Eva’s Friends

[Evadig]

I’m writing on my phone because I’m in a hotel without my computer, so hopefully there will not be any spelling errors. And this will probably be quite short.

I’m staying overnight in Richmond, which is about four hours away from my house, so I can go to MEPS in the morning. I don’t know what that will be like but I will tell you of my experience thus far.

First of all, in the wee hours of the morning, Annie had diarrhea on the carpet in my room. So the day was not off to a good start; however, I had to play for church and that went well. Then I had to drive down to this hotel.

When I got here, they told me to check in so I had to sit in a waiting room with twelve other recruits until they called our names. You are expected to say yes sir/ma’am to all employees but I was not taught that growing up. I’m trying to remember, but it’s hard.

I am probably one of the oldest in the bunch. And the only one who is currently attempting to enlist in the Coast Guard. I am not sure whether that will be the case, I might transfer to Air Force…and perhaps I will not enlist at all. But for now, I am here as a CG recruit.

Everyone has a roommate. I have never had a roommate before. She is thankfully quiet and minds her business. Some of the recruits are quite immature. I cannot see how they will be responsible for defending the country in case of war. Maybe they will have grown up by then?

For tonight, I am going to study for the test tomorrow. If y’all could say a prayer that I think straight, I’d really appreciate it. I have to wake up at 4 am and I’m not used to that. All my life I generally have risen around 7, and while I’ve been trying to get up earlier, I still wake up around 5:30.

Betsy Lee and Priscilla have integrated nicely but are definitely the top hens. I had to take Liberty out, he was bullying them because they didn’t want to mate. Betsy Lee has been laying nearly every day since I got her.

Constant so adorable.

The Starry night picture is just, WOW!

Thank you!

There’s only a few pictures.

Eva

Jenny

Betsy Lee in the foreground
Priscilla behind her
And then Patience, Agnieszka, Liberty, and Mitzi, of course

A bald eagle at a battlefield

 

[Callender Girl]

I have prayed as you requested. Do your very best tomorrow!!

 

[Evadig]

I have prayed as you requested. Do your very best tomorrow!!

Thank you!

 

[lightm]

I will pray for you.

Is Jenny a jubilee orpington?

 

[Evadig]

Thank you all for praying! I am sure it helped as I scored a 95 on the ASVAB.

This despite guessing most of the mechanical and electronic sections and randomly clicking answers through the last section, which basically asks you to solve a lot of puzzles.

A 95 qualifies me for every job in the military. I am still excited about it! I also passed my physical but need two waivers - one for an prescribed inhaler and one for fainting a few years ago. It should take between two weeks and a month to get those approved. It's hard to imagine that I could actually be going to basic training in a few months.

Now onto chickens...

Betsy Lee and Priscilla quickly made themselves the rulers of No. 1 in the Yellow Turnip, then turned on each other to determine who was the Queen. I pulled them out and put 'em in the Muddy Run, figuring they would be able to take care of themselves. Yeah, a couple hens, especially Viv, have it out for them but other than that they've integrated seamlessly.

It's sad to see Priscilla limping about. Apparently she broke her foot at her previous home and it healed naturally, but she has a pronounced limp. It doesn't seem to affect her too much.

Liberty is back in No. 1 with Mitzi, Agnieszka, and Patience, and they all seem much happier.

My mom says she saw a large-cat-size dark brown low-to-the-ground animal slinking around the pond the other evening. That likely means a fisher weasel has moved in nearby. Great.

I finally washed some fabric in preparation for sewing. Once again, I have several things to make, and limited time to make them in. I want to make a town skirt, an Easter skirt for my sister, an Easter dress with matching hat for myself, and a full slip. I have never made a hat before...hopefully it isn't a flop.

Is Jenny a jubilee orpington?

Yes!

Constance has figured out how to jump onto the nightstand from her table. So for the last couple mornings I wake up to see her staring me in the face.

Betsy Lee in the foreground and Priscilla

Patience

What the force of a fallen tree can do to an old turkey roasting pan

 

[Evadig]

It's spring! I know it's been spring for a week, but today I went out and saw the daffodils blooming and the apple tree budding, and the weather was warm enough to not need a coat.

Yesterday we cleaned. We had someone come and wash the carpets. And then I started re-organizing my room, which is always a mess. But I am trying to fix that. It's just there's no storage and so many little things that are needed once a month, so I leave them lying around. At least I got my old table up, so I can start sewing.

Today we visited General Dwight Eisenhower's farm in Gettysburg. He bought the farm in 1950 and retired to it after his presidency. It's quite a pretty piece of land and you feel as though you could knock on the door and say hello!

Faith disappeared Friday night; we thought something had eaten her, as there was not a trace of her anywhere, but apparently she was nesting behind some garden tools in the Yellow Turnip. My mom found her trying to get into her pen the next morning.

I guess that's all for tonight .

A little waterfall

Blossoms from a dogwood tree (I think)

The unholy Virtues

On Little Round Top - where Pickett's Charge went down in memory

General Eisenhower's house

Garage

Dogs in front of the house

 

[Callender Girl]

It's been a crazy week, and I just now discovered your recent posts! Congratulations on the test score!! I knew you had it in you to do really well

I am dealing with a hen who "self-amputated" part of her foot -- and has seen doctors in nearby Fort Dodge and much farther away suburban Des Moines, deworming all the chickens and weather that swings from well-above-average to another snowfall yesterday. Tomorrow is the last day for deworming; Lucille will still get twice-a-day medicines until Thursday. I'm ignoring the snow instead of shoveling; it should start to melt today. And, my sister's coming to visit for a few days, so I need to tidy up a bit.

Your photo of Little Round Top reminded me that Brevet Major Lewis Armistead, who was ordered to establish the fort that became Fort Dodge, was killed at Pickett's Charge. There is an exhibit dedicated to him at the Fort Museum.

Best wishes with your sewing projects; I hope you post photos when they're done.

And, hurray that Faith is okay!!

 

[Evadig]

I need to move. If I stay here any longer I will end up starting a cat rescue that I don’t have money for!

An old, sick, mangy cat was sunning itself on the doorstep last evening. I set the live trap so hopefully I could catch it and get it help (also keep it away from my chicken coop). Instead, a large gray and white cat ended up in the trap. I hastily put up some boards on the old chicken coop I started renovating, and moved the cat in until I can get an appointment for it to be fixed.

The neuter clinic form required a name for the patient, so it is called Antonia. I have no clue what this cat is, but when you book a spay/neuter appointment for a cat of an unknown gender, book it as a female cat. That way you will be sure of getting the surgery.

Vivienne has been a brat ever since Betsy Lee and Priscilla came to live in the Muddy Run. The other hens accept them, but Vivienne makes it her life’s mission to chase them down and peck. I need to find the chicken glasses…

Priscilla loves teasing Brianna. She’ll sneak up behind her and peck, Brianna will jump up and swat, Priscilla runs, Bri runs, and the whole game starts over. Prudence has started doing it too.

I did not get any sewing done.

@Callender Girl for some reason I can’t reply to your post, but I hope your hen is doing better, and you are having a nice visit with your sister!
And I didn’t know Major Armistead founded Fort Dodge!

Not really any pictures, unfortunately:

Betsy Lee

Antonia

Annie helping me renovate

Winston, Lyd, and Rose

Mitzi

 

[Callender Girl]

Sounds like wandering cats know you are a soft touch! I get it. I'm still upset with whoever dropped off three cats -- including one very pregnant -- at my property last March. I couldn't leave them outside, unvetted and unsafe. Although the kittens got rehomed, I am still the reluctant owner of too many cats. Good luck catching the mangy one. And, getting Antonia (or Anthony!) fixed.

During my sister's visit, she gave me an egg-gathering apron she had sewn. It's not like the aprons that just tie around the waist, it's like the old-fashioned ones that fit over the shoulders. She modified the front to have three padded pockets to protect the eggs.

Lucille is adjusting to her "new" foot. She walks fine but seems to need to rest more often. Today, she gets her last dose of antibiotics, thank goodness. I suppose she will still expect daily treats, away from the others, though.

How well do chicken glasses work? I'm lucky that my chickens don't peck much at each other. The pullets get a quick tap on the head when they venture too close to some of the older girls, but there's no blood involved.

Unlike the ducks. Spring brings out the hormones in the drakes who want to mate All The Time. Unfortunately, their favorite partner is a sweet girl who -- every year -- is so "chosen," that she bleeds from the head. I separate them as much as possible as often as possible, but unless I absolutely never let everyone out at once, there's no way to keep her safe.

 

[Evadig]

I hesitated to write because nothing is going on, and I don't want to waste y'all's time. I guess I'll share a poem I wrote for poetry class a couple years ago?

The Long Gray Line

The long gray line passes before the eye
Out of the east the men of war do ride
McClellan, Thomas, Grant, and Lee, (a sigh)
And Sherman, Sheridan, Jackson do abide.

The Civil War has ended now but hark!
The First World War with Pershing takes a toll
While over Flanders’ fields still sings the lark.
In planning Marshall here does play a role.

In World War II MacArthur takes his stand
Wainwright, Doolittle are not forgotten here
And Eisenhower calmly takes command
As all around the air is filled with fear.

The long gray line has passed into the west
They were the nation’s and the army’s best.
​

Now that I look at it again, it's not as good as I thought it was when I first wrote it!

Sounds like wandering cats know you are a soft touch! I get it. I'm still upset with whoever dropped off three cats -- including one very pregnant -- at my property last March. I couldn't leave them outside, unvetted and unsafe. Although the kittens got rehomed, I am still the reluctant owner of too many cats. Good luck catching the mangy one. And, getting Antonia (or Anthony!) fixed.

People who dump their animals to be someone else's problem are so infuriating. At least you were able to rehome the kittens .
I haven't seen the mangy one since that day, but at least made an appointment to get Antonia fixed...

During my sister's visit, she gave me an egg-gathering apron she had sewn. It's not like the aprons that just tie around the waist, it's like the old-fashioned ones that fit over the shoulders. She modified the front to have three padded pockets to protect the eggs.

That sounds like such a nice gift!

Lucille is adjusting to her "new" foot. She walks fine but seems to need to rest more often. Today, she gets her last dose of antibiotics, thank goodness. I suppose she will still expect daily treats, away from the others, though.

How well do chicken glasses work? I'm lucky that my chickens don't peck much at each other. The pullets get a quick tap on the head when they venture too close to some of the older girls, but there's no blood involved.

I'm glad Lucille is doing better! The chicken glasses don't stop the pecking, but at least the victim has a better chance of escaping. Last summer, my Cream Legbar Minna had lost many feathers due to bullying. Having the rest of the flock wear glasses for a few weeks allowed her poor comb to heal and new feathers to start growing.

Hope and Charity

Some pictures of long ago :

My goldfish Handel; got him back in '16 I think...he was a lovely fish but ate a lot, and eventually outgrew his ten gallon tank. I gave him to Petco for adoption in '19.

My second fish, Fish; his memory is blurred with my other bettas but he heard all my teenage secrets, joys, and sorrows. He lived three years (old for a betta) and then one day he died. I missed him dreadfully.

A deer visiting my grandma's house - her name was Mama Doe. My grandparents used to feed the deer, and she knew them well. She birthed several fawns on their property, including a set of twins.

Park in L'Anse, Michigan

Atlantic Ocean in Portsmouth, New Hampshire