Home is where the cookies are

The best thing about our new Lick Skillet kitchen was the curtains, which the sellers had generously left behind.

A Rasely make-over was indicated; that meant more shelving, a warmer color, more shelving, propane stove, more shelving, a new light and faucet, and did I mention more shelving?

Here's the kitchen in the real estate ad:

We did the simple things first. Replaced the leaky faucet: expensive (everything was so corroded we had to get a plumber in) but easy. Moved the too large and old fridge out to the garage and brought in our smaller one from New York and we placed it on the same wall as the stove.

The light over the sink was florescent and didn't work right. It was one of those "simple" jobs that took all afternoon and left us both with aches and pains but we did get it done.

We had new gas lines run and installed our small, basic propane stove; I much prefer the control you have with a gas stove.

The walls were white and badly in need of a paint job. I decided to go with a creamy white--helping me look forward to the day we get goats again and have rich, fresh milk! In addition to painting the walls, I also painted the cabinets and added handles,

painted the shelves we built,

and the freestanding cabinet we found in the garage, plus the in-wall shelf. 

At Woodchuck Acres, we had a separate pantry, here all the shelves are in the kitchen so I can see at a glance what stores I have at hand.

I'd still like to replace the table with a rectangular farm table and do something about the floor. But we're happy with the changes and it feels more like home--complete with cookies in the cookie jar.

Thanks for nothing!

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for nothing.

Specifically, the nothing that is this hole.

We needed to plant some posts for raspberry and grape trellises. This involved digging 4 holes. And we did it!!!

This may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but anyone who has lived in McDonough, NY will understand that being able to really and truly dig INTO the ground with a shovel is a rare thrill.

And so this Thanksgiving, I am full of gratitude for these fenceposts set in dirt-surrounded nothing.

A Shocking Development

The roll of poultry electronet arrived today. It's relatively easy to put up and can be moved to provide the hens with fresh pasture. They are no longer free-range (see "Fences" ) but this is almost as good with more protection.

We precharged our solar energizer and hooked everything up. Before I could locate the current tester, Dale sniffed the fence and flew back a foot or so! Guess the fence is working!



Dale, aka "Fence Tester"



Today's botany lesson, class, will be about seed dispersal.

Wearing sweatpants in the weeds--not a good idea.

Fences

We finally met our nearest neighbors yesterday, but not in the circumstances we would have chosen.

We had been free-ranging our hens; they get a well-balanced diet, help keep the insect population in check, and get plenty of exercise. At night they are shut into their predator-safe coop.

Yesterday morning I heard a loud squawking and looked out the window to see one of the neighbor's dogs with the Rhode Island Red in her mouth. I grabbed a coat and ran out yelling but the dog took off through the weeds. Tom had by then joined me and we both hurried up to the corner house.

I had taken walks by the house and been greeted by their three barking dogs. Two of them stayed away, just warning me that I was a stranger. The third was a little, plump mutt that always came out to be petted. This was the one who had killed my chicken.

Mrs. Neighbor was home. She's elderly, walks with a walker. She apologized for the incident and wanted to make good but was firmly of the opinion that dogs should be allowed to roam free.

In the country, dogs trump chickens every time.

Mr. Neighbor stopped by that afternoon. He's a 78 year old preacher, long-time resident of these parts. He too wanted to pay for or replace the chicken. And even though he likes his dogs to run free, he would tie them if absolutely necessary.

There are so many factors in a situation like this.

We're the newcomers. We're from New York--and even though we always say UPSTATE New York, most Midwesterners think of us as city folk. We hope to be here awhile and don't want the locals thinking we're lording it over with our cosmopolitan ways, telling people who have been here for generations how we thinks things should be done.

These are our neighbors. These are the people we will see every day, part of our community, our local support system.

And although I'm not a dog person, I do understand that dog versus chicken is instinct.

We assured our neighbors that no recompense was necessary. That we would be installing more fencing. We also let it be known that we would be getting more animals in the future and the dogs weren't welcome.

It's real common around here for property owners to shoot trespassing dogs. I don't want to have to resort to that measure so will assume the expense of electronet and perimeter fence in the future. And we will call and talk to our neighbors if there is a problem.

Sometimes building walls can build relationships. As the poet said, fences make good neighbors.