Putting the Chickens to Bed

It is hovering near the freezing mark tonight and there is a fine mist of precipitation in the air. We'll have to put the chickens to bed tonight. Our family has always been surprised at what hardy creatures chickens are. They look small and fragile, but they live outside all year round, tolerating Indiana's temperature extremes very well. This time of year, however, we feel our birds need a bit of extra help. Most nights, all of the hens will bed down in one of their houses for the night. Batosi, our lone rooster, a cute little Japanese bantam, is not always so practical. On really cold nights when Nick goes out to check on the chickens, Batosi can generally be found roosting on top of one of the houses. He is usually alone. Now, you might think that this isn't a problem because he would have sense enough to go inside if he were truly cold. You would think so, wouldn't you? But the truth of the matter is, that bird will stay outside even when when it is so cold that there is frost on his back! Chickens are susceptible to frostbite on their feet and wattles without enough winter protection, so we worry. We don't know if Batosi is committed to staying outside to guard the hens, or if he simply prefers some solitude over being hen-pecked in the coop, but night after night Nick has to put him to bed.

This is a task that Nick has taken on himself. It's a good thing he is willing to do this, because I probably would not. First of all, I am not fond of venturing outside when it is cold and dark (especially disliking the cold part), and number 2, Nick simply cares more about the chickens and their welfare than I do. I like them well enough, but I focus my nurturing on our dog and cats and some nights there just isn't a lot of nurturing left over for the chickens.

It is kind of ironic that it is Batosi who needs and gets this extra attention. We weren't supposed to have him at all. Since it isn't necessary to have a rooster unless you want chicks, we did not plan to keep any roosters. We always requested pullets (young hens) instead of a "straight run" which means you get what you get. But sexing chicks is tricky business, and somehow Batosi (who after all was only the size of an Easter peep when we got him) slipped through. A lot of people who keep poultry turn their young roosters into dinner, but we have never eaten any of our birds. Besides, Batosi is a very handsome and showy bird who has always been quite friendly. He is not at all mean as some roosters become. He also pretty much leaves our hens alone, and so we are happy to keep him around. Maybe this is why Batosi feels it is his duty to stay out in the elements and watch over the rest of the flock. And maybe this is why we think he is worth tucking in at night.

Best Wishes for 2009

Happy New Year! I hope the holidays were wonderful for all, and that good things will come to you in 2009. This new year, I am facing the upcoming months with optimism and hope. Rather than focusing on a new year's resolution for myself, I am going to simply focus on doing my best each day.

Winter can be a time of optimism for gardeners; at least it is for me. By now I have pretty much dismissed my gardening failures from last summer and I'm busy making plans for the next season. In fact, today I placed my first seed order on-line from Pinetree Seeds, one of my favorite companies (http://www.superseeds.com/). I like Pinetree Seeds because they sell smaller quantities of seeds at reasonable prices. Why pay for more than you need? I've always received my orders from Pinetree very quickly and without any errors or problems. So far, I've ordered three types of bush beans--Dragon Langerie, which I've grown before and really liked, Masai, and Indy Gold. Masai is said to do well in containers. I also ordered Gonzales mini cabbage which produces softball sized heads, Tall Telephone peas which I will trellis, French Golden Radish, Gold Rush Zucchini, and Little Finger Carrot. I am also working on my wish list from Johnny's Selected Seeds and The Cook's Garden seeds, two more of my favorite catalogs. In future blogs I will share with you my choices of seeds from these catalogs, and the reasons I like to order from these companies. I will also share my reviews of some lesser-known Internet based companies that do not produce a printed catalog. As always, I welcome comments from you on favorite sources of garden seed. Until then, happy arm chair gardening and Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas everyone! Here in central Indiana we've had a lot of drama in the weather department. It has been cold, rainy, icy, and snowy, all within a week. Just when a white Christmas looked like a sure thing, the rain moved in and washed it all away, replacing the snow with slush and ice. Last night, the parking lots in town more resembled skating rinks than places to park your car. But now, the errands are done, and we are all settled in at home and ready to celebrate Christmas. Here's hoping that you and yours have a wonderful holiday season full of love and promise for the new year!

A Fun Day Downtown

It was really cold when we got up this morning--only 7 degrees outside. Thankfully it was a bit warmer yesterday when my friends Diane and Lee and I spent the better part of the day enjoying the "Dickens of a Christmas" event going on downtown. We started the day off with a hot drink and conversation at a coffee house on the courthouse square. We enjoyed relaxing in the upstairs loft, chatting and watching the snow fall, so much that we put off shopping for about an hour. Fortified by our fancy coffees, we finally headed off down Main Street to explore what the local merchants had to offer for the holidays. Despite the snow, it was a lot of fun. Along the way there were carolers, brass bands, and even a hammered dulcimer player sitting in a store window with speakers outside so we could enjoy her quaint music from the sidewalk.

We were supposed to be Christmas shopping, I suppose, but my best find of the day was something I bought knowing I would keep it for myself. I have a weakness for vintage kitchen items, so when I found this unique beauty in one of the antique shops I knew immediately it was meant to be mine. I am a terrible bargainer. My fear of rejection, I suppose, usually keeps me from haggling for the best price. Today, however, I made an offer to the shopkeeper explaining that I don't usually try to bargain, but that I am supposed to be Christmas shopping for others this time of year, and was on a budget, but really wanted this item for myself. Much to my surprise and delight she accepted! What I purchased was a vintage aluminum tea kettle. Actually, it is an "Excel Deluxe Whistling T-Ket-L (trademark)", apparently made before 1949, with a patent number and "Made in Muncie, Indiana" stamped on the bottom. It is in excellent shape. On the front at the base of the handle is a unique feature. It is a little gauge showing how much water is in the pot. Also, I read that the design of the kettle allows it to emit quite a loud whistle when the water has come to a boil. I'm going to have to check that out for myself!

A bit of research on the Internet told me that the T-Ket-L was designed by a man named Jack Reichart who had an appliance manufacturing business until about 1949. In that year a polio epidemic hit the area and the local hospital asked for his help in making iron lungs. It seems the hospital had only one iron lung, and about 30 polio patients. Mr. Reichart did his homework, and with the help of local people who donated materials, built his first iron lung in only about one day. I bought the tea kettle for its appealing and unique design, but knowing the story of the man behind it, and the fact it was manufactured in my home state of Indiana, makes it all the more special to me.

Here is the view from my front porch today. The sun is bright today, but it is still only 17 degrees. I think this will be a good day to stay inside and enjoy some hot tea. Hmmm, sounds like a good opportunity to try out the new T-Ket-L.

First Snow

The view from our front porch is quite a bit different today thanks to the first snow of the season. It is a heavy, wet snow, not much good for building snow forts or sledding, but it is kind of pretty. With Thanksgiving behind us, snow on the ground, and Christmas shopping in progress, it really feels like winter.

I got the garden boxes covered with a tarp just in time. I'm glad I took the time to do this because some of the garden boxes had blocks of ice in their water reservoirs. Even though I haven't put water in the boxes for quite some time, apparently we've had enough rain to fill some of them. I drained them the best I could and they should be OK if I can keep any more water from getting in. I also wrapped the three new blueberry bushes with burlap to protect them from deer and rabbits. The weather earlier in this Thanksgiving holiday was so nice (in the 40s) that I was able to get these chores done as well as trim the hedges in front of the porch. What a difference a day makes.

The first seed catalog arrived before Thanksgiving this year. I think this has to be a new record! The honor goes to Pinetree Garden seeds, one of my favorite suppliers. I have to admit that I've already started browsing the catalog and making a wish list. They have seeds for yellow radishes that I would like to try, and Midget sweet corn that grows only about 4' tall. I think this variety of sweet corn might actually grow well in the garden boxes and I think I'll give it a try next summer. I love browsing seed catalogs and look forward to more arriving soon. Browsing catalogs is step 1 in the gardening process, and probably the easiest step as well. Soon enough the real work will begin again, so enjoy armchair gardening while you can.

It's November

Cold, dreary, rainy...yup, it's November in Indiana. This is the kind of weather that makes me want to come straight home from work, have some hot cocoa, and simply nest for the rest of the evening. Give me a throw, a cat on my lap and the dog at my feet, add a good book to read, and I'm all set.

My garden chores are finished for the year with two exceptions. The garden boxes have all been cleaned out, but I still need to move the boxes closer together and cover them with a tarp. The company says the boxes can be left out in the winter weather, but I don't think it can be good for them to become saturated and then freeze. I am hoping the tarp will at least keep the boxes from filling with rain or snow and protect them from expanding and cracking.

My final task will be to dig up the English ivy plant that grew in an outside planter box all summer. The annuals in the pot have all succumbed to the cold weather, but the ivy is still pretty and green. My plan is to pot it up and have it as a houseplant for the winter. The whole pot is sitting in the garage for now. Hopefully I won't forget to pot up the ivy this weekend. Once this is taken care of, my physical gardening work is done and I will officially become an armchair gardener for the winter. I'll be content to read from my library of gardening books and magazines, sketch out a few plans, and think about what I'd like to try new next year. To everything there is a season, and I must admit I'm ready to take a break from gardening. I know that once the seed catalogs arrive, and then spring, I'll be ready to get my hands dirty and start the cycle all over again. Not today, however. It's November.

Exercising our Right to a Day Off

Election Day! I hope you took time to vote. Because election days are a holiday in Nick's office, I followed suit by taking a vacation day. We took care of voting early last week so the day was ours, and what a beautiful day it was. We were treated to sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s--pretty nice for November in Indiana. We felt like it was a day for fun instead of a home improvement project, and quickly decided to go to Turkey Run State Park to enjoy some hiking and the spectacular fall foliage. Even though Turkey Run is only about an hour's drive from our house, it has been a few years since we visited. We need to make a point to go there more often as it is such a lovely place. We hiked Trail 1 which is listed on the trail map as moderate/rugged and 3 miles long. It was the perfect choice. Trail 1 follows the Sugar Creek much of the way, and leads to the Narrows covered bridge. The Narrows bridge was built in 1882 and is no longer open to traffic but you can walk across. It is said to be the most photographed covered bridge in Indiana. The Narrows bridge was about the halfway point of the trail which then turned away from the creek and meandered through the hardwood forest. We really enjoyed the peace and quiet. We didn't see much wildlife beyond some squirrels and a pileated woodpecker, but we could see where beaver had been at work and suspected some deer probably stood quietly still to look at us.

On the way to the park we took a quick side trip to visit and photograph the Cox Ford covered bridge. I really enjoyed the scenery on the drive down the narrow country road to this bridge. This bridge was built in 1913 by the same builder as the Narrows bridge, J.A. Britton, and actually looks pretty similar to the Narrows. You can still drive across the Cox Ford bridge, however. On the way home we stopped at the Rob Roy bridge which is also still open to traffic. It is a humble little bridge, not as showy as the Narrows or the Cox Ford, but still quite delightful for being just what it is.

All in all, it was the perfect way to spend a day off. It was the kind of day that makes the prospect of spending the next one back in the office a little depressing. Oh well. We are already making plans for our next trip to Turkey Run. We may even make a weekend of it next time. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed at the Turkey Run Inn. Too bad, because Toby enjoyed the day at the park as much as we did. He is sound asleep now, lying on the floor behind me as I type, but I swear there is the hint of a smile on his face. We are all going to sleep well tonight!