Jasper, the Great Tarantula Slayer (and other goings on...)

The three weeks we didn’t have the kids was strange. The house was empty and quiet.  It was both lonely and a really nice break, all at once.

I missed my munchkin hugs and the smiles. A LOT. I enjoyed having my husband all to myself. A LOT.

We had grand plans to accomplish all sorts of things – instead we piddled, spent time together, accomplished a few things and tried to relax a little.

We started on the chicken coop restoration project but hit a snag when the chainsaw needed to go in for repair.   While we were waiting, we decided that we really enjoy watching the chickens free range in the back yard.  It’s free entertainment! 

We have decided to use the restored chicken coop for our broilers and fryers and keep our layers up closer to the house.  This serves additional purposes: grasshopper/insect control plus the kids don’t become attached to the birds we plan to eat!  This decision means building a small coop and run just outside the yard which will come first and is in progress.   The restoration will resume afterwards.

This is the beginning of our small coop...
 

While working in the OLD coop, we found an older license plate that was put there after our house was built... Also this old animal trap... I wish I knew how old the trap is!
 

We took an aluminum roasting pan, filled it with white ash from the last bon fire and mixed with play sand.  Rumor has it this mixture is like a spa for chickens.  I’m not so sure.  They have not shown the slightest interest.  I even pushed it under the door of their cage so they’d have no choice but to walk in it to test their reaction.  Nothing! 

In preparation for all the building we will be doing, we finished knocking down the old shed that we had previously taken the tin from.  We were able to save a lot of lumber (and the tin) for reuse!  We had a bit of fun with this project!  (It’s always fun to knock stuff down!)

 

We also added a new member to the family while the kids were gone.  Jasper, the Great Tarantula Slayer.  When we moved we promised the kids we’d get a puppy or two but have been back and forth about breeds.  I had some bad experiences with dogs as a child and have always said the only dog I’d have was a pit bull.  Problem with that is they are so strong we were concerned having little ones. I didn’t want an extra slobbery breed, or anything with really long hair because of burs, ticks, etc…  Driving towards home one evening from the feed store we saw a sign in the neighbors drive “Free Akbash Puppies”.  On a whim we called and went to visit.  It seems they had a litter of eleven, had sold seven for $250 each, were keeping one,  and were giving away the last three.  We’d never heard of Akbash previously, but a quick google filled us in.  They are a large Turkish breed that guards livestock.  There was a cute little girl puppy but I liked Jasper’s squared jaw and he was so calm!  The problem was he had fleas – all over.  They all did. (That’s why the last few were free.)  Momma and Daddy Akbash had gone roaming and brought them back to the pen.  We took him home and washed him with Dawn.  The first two days he had FOUR baths and was combed with a flea comb.  We didn’t let him inside and after working on him, we would strip down, bathe, and throw our clothes in the washer to avoid an infestation. It was slightly nerve wracking for someone who is paranoid about anything to do with fleas or lice – anything with an almost impossible to get rid of life cycle. But it seems to have worked.  We haven’t seen signs of them since!  (I am cautiously triumphant. Ha!)  

Jasper is precious.  He was seven weeks when we got him so he is now eight and a half weeks old.  His birthday is May 16^th, the day after my niece’s!   I am beginning to understand people who are attached to their pets more now.  I felt guilty last night that we couldn't take him when we went to the movies with the kids!  

Kevin walked me through administering my first vaccine.  It really wasn’t bad and Jasper did not seem bothered in the least.

Last week we caught him gnawing on a tarantula he had pounced upon in the back yard.  Way to go, Jasper!  We did remove it, for his safety. 

Skipping forward for a moment, when the kids met Jasper, I was talking to him asking him questions "You're a good boy, aren't you?  Yes, you are!" and Elijah looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Is he a TALKING puppy?" 

I had to spend my first night ALONE ALONE (no kids, no Kevin) in the country while Kevin was away on business.  It was uneventful.  I was careful not to do anything that might allow for spooking.  I didn’t close my eyes when I showered.  I didn’t go into the den where there the windows are.  I didn’t channel surf.  I slept with my Ruger .40 next to my bed and faced the door, which, by the way is my opposite side so I woke up feeling like I had literally woken up on the wrong side of the bed.  I’m a scaredy cat.  That’s why I don’t watch horror movies.  I don’t bring that into my mind.   I have a very active imagination that does not need feeding!  I live by the verse “Whatsoever things are lovely, pure and of good report, think on these things!”

Our friends who live in town adopted two bantam silkies only to find out they are roosters.  You can’t have roosters in the HOA – so we have now adopted them.  Extra insect control!  They don’t seem to like the girls (hens) – they refuse to mingle, roaming off together into the field and coming back only at dusk.  I was delighted though to hear my first “cockadoodle” today!  Kevin had reported a couple or three earlier this week, but I had not with my own ears heard one from our yard. (Just the roosters up the road at the neighbor’s house.  You’d be surprised how far sound carries out here!)

This is not my picture... just an example of what they look like.  I'll post a real one soon.

I really want to buy three more chicks to finish out our flock of layers.  I want Dominiques.  Their feathers look like black lace over a white underskirt.  Sooo pretty!   Last time we were at the feed store they only had one, so we opted to wait for the new hatchlings – they have two large incubators full of eggs so they get new ones weekly and year round!

This is a spider we see alot out here.  Fortunately, they aren't harmful to humans, but I like that they are called "The Writing Spider". 

 

Fall planting time is upon us and we’re so not ready.   We staked out a temporary compost bin and will probably throw in a bed or two for the fall, but I don’t see us getting a really full garden this year.   We will have to be proactive and build bed during the cool season so our spring garden will be plentiful. 


The Passion Vine is putting off more blooms now!  It's such a unique plant.
 

And so go the happenings and tales of life without the munchkins… 

We picked them up Sunday and are struggling to get them back on some sort of schedule.   Sigh…   It was so good to see them and feel their little arms around my neck again – and Luke’s big bear hugs.  Elijah summed up with: “Momma – I missed you!  It was a long time!  Don’t EVER let me be apart from you for three weeks again!”  Be still my heart!  <3