Tuesday, May 12, 2009

This is cool!

Madsen Cycles Cargo Bikes

This is the coolest bike ever! and I want one! I could go to the feed store with Poppy in my bike and still bring home the feed! Go check them out!

Friday, May 8, 2009

Goat Canucks Goat!


Those of you that know me persoally know that I am not a hockey fan. I am in the minority right now as our Canucks are on their way to wining the Stanley Cup. When I was driving to school the other day I heard about something really cool called Goat Canucks Goat! Now goats are something I can get behind. I went to check out their website and I wanted to share this with all of you.

Goat Canucks Goat!

You can buy a goat to help support a family in Africa for only $25 bucks! (plus you get an income tax reciept!)

"When disasters or conflicts occur, families are often forced to flee, leaving everything. Sometimes they live in camps for years. Once their land is safe again, CRWRC helps the family to return. Unfortunately, all too often the conflict or disaster that destroyed a family’s possessions also destroyed their livelihood. One of the most precious commodities can be livestock. Provide a goat to help a family resettle in their land; give them a head start in rebuilding their lives."

taken from The about us section on Goat Canucks Goat!

Our family is going to buy a goat and I hope you will too! It's for a good cause and plus it's a little fun too!


Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Soy crayon drawing fun

I purchased some soy crayon rocks at Christmas time and then decided that Poppy was just way too little still to use them. I put them in my drawer and forgot about them until the other day when I decided I didn't want her scribbling with markers. I really like them, all except the blue one which for some reason was gooey... not sure about that? maybe something to do with the pigment?


I picked up this Little Tykes Easel at a thrift store in Nelson for $3.99. It was such a good deal I had to lug it all the way home. Poppy has insisted on drawing everyday since bringing it out. I am so glad I bought this.

Also, Marks Aunt bought these little flower hairclips home for Poppy from Hawaii, I totally love them, and I am trying to figure out how to make copies. They are made from a very thin foam, and painted.




Saturday, April 25, 2009

Collecting eggs!

I wanted to introduce Poppy to the chickens and the eggs as early as I could. I had kept her away from direct contact with the birds, but she was allowed to throw them scratch. I decided now that the weather is nicer and the coop is drying out and isn't so squishy that she could go in and collect the eggs too! This was such an exciting day for her! Now it is our daily routine to come down to the coop after I pick her up after I am done school.


Walking down the driveway with our egg basket!



Opening the door! What is inside?!


Some CHICKENS! The speckled one is "Purdy" a Cuckoo Maran, and the solid gray is "Pepper" a bantam Cochin mix. I think the ladies were surprised to see a little one in there.


First two eggs, they were son after dropped!


These two were smacked together!

Although we had 6 eggs that day, we ended up with none. They were either dropped or cracked together :( Poppy had fun and now we have a rule that she can pick them up and hand them to mommy :)

Rabbits

Poppy and I were at the auction today trying to get some bunnies. We failed, we were outbid every time! I was thinking to myself that maybe I should look into getting some Angora Rabbits and I found this video on shearing them, and this lady makes it look so easy. I can totally do this!


Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!


I found these today on Etsy and I think that they are just great. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to buy those stupid zip-lock bags. I always buy the wrong size ones!

Photo courtesy of Evelynfields shop

I used my metal water bottle today and am happy to announce that my new to me fridge is now dispensing fresh filtered water from our well :) and Mark likes the water too, so no more bottled water! Yay!


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The Chicken Coop

I knew when I had my own house that I wanted Chickens. As soon as I was married, and had some time to figure it all out I started pestering Mark to get one built. We managed to wrangle pretty much everything up from things that we had gathered, and build the coop for a very low cost.

We got the slab poured and the framing up for the lower walls. We used recycled plywood and purchased cement.



We wanted the lower walls to be made of rocks so we used rocks from the back yard, I cleaned every one by hand. Ugh...it took a long time!



Mark building up the wall, stacking one stone at a time. It took a few days to get all the stones in place, and we stayed up late into the evening when it had cooled off to get it done.



All of the stones are up, and the walls are being prepped with more forms to pour the walls.

Mark mixing the cement late one night. We mixed all the cement by hand, on the ground. It reminded me of making dough right on the counter!

Forms come off, revealing our fancy rock work. Mark and his Dad get things ready to put of the wall framing.


Up goes the framing for the walls and roof. The lumber was all scrap left over from other jobs. Mark and his Dad have a big bucket of random nails pulled out from old wood, so we used those.


On goes the metal roof and in goes the insulation, and vapor barrier. The metal roofing was salvaged from an old school, and the insulation was bits and pieces from old jobs as well. Most chicken coops don't have fancy insulation and a vapor barriers, but I figured the warmer I could keep them in the winter the better, that way I wouldn't need to use the heat lamp all the time!


More Insulation


The outside is done. The siding is from a used machinery pallet that we took apart. The inside walls are actually old salvaged chalk boards! We just coated them with an extra glossy white paint so they would be easy to clean.

The framework for the netting, all made with scrap metal poles.

Gate details made just for me!


We bought fishing net to make sure that the birds would be well protected from predators.


All finished!



First birds move in!

We have had many residents in the coop, and I love having them in the backyard. We pretty much made this coop for around $200 (netting and concrete, and stain for the outside) Good thing Mark and his Dad keep everything!