Some days are "Git ur done" days

Thanks to Nate and Bernie the Coop is almost done. A few finishing touches on the nesting boxes for access to the outside.
Got the garden rototilled and weeded. The snap peas are delicious. Staked the tomatoes. I was going to take pictures but the rain started in again. We have had 6 inches so far this last 7 days.

Update on the chickens

So the coop is done enough for them to use. I still have to make the boxes. They go in at night by themselves. I still have 12, but hope to remedy that soon. They are fun. I was gone a week to NYC and I can't believe how much they have grown in this last week.

Chickens

So 4 days into having chickens. Change the newspaper twice a day, give them fresh water, make sure they have plenty of food and that the temperature is warm. I wish they didn't run from me, my other chickens followed me. Hope that comes. They are so darn cute. Sheba does so well with them.

Scotland

I sit here at the airport in Edinburgh waiting to go home. I had such a great time. I spent the whole time with nicky, my second cousin once removed, yet we are truly sisters.
We like many of the same things and can talk about anything. We laugh so much.
Pants are underwear, vests are tank tops wear under your shirt, trousers are our pants as outerwear
Our vests are bodywarmers, jumpers are pullover sweaters, suspenders are garter belts

April 13 Saturday 

arrive in Inverness by plane and train. 

April 14 Sunday

Lunch with cousin Teddy and Jenett. Walked Carn Na Lite in  Abriachan. Went to Mass St Mary's in Beauly at 11 am and walked around the Priory built in 1230. Picked up Laura at train.

April 15 Monday

Workshop and garden shed sorting. I can't remember what else.

April 16 Tuesday

It was a dreich day at castle Urquhart in Drumnadrockit. The whin just starting to bloom on the bank of Loch Ness with the white horses popping up with the wind.

Started the flower garden, literary workshop, pub and jazz in Inverness.

April 17 Wednesday

More on  flower garden. Went to Culloden. ( 16 april battle of Culloden) Scones, cleaned brown trout that Ian caught, one had a pencil in its mouth. went to Tescos, and B&Q, picked up bark mulch at Simpsons.

April 18, Thursday, 

Finished flower garden, car fixed, distillery Glen Ord, lunch with Jenett at street house cottage. Visited Ian's mum. Said good bye to Teddy. Giggled, played games, and danced

April 19, Friday 

Started sanding pew but found the varnished clumped so we got a varnish stripper. Stacked rocks in garden where the black cloth was showing. Then headed to Edinburgh with Jenett, Nicky's  mom. Stopped for ice cream on the way. Had dinner in Edinburgh and Malcolm stopped by. Walked the Royal Mile at night. 

end of the sap season

Sometimes life gets in the way, in the 12 hour shifts. I ended up loosing about 20 gallons of sap. I will have to come up with a more propane burners for next year. All that is left is the clean up.

Syrup looks good

My syrup has the nicest amber color it has ever had. I hope the weather holds so I can get more sap.
I boiled up 7 pints today.
I need someone to look in my bay window at night to see if I need to make my curtains double thickness. I am pretty sure I do.
Only worked 10.5 hours today at St Mary's, census. I have so much to learn, even though I have been "trained".
Tomorrow I go to see my nieces play.

I better get finished with my brother's sweater. Just a little bit more.

On a roll

I hope that St Mary's practices what it preaches, so to speak. I think it will be a great match for me. I will have 30 hours this week. Working Friday.
I am so happy about our new pope, Pope Frances, from Argentina.

First day at St Mary's

My first day of orientation was today for my new CNA job at St. Mary's. I was really impressed. If they really do and are the way they profess, I think this job will be a great match for me.
I work tomorrow, orientation until 3:30 and then I can work getting the policy reading and testing done until 7 pm.  Friday I will be working on C-3.
I also went into to sign for my tax return. Happy about that too.
Sap is flowing, slower than yesterday but it is what it is.
Great day.

Best times with best friends.

I am watching " Doc Martin" with Sue.

Chicks

I ordered 12 chicks. I am going in with Kat and Rob. The chicks are going to be housed at my house. It will be easier. Rob is going to build the coop. I am nervous and excited at the same time. The class is April 4th to learn about caring for them. They come in May at one day old.

blazeandcrochet.com 

I have been reading up on them. This is the one I am getting. Golden Comet

The two websites I have been reading and found helpful are

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/04/droppings-boards-because-poop-happens.html

and

http://lifeatcobblehillfarm.blogspot.com/2011/03/chicken-coop-101-thirteen-lessons-weve.html

burnt my sap

Totally bummed. I know it wasn't a lot, but I burned my sap for the first time. I have been doing this for 5 years.
I have gotten no sap for the last two days so I as finishing up the 5 gallons I had gotten. At 40 : 1, it was  not too much more than a cup or two.
I called Slattery's. They said not to give up, I should get lots of sap this weekend. They do vacuum pump theirs.
I am going to set a friend up to Sap too. That should be fun.

This set up is great. I got the idea from Mr. Ken Baker, biology and A&P teacher extraordinare.

 I really should be using stainless steel. I will from now on, especially as the pan you see now is a blackened mess.

time to start Sapping

Tapped three trees with my brother. Finish tapping the rest this weekend.

It is only for those who Love God

I hear so often that God can't exist because bad things happen.
God gives us free will.
It does say in Scripture Romans 8:28  "And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose."

In today's reading Joseph is sold by his brothers into slavery. Because of that bad thing happening, God set it up that Joseph's family would be provided food for in the coming years of famine and drought.

If one does not love God, then all things do not work together for good.

For me this is a consolation. 

Coming up on a year

I wish I could say that everything is okay. It isn't, the wound of his passing is freshly open.
I feel the loss as though it was yesterday instead of a year ago. I find myself wondering even if he really loved me.
Valentine's day is the actual anniversary. I am planning on going to visit his grave again.
His birthday is on Friday.
I am just going to try and stay busy. I feel very alone.

Off to a fair start

Confession is a Grace, given by Our Lord. It helps us become better people. Without it, I can't make changes in myself, because I keep getting in the way. I want to be the best version of myself I can be. In order to do that, I need Jesus. I need him to get rid of all the sin, "crap", I have and give me a new start. I went to confession just before Christmas. I hadn't been in a few months. I was told by the priest I need to go every month. He is right. I think it is because I went to confession that my year is starting off pretty well. I am not biting into the bait, I am working on Joy. I have made at least a little step in moving away from myself and leaning on my Lord.
Not prefect I still need to focus more on the Lord (that will be true until the day I die) and get back to daily Mass. Mass gives me all the Graces I need to stand up again when I stumble, because Christ is IN me.