Eva’s Friends

[Callender Girl]

I can totally relate to your poem!

It snowed here yesterday, while I was in Hobby Lobby. I was surprised to get to the front door and see big, fluffy flakes falling. There was probably only an inch of accumulation, and it snowed -- just lightly -- again overnight. Since it's supposed to hit 40 on Monday, I won't bother putting down another new rug. It will just get covered in MUD again, like last week when ice from the storm melted, and the dogs and I tracked in mountains of mud every time we went out, ruining a brand-new rug that will never be the same.

I had no idea the 1975 Webster's had a list of given names in it. Have you chosen a replacement for Gladys yet that has your sister's approval?

I like vintage names. The chickens I got this year are: Arabella, Lavinia, Lydia, Gwendolyn, Daphne, Prudence (I may have been influenced by you on that one!) and the cockerel, Moses -- who truly is the leader of his flock.

Glad to hear Francine is warming up and MAY get to move indoors.

Ziva's shoulder incision looks good, and I have quit cleaning it with peroxide, which makes both of use happier.

This is a much busier week than I would like. I have appointments every day, including an unplanned trip to the avian vet Monday. I realized Sunday night that one of my Easter Eggers has conjunctivitis in her left eye. The avian vet is about an hour and a half away and really pricey. I was lucky to get a same-day appointment, however.

I have to give Evie an antibiotic twice a day for two weeks, and an anti-inflammatory once a day for one week. I'm pretty sure that when I was a kid, my dad would have just wrung the chicken's neck and been done with it. I KNOW he wouldn't have taken her to a vet.

When there was a "we," and not just me, we primarily re-enacted the Fur Trade era of the early 19th century in the upper Midwest and a bit in Canada. One of my first attempts at sewing period-correct clothing was a pair of gusseted breeches for Jim. It was also the last time I made breeches. But, I sewed most of my own clothing, including a wool capote and a pair of mocasins.

I have always had an interest in history, and I learned so much more from re-enacting then I got in all my school classes put together. School spends too much time on dates and places; re-enacting teaches about the day-to-day lives of people, as well as the sociology of their times. For example, English men tended to "marry" Native women here and either abandon them to return to England OR hand them off to another English man. The French tended to maintain their relationships with Native women. The difference in approaches made a huge difference in business relationships with Native peoples.

Hope the work on the house is coming along nicely, and I'm looking forward to seeing your new suit when you get it sewn!

 

[Evadig]

I am writing early tonight because we usually experience very slow internet starting around eight pm, and I also have some sewing to do.

After a rainy Monday, Tuesday dawned bright and warm! I vowed to get all the outdoor work done but in reality I sewed until noon. Then I went out and persuaded my sister to help me build a chicken tractor. This very simple affair took an hour.

The tractor is for Patience and the new hens, who have been named (not from the dictionary, either)! They ended up with our Confirmation names...why, I don't rightly know. My sister liked them. I liked them too, but in another language...

I am learning Polish and my sister is learning German, so:

Scarlett is Agnieska (ag-NYEH-shka) - Polish for Agnes.
Cocoa is Mitzi (MIT-see), a German diminutive of Maria.

Other upgrades: placed an old cabinet into the Muddy Run as a nesting box, since the main flock is now barred from the three runs; took out the white prefab in the Virtues' pen; and hung up a nesting box in there.

I like vintage names. The chickens I got this year are: Arabella, Lavinia, Lydia, Gwendolyn, Daphne, Prudence (I may have been influenced by you on that one!) and the cockerel, Moses -- who truly is the leader of his flock.

I love the names, especially Prudence and Moses! He sounds like a wonderful cockerel. I tried to persuade my sister to name one of the hens Gwendolyn, but she wasn't having it.

I hope Evie is feeling better soon!

When there was a "we," and not just me, we primarily re-enacted the Fur Trade era of the early 19th century in the upper Midwest and a bit in Canada. One of my first attempts at sewing period-correct clothing was a pair of gusseted breeches for Jim. It was also the last time I made breeches. But, I sewed most of my own clothing, including a wool capote and a pair of mocasins.

I have always had an interest in history, and I learned so much more from re-enacting then I got in all my school classes put together. School spends too much time on dates and places; re-enacting teaches about the day-to-day lives of people, as well as the sociology of their times. For example, English men tended to "marry" Native women here and either abandon them to return to England OR hand them off to another English man. The French tended to maintain their relationships with Native women. The difference in approaches made a huge difference in business relationships with Native peoples.

Did Jim like his breeches? I had to look up what a capote was...it seems to be a robe with a hood that was worn in place of a coat?

The Fur Trade era is one part of American History I don't know much about. I definitely did not know that tidbit about the English vs. French marrying practices with the Natives.

I started a thread about history here (in case you're interested ) but it has to do mainly with dates and events:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/this-day-in-history….1647293/

Hope the work on the house is coming along nicely,

The basement floor is in! Just need to finish the baseboard!

and I'm looking forward to seeing your new suit when you get it sewn!

The jacket is done, except for buttons etc. and I have to make the skirt. But first I am going to sew a couple outfits for my sister as Christmas presents while someone entertains her to keep her out of my room!

Brianna

Tractor in progress

And in use...it's 5ft x 6ft and light enough to be carried by two people or dragged by one.

Lucy

Prudence and Minna resting

Eva checking out the new nesting box

Francine

Front to back: Patience, Mitzi, Agnieska

 

[Callender Girl]

Thanks for the link to your history thread; the newspaper where I worked ran a daily "This Day in History" feature that I enjoyed. And, I very much like your most recent post; I think the the first-ever egg from your first hen certainly is historic

Yes, a capote is basically a coat. Both Jim and I made ours at a workshop in Canada, out of wool. One oddity with capotes is the lack of fasteners; they were warm and well-constructed, but the wearer used a sash, usually finger-woven, to keep the garment closed in most cases.

We basically traveled a "circuit" of historical reenacting events from February to November every year. There were purely camping events, events with educational workshops and lectures and, during the winter, indoor trade fairs. Jim was a vendor who sold various hard lines, including clothing, kitchen wares, tools, sewing implements and accessories, bedding, books and such.

I think most Americans don't learn much, if anything, about the fur trade era. The best book I've read about the role of women in those times is Sylvia Van Kirk's "Many Tender Ties." Many fur traders owed their survival to the skills of their Native "wives." When the European women, known as "fair exotics," came over, they didn't know how to make snowshoes, track animals, tan hides or recognize which local plants were safe to eat, as examples.

As far as Jim's breeches were concerned, I turned them over to my sister, who was at the time a professional seamstress. She never made another pair, either. But, he loved a checked shirt I made for him and wore it until it was tattered.

Jim, BTW, was stationed in Germany for five years and could speak German pretty well. I'm curious why your sister is learning German and you are learning Polish. But, I like that you chose to use those languages when you named the new chickens.

Evie appears to be on the mend. We will both be happy when she doesn't need meds twice a day.

Congrats on the chicken tractor (I'm impressed that you made it so quickly)! And the basement floor!

Hope you get those outfits made for your sister in time for Christmas

 

[Evadig]

This post will be short; there isn't much to say, and it's not very cheerful.

First of all, my cursor keeps stopping while I'm typing. I cleared cookies, but that hasn't helped.

Anyway (there it goes again for the fifth time in a minute):

On Thursday morning Eva was clearly not feeling well (she didn't jump on my bed!) and by night she was in major pain and couldn't hardly move. She screamed when I touched her stomach.

Friday morning we took her to the vet where X-rays and other diagnostics revealed pancreatitis. The doctor said she would need to be hospitalized overnight - which meant remaining all alone in the building hooked up to an IV. If I'd been nearby I probably would have taken her home, but I had already gone home (which was an hour away) to help move out the remaining storage. So I was obliged to leave her.

Saturday morning the vet called and said she was doing great and I could take her home, so we went up there and got her. Almost immediately after leaving she began wheezing, but by that time the vet had closed for the day.

We did our Christmas shopping at the antique store and also picked out a friend for our lone parakeet, Jane.

On going home, Eva was wheezing so bad she was nearly snoring, and also developed a cough. She is still coughing, though not wheezing anymore. She has to eat a special diet, at least for now, and absolutely no treats except for dental chews.

The vet says, unfortunately, that not only are cocker spaniels prone to pancreatitis, once a dog has it once, there is a great likelihood of them developing it again. I can't afford treatment for either that or the cancer, if it returns. Eva's basically living on borrowed time and I have to be ready to say goodbye at short notice. But I have promised that, living or dead, I will take her for one last walk on the battlefield. We haven't been there for awhile, and she loves it there.

As of right now, Eva's doing well, as are the new bird and Agnieszka and Mitzi. Agnieska proved too much to say on a daily basis, but I refuse to have her called Aggie...so her nickname is Jagusia (ya-GOO-sha).

I am currently in negotiations for more chickens, so wish me luck .


Eva yesterday (when we picked her up from the vet).

Some old roller skates at the antique store

Annie wearing her sweater. Please do not see the junk .

The new parakeet

Mitzi

 

[Evadig]

I'm curious why your sister is learning German and you are learning Polish.

I forgot to respond to your post!

I am not sure why my sister is learning German. She absolutely loves the language, but I don't think even she knows the reason!

I am learning Polish partly because I am descended partly from Polish immigrants, and also because I thought it would be a challenge. I already know Latin and Spanish and wanted to do something that isn’t a Romance language. And, a bit of me wants to go out there some day and help with war relief. Maybe teach in the orphanages run by the religious sisters?

 

[Callender Girl]

I am so sorry to hear about Eva's troubles! How is she doing now?

When my first Keeshond, Holly, was diagnosed with inoperable cancer, I was devastated. Through many visits at the Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, I was able to give her an extra 18 months. Treatment was ridiculously expensive, even at a VTH, but I loved her so much. I was fortunate to be able to spend the money then. Later in life, it would have been nearly impossible.

Hurray for promising Eva a last trip to the battlefield. I took Holly out of the car before we got to the VTH for one final stroll in the grass. The sun was out, and her silvery and black coat almost sparkled in the light. It's been more than 20 years, but I can still picture that last walk in my head, and I still get a little misty-eyed.

Does Jane appreciate her new friend? And, best wishes with getting more chickens. I understand having to change a chicken's name. Prudence -- who is nicknamed Pru -- started out as Winnifred. Too much to say every time. Especially when I'm trying to wrangle all seven in that flock.

I'm impressed with your language skills, and your desire to help with war relief!

BTW, there's a lot of Irish ancestry on my mom's side of the family and I have been to the Republic of Ireland twice and Northern Ireland once. I was initially eager to hear folks there speak Gaelic, the "native tongue." However, to my ears, it's far from pleasant, often sounds a lot like someone repeatedly clearing their throat. Not a language I want to study

I hope your sweet Eva is doing well today.

 

[Evadig]

 

[Callender Girl]

What a sweet greeting to see first thing Christmas Day!

I'm wishing a Merry Christmas to YOU, Eva and all of Eva's friends!!

 

[Evadig]

Oh, man, it does not feel like a Sunday, nor Christmas. The weather is warm and balmy, for now.

I have a cough from the cold my sister gave me, a headache (probably from not drinking enough water), and I have been up nearly forty-eight hours, excepting a three hour nap earlier today. My brain is shutting down but as soon as I get in bed it's racing again.

It's been like that for as long as I can remember. I have always stayed up till at least midnight, even as young as five. Long after the adults were in bed I'd steal out to the living room and re-enact stories from my books, or have "pretend" meetings with Paul Revere and the Sons of Liberty. "Pretend" is in quotations because I was so buried in my imagination that it became real to me.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. I am so tired I can't think of anything that has been going on. I've been cutting out dresses because I will be going on a trip soon and I need some new clothes. More on that next week...

I did not realize linen frays so easily. A perfectly good skirt I made is ruined because the seams frayed when I washed it. Apparently you're supposed to use an overlock seam or something like that, but I had pinked the seams. Oh well, I will not repeat the same mistake with the linen dress I cut out.

The new parakeet still does not have a name. She and Jane are getting along well.

The negotiations for new hens fell through but I am still looking out for something.

Miss Rose has laid four eggs in the last week. She hasn't laid for months - she has reproductive issues. I guess it's her Christmas present to us?

Eva is doing well. She's on a special diet that I can't afford but I am feeding her temporarily. After that, the vet says to find the lowest fat food in the store.

That's all for now, I am so tired I cannot think. And unfortunately, there are only two pictures. I will see you all on New Year's, hopefully under better circumstances.

A Christmas tree outside church tonight

The altar of the Basilica where we went for Christmas Mass. It was built with money partly donated by George Washington.

 

[Callender Girl]

My sister and I have been saying the same thing about the weather; didn't feel Christmas-y at all. It's been raining here for much of the day, and all the runs are muddy messes. However, the ducks and geese are having a great time in the puddles and standing water.

Hope you are feeling better now and getting some rest. I love how your imagination kept you occupied when you were younger. I had a hard time sleeping as a kid, so I would crawl out of the bed I shared with my sister, set a lamp on the floor and read books I checked out of the local library. Mostly, I read about Native Americans and mountain men, like Kit Carson and Jim Bridger.

I'm not a big fan of linen, mostly because it wrinkles so much and so easily. Decades ago, I learned to make flat-felled seams to use on fabrics that easily frayed. I don't know if anyone uses those any more.

Congrats on Miss Rose's eggs. None of my hens had laid in more than two weeks. Then, this week I've gotten an egg a day for the past three days from one of the coops. But, I can't tell which of the three hens is laying.

Glad to hear that Eva is doing well, and that the parakeets are getting along. Is there still a chance for more hens in the future?

Looking forward to learning about the trip!

Here's to a Happy New Year!