Rustling Thoughts

Posted from Starbucks, because our internet hates us. BTW, thanks for going with me Lydia! Stats and other news from the blog: First of all, I'd like to apologise for the finicky behaviour of my Google Friend Connect button. I have no idea what's up with it, but if anyone has any ideas about how to fix it, I'd be most appreciative. 1. 30 followers through Google connect, and at least two others through either email or Google+. 2. 20,971 total pageviews. 3. 763 comments published. 4. 126 published posts. 5. Post with the most pageviews:  The Tag Masterpost  at 169. Entry Pageviews United States 1598 Germany 40 Ukraine 27 Canada 25 Ireland 19 France 18 Taiwan 13 Philippines 10 Australia 9 United Kingdom 6 Happenings of June: 1. I started Algebra 2 for the second time (I had been failing last year, so I did Geometry instead. Hopefully since we changed...

Darth Cluck, as Christian has been calling him, croaked his last this morning. Christian had just set down the freshly-filled water bucket, when the rooster went for his face. Christian managed to block him with his hand, but still got a cut across his index finger. He promptly marched inside (after doing whatever else he needed to do) and declared that that was the last straw. Mom and Dad briefly discussed whether or not we really wanted the meat before asking Grandfather to dispose of him. Dad didn't want the meat, so Grandfather went out and peppered Darth Cluck with birdshot. He was a beautiful bird on the outside, but his attitude was horrid on the inside. I won't get to make a chicken pot pie out of him, but I'm positive it would have tasted amazing. It's nice not having to watch my back anymore when I go down to put them up for the night. Although it was an eggcellent (pun intended) exercise of reflexes and predicting, it was getting rather rough,...

Never ever underestimate a rooster with a grudge. It boggles my mind though, how come he punctured the skin, but not my barn boot? Why can't I have those magical instantaneous healing qualities? Next time he takes a potshot at me when my back is turned (which he's done on more than one occasion in the past), I'm going to see about learning how to butcher chickens. He'd make the biggest chicken pot pie ever. Mrs (our duck) is sitting on a nest of at least 14 eggs (she's well protected this time, unlike the last time she decided to go broody). I'm hoping she sits on them until they all hatch (she laid one per day, so she'd end up having to stay on the nest for about two weeks after the first one hatches). Dad did some research and found out that ducks can sit on their eggs for anywhere between 25-35 days until the first eggs hatches. Also, our black chicken has gone broody in one of the nesting boxes, but seeing as how she chose the nesting box that...

Because I'm tired from college classes and feel like four weeks have passed since I last posted (really just five days). DO use your blinker. It's there for a reason, why not use it? DON'T tailgate, or get way too close to the person in front of you. It's not safe, and should the driver in front of you suddenly stop, that's just an accident waiting to happen. DO be aware of your surroundings. I know those flowers on the side of the road are gorgeous, but for the sake of those in the car and on the road with you, please pay attention. DON'T lock your keys in the car. Especially while it's still running and the spare is on the same keychain. DO make sure your headlights are turned off once you get out of the car. Because waking up to a dead battery is not everyone's favorite thing to do. DON'T get the gas and brake pedals mixed up. Nobody likes having to redo their garage door. DO go the speed limit. Nobody likes it when t...

A while back, I mentioned going on a Haiti trip in 2014 with Mom and Lydia. I also said that a two-year anniversary post was coming up. This is it, by the way. June 5, 2014. Mom, Lydia, and I met up with the rest of our group that morning (7am, I think? Not sure though), who had flown in from Kansas the night before. (We were with a group from  Haiti Lifeline Ministries ) We landed in Florida, made a gate change, and got on the plane to Haiti. (I must say, it is a whole lot easier to get out of the US than it is to get back in) You know Haiti; definitely not classified as a first world country, so there was none of this 'wandering off two by two' in the Haitian airport. A truck from the orphanage we were going to met us, and the baggage was loaded on. Everyone piled inside (it was open-air, and the seats were essentially metal bleacher benches, no seatbelts). The orphanage was a good 30-45 minute drive. I say drive, but the roads were mostly unpaved and chock-full of ...