facts and other interesting things

well, a lot has happened the past couple weeks.
:: 1 more week until Holly & Tony's wedding.
i really must go pick up my dress from my mum who altered it for me. thank goodness for seamstresses in the family! i've picked up a brand new pair of lovely birkenstock's for the wedding too. i simply refuse to spend money on a pair of heels i would never wear again. my birk's are comfort+style+i'll have em forever! Holly picked up a silver pair for her big day too! oh how comfy our feet will be together!

::the chickens are now a couple weeks old! oh my! they nearly tripled in size, im tellin ya! i just moved them today from the 25 gal. aquarium i had them in, to a larger rubbermaid bin; mainly to give them more space, i noticed they continuously kept 'flying' or making attempts to, get out!! the top is covered now with some chicken wire. this was mainly to deter my parents dog dakota, whom we were dog sitting for the other weekend, and well, the chicks sure sound like a squeeky dog toy to her! we've been having such fun and amusement in watching these chicks! it really has surprised us all their funny little behaviours.
For example; the two chicks who are of the same breed seem to lay together and follow one another moreso then the odd one out (who i've called Mabel, the other two don't have names yet) who is a diff. breed than them.
Mabel seems to be the more calm one of the 3. When i hold her, she gets settled and quite content, sometimes even drifting to sleep!
The dominant lady chick, and jan has noticed this too!, seems to really rule the roost! it's quite funny. When she is taken out, she chirps SO loud!
ive been giving them small amounts of greens to get them used to scraps, so far they've gotten lettuce, red pepper, and grass clippings. they seem to enjoy it so far!
the coop is also halfway to completion! thanks to Scott, for pretty much doing all the construction, he is so great at it!!! thank you SCOTT!

:::and finally... i would love to post some photos but, the camera was WASHED is the washing machine. and i didn't do it!! so it pretty much is good for nothing now, so must wait until we can get a new one.... too bad too because i really want to take photos of the coop!
well, such is life!

goodnight

:::new arrivals

:: sleeping by the food
::two of them seem to huddle together more,
i think they might be sisters. did you know chickens are able to
recognize their siblings and chicks they've been raised with at 3 days old?

Chickens! i picked up three lovely little hens today at Bonnie's Hatchery in Elmira.

This hatchery is awesome! such friendly service, and fast too! This family operated business has been around since 1941.

I've wanted backyard chickens ever since we thought about buying a home! and now here we are, a year and a bit after purchasing our home, and not even a year of living in this house, (and after a long time convincing jan that backyard chickens will be a great idea... and after his realization on how serious i was about it!!) and i've got 'em! i couldn't be more excited!! I have two barred rock chicks and one black sex link.

chickens are great for so many reasons, other than the obvious of fresh, eggs. chickens will start laying at approximately 17-20 weeks old, and can lay anywhere betwen 1-2 eggs a day! which means these lil girls at only 4 days old, will start laying aroud november-december. when colder weather comes, hens don't lay as many eggs, so we won't truly start seeing many eggs until the spring time, where we could get as many as 30 or more eggs a week from just three hens!!

that means our friends & neighbours will surely also be able to enjoy fresh eggs! and also plenty more things to bake in the kitchen!

chickens also do wonders for the garden, eating pests and fertilizing too.

many thanks to my wonderful aunt carolyn, friend leah, and karin of little city farm see their blog here! http://www.littlecityfarm.blogspot.com/, for their advice and answers to my questions as i researched backyard chickens for a long time! and of course wonderful thanks to our dear friends who are helping us to construct the backyard coop!
the number of ppl with backyard chickens in steadily increasing in the KW region!
it's also helps with those trying to eat a local diet.

so far, these lil ladies have quite the personalities; one likes to jump in and out of the water dish, another loves to sleep with her legs stretched out, and the third gal, with the longest legs, is a bit fiesty! she nipped at the camera when i tried to get some close up photos of them! im reading a wonderful bok right now entitled "The inner world of farm animals" by Amy Hatkoff with a foreword by Jane Goodall. It's all about farm animals and their social, intellectual, and emotional capacities. it's a very sweet book and very informative! and honestly making me very much look at what i eat...

im sure these hens will acquire names once i get to know them a little better. i was a little hesitant to name them, due to my fear of predators getting them once they are outside.

but.. with the help of my dear friends we are going to build a wonderful coop to protect them!

for now the chicks will stay inside as they grow until about 5-6 weeks, or when they have their feathers.

more about the chicks later.... for now, i must go clean the house for a goodbye party being held here tomorrow with my coworkers in honour of my dear supervisor who had to leave us :(

Memories !

Summer is here!

white geraniums lining our porch


mini organic sunflowers, beside some hens n chicks
fresh from the market!
i can see a little critter had a nibble already!

virginia creeper in full force over the purogola

the 'edible' garden; lettuce, kale, basil, garlic,
peppers, chammomile, feverfew, evening primrose,
hyssop, and what i didn't capture (to the right in
the raised bed) were the tomatoes (4 different
heirloom varieties) and more peppers!

the shed with it's new walkway we built


Oh the joys of summer! it is finally here!
the tulips and crocus' are long gone and have made way for the daisies, lillies, sunflowers, herbs and vegetables, all which are taking over the garden now! in a good way!
we have been very busy since coming back from Europe. Since being back for a month already (feels like longer...!) we have managed to get much accomplished around the house!

unfortunately, that has left us with little time to get up to the cottage yet, but, we must be grateful for what we can do, and not rush. So much of our lives are rushed already it feels so lovely to be able to roam freely in the garden, sweep the patio, plant 'just one more' thing, hang fresh laundry on the line, smell the flowers, watch the birds and squirrels, and of course, just 'sitting'. Rarely we have have to just 'sit' so we have really been making an effort to eat outside when its nice; on the porch or under the purgola, and be outside as much as possible! and of course, BBQ season has begun! we've managed to get to three bbq's already, ohhh the smells of fresh food on a bbq! yum....
It's the first summer in our new home, and, well, i just can't get enough! The inside cleaning has gone on the backburner, although i did manage to wash the kitchen floor (primarily in an effort to rid the kitchen of our new furry little friends-mice! yup, we've caught 5 in total...i think they are gone now!) and dust the floors.


other than that i've really been focusing on the outdoors! one of my favourite things being here is all the new 'sounds' i am discovering; squirrels at the bird feeder, flutes, saxaphone's and tuba's (what talented neighbours we have!!) kids playing, people walking, biking, insects, the wind in the leaves, birds, OH the BIRDS!!! cardinals, blue jays, nut hatches, woodpeckers, finches, robins, oh the birds... oh my, i just must say it sure beats the sounds of the apartment; european ladies talking (and yelling!) from the restaurant downstairs, trains, cars, intoxicated people at ALL hours of the night... wow, its just such a vast and very welcome change, i really feel lucky to live here and have such wonderful neighbours! I've notice one of Jan's favourite things to do is lie on the wicker bench on the front porch and read, do his crosswords, and nap!


There is truly a sense of community here. i know the names, and faces of all those around me and we say hello on a daily basis. we've managed to borrow the following from at least 2 different neighbours; eggs, milk, vinegar, numerous plants and even earth from their garden! and we've given back to these neighbours by giving them baked goods, tomato plants, flowers, helping them install outdoor water supply (all jan's doing of course!!), babysit.
something i really think is great and thanks to Karin and Greg's blog at 'Little City Farm' (a GREAT b&b and urban homestead a mere 5 minutes from here,) for finding it on their site;
http://www.riverbankneighbors.org/howtodisappear/
it talks a lot about building community, its an illustrated book and really, really gives a good message with meaning, i REALLY think you oughta look at it

So, i've been trying to do even more of this in my own neighbourhood. Sure, the store is literally a 5 minute walk (funny, really everything is just 5 minutes away!) but why go when i could go ask a neighbour? what's the worst that could happen? they don't have it? well ask another neighbour, try for it until you get it, and if its something common, like milk, or eggs, you're bound to find it!

so i'll leave you with this thought;
when is the last time YOU borrowed something from a neighbour?, whether it be a service (grass cut, etc.) or a product (maybe it's food product, maybe its earth!) or when's the last time you gave something or recieved something without even asking from a neighbour?


if you haven't, try it! it feels good. and good feelings are the best kind, aren't they!

friends

IMG_4543
Originally uploaded by clearthearea83

i absolutely LOVE this photo...
what memories we made altogether in Europe

spring is everywhere!

IMG_4350
Originally uploaded by clearthearea83

i just love these micro seedlings growing on top of a mossy rock
Klasterec, Czech Republic

settling back into life

well it sure has been a long time since my last post!
we are now well back from a wonderful holiday. we returned May 19, had a couple days off in which we chose to spend planting, gardening, and taking care of the usual post-holiday chores; i.e. laundry, putting things away, organizing.
with all the work outside we did, combined with the jet lag, it SURE was a hectic week! Thursday meant back to work, and this week marks the second full week im back at work...
and it sure doesn't feel like i even left work! so busy, oh-so-busy....
hence why i haven't had time to blog. even this entry will be a short one, since im long over due for a good night's sleep.

i will post some photo's shortly of our wonderful trip spent doing lots of sight seeing, having great fun with friends, catching up with family, eating lots of delicious czech and dutch dishes, and a little relaxation time at a hot springs spa. ohh it was devine!

im going to post my pics to my flick acct. theres just too many to sort through!

peace and goodnight

who doesn't love post cards?

Jan and i have been receiving a lot of post cards over the past month so i thought i'd share in my adoration for the simple, picturesque snail-mail. Two more days til we head off to europe, i've got herbatint soaking in my hair, the dishwasher running, and my ipod loading up, and craving sleep to finish up everything tomorrow at work. oh my. i've been going crazy trying to tie up everything at work....

oh right. this entry was about post cards.

Friends of ours-Dave & Olivia have been travelling all over south asia for the past several months. We are quite lucky to be friends with Dave's whole family-who many reside here as well. Jan went to high school with Pete-Dave's brother so he has had this friendship for many many moons. We were fortunate to have travelled with Pete and his family, (and a large one at that!) to Nova Scotia to beauitful Wolfville, for Dave and Olivia's wedding. it was simply gorgeous. lovely, simple, it truly was them. we were glad we were a part of their special day.

Dave and Olivia have been keeping a travel blog, i am following it, you can see to the right. Oh i like this, travel blogs. i love being able to feel connected and see their journey along the way. there's so many places in the world i want to see... I think they are having a fabulous time. I am interested in seeing when they decide to come home, as their return date keeps being extended. good for them!

They have also been keeping us updated in their post cards they have been writing to us, one is from Nepal, around Christmas time, and another we just recently received, written in March, and has a wonderful picture of a banana market in Kerala! love it.

The other post card is from my cousin Natalie, who jan and i have become close with over the past couple years. Natalie has an amazingly adventurous free spirit about her that i really do admire. She has got a drive and independence and im really proud of her. She travels all about as well, out west, out east, currently attending art school in Halifax, and going tree planting again out west very soon. She sent us a letter and post card, we really like receiving them and reading all about how she is doing.

There is something so much more personal about letter writing, i really appreciate our friends who are off on their own adventures, who take the time out to keep up updated this way. There is also a real 'olden days' and organic feel to it--you know, the days before email, computers and telephones were around, people have been letter writing long before you could click 'send' and have your letter written and read in an instant. of course those who know me well, know i love 'the olden days', circa early 1900s... road to avonlea anyone???

well.. my music is almost uploaded and my herbatint is about 15 minutes overdo to be rinsed out, and i really must get some rest! ohhh i simply cannot wait. ONE MORE DAY of work

im so looking forward to getting on that plane and having the next (almost month!) to really clear my head and rejuvenate.

and maybe, just maybe i'll send a post card or two while we're away (even though we'll likely be home before they are received!!!!) i might try to write while im away and post some photos, but it certainly won't be the first thing on my mind!!!

may you also get plenty of rest over the next few weeks to rejuvenate yourself for a wonderful summer ahead! xo meg

seedlings

tomatoes
Originally uploaded by clearthearea83

the seedlings are doing so well and this upcoming weekend they will be transplanted to bigger pots.
most of the seedlings have been doing exceptionally well, i teamed up with my friend Darryl, the fabulous soon-to-be husband of my good friend Erin, and also an amazingly talented chef, to purchase heirloom organic seeds from The Cottage Gardener. D purchases all the seeds while i purchased the necessary equipment. I already had a grow stand, i purchased a large 3 tier stand with lights and all from a woman on kijiji last year. This will be my 2nd year at growing seeds.
It gives me such pleasure and fun to be able to plant and watch and grow your own food. my ultimate goal is for our yard to be an 'edible' yard. but for starters this is what i've got on the 'grow' right now...

Tomatoes:
-Green Zebra
-Juanne Flamee
-Box car willie
-Austin's Red Pear

Peppers:
-Hot Cyklon Peppers
-Orange Sweet Bell

Herbs:
-feverfew
-St. Johns wort
-hyssop
-tall growing lemon basil
-italian sweet basil
-thyme
-oregano
-parsley
and i know there are other's that i simply cannot remember at this moment..

we also have yet to plant the carrots, beets, cucumbers and other directly seeded veggies, and also started butterfly bush, strawberries.

boy am i really looking forward to this summer :)

9 more days...

well i am officially sick... the congested, clogged-up, sore throat, red-nosed, aches and pains kind of sick. the kind of sick that i absolutely, positively do not need to be right now! of course, there's never really a good time to be sick now is there?

i tried my hardest, i did, to fight it, but the restless nights, and sleep deprived, working-too-much-over-time has finally caught up with me. and so after last night's battle with trying to keep quiet with my coughing and sniffling so i wouldn't wake up Jan -who has also been working too much lately- i finally gave up on trying to get at least a couple hours of good, restful sleep and woke up with Jan at 6 am, dragged myself in the shower and got ready for work. i knew today was absolutely not a day i could be sick, as i had way too much work to do. i work in child welfare, and can't elaborate too much on work, nor do i want to. but i can say this; i worked for 4 hours and then became dizzy from lack of sleep and completed the most important tasks and came home and have been laying in bed ever since.. catching up on some much needed sleep and rest.

i just really hope it's over soon, especially since we are leaving next week for a much needed vacation. i guess i shouldn't say much needed because i am certain there are other families and individuals out there who really could use a holiday or 'break' more than we could.

but we are very much looking forward to almost a month's time away in Europe, visiting with family and friends, and just plain rest. It has been quite a year for Jan and I! April 25 will mark the one year date that we purchased our first home, a beautiful century home in the heart of downtown Kitchener. We got possession in September 08 and officially moved in October after several long weeks of labor intensive renovations (that's for another blog entry!!) anyone who owns a home, especially one that is 100 years old, knows there is always something to work on and it never ends! that's all part of the fun, right... right???

Jan and i will celebrate this special anniversary event in Europe. We depart on April 23, (yup, 9 more days now! yipee!!) to Amsterdam, where we will then catch our flight to Czech Republic and spend just about 3 weeks there. Our first stop in Czech is in the mountains to Klasterec, the home of Jan's grandma where she resides in his family's home. In Klasterec, we will spend a good week and a half there; breathing in the fresh spring mountain air, catching up with family and neighbours, eating some great food, and drinking some fresh pints of czech lager. Oh and also the best part, gardening and working in the forest with Jan's mom (did i mention she is coming with us here? it will be quite lovely to have a gardening partner, as i know Jan will be spending much of his free time down at the 'hospoda'--czech term for pub--with all the local town's men! and i know Iva is very much looking forward to my company as well)

After a week, we will be joined by our close friends Scott and Angelina for 4 more days where we will show them all the offerings and beauty in this part of Czech. After our adventures here, the 4 of us will travel back to Prague where we will stay for about a week in an apartment we rented. It will be their first time in Czech and we are really looking forward to showing them around and enjoying Prague and all of it's wonders with them. They have quickly become our very good friends over the past couple years and we couldn't ask for better friends!

Renting an apt. or house in Prague can save you lots of money and you can find some beautiful places to stay in, and it's so much better than a hotel or hostel. Most are equipped with a full kitchen, living/dining room, and plenty of sleeping accomodations. We are lucky and found a great apartment with a cute little roof top terrace where i'm sure we will enjoy endless amounts of Moravian vino...

and then it's back to Amsterdam May 14th, (there are no more direct flights to Czech anymore and they all stop over in Amsterdam, which is convenient for us!) where we will then catch a train to Eindhoven, where we will be greeted and picked up by my awesome family for a 5 day stay with them in their home town (also the birth place of my mother, and oma) of Asten (Noord-brabant of the Netherlands). They live in a stunningly gorgeous home built in the 1700s where my oma and mother were born in! It is such a beautiful home and my relatives did an amazing job in restoring it and keeping it to it's natural beauty. In Asten, we are most looking forward to catching up with all the family, visiting my great Aunt Mein in s'Hertogenbosch, going for long walks, and visiting some natural hot springs.

and then, sadly, we must face reality, and come back home to Canada...(Jan and i have one rule while we are on vacation, and it is that you don't talk about the end of the vacation, EVER!) but with our lovely home which we have settled nicely in, it will be a welcoming treat to come back to, where it will be nearly summer, and our first one in our new home!

I think i will end with a list, since i love lists! and a wish that you are well and can get some rest soon too :)

Top 5 things I am most looking forward to in our upcoming trip:

1) spending quality time with Jan

2) being with my bosom pal Ang
3) catching up with family

4) long walks on cobble stone streets
5) some R & R

won't be long now...

i actually began this blog awhile ago... began playing around with it, reading other fabulous, creative, interesting, and educational blogs, and decided it might be a worthwhile activity, and so alas, i have entered the blogging community. my hidden love of writing has crept away into the deep part of my right brain and i think blogging may be a way for me to journal as i once did oh-so-long-ago.
and while i cannot promise my blog will be any of the above mentioned type of blogs that i so dearly love to read, i can say that for you, my reader, whoever you may be; that you can get a glimpse into what i like to call my sweet, happy little life.
and so it begins...