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16 09, 2016

Talking Turkey

By judythemorgan|2016-09-14T10:23:37-05:00September 16th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

A friend of ours recently borrowed our incubator to hatch turkey eggs. In exchange, we received two turkey chicks called poults. What a deal!

We figured it couldn’t be very different from chickens. Now among our flock there are two turkeys. And I can add to my list of fowl experience – chickens, ducks, geese, quail and now turkeys.

You might call me a poulterer – a person who deals in poultry. It was not on my list of things to be when I grow up but that is fine.

Turkeys are actually not as smart as chickens which is an amazing feat.

Baby turkeys do not know how to eat and drink when they hatch and must be taught by other chicks.

Our friend borrowed two of our chicken chicks to show the turkeys the fine art of drinking and dining. They apparently caught on because they are growing.

I suppose at some point they will be bigger than the chickens but until then everyone is getting along fine.

14 09, 2016

11 Commandments for Writers

By judythemorgan|2016-09-13T21:04:06-05:00September 14th, 2016|Wednesday Words of Wisdom|2 Comments

Writers are always seeking tips on how to be more productive. I’m no exception.

A recent web search turned up this interesting list of commandments from Henry Miller (December 26, 1891–June 7, 1980). By the way, not only was Miller a prolific writer he was also a painter.

What do you think? Do these commandments work for you? Would they work if you’re not a writer?

Miller also has some daily schedule suggestions. Next Wednesday we’ll will look at those. For now, I’m off to focus on Commandment #10.

12 09, 2016

September 11, 2001 and December 7, 1941: Days of Infamy

By judythemorgan|2016-09-11T20:35:27-05:00September 12th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, “a date which will live in infamy.”

December 7 and the words of his Infamy Speech have become synonymous with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Within an hour of that speech, Congress passed a Declaration of War thrusting the United States headlong into World War II.

Roosevelt’s words had a profound an impact on our nation. Recruiting stations were jammed with surges of volunteers. And, when World War II ended, the world was not the same.

Pearl Harbor was before my time. Thirty years after Pearl Harbor another event occurred giving us a new date I will always remember– September 11, 2001. Once again a day of infamy changed our world dramatically.

My heart rate still surges on the 9-11 anniversary as I recall waiting to know all our family members were safe . I have vivid memories of watching Katy Couric describe the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.

Those same memories return to bounce around in my head every 9-11. We’d had lunch in the Towers with family members only two months before. That made the terrorist attack more personal.

It’s been fifteen years now, but no matter how long it’s been from either date of infamy, one thing remains constant.

Nearly 3,000 people in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania lost their lives on 9-11, 2001. World War II causalities numbered over 60 million.

Pausing on the anniversaries of both events allows us to honor those we’ve lost.

Never Forget.

9 09, 2016

I Do Like Them Sam I Am

By judythemorgan|2016-09-06T09:07:14-05:00September 9th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When we lived in Mexico, we enjoyed the mangos very much. They were manilla mangos, which are unavailable here in the US.

The closest we can get is an Ataulfo mango.

At the food pantry this Friday they had mangos that are more common in the US. They do not taste the same and Beekeeper Brian does not like them. So I decided I do not like them.

However, we tried a blackened chicken and mango recipe that was quite good. I decided since I had an abundance of mangos, I would cut up and freeze some for use in this particular recipe.

As I was peeling and cutting mangos, I tasted one and discovered they are quite good. Not the same as manilla mangos but good just the same.

I thought of the book Green Eggs and Ham. After saying repeatedly, “I do not like green eggs and ham” the main character tries them and realizes he does like them.

I suppose I would eat mangos in a box, with a fox, in the rain, on a train…

26 08, 2016

Chick Incentives

By judythemorgan|2016-08-19T15:31:04-05:00August 26th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday, one word Wednesday|0 Comments

A Blog By Chicken Wrangler Sara

When I am not taking care of the animals on Miller Farm, I spend several hours a week teaching private piano lessons. When I was 13 I wanted to be just like my piano teacher, Mrs. Black. It is not always easy, but I enjoy the challenge.

For instance, I started a new student this summer who is enormously creative. I had him in my music class at the private school where I teach and he once told me his mother has a bow and arrow. She hunts for food because they don’t have any at their house. She was quite surprised to hear this and for weeks after that I asked what they were having for dinner.

So this new student, like many others, enjoys coming to piano lessons. I mean who wouldn’t enjoy seeing a pack of dachshunds and a flock of chickens every week.

However, practicing at home was not nearly as exciting. His mom, the huntress, expressed some concern. She didn’t want to make it miserable for him but knew without practice, he would make little progress. So I told her I would pull out my bag of tricks.

In this “bag of tricks” I have little individual incentive charts where students can mark each day they practice. For some, the promise of a piece of candy for five stickers is sufficient.

I was afraid this student would not be motivated by candy. So I came up with a new incentive.

We happened to have baby chicks in the brooder in our garage. (I wonder how many other people on our street can say that.) When the chart had five stickers, I promised that my student could hold a baby chick. He was quite excited.

Then he realized that his assigned piece on this week was two pages long. He asked what would happen if he only practiced one page. I told him he could only hold half a chick. Fortunately he didn’t ask for details but agreed to practice the whole song.

So the following week, and the two weeks since then, he has practiced five times a week.

I’m pretty sure I am the only piano teacher in the world who uses chick incentives.

19 08, 2016

Kaboodle Update

By judythemorgan|2016-08-08T20:10:42-05:00August 19th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Kaboodle, our Polish rooster, seems to finally be settling in to his new home. There is always a certain amount of adjustment when new birds are added to the flock. They start at the bottom of the pecking order and have to work their way up.

For Kaboodle, this seems to have taken an unusually long time. He spent most days hiding between the bantam coop and the fence.

Perhaps his unique appearance caused the other birds to pick on him a little more. He is, as my mom stated, a most distinct rooster:

Then Rachel read that Polish chickens have a hard time seeing through the feathers on their heads. To help with this some owners trim their “bangs.”

So I held Kaboodle while Rachel gave him his first feather cut. It didn’t seem to bother him much at all.

Now he runs around the chicken yard with all the other birds. I’ve even seen him chase some other chickens away from the food. Instead of hiding behind the coop, he proudly roosts on top.

This is a much better place for such a handsome rooster.

12 08, 2016

Welcoming Committee

By judythemorgan|2016-08-01T14:56:31-05:00August 12th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

In the summer, I go to the pool a little later to swim. This means it is light when I come home. I don’t mind so much in the summer. Walking from the car to the house in my swimsuit and cover up makes sense. In the winter, however, when I am wearing my pink fuzzy robe over my suit, I am glad it is still dark when I get home.

Because it is light, the puppies are up. They don’t know how to sleep late.

Brian and Rachel put them outside and they are watching for me to get home. They are usually sitting at the gate while I hang up my towel. This morning, Penny was overcome with the temptation to jump on her brother.

They are quite the pair. They chase each other all around the kitchen until we put them outside where they have much more room to run. And they do run. And run and run and run.

Until they collapse.

While I was unsure about having six dachshunds, I am glad we ended up with both puppies. They would be lonely without each other.

Penny has discovered Aunt Bella is fine if all you want to do is take a nap.

But for playing, there is no one like a sibling.

10 08, 2016

Messy Progress

By judythemorgan|2016-08-06T14:31:27-05:00August 10th, 2016|Wednesday Words of Wisdom|0 Comments

This meme by Holley Gerth really struck a note with me. My desk is always a MESS and clearing a space to work is necessary before I can progress. It’s a part of the process!

Do messes impede your progress or are messes part of your process too?

8 08, 2016

You Write What? or What is a romance novel? Part 1

By judythemorgan|2016-08-06T12:21:32-05:00August 8th, 2016|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

As we’ve relaxed on the front porch with house guests this summer, those two questions come up a lot.

To the what do I write question, I respond romantic fiction similar to authors Danielle Steele, Nicolas Sparks, and Barbara Delinsky. Unfortunately, some of our guests have never heard of those authors, a sad, sad thing because those authors write incredible stories. So do I. :)

Others have no idea what romantic fiction means.

I completely understand the genre confusion because so many different types of books are lumped under the umbrella labeled romance. Many of which lack the very specific expectations for characters and plot structure romance readers seek.

So what is a romance novel?

Every true romance novel contains two elements – a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. (www.rwa.org)

Romance novels can be contemporary, historical, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, or any number of other themes with settings and distinctions of plot that create specific subgenres. Whatever the plot, a romance novel always centers on the developing relationship of two people and ends with what romance writers call HEA, a happy ending.

Romance novel formats include

Novella

20,000 to 25,000 words
Themed collections also called anthologies

Category

40,000 to 65,000 words
Series (or “lines”) with a certain number published each month. Harlequin Romances available on a subscription basis are an example.

Single Title

75,000+ words
Labeled as mass-market or trade by publishers based upon the format—small vs. large size and price point.

The industry standard for the romance genre is for the reader to experience the story through both the hero’s and heroine’s viewpoints, in third person, past tense.

The typical romance reader looks for only one viewpoint per scene in a story. However, there are romance authors like Nora Roberts who have challenge this standard successfully.

Lastly, the scope of the romance can be from sweet (no sex, no swearing) to extremely hot (no holds barred).

That fact always brings up another question: “You write like 50 Shades of Grey?” followed by a quick look and snicker at my husband. Whereupon, I quickly explain my stories are classified sweet romance.

More on romance classifications next week.

Considering the definitions above, do you read ROMANCE novels? If you have, tell us about one of your favorite novels.

5 08, 2016

Cool Chicks

By judythemorgan|2016-08-01T14:55:52-05:00August 5th, 2016|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

After two glorious weeks in the mountains of Colorado, we have returned to the furnace of Texas. Every time I felt cold while in Colorado, I would soak it in hoping to recapture the feeling when I was back at home. It isn’t working.

We actually haven’t reached 100 degrees yet but the heat index has been well over 100. That means it feels really, really hot.

For us humans, we stay inside where the air is cool. The poor chickens are stuck outside. I refuse to put an AC unit in the coop. There are plenty of trees and the temperature is much cooler in the shade. But it is still hot.

Rachel read in a chicken forum that running a sprinkler in the chicken yard will cool the ground which in turn cools the air. Makes sense to me. So we water the chicken yard – which has no grass. We basically water the dirt.

The chickens love it.

They scratch around in the mud looking for bugs. It is very entertaining for them and very entertaining for me.

Next to working jigsaw puzzles in Colorado, chicken watching is one of my favorite pastimes.