It's Easy Being Green

Our three little Auracana hens are growing bigger and bigger every day and their personalities are developing more too. Check out our live chicken cam where you can see a video stream from their pen 24/7. Just click the video box to the right of this post and sit back to watch the fun! You can also chat with me live via Twitter using the hashtag #babychickcam I finished assembling the backyard chicken hutch that Talina got as a birthday gift from her parents and soon it will have its own special... (more...)

In usual fashion it seems Mother Nature has thrown us the ultimate tease.  Here in the Tri-State everyone was lulled into an idyllic, trance-like state with a string of several 70-degree days.  The sun has been shining brightly and like a kettle full of popping corn, the Bradford Pear trees have been exploding into full bloom this week.  A swift cold front has changed all that, sending our temperatures tumbling into the upper 20’s tonight.  Windows will go back up on the raised beds to... (more...)

I can still remember the glowing feeling I had nearly 12 years ago when I received my very first paycheck from my very first job. The money you earned as a teen was completely unencumbered. There were no bills screaming to be paid and the masses weren’t clawing your eyes out to receive their portion of your piddly $300 paycheck. You could spend that glorious amount of cash on anything you wanted; new clothes, a bicycle, the newest video game system or *gasp* you could save it. Those were... (more...)

Our newest additions to the Half-Acre Homestead have arrived.  We picked up three Auracana chicks from one of our friends yesterday who made a big order and wanted to share in the fun.  Auracanas are the “Easter Egg” chickens that lay green and blue eggs.  We’ve kicked around the idea for a year or two, just wanting to start out with a couple hens to provide us some eggs.  Our decision was pushed last year when we had a terrible problem trying to combat the swarms of squash... (more...)

As we fully head into the new year, you might be thinking about some spring cleaning activities to get you into high gear.  We’re now officially close to four weeks post-Christmas but if you’re like me, there’s probably still a few reminders of the holidays lingering around the house.  If you received a lot of mail ordered gifts this year than you probably have a lot of those styrofoam packing peanuts shoved somewhere.  We all know their full of static and just plain annoying... (more...)

There’s been a lot of talk about how harsh our everyday, household cleaners really are.  Not only to ourselves but also to our environment.  We’re beginning to see some, commercially produced cleaners that are more natural and biodegradable.  It’s a small niche market right now but as the green movement picks up, more and more companies are turning to more sustainable options.  Not only will it be better for our environment in the long run, it will also protect our children... (more...)

This time of year, many families are probably happily awaiting their tax return. In years past, the return has always felt like a surprising windfall, giving us a little boost of spending money to pick up a large item or two we normally wouldn’t have the funds for. Last year we used some tax return money to finally purchase an HDTV after using our two little 19″, no frills TVs for more than 10 years. We also completed our Darling Daughter’s furniture set in her bedroom. The... (more...)