Miller Farm Friday Archives - View from the Front Porch

8 03, 2024

Movement Help

By judythemorgan|2024-03-06T09:20:08-06:00March 8th, 2024|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I started a fitness program offered by my insurance that involves mostly stretching. It allows you to target a particular area, so I have been able to get relief from chronic neck pain.

It also encourages movement in any form to help keep pain in check.

I think the birds in the backyard have heard about this component as they have required more movement in the mornings lately.

The turkey has become increasingly grumpy and now will jump at me requiring some special movements I call the “turkey dance.”

It is like the chicken dance but with less arm flapping and more foot moving.

The ducks have also joined the campaign. They have decided to run out of the door of their coop when I go in to feed them.

This means I get to “herd” them back into their space.

I quickly learned to leave the chickens and turkey locked in their coop until I have fed the ducks and herded them all back to their home.

That way I am not trying to do the turkey dance while herding ducks.

There is no place on my fitness app to record turkey dancing or duck herding. I just call it movement and leave it at that.

I’m not sure any of the coaches who monitor the site would understand the life of a chicken wrangler/turkey dancer/duck herder.

10 11, 2023

Flexibility

By judythemorgan|2023-11-09T08:56:06-06:00November 10th, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Honor likes to sleep on my lap when I am sitting at my desk. At first, she could curl up and fit easily. As she has grown, it has become more of a challenge.

Last week, I looked down and she had put her back leg over her nose to make herself into a smaller ball. I was impressed with her flexibility.

We have a Veterans Day program at school this week and then we start work on Christmas music. Between now and the end of the semester, things are pretty chaotic.

I think I need to print out this picture of honor and post it in my room to remind me to be flexible.

4 08, 2023

Complete Pack

By judythemorgan|2023-08-03T09:29:10-05:00August 4th, 2023|Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We picked up our new puppy last week. The timing was perfect because we said goodbye to Coco in July. She was the last of our original pack of four.

The puppy is one of three that were born near Memorial Day. The foster mom named them Honor, Legacy, and Valor and they are the Tribute Puppies. Honor is ours and she is wonderful.

It has been 8 years since we had a puppy and I had forgotten some things.

Puppies have sharp teeth which they use to chew on anything available – including noses. Beekeeper Brian has dubbed her “Baby Shark.”
They are small and can fit through small spaces – like the bars of the baby gate – so they must be watched carefully. Fortunately, she will grow and be more containable.
Puppies, like babies, get up at night – sometimes a lot. I’ve decided it is ok. I have to get up to use the bathroom frequently at night so we have a “potty party.” To clarify – I use the inside facilities and take Honor outside.
It is incredibly fun to watch them run and play. Honor wrestles with Mini, our other rescue. They play and play until Honor is worn out. Then they recharge.

Max, who is the only male and 8 years old, is taking this all in stride. He has always been a calm dog and is very patient with the new additions.

It is good to have a full house again!

12 05, 2023

Busy Weekend

By judythemorgan|2023-05-10T20:22:32-05:00May 12th, 2023|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our grandsons came to visit this weekend. (They brought their parents with them.) They hadn’t been to visit since Christmas so we were very excited. So were they. At least Alex was excited. When we talked on the phone a couple of weeks ago and mentioned the visit, he immediately went to get his sock and shoes on. He thought they were leaving immediately.

They drove in on a Friday evening and went straight to Aunt Rachel’s house. They came to Grandma and Pawpaw’s on Saturday morning. While Theo took a nap, Alex and I walked to a nearby parking lot where a fire engine was parked while the firefighters did some training.

I’m not sure which was more exciting for Alex – the fire truck or the puddles along the way.

When we got home, we baked a birthday cake for Pawpaw.

Theo wanted to help, too.

Then we met more family at a nearby restaurant that had a great outdoor space for the boys.

Sunday, I introduced Alex to my new instrument – a tongue drum. He was very excited.

After lunch, they loaded up and headed home. Alex was asleep before they got out of the neighborhood.

Grandma was not far behind.

31 03, 2023

Between the Fences

By judythemorgan|2023-03-27T09:09:37-05:00March 31st, 2023|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Our neighbors, who also have chickens and ducks, have a privacy fence. It was erected by the previous owners when their real estate agent convinced them no one would buy a house next to chickens. Obviously, this was not true.

Anyway, chickens have regularly gotten themselves caught between the two fences. I have, on several occasions, climbed between the fences to rescue them. After getting multiple scratches and tearing several pairs of pants, I stopped retrieving chickens.

They got themselves into that spot. They could get themselves back out.

Recently, Beekeeper Brian discovered a collection of eggs between the fences. I thought perhaps my wayward, nameless chicken had laid them. But that was not the case. It was one of the neighbor’s ducks.

I heard the kids outside one afternoon and hollered over the fence to tell them about the eggs. Being smaller and more agile than me, they were able to retrieve them.

I guess we won’t have ducklings living between the fences.

28 10, 2022

Crayons

By judythemorgan|2022-10-28T08:10:27-05:00October 28th, 2022|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Every year at Halloween I think about the costumes I made when we lived in Mexico.

Catherine was 5, Rachel was 3 and Matthew was almost 2. In a moment of creativity, I made crayon costumes and I was the box.

Now the crayons have left the box.

While it is sometimes sad, it is also fun to watch their colors grow brighter as they find their way into adulthood.

30 09, 2022

Morning Smile

By judythemorgan|2022-09-28T18:06:41-05:00September 30th, 2022|Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

This year at school, we have new procedures in place to increase security. These have been added to the procedures regarding illness creating what could be a tedious morning duty routine.

However, as the self-appointment Campus Morale Officer this year, I am trying to stay positive in as many situations as possible. This includes morning duty.

My assignment is to greet the youngest students as they enter, take their temperature, and send them directly to their class. The older students who come through my door are headed to breakfast. All others enter a different door. Everyone has their temperature taken.

For this task, we have a rather bulky thermometer that is intended to rest on a stand. It monitors temperature as people walk by. The problem is that our people are too short. So, we take the thermometer off and point it at the students as they walk by.

This makes for some interesting situations.

Some students come in with a juice box and insist I check its temperature also. My favorite student believes I am taking his picture each morning.

He gives me the biggest smile! I smile back.

The principal put out a rotating duty schedule. I refuse to move from my duty station. I look forward to my morning smiles and don’t want to share.

22 07, 2022

Popcorn

By judythemorgan|2022-07-20T19:55:19-05:00July 22nd, 2022|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

This was our first year to plant a plot in the community garden. It was not a good year. The extremely hot and dry weather prevented many things from growing.

The popcorn, however, was a success. We planted two different varieties which both came up.

We harvested the ears and set them out to dry. I tried putting them outside to use the natural heat but the squirrels found them. So, I put them in the oven to keep them from taking so much valuable counter space.

I put a sign on the oven that said “Corn.” It was not a clearly communicated message and while I was out of town, the oven was used to make pizza and the corn got “preheated.”

It didn’t seem to hurt the ears and, after a few weeks, we were able to remove the kernels.

The next step was to actually pop the corn which we did use a microwave popper for speed and ease of clean up.

It was wonderful!

We also grew dent corn which is meant to be ground into cornmeal. That is our next project. Brian ordered a corn sheller to help remove the kernels. The whole process seems a little labor intensive but I am excited to see how it turns out! Perhaps I was born in the wrong century…

4 03, 2022

New Beds

By judythemorgan|2022-03-03T20:26:31-06:00March 4th, 2022|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

We recently bought two new beds for the dogs. There is a larger one intended for Max and a smaller one intended for Coco.

Cooper, the Australian Shepherd has his own enormous bed in Rachel’s room.

Coco loves her new bed.

So does Max. Fortunately, he doesn’t mind sharing with Coco.

Cooper, on the other hand, will not share with anyone.

Perhaps we should have purchased three of the same bed.

21 01, 2022

New Chicks

By judythemorgan|2022-01-17T17:18:57-06:00January 21st, 2022|Friday on the Miller Farm, Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

The preschool class at my school hatched chicks before Christmas. Usually, they do this in the Spring, but I no longer question anything. The classroom teacher took them home the first weekend, but her dogs were much too interested in them for her comfort.

So, the next weekend I volunteered to take them home. After all, there are only six dogs in our house and our grandson was coming to visit. We could use some excitement on Miller Farm.

I wore my Chicken Whisperer shirt the day I picked them up. The students were most concerned as I gathered them up. I explained I had many other chickens at my house and could take good care of them.