HOME AGAIN!
The trip to Kansas was well worth it. Of the 14 cousins on that side of the family, all but one were there, and we had a great time visiting. Sad that it takes a funeral to draw us together. But the funeral was a real celebration of life and assurance that my aunt is with her Lord.
Cleaning out her house, my cousins found a lap robe made for in buggies. It was probably done in the late 1800s out of undyed black and white wool. The woven pattern is amazing. In this picture, the blanket is the back drop and my grandpa is the second oldest boy. Notes say this was woven by my great-great-grandmother in Mississippi.
I visited a couple nights at my other aunt's house in NW Kansas. She lives on a very rural farm. It is one mile to the next house. I asked to take a picture of her root cellar for you. It is dug into the ground with a spring house on top.
I also asked her if we could butcher a chicken. I didn't really expect her to say YES! But she did, and we butchered a 3-4 year old Buff Orpington hen. I was surprised how easy she was to pluck. My aunt pressure cooked her for an hour and served her with noodles.

I did take pictures for my own reference.
I took some pictures of her main coop that has to be well over 50 years old. It doesn't have a fenced run. The chickens are allowed to roam the large yard for most of the day. Right now there are tons of grasshoppers that they are feasting on.
In this old feeder, they are giving them straight wheat right now. Wheat they harvested.
This roost was cool. It will pull up on chains so you can clean underneath. The large coop houses at least 15 chickens with plenty of space for more. The floor is covered in hay, and they said they only clean it out every couple of years!!! It didn't even smell.
I took this picture on Hwy 18 in Kansas near Natoma when I was driving east back to KC to fly home. I thought it was so cool to see that old barn melting into the cornfield.
Had a guinea hatch while I was gone. I guess it needed a little help out of its shell, but it is doing well.
Before I left, I had 2 turkey hatch, and now my 2 adult BR hens are laying. I've gotten 3 eggs so far. And since I've seen the tom and hen displaying to each other, I've set all 3 in the incubator to see what develops. Tom Tom's eye is also finally showing healing.
I have 4 peachicks, but one had showed signs of splayed leg. I used bandaids to pull the legs together and within 24 hours the chick was showing strength in its legs. When I got home yesterday that chick is looking now as strong as the others.
I do appreciate Aly and our friend helping my mom out with the animals while I was gone.
It is nice to be home.
