I think HRC is right about the conversation thing. If an off topic comment now and then drives you nuts, then the internet is no place to hang out.
Anyway, I've never owned my own personal chickens but I used to tend ten flocks of fifteen chickens each spread out over miles and miles when I worked for vector control. They were "sentinal" chickens we used to monitor for West Nile Virus. I would make the rounds once a month and collect blood samples with a syringe. Those chickens hated my guts. The blood would then be tested to determine whether or not they had be infected by the virus.
We did the same thing with wild finches and sparrows that we would catch in strategically placed traps. We would collect a blood sample with a syringe and let them go after tagging them.
Here's a factoid: as a former EMS worker, I can tell you that you haven't found a vein until you've found a vein on a finch. (Chickens are very easy)

This morning I took out the recycling bins -- every second week our trash pickup is for recycling only -- and noticed a large black plastic garbage bag sitting in the front yard beside the laneway.

It was so full and so heavy that it required a firm two-handed grip to lift it up. Fresh UCG from a local coffeeshop, dropped off last night. :)

I love the smell of coffee in the morning. It smells like... composting!

All the best,
-Patrick

Hi squonnk (your mother must have hated you when she named you)

We used to have tons of Blue Jays around but the last few years there have been less and less. We also have increased reports of WNV around and I was wondering if Jays are more susceptible to the virus? The local health authorities tell us to call in dead crow sightings so they can be tested. They said crows are easily infected therefore can be used to track the spread of WNV. Any thoughts?

Lloyd HRC

'Morning Patrick

Storm coming.....

TAF AMD CYYZ 041205Z 041212 35015KT P6SM FEW020 BKN150 TEMPO 1215
BKN020
BECMG 1820 03015KT
FM0000Z 05012KT 11/2SM -SN VV012 TEMPO 0102 3/4SM -SN VV008
FM0200Z 05015G25KT 1/2SM -SN BLSN VV007 TEMPO 0305 1/4SM +SN BLSN
VV003 PROB30 0405 11/2SM -SNPL
FM0500Z 05020G30KT 11/2SM -SNPL BLSN VV010 TEMPO 0509 3/4SM -SN
BLSN VV007
FM0900Z 03015G25KT 1/2SM SN BLSN VV007 TEMPO 0912 1/4SM +SN BLSN
VV003
BECMG 1012 35015G25KT

Lloyd HRC

G'morning Lloyd. Yup, ice pellets and freezing rain tonight. At least it'll reduce the snowload.

All the best,
-Patrick

My parents were hippies. It was gonna be either "Squonnk" or "DreamCatcher McLove'N'Hugs"
Yep, blue jays, like crows and ravens are corvids; a family notoriously susceptible to WNV.

No, Doris, you may not.

Well that probably explains the missing Jays. We used to go through about 300 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds feeding the Jays all winter. This winter, nary a single Jay around, didn't even use 50 pounds of seeds and Whack-a-Mole (that's what I call a red squirrel in my back yard) probably got most of them.

Lloyd HRC

mxbarbie, nobody answered your question on the other thread about what to do with that garden bed, you could start a thread about that.

Doris you are hilarious. I like the Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty thing you and Ann have going, leaping from thread to thread.

A lady called yesterday to say she was going to Europe, could she drop off her compost at our place (we have a reputation as the local compost wackos). I said certainly; and did she mean compost, or kitchen scraps? She meant the latter. It was out by the mailbox next morning: a cardboard box of moldy bread and vegetables. Our first scrap delivery, made me very happy.

Red rusted hatchbacks - that's what a neighbour calls all the birds that come to his feeder. The same neighbour recently watched a hawk make off with a bluejay, and both bluejays and crows go after it protesting.

shaking my head...

Anita, Anita, Anita, you left out the most important thing, you have a BOBCAT. Always, always, always, lead off with that! Never miss an opportunity to flaunt it!

Lloyd HRC

Paul,

Tell your neighbour those birds are Nutthatchers. Cute litttle things, but my Redpoles are probably cuter. Kind of like sparrows with red plumes on top of their heads. They aren't really suppose to be here yet - not spring is it???

But we got such a kick out of that 'red rusted hatchback', Tiffy. The man drives a Hyundai, don't know if there's a connection. We've had redpoles too, just a couple of them, aren't they sweet?

Certain things seems to be happening early - the hips are nearly gone from the wild roses, the sumac flowers and highbush cranberries were eaten early instead of as a last resort, partridges having been eating apple leaf buds for the past two weeks, which seems kind of desperate behaviour for late February. If we kept one of those old fashioned phenological diaries, we'd have a better idea from year to year.

Expecting the horde of relatives in for Easter Dinner, as usual. Somewhere between 24-40 of them, some for the whole day, some for the dessert binge in the afternoon. Do I go green,ie: stop by the Sallies and pick up some odd plates and forks; or do I go for the compost glory and buy cheapo paper plates and have them toss them in the swill pail along with the food scraps?

What to do, what to do.....

A very very old Hyundai. No offence to Hyundai drivers intended.

Polly is it really you. It's good to see you again.
Either way; buy real plates from the Sally Ann, smash them afterwards and take up mosaic making, or buy (uncoated) paper plates and compost them. The family could join in the smashing, or the tossing in the swill pail - what kind of people are they?

I drove a "red rusted hatchback" for years. it was a toyota tercel. It ran like a dream (looked like a nightmare)
If your impressed by the bobcat how about the loader, screening machine, & dumptruck? they are FIL's but ours to uses whenever. FIL is very excited about soil. He is composting wood chips and chicken manure in a HUGE pile it takes up about an acre-ish maybe more. He turns it with the loader, screens it when it's done then sells it. How to get rich from sh*t. it's great.
I feel guilty my Chickens don't have names. The last batch did but they weren't laying anymore (I think they were traumatized by neighbours kids) last spring We wanted 8 chicks, could only get 6, flooding nearby river caused hungry wild animal to head inland and eat all of them (6 weeks old)we were lucky enough to get 10 more in june. and then in early Dec lost one to a fox. I spent tons of time with the 6 new chicks so they would follow me, named them etc... then they dissapeared. by the time june came I was 8 months pregnant + a 2 year old and the 10 chicks just had to fend for themselves. so they pretty much hate me. they attack me unless I have warm mash for them.
I usually send DH out for the eggs.

I meant to tell you guys that the planeria make an awesome slug samwich, its easy to find the lettuce and tomatoe and they usually like to add some cheese and mayo.....

Cousin Polly...Should I bring anything other than my camping utensils? What time should I be there? If I have to wash the dishes then I vote for paper! They have compostable cutlery and glasses now too.

Lloyd HRC

Hey Anita, if you adopted me I'd be sorta like a grandson to your FIL and then I too would have unlimited use of his TOOLS tight?

Lloyd

Hey Anita, if you adopted me I'd be sorta like a grandson to your FIL and then I too would have unlimited use of his TOOLS Right?

HRC

Not so sure I'm old enough to be your mother...
might be worth a shot... do you keep your room clean?
I'm getting pretty tired of picking up toys.

I bought a laptop today. I'm afraid to take it out of the box.
DH is logging the back yard, clearing a spot for my greenhouse and making a track for the 4 wheelers. He says it's for the kids but seriously, The Girl is going to be 3 on sat and The Boy is 7mos. how much riding are they going to do?
Oh Lloyd, we also have a hot tub. (you said I should brag)

I guarantee you are not old enough to be my mother! It was worth a shot. DH sounds like my kinda guy, always putting the children ahead of himself.

Enjoy the kids, I adore kids at that age, once they hit 12ish they start to realize the parents ain't so smart and it's all downhill from there. And they get the coolest toys!

We had a hot tub when we were in Lynn Lake and Churchill but once the daughter was born we never used it much so we sold it. I suppose a guy could use one for making compost tea. :)

Lloyd

Hey, hey, Paul...

Yep, it be me :) Good to see you again, too! The family is (are?) the type of folks who would happily join in either endeavor - I got them trained to scrape plates into the swill bucket a couple of years ago. I could really use a mosaic birdbath though; and some mosaic stepping stones for the garden would be nice...

Cousin Lloyd, the buffet line starts at noon sharp; and don't forget to bring a covered dish.

(I do have a dishwasher.)
(Besides the one called Hubs)

My neighbors have a fish pond in their front yard that they made from a defunct hot tub - it's pretty nice. Built in ledges for plants, even. Water was a little chilly for my taste, tho.

I can't believe I read this whole thread!

Laughed and learned! Thank you
~Teresa B

don't forget to bring a covered dish

Is that for me to like, take leftovers home?

Cousin Lloyd

you know, I bet a hot tub would make fantastic compost tea. (bypass the filter of course)ours has a setting that just blows outside air up from the seats. I never use it because I'm not fond of cold air bubbling around my nether-regions but it makes the water look like a cauldron at a big rolling boil. all those large bubbles, pillow case full of compost, perfectly controlled heat... hhmmmmm. nah.

*Polly!!* hugshugshugs

It's enough to make me want to start a "Today, I..." thread, it is. :)

All the best,
-Patrick
(Polly does more in one day than most bobcats)

Easter afternoon for dessert, eh?

(I've met Polly. I've met joepyeweed, too. I've kissed Patrick.)

pssst. Box of Nabob Coffee on the way. (wink wink) Don't actually make coffee with this stuff okay?

Lloyd

So...how is it you all, or some of you, have come back? Did the other place burn down? Did you take a vacation trip together and somebody forgot to drain the pipes and they froze and burst, flooding the place? Is this visit (wonderful to see you again, but I'm prepared to be disappointed) temporary, while the other place gets fumigated? Did you put your trust in a bad landlord?

This morning the chickens were served a dish of cooked quick oats, flax seed, a bit of bacon fat, and a couple of thawed mackerel fillets. Kathleen, who used to have young Trex weeping with terror (chickens can weep) was observed after the meal delicately cleaning Trex's beak. These dishes are messy but we don't supply serviettes, for fear of spoiling the Girls.

I got amnesty (why I don't know). But home fires still warm and our landlord is much loved and my loyalty will never be compromised, but I sure did miss you, Paul, and think you need to visit us every once in a while, too.

I mainly came to straighten out some misinformation about composting bread.

Lloyd, right now I'm drinking Nabob coffee. It was the best the local convenience stores had when I ran out. Today I was planning on a major shopping run, but... (gestures outside at the white #$%^&*@! which is still falling...)

I've kissed Polly and kissed Annpat (multiple times) and hugged JPW of the beautiful smile (and slept barely a dozen feet away from her, two nights in a row) and hugged SaraH, JenDMB, LeslieS, Joule, Wavesmom, ColleenMI, CarrieB, MartyH, AuntieK, Jan, and others, many times, after arriving in Merryland in the warm darkness in a car decorated with flying bras and boas. And let me tell you, that Miss Ellie can really shake a tailfeather. *And* cook a wicked Lobster Bisque. (I gave every one of them Canadian Tire money in appreciation. Even Poulet.)

I'm back posting here because I got bored with not talking about composting with a whole group of deranged people who understand and share my gardening obsession.

All the best,
-Patrick

Well thank heavens for that Ann Pat.

Patrick, your post has me sick with jealousy and about to break out in another rash of exclamation marks. What about our southern (Tennessee?) friend, your buddy Annp, the one with the sharp dry wit and the drawl that comes through even in her writing? I miss her here almost the most, though her name escapes me..

Annp... Annp... from Tennessee...? y'know Paul, there's been so many wonderful women I've gotten to know here, at times it's difficult to keep them all straight. Guess I'm getting too old, the memory just isn't what it was.

All the best,
-Patrick

jessiecarole, Paul. What a sweet thing to say. I'm going to quote you.
I'm one of the few (imaginary) people who have met jc (You'll remember she visited me here one fall?), and I've got to say, she's even wittier in the flesh.
brag, brag, brag

OH! Oh! And Paul, Hay came to Maine last November and took me and SaraH (from Quebec) dancing in Mechanic Falls one night and Bowdoinham another.

Easter noon for dinner, and afternoon for dessert, JPW :)

Cousin Lloyd, I have plenty of cottage cheese cartons stuffed up in the cabinet, so I reckon you don't need to bring a dish after all...

Yep, getting smooched by Patrick was definitely the high point of the trip to Merryland. There were so many high points tho...getting to ride in the big red truck (neeners to Hubs!), Annp's fish chowdah (what say we make a Midwest version this fall, JPW?), discovering that I've forgotten how to go backwards when dancing (I wanted to lead, sorry Hay), sleeping with someone different every night (who all WAS in that cabin the first night???)

I've not lost my fondness for parentheses either :)

No, we love our landlord, she's a doll. Just need to stretch my wings a bit. I peek in here now and again; it's good to see some of the names of folks that I missed - and good to see new wackos too :)

In case some of you regulars are confused (and care). Here's the thing: A bunch of us (what? about 150?) met here on Soil, Compost and Mulch around 2000-2001, fell in love, and ended up moving in together. We actually own this place, but we're glad to meet a new bunch of people (you guys) who moved in in our absence.

Anita! For instance! Look at her!! Loves Hijacks!

(I got a little problem with Doris, frankly; she's kind of uppity, I think, and a little bit of a troublemaker---but the rest of you guys, you're swell.)

Hi Cousin Polly, I was looking forward to the (free) meal but now that I see Cousin Annp, Cousin Patrick and maybe Cousin Paul possibly showing up I am in fear of all that smooching and hugging that is sure to follow. (And frankly it scares the bejeezus out of me!) Is there any way you could just, like, send me a gift certificate for a nice restaurant and I promise I'll think of all my wayward relatives whilst I eat.

Cousin Lloyd HRC

You all got Micky D's up there, Cousin Lloyd???

You don't know what you're missing - my relatives like to cook and to eat - JPW got in on one of the feeds here a while back.

(And really, Patrick's mustache only tickles a little...)

Yeah, some of you new guys are almost wacko :)

Patrick has a moustache?

Lloyd, I only hug the willing. Smooching? that I'm not so particular.

You see, that's what I'm afraid of. Us canucks aren't all that demonstrative. Hugging and smooching, not such a much. I don't know what's up with Patrick, going along with that carrying on and stuff. Must be those long cold, snowy winters they have down there in Torrona. Speaking of which, foot of snow appears to be taking aim at young Patrick's bailiwick, gotcha shovel all ready Patrick? I'm thinking that compost I sent ya may have to wait a bit.

Lloyd

Booze, Lloyd, booze. No one's more stiff than a Mainiac. I'll have to drink something before I jump all over you.

Did Patrick mention that there were 20 women and 2 men? I never once saw him hang back from the loving.

"I'll have to drink something before I jump all over you."

Sigh...story of my life.

Lloyd

jessiecarole never posted a line that didn't have wisdom and a smile in it, even, or especially, when it was about composting. Give her my regards if you talk to her annp. (Patrick never met jessiecarole.)

Doris, a troublemaker? Heaven forbid we harbour troublemakers here.

If you're home the evening of March 29 and so inclined, you might shut off the lights.

Here is a link that might be useful: earth hour

Patrick, you might be happy if, listening to the latest forecast for Toronto, you are thinking of all the cars not driving, the planes grounded at Pearson - a chance for the skies to get a bit cleaner. All the people stuck at home, planning this summer's rooftop and balcony vegetable gardens. Perhaps you've met Gayla Trail.

Here is a link that might be useful: gardening for the People

Paul, this is a real hijack. Would you please get in touch with me about birds nest compost? I want to help rescue this very excellent method from obscurity.

Here is a link that might be useful: my website

I don't mean to interupt, but I just found an article about the hazzards of composting and lasagna gardening. Paralyzation?? Can this really be true?

Here is a link that might be useful: Scranton Time-Tribune

GG3300, you sure that was the link ya intended, goes to a myspace page.

While I'm here, I might as well hijack the thread some more....

Well spring has sorta sprung up here, pret'near all the snow is gone, just a few patches on the north side of tree lines and such. Got my first 6 truck loads of yard waste today. Looks like mostly bags of leaves from last fall but some are the grass thatch stuff from peoples lawns. Time to get at 'er I guess. Although they are talking periods of snow for tomorrow. Hope it holds off until the afternoon at least cause there should be another 10 loads delivered tomorrow.

Lloyd

Hi Barb, surprisingly this thread is still available, in the now little used gallery: birds' nest bin, with photos. I've sent an email to your website as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: birds nest bin