Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

WOOT! I am so excited to have this section!

Name: Aly
Birthday: Coming up too soon
Hometown: Too many to choose from, we moved a lot as a kid LOL
Current Residence: Ohio
Relationship Status: Happily married to Enabler #1
Political Views: I think we should go back to Constitutional basics!
Religious Views: Christian

Activities: Hmm, not sure what you would want here. I don't do much of anything outside of the home, or off our own place. Does nursing a 3 month old every 4 hours count as an activity? Currently working on my first breeding project with my Mille Fleur chickens! Oh and I am hatching eggs for the first time in an incubator.

Interests: Chickens, gardening, chickens, reading, writing, spending time with my kids, chickens, cross stitching, sewing, baking......did I mention chickens?

Favorite Music: Classic Rock, the stuff from the 80's, Country

Favorite TV Shows: My Own Worst Enemy, CSI, NCIS, Ghost Whisperer, and Moonlight (if they ever bring it back!)

Favorite Movies: Dragonheart, Princess Bride, Transformers

Favorite Books: The Bible, Anything by Janette Oak, The Inheritance Triology, The House of Winslow by Gilbert Morris

About Me: My DH and I are working hard to be Self Sufficient on our own 7 acres, without having to work outside of the home. We enjoy being together everyday, all day, and getting to watch the kids grow up. We do everything together.

I currently have 100+ chickens, and might be adding about 10 more...I have eggs in the incubator due to hatch next Monday, more due to hatch a week from this Friday, and about five more after that due to hatch November 2.

I have been putting a lot of heart, soul, and planning into my chickens. The goal is to eventually have a small hatchery in operation here. We chose the title Hobby Farm Treasures for our small operation, as each and every critter is a small treasure to us. My DH has two goats that is part of the treasure and we hope to add a few head of beef and a hog or two come spring.

We are also raising ducks and turkeys, and have one annoying pair of geese that we are hoping to find a new home for soon. (The male likes to bite my husband and he said that's it! They have to go!) They are Chinese geese LOL DH has a pair of Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys he calls Long Neck and Short Neck. I call them Thanksgiving and Dinner.

We also have a pair of Royal Palm Turkeys that I named Lance and Gwen.

I learned how to bake bread this year. My first batch wasn't the greatest, but I was so excited about it. DH and I ate the whole loaf in a day. Just something about freshly baked that is sooo much more appealing than store bought.

In a few days, I will have my journal flooded with pics of all our critters!

 

[FarmerChick]

Cool Quail. I enjoyed reading about YOU.

These journals will be a great place to chat amongst ourselves about what is happening in our lives. Neato! LOL

 

[pioneergirl]

Isn't that first loaf of bread just the coolest? Hehe, I made one the other day, forgot to add that 1tsp of salt, boy, won't do that again!!

These journals are neat, and I look forward to reading how much we all have in common on a day to day basis...woot!!

 

[TanksHill]

Breast feeding is a sport.. It's you against the clock, dishes, laundry etc.... I feel for you. It does get easier in time. Big rewards for you little one.

Wow, 7 acres sound like a good nuber. Still enough room for all the critters but manageable???

Thanks for sharing, gina

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

ROTFL that's true about breastfeeding! I just started the fixings for dinner, and Logan wakes up wanting his dinner. So here I am, typing one handed while he eats! LOL

Well, the chickens don't take up too much space right now. Two large coops for them to live in, some free range time during the day, and a third pen for ducks and geese and the turkeys.

The goats have about an acre fenced in and we converted our wood shed into their barn.

 

[punkin]

Aly,

I loved Moonlight, too. You and Karen both sound like you have your hands full. Makes me wonder why I don't get more done during the day.

 

[Henrietta23]

You're an inspiration that's for sure!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Oh no, I am not an inspiration! If ya'll look closely at the pics I posted in the Homesteading with animals thread, you might see our yard is a mess! The kids have toys strewn about (definitely can't hide that we have kids!) and there's a pile of scrap lumber waiting to be cleaned up from where we replaced the roof on one of the coops. Just not enough hours in the day to get everything done, so everything is a continuing ongoing project.

One of these years, my house will be spotless (when the kids are grown!) and we will be able to walk through the yard without tripping over anything (again, when the kids are grown!) LOL

I thought ya'll might like to know that I loooove cross stitching. I find it relaxing, it cheers me up, and helps me to unwind. I plan on plunging the needle through the fabric this evening to work out some of the tension from the visit with my SIL this evening (or should I say the lack of visiting?) Wonder if I can cross stitch and post at the same time?? hmm...that's a multi-task I haven't tried yet!

Today I made chili for supper. I started it early and let it simmer until around 6, and then we sat down to eat. I meant to bake cornbread to go with it, but that just didn't happen. Kids and DH didn't seem to mind, or miss the cornbread. Kids even ate seconds on their chili...hmmm that doesn't happen too often!

Now they are all tucked in bed for the night. A little earlier than normal, but we had a looong day. And it is nice having an evening of quiet. Dh has a nice warm fire going in the woodburner, and it is just feeling cozy right now.

I don't know how, but I managed to mess up my knee a few days ago. I keep thinking I should go to the ER and get it xrayed, I just haven't convinced myself yet. :/

DH was splitting firewood today and found a whole mess of ants in the middle of a log. Of course he has to run and get his pet chickens, Sgt. Pepper and Butter, and serve them ant ala cart. They had a lot of fun scratching around in the leaves and eating the bugs around the woodpile.

Here is where they stopped for a morsel at the "Lawn Chair Cafe" and found a smorgasboard of bugs.

Then they ended their "date" with a brief stroll through the underbrush. (I thought this pic was soo cute! almost looks like they are taking a stroll through the woods!)

 

[Beekissed]

I have a feeling this is one journal we will follow with great interest!!! Lovely pics of the chicks, BTW! Pooh on your SIL, she wouldn't know happiness if it jumped up and bit her in the armpit!

ETA: Anyone with that many kids and animals(including the husband) is an inspiration to everyone!!!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Ok, so I thought, since everyone else is, I will be a sheep and tackle the monster list!

01. Name? I go by Aly online. C'mon, it's the internet. Do you know how many weirdos are out there? Like I am going to just hand out my full name!
02. Gender? Well, I am guessing FEMALE since I have a DH, but who knows nowadays, right?! LOL
03. Disneyworld or Disneyland? I honestly can't tell ya that, haven't been to either one.
04. What is your favorite color? Purple
05. What is your favorite kind of gum? I don't chew gum. Did you know that gum actually passes through undigested in 24 hours if swallowed? SO all those years I believed people that said it takes 7 years for a piece of gum to digest, turns out they were lying to me!
06. How much do you weigh? Now isn't that an incredibly rude question to ask a woman?!
07. How tall are you? My license says 5'4
08. Can you swim? Yes
09. Do you like to swim? Yes, but I haven't got to go swimming in a few years.
10. Living arrangement? What are you wanting to know here??? Whether I rent or own or who I live with?
11. What's on your mouse pad? I don't have a mouse pad. If I did, I would kill the mouse. I hate mice! Disgusting little creatures...oh wait, you mean for the computer? Um nope, don't have one.
12. Favorite board game? Who has time for board games? Who made up this list anyway?!
13. Favorite magazine? Hobby Farms
14. Favorite Actor? Um...The guy who played Mick in Moonlight, can't remember his name, but HUBBA HUBBA!
15. Favorite Actress? No clue, women don't thrill me.
16. Do you have an accent? To southerners I have a Northern accent LOL
17. Favorite smells? Baby Smells. You know, after they have had a bath, and they smell clean and baby-ish...edited this to add that I love the smell of cow manure mixed with hay...weird I know, but to me, that is the best smell and a true sign of fresh country air!
18. Least favorite smells? Poop~any and all that isn't cow!
19. Favorite sound? Kids playing QUIETLY
20. Do you prefer pools or oceans? Pools! too much salt in the ocean LOL
21. Do you watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer? No
22. Pencil or pen? Depends on what I am writing or what mood I am in. I use both
23. Who's better - boys or girls? Again, who made up this list??
24. Would you like to own a motorcycle? Yes
25. Do you sing in the shower? If I had a shower I might, but I don't have a shower, so who knows?
26. Who's the best looking Disney character? Yea, I like sit infront of the TV all day watching Disney movies picking out all the animated hotties! (Eric the prince from Little Mermaid!)
27. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? If I ignore them long enough, will the kids go back to bed? followed by, chickens need fed.
28. How many rings before you answer the phone? I don't answer the phone.
29. How do you want to die? Peacefully, painless, in my sleep!
30. Have you ever called a 900 number? Nope
31. Gold or silver? If you're offering, both!
32. Would you ever go bungee-jumping? NO!
33. Do you like dressing up? NO
34. Would you rather be short or tall? I would rather be the height I am.
35. Do you enjoy reading? Yes!
36. What book are you reading now? Onto the Yellow Schoolbus and Through the Gates of Hell (book on homeschooling)
37. Favorite books? see short list
38. What was the last movie you saw? Made of Honor (not in theaters, we rented it)
39. Favorite movies? see short list
40. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? I have a 3 month old and a 6ft husband in my bed...there's no room for stuffed animals!
41. What is your sign? Well, it doesn't say "I'm Stupid"
42. What are your personality traits? I dunno? What do you consider personality traits?
43. What's your biggest fear? That this list will never end? ROTFL! on the serious side, that I might be wrong in my beliefs, and that there isn't a God at all....that I might be disappointed in death.
44. Would you ever have cosmetic surgery? No
45. Future child's name? There had better not be anymore babies born in this home! Five is plenty! and if he thinks I am having the next one, he is sadly mistaken! Soon as they figure out a way for a man to have a baby, my husband is the first one signing up!
46. Favorite foods? Edible foods
47. Chocolate or vanilla? vanilla
48. Do you like to drive fast? I don't like to drive period.
49. Storms - cool or scary? scary
50. Do you like to dance? yup
51. Do you do drugs? No
52. Do you smoke? No
53. What do you think of people who smoke? That's their business, just not in MY house.
54. Do you drink? Sometimes, on a rare occassion
55. Favorite drink? My husband's homemade fuzzy navels! (he has a fuzzy navel too but we don't drink it!)
56. Do you think men and women could ever be just friends without wanting each other? Women could, but some men have one track midns don't think with their heads, er I mean, they do, just not with the brain...well er nevermind...guess that's true with some women too though, so I dunno?
57. Do you eat the stems of broccoli? yes?
58. If you could have any job you wanted, what would it be?
59. What's your "type"? my DH
60. Do you bite your nails? No
61. Any siblings? Yes, several, one of which is serving in Iraq.
62. What movies have you cried in? Legends of the Fall, Dragonheart, Love Comes Softly
63. Do you believe in God? Yes
64. Did you ever cry over a guy/girl? yes
65. Have you ever stolen anything? I plead the fifth
66. Do you procrastinate? Do you really think I have time to? Tell you what, I will put it on the to do list and get back to you!
67. Do you believe in fate? no
68. Who's your favorite Sesame Street character? NONE I hate Sesame Street and won't even let my kids watch it. Talk about a total "It takes a village" mindset. I don't want my kids to see that! I want my kids to believe in "it takes two parents" and I want them to step up when they have a family!
69. Do you organize your CD's? No
70. What is your favorite kind of music? County, classic rock
71. What are your favorite bands/artists? Bon Jovi, Journey, Kenny Chesney
72. What was the last CD you got? I can't remember. I don't buy any that often.
73. MTV or VH1? neither
74. Who do you admire the most? myself
75. Internet Boyfriends and Girlfriends? No
76. Are you single? no, I am as married as one can get
77. Favorite TV show? see short list
78. Blondes, Brunettes, or Redheads? as opposed to what? bald?
79. Glasses or contacts? glasses
80. What color are your eyes? brown
81. What is your natural hair color? brown
82. But what color is it now? brown
83. Have you ever been in love? DUH I am married! Sheesh!
84. Any pets? Chickens, dogs, a cat, chickens, goats, turkeys, ducks, geese, ferrets....did I mention chickens?
85. Good, decent, or poor grades? Not in school anymore and I don't remember. I know in college I was on the Dean's List.
86. Is the glass half empty or half full? overflowing and I can't keep up!
87. Do you type with your fingers on the right keys?yes
88. What's under your bed? junk
89. What is your favorite number? any with a dollar sign in front of it
90. Favorite sport to watch? Nascar! Go Dale Jr!