animal Rescue?

I think the homestead has turned into a rescue shelter. A older couple found a baby oppossum in their garden a few days ago. They left it alone for a day and night to see if the mother would find it. When it was still there the second day they put it in a cage and sent it here. I called my daughter Maggie who does wild animal rescue and release who gave me a number to call on what to do. The little fellow is almost big enough to be released but will be cared for until then. Will take him to some woods not far from here and release him. The same couple found a baby bird on the ground and searched everywhere for the nest. William helped them search and they even left the baby on the ground for a couple of hours. When they came back it was still there and very weak. Of course the bird is here now. It is so ugly its cute but boy does it have a loud mouth when its hungry. Maggie gave me all the information I needed to care for it and its doing great. I got smart and cover it in its nest with a washcloth at night so it thinks its mom is sitting on it and it goes to sleep. I can't talk or get near the cage when I walk into the room or it starts chirping very loudly. Thinks I'm momma. Hope to release it here when its old enough. It has feathers but its wings are so much bigger than its body it can't fly yet. It just falls to the ground when trying. Its a black bird with a little white on its wings. I am assuming its a black bird. Anyone know for sure? Of course I have to leave you with a picture of Momma Chickadee and babies.

Back Porch

Welcome to my back porch. Come on in and sit a spell. I finally finished the porch (at least for now) in what I wanted to be more prim but turned out more country farmhouse. That's okay though cause I love it and look forward to lots of early morning and late evenings sitting, drinking tea, and watching the birds. The best part is I didn't spend a penny!

When you walk into the screened porch you will find plenty of places to sit and relax. The fruit and veggies sitting around are from my friends produce stand.

My daughter Melody gave me this birdhouse chair a few years ago. I just love it!

This rocker belonged to Ms. Fran's momma. I keep it by the woodstove in the winter but come warm weather its on the back porch.

These signs and wreaths are hanging beside the back door above the bench. I have a old nail keg there to hold umbrella's, etc.

I love this stove! I got it off Craigs list last year. A man took it out of a camper and put it on a grill stand with wheels. Its perfect for canning during the summer since being on the back porch it won't heat up the kitchen.

The back door into the diningroom. Hope you have enjoyed visiting with me and come back anytime. We will sit, watch the birds, and chat a spell.

Around The Homestead

Hey, Remember me? I really meant to post yesterday but time as usual got away from me. I did pop on from time to time to catch up on your blogs and all the wonderful things you have been up to. The yardsale was a success. The only negative thing was the heat. All week it had been in the 80's with a nice breeze. Come Friday the temps went up to the mid 90's with no breeze and very humid. Gerda and I made use of the comfortable swing and chairs under her patio umbrella. We got rid of a lot of items but when it came time to pack things up I couldn't tell I sold a thing! William and Gerda's grandson Taylor found time to have a little fun with Gerda's old hairpiece.
Gerda's daughter Gloria and her teenagers cooked and sold hotdogs and hamburgers to our shoppers. Construction workers down the street came for lunch and ended up buying some items while browsing. Though the heat wiped me out all in all it was a good yardsale. Gerda and I planning another one in a few weeks after we recoup and gather more items.

I had let things go around here getting ready for and having the yardsale so the past few days have been playing catch up. The laundry is caught up along with the livingroom and kitchen being cleaned. Today I am working on the dining and bath rooms. Tomorrow I am cleaning and rearranging the bedrooms. While at the yardsale my mind was working on other projects I could do around the homestead. I pictured in my mind what I wanted to do with the screened in backporch. I wanted it to look primitive yet warm and inviting. I finished it this morning except for one last thing I need to hang. Its more country farmhouse look than primitive but I love it and will show pictures after I get that one last thing done. Granny J over at Granny's Place has got me hooked on a blog called Confessions of a Curbshopaholic. Click on the name and you will be hooked too! She makes the most wonderful, beautiful, amazing things with things she picks up from the curb where people have set out for the trashman. You should scroll through all her posts to see all the things she has made from trash. She even brought home a boxspring and used the batting in a project and a spring in another one. It sure has got my mind running in things I can do around here. Granny J also has me rethinking pallets and things that can be made with them. So Granny its all your fault I don't have time to blog! LOL
The animals weren't too happy with us going out to feed at 4:30AM with flashlights on yardsale days. They sure were happy to have things back to their regular schedule.
Crackers hopefully will hatch her eggs in a few days. The piglets are growing like weeds and eating everything in sight.
Tessa is being a good mom to her two baby chicks. She doesn't seem to mind that they will grow up to be chickens. She just wanted to raise babies. Fred is one proud poppa. He hasn't stopped strutting since the baby chicks started running around the pen. Momma Bird hatched 3 babies. They are so tiny but boy do they open their mouths wide and cheep when you open the lid to have a peek. Momma was on the nest when I went to take a picture yesterday. Think she was waiting for the rain to stop before going out to get food for the babies.
Gardens have taken off and growing good. They need attention and hopefully I can give it to them later today. Still have more projects in mind for outside when I can get to them. So much that needs doing, so much I want to do. I just need more time. You don't happen to have any extra laying around do you?

Homesteading Photos

I know I am suppose to be decluttering and getting rid of things but... I just couldn't throw this old farmers sink away. I decided to make a water fountain using it, the top off a old toilet, and a spitting turtle I have had for several years.

That looked so nice and homesteady I decided to add some salvia flowers, peppermint and spearmint plants from another flower bed. I also put a tin chicken I was given several years ago by the fountain and a old birdcage with ivy beside it. The flower cart I have had forever and will be planting some herbs in the pots. The star wheel and birdhouses I put up on the wellhouse last year. The pole, birdfeeder and birdbath were given to William when he did some work for a lady. She was throwing away about 8 poles and 15 birdfeedeers! Everything I used I already had so this little flower garden cost zero. We had some pieces of privacy fence lying around so I brought one over to put between the wellhouse and the soap building. I couldn't leave it bare so I looked around to for things to decorate it with. Found more birdhouses, a metal lantern on a stand, a ceramic chicken, old wheelbarrow handles and a few other things. Moved a table and 3 chairs someone had thrown away and William brought home last year next to the fence.

We have a firepit right in front so the table and chairs are perfect there.

Can you believe some people are so lazy they drive right through your yard and park at your back porch so they don't have to walk far! I get so mad when they don't park in our driveway parking area that I came up with a plan. I got William to put up a fence out of posts and boards we had laying around. We put birdhouses on each post and planted a climbing rose bush at each end post. This fence is right in the front yard beside the row of dogwoods. It now blocks anyone wanting to drive through my yard and also houses Momma Bird and her now 3 babies and didn't cost anything. There is still one more egg I hope hatches.

Dining In and Taking a Nap

Brings a whole new idea to dining in and napping. I just love the smile on Rudy (little piglet on the left). Must be a happy dream.

May your day be filled with good food and a happy dream nap!

Homesteading Photos

I made the mistake of taking pictures and feeding at the same time. They weren't very patient with me. Charlotte and her piglets

Charlotte wanting her treat of apples from me.

Rhett Butler waiting for his breakfast

Ms. Scarlet wanting to eat but having to wait on her piglets to finish breakfast

California Dreamer's babies.