Town Day, and an early Birthday Present!

Today was just an all-around nice day, y'all. I got up and did animal chores, and collected 3 duck eggs. I put them downstairs with the 3 from yesterday. I'm saving them to incubate, in hopes of getting some ducklings.

We had a run-around day today. Took things to the library, mailed off some books that we sold (one went to Australia!), and went to the LDS cannery for the first time. We are not LDS (Mormon) but were welcomed all the same. I didn't need much, just some hard white wheat for my bread recipe and some navy beans, but now I know where it is the next time we run low on something they offer. We made a quick stop at the Asian market too. They have great produce at super great prices!

We went to the nature center today too. Due to budget cuts, the building was closed, but we hiked the songbird trail and one of the other trails near the creek. Little Bit is interested in bird watching, but her need to talk, move, play and pretend are still keeping many of the birds at a distance. Still, we saw some pretty ones and heard some amazing birdsong.

After that, we went to our most favorite (and fairly far from home) used bookstore. They give good credit on quite a few books that we bring in, so as usual, we took in a few books (half of which they kept) and then chose some we wanted, used store credit and brought home some new treasures. I can't remember the last time I spent actual cash in there - we always have enough trade-in credit to cover the things we like.

Lunch was next, then a quick stop at Goodwill. We took in some donations and looked around the store. Not much today, but we did find a new, very nice knife block, and a big box of puzzles for faraway family. The puzzles are all of primitive style paintings, and there are 10 in the box. MIL and FIL will enjoy them, I'm sure!

Now, about that birthday present. Please remember, I'm not a diamonds and perfume sort of girl. I treasure different things.

When we let the hens out to 'forage', they can be really destructive. Come summer, we spend a lot of time chasing them out of the strawberries, shooing them away from the blueberries, fussing at them for digging up the herb garden. Fencing all that would cost quite a lot, plus it would make it difficult for us to get in and out of those garden beds.

Hubby and I were talking just a couple days ago, and I was telling him that I wanted to get a push lawnmower with a bagging attachment. That way, I can mow enough of our...'lawn' each day to fill the bag and then take it to the chickens and ducks. It will keep them out of trouble and it should cut down on feed costs as well. Because I want the mower to pay for itself in feed rather quickly, I specifically asked for a used one. I figured we should be able to find one for about $50.

Well, dear friends, there is a man about 4 miles from here that cleans up and repairs lawn mowers and sells them. He had bagger mowers for $50 and up. We went today, started about 9 of them, and narrowed it down to two. Since we'd need the truck to pick it up, I went after we got home from town. Even better, I took him two ancient mowers - a motorized one and a reel mower, neither of which actually work (at all) - and traded them in for partial payment. Two less pieces of "We'll take that to the scrap yard one day," in our yard, and I am the proud owner/birthday girl of a new-to-me chicken feed collector. And now, all five acres of Ten Things Farm are practially hay field!

More tomorrow,
-Laura at TenThingsFarm

Comments

Anonymous said…
How exciting... what a great present you got! One year for mother's day I asked for a new heavy duty large wheelbarrow, which I got and still use today. It's diamonds and flowers in a different form. LOL
HossBoss said…
Now that's MY kind of birthday present! I wish there was an LDS store near us but I don't think there is. I would love to take some of their classes.

Happy birthday, kiddo!

: )
Anonymous said…
Darlin' Daughter,

You never cease to amaze me!! Good luck with the ducklings.

Kiss the bird watcher for me.

Love,
Mom
Laura said…
Thanks, y'all! I do love these sorts of birthday presents! My birthday is a month away, actually, but we figured the selection right now, before anyone is mowing, would probably be better. Now I can't wait for the grass to grow!

If you go to providentliving.org, you can see the price lists (under 'home storage', then go over to the right column and click order form or price list) I think they list all the canneries somewhere on the site too. If there is not one near you, you can order some items mailorder too, but I would assume there's some shipping cost.

I didn't know that there are classes - what kind of classes? Now I'm all curious! ;)

Hi Mom! I will kiss our little bird watcher as soon as she's up. I think we wore her out yesterday! ;)

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