Garden Gloves and a Cocktail

My New Business Partner ... cheep labor

Chickens Changed my Life!

My entire working career, I've spent time in a corporate environment doing something I didn't want to do, just to make money.  I used to justify the trade off by telling myself "it pays the bills and allows me to afford the art supplies that I covet, the red wines that I like to drink, the dinner parties I like to throw " … and that was true for awhile … but lately I've had a change of heart. 

My corporate job was sucking the life out of me, I had no creative energy to paint anymore or participate in artist circles as I once used to do,  the wine I drank would put me to sleep, instead of inspire me to menu plan for parties.  It got to a point that I was working for money, but not enjoying life.

One of my lifelong dreams is to have farm animals.  I knew this would be a hard sell to my husband ( he's not interested in any hobby that doesn't include a golf club).  I wanted to start with something that he may not whole heartedly disapprove of,  so that the next species acquisition would be easier.... it's all in the presentation and planning :)  Aside from the start up costs (because neither of us is handy, so I had to buy the coop, instead of being able  to make it), chikcens are inexpensive to maintain AND they pay their own rent in farm fresh eggs every day !

I started with 7 chicks last year … and they have given me new perspective on life !  They are so relaxing to be around, these big yard birds meandering over the lawn, making little clucking sounds and other amusing noises I didn't know chickens made.

Wanting to treat my girls led me to begin putting vegetable scraps into a bucket during dinner prep,  pilfering through the refrigerator to feed them leafy greens, fruits …. this led to composting ( which has become an obsession , to the point that I used to bring home coffee grounds from my workplace every day).  Composting will lead me to actually putting a garden in next year instead of just talking about it.  That will undoubtedly lead to canning and food preservation.

The chickens like yogurt, but I couldn't justify the expense of a $5.99 container of Greek Yogurt for chickens, so that led to making my own yogurt … my dogs get the whey over their food from this process.

The conversation about homemade yogurt with a girlfriend led to her introducing me to Kefir, and now a newfound interest in Probiotics is born.

 A year after getting my chickens, an opportunity to purchase a neighborhood business presented itself .. the existing owner of  this business is a former chicken owner  … so that helped open lines of communication …. and now I'm in the process of buying the business …. and not just any business …. a wine business !!! 

 Now, instead of being tired and lethargic due to being disinterested in what I'm doing, I can't sleep because my mind won' t shut down.  While my precious chickens sleep,  I'm up all night, my mind running like a hamster on a wheel. I can only Repin so many things, research so many things, post on Facebook so many things … so … I started this blog in hopes it will help me stop talking to myself, stop writing notes on grocery receipts and napkins, and slow me down to sleep, if only for a few hours … at least until the rooster crows, at 4:30 a.m.  ...every ..... single ..... morning.