Stupid Chickens and other ramblings

We all know that chickens are stupid.  My nine new chickens proved it again last night.  I walked into the coop this morning and saw the chickens.  One, two, three...six.  Where are 7, 8, and 9?  I looked around.  Awwwww, poor chickens.  Three of them drowned.  Because it's hot here I have a seven gallon chicken waterer that was right next to where the baby chicks hide out.  I also have two other tubs of water for the chickens.  This gives them approximately 20 gallons of water.  Neither tub is deep; in fact, when it's really hot the grown chickens will stand in the water tubs to cool down.  The baby chicks tried this trick.  They did not succeed.  The water wasn't above their heads but they probably got their feathers so wet they couldn't figure out how to get out of the water.  So now there are six baby chicks.  It really hasn't been a good year for chicken raising around here.  First with the yip-yip dog killing 13 and now these three.

After being away from the house for 10 days there were a lot of weeds to pull.  I spent about two hours on the raised beds and got them all cleared of weeds.  Around the trees are a different story.  I will tackle them this weekend.  I ate my first tomato today.  It was almost ripe.  I was showing boy the red tomato and I knocked it off the vine.  Sure I could have put in on the kitchen counter for a couple of days to finish ripening it up but couldn't resist popping it into my mouth instead. 

Got the grandkids signed up for two more weeks of summer camp.  I gave the deposit and said I'd pay the rest as soon as there was a fire.  That brought protests of "this is a religious camp, we shouldn't be praying for fire...isn't that the opposite of what we pray for?"  OK, I had to clarify...May no homes burn, may no people get hurt, may brush be removed by fire, provided by God during a lightening strike (as compared to an arsonist), as an improvement to the environment.  They were happy with that.

Son and family called and said they wanted to come over for dinner.  So with them, Army daughter's family, grandkids and me we had a full table.  I let them all know that I am going to have a garage sale in the next few weeks and if they had anything they wanted to get rid of just bring it over.  They all said no, they don't have anything to part with.  Grandkids have stuff they are going to part with; they just don't know it yet. 

This weekend is a holiday weekend.  Nobody extra is coming over.  Oldest daughter's block is having a block party and everyone wants to go there.  I don't feel like spending the money on fireworks for the backyard this year.  I think the grandkids and I will hike up the nearest hill and watch about five or six different sets of fireworks, which will be visible from there.  Because it's going to be Independence Day I think we will have a little Independence test of our own.  No electricity.  I won't unplug the refrigerator or freezer but we aren't going to use them.  No lights either.  I'll use the computer for an hour a day...or until the battery dies.  No solar powering anything.  We will use the stock tank for our only water supply and I'll shut off the breaker to the well - after I water the garden really well.  No spending money.  No driving.  Should be a good test.  Anyone else up for the challenge? 

I read the blog about the family who went hiking to try "bugging-out".  For them it was a very challenging experience and they learned quite a lot.  If I have time to pack even a small pack for hiking I could stay out for a week without any issues at all.  It's sort of second nature, and I also don't need a lot.  It would be different having to deal with the grandkids though.  Just me, simple.  Them, more issues.  Right now there is a radio commercial about a girl who goes into a sporting goods store to buy dad some camping supplies.   The store lists everything that dad desires, including a three room tent, a reclining chair, and other luxuries usually only found in some ridiculous fantasy wish list that makes camping no different than hanging out in your living room. 

The thing that drives me crazy about this ad is it's such a big deal for most people to live without their everyday luxuries for even just a weekend.  No electricity, no running water, no roof over your head.  Pick your challenge and just make due without.  Even for one or two days of the three day weekend.