Monday, June 20, 2005

Quick Notes...

Update: "The Chapel Veil-symbol of the spouse of Christ" is now available at our website.

Jeff at Hallowed Ground relates his experiences at a father-son camp put on by the FSSP; as well as allowing his guest columnist teach us about irrigation for the urban homesteader.

William Luse tells us why he is going to (semi?)retire from blogging here .

I am sure there is plenty more going on around the blogs, but I just haven't had much time these weeks.

An eventful weekend here at Bethany. We were getting ready for the arrival of our new chicks, Rhode Island Reds - from which we hope to perpetuate our own flock. (Our original flock were of all different breeds, so while we are keeping the hens as layers, we will eventually have eaten all the roosters.) Since the holes in normal chicken wire are just big enough for a day-old chick to get through, we put up some extra screening around the base of the run. (These are segregated from the original flock.) They have a small house for now, but we will have to build a new hen house for the 2nd flock within the next month or so.

While all this is going on, my oldest son is building a rustic fence across the front our property. He is simply using pine limbs as posts and rails - nailing them together. (I don't know how long the fence will last... but it does look good, and it sturdy for now.) In the course of the morning the handsaw slipped while cutting a rail and soon son and I were off to the emergency room. I was tempted to stitch it myself - maybe next time I will after observing the doctor's technique. Of course the rest of Saturday was shot. We spent 4.5 hours at the hospital - and another hour getting there and back.

This morning we picked up the chicks, and they are driving the dogs crazy, and getting alot of interest from the neighboring flock.

The rest of the week we are preparing for a 'send-off' party for my oldest daughter who will be going away for some time come August - (I may blog more on this later). (The send-off is early, but we are hoping that the weather is a little cooler in June than July or August, plus we get it out of the way and don't have to worry about it all summer.) So cleaning and painting and dusting are the order of the days until our first out-of-town visitors show up on Thursday.

Plus of course, Requiem Press does not stop. We have new release which should on the website later today or tomorrow. I have mentioned it before. It is a little booklet contianing two short essays concerning why two young ladies in college wear the chapel veil in the presence of our Lord. The support of this project will not only help yours truly and family, but will also assist (through royalties) three Catholic college students make their way as the essays and the cover were the work of Christendom College students.

From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...

Oremus pro invicem!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew there was a veiling book coming out, but imagine my shock to see who was writing it! "*Those* girls!" LOL. I will look forward to reading it, as I know they have some vehement opinions and strong symbolic support.

I would also love to hear about your daughter's "going away." Very exciting. God bless your family.

Anonymous said...

In preperation for next time the saw slips, I would suggest purchasing the appropriate needle and suture. My dad once stitched up a lash from a boar-tusk on a hog hunting trip out on Pawleys Island (I believe, but it may have been another nearby) with dental floss and an upholstery needle (one of many times I took a personal vow to never make that man angry). It did the job, but left a bad scar. Suture needles are much finer, and much sharper to boot. There is also a special pair of forceps with scissor blades built in that the vets at work use. I'll ask Dr. Miller for a name for that tool tomorrow.

As for the chicks, you have my full attention. Since you have to build a new hen house, have you thought of a chicken tractor, so you can move them from spot to spot as they tear up the grass? I hear you get all the benefits of free range chicken without the danger of prey. Mother Earth News ( http://www.motherearthnews.com/ ) has several articles on the subject, I believe.

Anonymous said...

Ok, here's the technical term for the tool. Get ready, its a toughie.

Needle Holder! Any medical supply house should have one, as well as cutting needles and gut or suture.

Jim Curley said...

TheresaMF: I will say something about Krystle's plans real soon.

Frankin: I have thought about a mobile hen house/run. (The danger here for free-range is our own dog - who we also keep penned.) However, I think first we will build a stationary henhouse as we have run built already - and maybe time permitting, we build some kind of mobile run - as we have plenty of grass. Before making a final decision I will check out the articles on Mother Earth news.

Thanks.