In and around the coop

 I am blessed. Living in the country allows me to observe the process that many trees go through, as they oddly undress for the coldest months of the year. The cool winds of Autumn take many deep breaths in an effort to blow the beautiful leaves from their branches.  Thus far, most that surround me are refusing to budge from their 'connected place' and they are still hanging on for dear life before their final surrender, which will send them to their destiny.  

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October 31, and the leaves are still holding on

The Coop for pampered chickens



A mini pumpkin

The fancy vintage wrought iron archway for the pampered chickens

Hank checks out the mini pumpkins

Not quite sure about the pumpkins

A lavender Orpington hen checks out her options.



Halloween at the coop

What is this? Who cares, LET"S EAT.

Small ceramic vintage chickens sit in the window flower boxes attached to the coop

Tricks are over, now it is time for treats.I make a cold stew mixture of organic foods for the chickens each morning.



Here they are enjoying Organic raw goats milk, raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, grapes, sprouts, peas and brewers yeast, along with super green food supplements.

Come inside the coop

Another trick, - a plastic spider

OH NO !!!!! Pink spiders - IKE'S

The little chicks insisted I put this sign in the hen house.

Most of my chickens love to be held and they want to sit on my lap whenever they have the chance

 I love to listen to Hank, my rooster - as he practices his garbled crow. He sounds like he could use a throat lozenge but hopefully he will improve with practice. 

Morning dew,  left on a work of art

This is the real deal. I saw this web early in the a.m. near the coop.

Different yet similar. Strength and beauty

If only the spider would sell a set of plans for his web... Ah the possibilities.

Please come back to visit the coop during the Christmas season.

The chicken coop is dressed for Fall

I placed mini pumpkins, gourds, apples, Indian corn &  a variety of seasonal squash on a vintage ladder in front of the coop.

The seasons seem to be in a rush. We slipped into a late and very short summer here in WA State. I just said good bye, to my last tiny cupcake rose bloom as cooler weather is fast approaching and we are headed into the Fall season. Yesterday, I was at a big box store and they had roses on sale for 75% off of regular price. I couldn't resist picking up a few more pink and white varieties at that price, to plant near my hen house. Hopefully, they will welcome in next years spring with beautiful blooms and bursts of color that compliment the interior coop decor.  You see, my sweet hens and the rooster are a bit pampered. Check out prior posts to see more coop pictures and the interior, complete with wallpaper and chandelier. Anyway... As I went inside the store to pay for the roses I noticed that the isles were filled with artificial Christmas trees and holiday decorations, geez... can't they at least wait until after Halloween?  They may as well display the plastic pumpkins under the Christmas trees and use a ghost decoration as a tree topper. The overlapping, and rush of holidays just seems ridiculous to me.  For the stores, it is all about marketing and consumerism.  




The Chicken coop - for my pampered chickens.
To see the fancy inside area please see older posts.

On my way home I stopped at a country farmers market to pick up some organic fruit. I felt a sense of calm again, as I took time to appreciate the colors of fall that surrounded me at this locally owned farm stand and little market. I couldn't resist buying some of their beautiful gourds, as well as a few tiny wee-be miniature pumpkins that sat on golden bales of hay. The uniquely shaped gourdes capture the beautiful colors of Fall and are genetically modified man made creations at their best. It is not nice to fool mother nature.  After picking up some apples, edible squash, and colorful Thai chili peppers, I returned home with my bounty of seasonal food and décor.




Fresh organic apples and miniature Indian corn add beautiful warm colors to the chicken coop garden area for fall.



Each window in the chicken coop has an outside window basket filled with plants and flowers. I found these little vintage chickens for .10 cents each at a garage sale.  They add charm to the outside of the coop.  Old scrabble game pieces spell out "Sweet Hen" in the window sill of the chicken coop. The super tiny pumpkin is the real deal. It is called a Wee-be pumpkin.

                                                  




(left)  Edible Thai chili peppers           (center)  Hens and chicks,         (right)  Sweet potato vine



Fall colors in front of the coop.



I purchased this old picture frame for .25 cents at a garage sale. I threw a coat of paint on it and then stapled some rusty chicken wire inside the frame. I found  wrought iron chickens at a flea market for $4.00 each and I  used one in the center to make a decoration for the top half of the french door on the chicken coop.  



Small vintage chick feeders can be used to also decorate a coop or garden area. They make great candy dishes for M & M's, candy corn or peanuts.  It may require little or dainty fingers and some patience for this purpose.



Thai chili peppers hanging to dry on a vintage gutter made of solid wood.



Vintage turkey or chicken feeders can easily be used as a planter. They also make an ideal container for a flower arrangement.  



I found these vintage feeders at a flea market. I paid $5.00 each for them.



The door to the chicken coop outside run.



I was able to get these flat surfaced stones for free. My sweetie spray painted a pattern on the grass and then laid them to form a perfect little pathway to the chicken coop. Hopefully next spring pink and white roses will be blooming on the side of the pathway.

                                                   
No sooner than when I was uploading my pictures did I notice this caption and story -  Unofficial Kick Off To The 2011-2012 Tahoe Ski Season | 10-14+ Inches Of New Snow Overnight!
http://unofficialnetworks.com/unofficial-kick-20112012-tahoe-ski-season-1014-inches-snow-overnight-45965/   It is already snowing in Tahoe, Utah and Colorado and some people are already skiing. Wow - winter is fast approaching. It just seems like the world is spinning so fast and so often days, months and even seasons of life, as well as whole years - just fly by us, way to fast. I need to remind myself to slow down and appreciate each and every single day as well as each season of  the year and of my life.

 The wonderful dogs in my life teach me so much. When you take a dog for a walk in the woods it is all about each step, each smell, each potty break - for the dog, it is not about the destination. As you go through life,  slow yourself down and embrace each day, so that you can be in the moment and count your blessings. Take time to smell the roses, the pumpkins, to notice your surroundings, and even slow yourself down and enjoy a good potty break. lol.


Food for Fall thoughts --- Where can you give up what you already know for what is possible. ?

Fall blessings to you all.

Tonita

Building the outside chicken coop run -

Keeping chickens seemed like the perfect solution, to my desire for fresh organic eggs. I try to take very good of all the critters in my life, and my chickens are no exception. After watching me re-purpose an old playhouse and turn it into a fancy little chicken coop, my friend decided that I needed a chicken coop run attached to the side of the hen house so they would have a safe and secure place outdoors, when they are not free ranging on the land. He built a secure enclosure that will keep any predator out. And now my hens have a great space that will allow them to go outside and still be sheltered from the rain.

I am a 'shabby chic, it will do' kind of gal while my builder and friend is a 'perfectionist plus' kind of guy. So, we continue to learn to work together and compromise on projects and areas where we both have completely different ideas. Most guys eyes just glaze over at the thought of the whole shabby chic decor movement. My friend thinks that items that are rusty or have paint chipping off them should be tossed into the burn pile or taken to the dump. I think those same items are treasures and I am thrilled with each old or vintage object that I can re-purpose. My coop ended up being a combination of shabby, vintage, old and also brand new. Sometimes it works well to blend opposing thoughts, ideas and plans.

The little coop is in it's final resting place, in a beautiful spot in the front yard. I wanted it to set it at an angle along the fence line, and the outside coop run needed to be built at a different angle to fit perfectly along side of the coop. It took a lot of planning and a lot of time. Being that my builder is a perfectionist he bought all new materials to work with and told me once he was finished that I could beat it up and fill the run with rusty and chippy painted vintage items to give it a distressed feel. What a guy. He is finally getting it, or at least it seems that way.

              Below are some pictures of the coop run being built and attached to the hen house.

    A trench was dug out and pressure treated cedar was laid below the earth to predator proof it.

                                                                               

               Gravel was dropped in along the foundation boards for drainage and reinforcement.

          The framing is put in place for the roofing material. Nothing shabby about this work. 

                                    

                                  

                                       Every board is plum and all the notches are perfect.

(Below)  - This is the doorway cutout that leads from the hen house out to the run.

It was cut this way because a fancy vintage wrought iron piece was used on the opposite side to frame out the archway and add a bit of style for the hens run.  Yep, that is wallpaper you see.

My little chicken coop is a work in progress. I am currently painting the outside run, and of course I will be decorating that also. However, that part may have to wait until next spring.

I will post more pictures and updates from my coop as time goes by. Thanks for visiting.