Random Five Friday

1.  Brett has been very busy all week putting sprinkler lines in my garden.  The fruit trees each have a bubbler and I will be putting drip lines in the vegetable bed, the herb bed and my mom's garden.  There will also be drip lines along the roses bordering the garden.  Right now it looks like an oversized gopher has invaded my garden but it is going to be wonderful when he finishes.

2.  The chickens are doing well.  They are getting bigger and starting to get feathers in place of fuzz on their wings.  We lost one this morning, a pretty smokey grey chick that I especially liked.  We expected to lose a few -- normal natural occurrences with baby chicks.  When I put the camera in their brooder to take pictures they race around on their little chick feet so I mostly get shots of blurs.  But I did get a good picture of the one chick who has a name (so far).  Cleo -- short for Cleopatra because the markings around her eyes looks like dramatic eyeliner.  Think Elizabeth Taylor.  Kind of.

3.  We've been having gorgeous weather.  When I get home from work, around 6:00, it is still warm and sunny out.  I change into my jeans and help Brett with the chores.  Then we settle on the front porch with a glass of wine and the dogs until the evening chill creeps around the corners.

4.  We have a very special guest arriving tomorrow.  Flash is very excited.  Flash!  Wake up!  Your girlfriend is coming over.

5.  I was looking at a horse that is for sale at Sandy's barn today.  Someone walked by and said 'Oh, Lucy is so sweet.  Not at all like Winston."  Ouch.

We Got Chicks!

Early this morning we drove to the post office in town and picked up our box of chicks.

The box chirped and peeped cheerfully the whole way home.  Once home, we opened the box

and put the chicks in the waiting brooder.

The red heat lamp makes the pictures a bit rosy-tinted but you get the idea.

First, I dipped their beaks in water so they would drink.  They left Indiana Saturday so they were thirsty.  Their water will be fortified with sugar the first few days to help them recover from the stress of travel.

It didn't take them long to find their food.

There are chicks with interesting markings.

There are chubby chicks and tall chicks.

Very, cute happy chicks.  Eggs in six months -- whee!