Friday on the Miller Farm Archives - Page 27 of 35

8 12, 2017

An Early Gift

By judythemorgan|2017-12-07T08:26:40-06:00December 8th, 2017|Friday on the Miller Farm, Holidays, Miller Farm Friday|4 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

One of the nice things about living in one place for a long time is maintaining friendships.

My friend Greta and I have known each other since our oldest children were in elementary school. These “kids” are now 24. We have laughed and cried together many times. We still do.

Greta has gotten chickens from us and supplies fruit and vegetable scraps to both flocks. I bring surplus food to her from the volunteer work I do.

Last Saturday, upon returning from an early morning meeting, I discovered that Greta had dropped off a bag but not for the chickens.

It was a gift bag and in it were two pair of slippers – one for me and one for Rachel. They are wonderful!I love the slippers especially now that the weather has turned cold. However, I value the gift of friendship most of all.

24 11, 2017

Therapy Dog for a Therapy Dog

By judythemorgan|2017-11-23T06:58:01-06:00November 24th, 2017|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|3 Comments

A Blog for Chicken Wrangler Sara

This past weekend, we were asked to puppy sit. Since there are six dogs living here regularly, one more doesn’t seem too unreasonable. This, however, is a special puppy.

His name is Ranger and he was found with his mom out in the country. Several people tried for over a week to take them in with no success. Eventually a car hit the mother and the puppy found his way to our friend’s house where other dogs corned him.

Deborah rescued him and brought him into her home. He was very, very skinny and very scared. He would not come near humans except to get food. She began to look for a forever home for the puppy since her house had its limit of dogs. She found the perfect family and made arrangements to deliver him after an early family Thanksgiving celebration this weekend. Ranger spent a couple of nights on Miller Farm while Deborah was with her family.

When he first arrived, he hid under the shed. I let the dogs out one at a time and watched to make sure everyone would get along. Penelope became Ranger’s best friend. She patiently waited by the shed and woofed at him to encourage him to come out. He did finally come out and began to play with her. It was rewarding to watch them. Penelope was able to draw Ranger out of his fear and convince him to run and play.

When he came inside, Ranger was less fearful and allowed Beekeeper Brian to pet him. By the afternoon, Ranger was exhausted and fell asleep in the middle of the room with Tucker close by.

Ranger’s forever family has also suffered trauma. The father was killed in a home invasion in October. There are six children – two married, two at college and two at home. Deborah sent a picture of Ranger with his new mom. Ranger already seems at home. The youngest son is really struggling. I imagine he and Ranger will become best friends.

29 05, 2015

Where There’s Smoke…

By judythemorgan|2021-05-04T09:16:35-05:00May 29th, 2015|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person. In fact, there are several pieces of paper on my wall that would confirm this fact. Every once in a while, however, I come across something that makes no sense to me.

This was the case a couple of weeks ago when I went to let the chickens out. There was smoke coming from the compost pile. We have had an inordinate amount of rain recently (see lasts Friday’s post on mud) and the compost was soaking wet so I could not figure out how it could be smoking.

On this Friday, I was traveling with grades 7 and 8 to the Austin to play ukuleles in the rotunda of the State Capital. (This is a story in and of itself and might serve to contradict my claim to intelligence.)

Anyway, since I would not be at home, I could not monitor the situation so I poured more water on the smoke and went on to school.

The bus driver happened to be very knowledgeable about gardening so I asked her about the smoking compost. She assured me this was a good thing and simply meant we needed to turn the compost. I was relieved.

Yesterday, Matt came to me somewhat concerned and asked “Is there a reason there is smoke coming from the green wire things with grass in them?”

I knew he was referring to the smoking compost and explained that it meant the compost was cooking and needed to be turned.

He said, “I guess you could say things are really ‘cooking’ at the Miller house this summer.”

3 04, 2015

One of These Dogs is not Like the Others

By judythemorgan|2015-04-03T06:00:19-05:00April 3rd, 2015|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|4 Comments

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

As I was driving down our street last week, I spotted a loose dog. This happens periodically and I don’t always take any action.

This dog, however, was dragging a leash. I figured someone would be chasing it so I stopped to help. An older couple driving slowly in a car pulled up beside me. I figured they were the owners, but alas, they were also Good Samaritan dog catchers.

Between us and a man out working in his yard, we were able to grab the leash. There was no collar. The leash was simply draped around the dog’s neck. What’s more, the dog was very skinny and very scared.

I tried to pick her up to put her in my car and she winced and snapped at me.

I knew her life had not been good.

I called Beekeeper Brian and then walked the dog to our house. Beekeeper Brian gave her some food while I went to retrieve my car. We coaxed her into the backyard and went to run some errands.

When we returned, Matt was sitting in the backyard with her. “I named her Anabelle” he said. Within a couple of hours, she was following him around the yard. She even let him pick her up.

Over the next few days I called the local animal shelters and checked the Facebook Lost and Found page for our area. No one was looking for Anabelle. Matt was glad.

Anabelle gets along great with the dachshunds. She chases Tucker as he chases his ball. He gets slightly annoyed with her at times but then he gets annoyed with anyone who gets between him and his ball.

We’re looking for a good home for Anabelle. Matt loves her, but he will be going off to college in August. He’s willing to let her go to the right “forever” home.

Meanwhile, I have quite a canine trail following me to check the chickens. If Anabelle were a dachshund I probably wouldn’t even notice.

27 03, 2015

Why We Have Chickens

By judythemorgan|2015-03-27T06:00:55-05:00March 27th, 2015|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

by Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

Most people assume we have chickens for the fresh eggs they provide. While this is certainly true, there is also the entertainment factor.

For example, I looked out my kitchen window last week and saw this:

They are standing on Beekeeper Brian’s bee hives.

Even if I wanted to pose them like this, I would not attempt it. I took several pictures through the window figuring that as soon as I opened the back door, they would all jump down.

Then I decided to risk it:The white chicken saw me first – and jumped down.The others soon followed.

I’m thinking of installing a chicken-cam to record all day. There’s no telling what I miss when I have to go to work. I’d much rather stay home and watch the chickens.

Of course, the children I teach can be equally entertaining at times.

13 03, 2015

Hippo Hair

By judythemorgan|2015-03-13T06:00:48-05:00March 13th, 2015|Friday on the Miller Farm|0 Comments

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

Every year at Christmas, I sing “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” It’s a real song I promise.

This year Rachel got me a hippopotamus – she made me a hippo hat.I love it. Now I can sing “I Got a Hippopotamus for Christmas!” – which I do.

This week we had another cold spell so I wore my hippo hat to school. The kids (and teachers) all love It was so worth it.d it.

I wore it all day and as I walked into the teacher’s room at lunch, all the teachers were looking at me. I explained that I could not take my hat off because I now had “hippo hair.”They thought it was hysterical.

Of course they did, their hair looked wonderful. Mine, however, looked as though a hippopotamus had been sitting on it all day.

Wednesday is “hat day” at school. I may wear my hippo hat again – unless I decide to wear my magic hat. Decisions, decisions……

29 08, 2014

Moving Cheese – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-08-29T06:00:14-05:00August 29th, 2014|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

This is the season of change. Kids go back to school, husband goes back to work, and my piano students start back up.

It can be a very stressful time for those who don’t like change.

One year when I was teaching preschool, we got a new director. One of the first things she did was have us all read the book Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, M.D. It talks about change.

When they rearranged my grocery store, I told Beekeeper Brian they were “moving my cheese.” One morning someone parked in my normal spot at the swimming pool, and my friend said “So they moved your cheese.”

Some people, me included, do not like to have our cheese moved.

I’ve discovered that humans are not the only ones who have trouble handling change. Our dogs are pretty set in their routine.

I usually put their kennels in the living room where they sleep and then I let them go outside while I go to close up the chickens. When we come in, I take down the gate between the kitchen and the living room and they go straight to their kennels.

One day last week, I took down the gate before I went to let out the chickens. Sometimes stepping over it in the evening is too daunting a task.

This was very confusing for Bella. She ran straight to where her kennel normally is and walked around in circles. Then she went to look for it.

I had a very hard time getting her to go outside first. Finally we got everyone settled for the night.

The good thing about Bella is that she has a very short memory so there is no danger of her being permanently traumatized by the temporary change in routine.

I’m not taking any chances, though. No more moving Bella’s cheese.

18 07, 2014

Chicken Circles, Crop Circles and Cowardly Dogs – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-07-18T06:00:15-05:00July 18th, 2014|Friday on the Miller Farm, Guest blogger, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A guest blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our chickens are really entertaining to watch. During the dry season they regularly “splash” around in the dirt. I suppose it is like taking a dirt bath. Anyway they leave little hollows in the ground where they bathe.

This one made me think of crop circles.

You know – those mysterious circles that appear in crops all over the world.

No one is really sure how they got there and many websites are devoted to speculations. The most prevailing thought is that aliens land in the crops and leave an imprint of their ship.

So this begs the question – are my chickens from outer space?

In researching this possibility I discovered a cartoon:

So now I have another question – if the chickens really are from outer space, which of our dogs is Courage the Cowardly Dog?

Anyone have a suggestion?

11 07, 2014

Poor Frizz – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-07-11T06:00:08-05:00July 11th, 2014|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Guest Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We have had an unusual, but much appreciated, amount of rain this summer on Miller Farm. It comes in spurts – rain for 5 minutes and then sunshine for an hour. I think they call them “scattered showers.”

Anyway, this makes the chicken yard a bit of a mess. The chicken circles fill with water creating ponds.

When I went out to check on the chickens I saw an unfamiliar chicken in the bantam yard:

At first glance, it looked like the black bantam, but I had already spotted her in the yard.
Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Frizz. She had gotten caught in one of the “scattered showers” and all her feathers were plastered to her body. It was a very sad sight. Poor Frizz!

Fortunately, she dried off and her feathers stuck back out.

Hopefully, she’s learned to come in out of the rain.

20 06, 2014

Therapy Chickens – Miller Farm Friday

By judythemorgan|2014-06-20T06:00:37-05:00June 20th, 2014|Friday on the Miller Farm, Guest blogger, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

By Guest Blogger Chicken Wrangler Sara

We had a student from Uzbekistan living with us last school year. He was very quiet and spent most of his time in his room.

He came out to see the International Space Station pass overhead one night. Another time he came out to see the chickens hatching.

We had set quail eggs, bantam eggs and chicken eggs. Three bantam eggs, one chicken egg and one quail egg hatched. Over the process of several days, Andrey would check the incubator each morning to see the progress.

He helped me move them out to the brooder in the garage, and we stood to watch them for quite a while. He took pictures as I did.

He told me his sister had a chick one time. She really loves animals. He was going to send the picture to her.

It was a rare glimpse into his life far away and made me think how animals could be good for the soul.

A friend is involved in a therapy dog program that sounds wonderful. She and her dog go to the hospital to visit sick children.

We considered training one of our dachshunds to be a therapy dog and decided chickens can have an equally calming effect on people.

Watching the little quail try to hide under the bigger chicks made Andrey forget how hard it was to be so far from home. Holding the baby chicks could melt away any stress from the day.

One of the bantam chicks is a frizzle – its feathers are sticking up all over just like Frizz’s feathers.

I can’t look at it without smiling.

So now, whenever I am overwhelmed, sad or just need a break, I step outside for some chicken therapy.