So many people tell me chickens are stupid, they have no personality this couldn't be farthest from the truth. Chickens are quite similar to humans. They have a family and a place in their family. Amilio is the police chief of the group. He actually looks like a little french soldier. He is very proud and prances around. If any stranger comes in close proximity to the family he (even though he is the smallest rooster) takes charge and goes after them. Payment for his position is the ability to breed with the Hens. Rocky my head rooster is the main man but he gives Amilio breeding rights and boy does he take advantage of that. The little french lover.

I hurt my arm last year and despite any attempts to heal it it just wont. So I am trying to take some time off from faux finishing and focus on my paintings and new studio so I will be trying to blog more and get my paintings out there.

The long dark days of January

I some times feel like January will never end and then poof its over. This year I am trying to use all the extra evening time to get my bookwork in order way before April. So far I'm doing good. Although we haven't had as much snow this year as in previous years winter has found us here in Wisconsin. I have been baking some of my fall pumpkins, half for me and Jeff and half for my little chickens. We got our first egg on Christmas morning and now I get 3 per day. That is those that don't freeze. We are still living in town for our house has yet to sell so twice a day I go visit and feed my chickens.

Hello December with your cold blowing winds and ever darkening skies. Like a bear I become ready to gorge on cookies and then curl up in a ball and sleep. Slumbering away the winter months waiting impatiently for spring.

Here is a picture of my baby chickens, well actually they are more like teenagers now. I ordered them in the mail thinking I was going to get hens. Now the count is 8 roosters 10 hens. The interesting thing about roosters is their need to be vocal and they all have unique voices. Amilo will start the morning chorus and then each and every rooster will chime in. I think Rocky has the nicest crow. As the roosters age they also are starting to fight with each other. The silkies Beefy and Moutzy are like Chuck Noris or ninja warriors. They will bow to each other and then its on, jumping in the air doing back flips and drop kicking each other. Rocky the bright colored rooster in front of the pumpkin is by far the largest and the most colorful. If there is a confrontation he merely puffs out his neck feathers and they all run away. So I'm praying that since they were brought up together they will find their pecking order and all get along. I have become attached to all of them and would hate for any of them to get killed in a fight to the death. Testosterone is a powerful hormone that makes all male species want to kick each others ass be it over a spot on the hay bale or the fluffy feathers of a cute hen. It is interesting to me how you can learn so much about us humans and our characteristics when watching little chicks mature.
The other project THE STUDIO is progressing slowly. Now that winter is upon us we have to get the outside protected against the frost and heat in the inside. We are trying to get gas brought up to the building, but like everything there are hoops to jump through to get that done. We did get the toilet hooked up So Yea I can go to the bathroom inside not in the field with the horses.

It is yet another rainy day here in wisconsin, So I am working in the studio getting ready for our art show charity event this coming may. My daughters Alyssa and Amber did a study abroad in Namibia this past January. The met MaryBeth a teacher at the BNC school. They were so moved by her efforts and the children that they promised to help. So Amber and I are creating Art that we will be selling and proceeds will be going to help Mary Beth.

Jeff is putting a brick ledge under the new windows. Gives a little country flair to a plain white window. We are waiting for everything to dry up and get warmer. Although this weather beats the -20 we were working in last January. Every day we are out there I get so excited and can't wait to get digging in the dirt or get painting on something. Next week Jeff and a friend are going to do a controlled burn. I hope and pray that goes well. Not that we burn the neighborhood down.

We have been working still on cleaning the property of previous owners junk. We did however get some windows in. Now I am trying to decide what color to paint the building. In this picture I am taking down the fencing around an old chicken coop. Cutting out the trees and cutting the wire from the wood supports, what a job. Found another family of mice. Gave them their eviction notice.