Spring Chickens

A long time between posts...this dusty little corner of the worldwide web!

Scott came to Seattle to visit us, test out the new guest quarters (thanks for being such a great guinea pig!) and took so many incredible shots of our fair city in spring.  For instance, these choice shots of our ladies:

Maggie, Jane, Summer 

Maggie

Backlit beauties

Aren't they lovely?

That moment when things changed...

expected
unexpected
when things seemed quiet
when my mind was quiet - funny how the dark keeps the thoughts from wandering. sometimes

I sit here in the quiet of a living room
looking at photos
looking at memories
looking at sad thoughts
feeling the thoughts that balance the sad
the happiness, the joy, the love

I love ya ma. Miss you lots.

::s::

3 weeks on ... 5 years now ...

perhaps more sunsets with family
perhaps more meals in a sunlit great room
perhaps more walks along the beach - alone or along with all
perhaps more time to ponder
will help

perhaps more time looking at the beauty in the world
perhaps more time smiling at the beauty in the world
perhaps more time believing in the beauty in ourselves
will help

probably just knowing
how much our love hasn't diminished
how our memories, perhaps faded about the edges, are still sharp at the heart
how strong you helped make us - strength we never knew we had
how loving you helped make us - love that has seen us through so much

may the road rise to meet you
and take note - warning:
let the ones you love know

7nov13//3:51p//thursday afternoon, not at the beach... ::s::

Summer in Seattle - Sockeye Salmon!

We're having a record run of sockeye salmon this year, we stopped by the Ballard Locks yesterday to check out the fish ladder, and mingled with the tourists as we all admired them:

A life well-lived: Leo 'Vic' Boehler 1924 - 2012

Leo “Vic” Vincent Boehler, 88, passed away at Shepherd of the Valley Care Center on June 4, 2012 of pulmonary fibrosis.

The circumstances of Vic’s birth were pure Wyoming. His father William (one of the “Bill’s” after whom the town of Bill, WY was named), and his mother Catherine (Kate) set out from their Verse, WY homestead in a horse drawn wagon hoping to get to Douglas where the baby could be delivered in a hospital. A snowstorm forced them to find shelter along the way and so Vic was born on March 9, 1924 in a small cabin in what was then called Dry Gulch, WY. Bill and Catherine returned to Verse with Vic, leaving him without a birth certificate for most of his life. He grew up an only child on a desolate family homestead during the Great Depression, writing later of his boyhood days, “I killed more rattlesnakes by the time I was six than most people have seen in their whole lives.” Following a devastating fire in 1938 that destroyed Verse, the family moved to a new homestead where they farmed acreage that is now part of the town of Sheridan.

Vic graduated from Sheridan High School in 1942, and moved to Casper in 1946 to begin his long career at Amoco Refinery as an instrument mechanic. He married Margaret E. Rooney, his wife of 63 years, in September 1948 and they started their family of 3 children. He retired in 1984 after 38 years of service. Vic’s life was twice interrupted by war. He served in the Navy as a radioman during WWII from 1943-1945 aboard the USS Sheridan, and again during the Korean War from 1951-1952 aboard the USS Maddox. He was very proud of his service and enjoyed staying in contact with his shipmates scattered across the country.

Vic was a devoted husband and wonderful father. He always made time to be involved in the many activities of his three children. He loved to watch baseball and play bridge, and he was a formidable bowler. In later life he became a writer, relating amazing tales of his father’s pioneer life and reporting on the many wonderful trips he took with Margaret as they enjoyed their “golden years” together after their retirement.

He was a devout man who truly lived his faith; he was very active in the Holy Cross, giving his time to help provide food to those in need. Even after being diagnosed with fibrosis, Leo would load up his oxygen tank and head down to the ministry to help where he could.

Vic is survived by his wife, Margaret; three children: Kathi (Dean) McKee of Lander, WY; Dan (Kathy) Boehler of Billings, MT; Bob Boehler (Carol Wallace) of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren: Mike (Jodi) McKee of Minneapolis; Michelle (Joe) Nipko of Austin, TX; Kerry (Paul) Mikolaj of Denver, CO; Tom Boehler (Christa Steiner) of Manhattan Beach, CA; sister-in-law, M. Lucille Pennock of Lander, WY; brother-in-law, John T. Rooney of Los Alamitos, CA; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Rest in peace dad, until we meet again to “have a catch”.

Visitation will be at Bustard’s Funeral Home from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, 2012. The rosary will be held at the funeral home at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church with Father Lucas officiating at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 11, followed by a luncheon in the church basement. Internment will take place at a later date.

Memorials may be made in Vic’s name to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Holy Cross Food Bank, or Meals on Wheels.

Copyright 2012 trib.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read more: http://trib.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/leo-vic-vincent-boehler/article_8bf9a5fe-b984-11e1-bb96-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz209mr7611

Goodbye, Leo

Bob's dad passed away in the wee hours of this morning - while not unexpected, the actuality of losing a parent hits hard. Suddenly everything is very different, and yet just the same. It's disorienting, to say the least. 


It's been a long journey for Leo, and it feels slightly unreal as we prepare to make our own journey to gather with the family in Wyoming to celebrate his life and mourn his passing.  

And I suddenly realized this evening - while cleaning up from dinner - that tomorrow is Eleanor's birthday - she would have been 76.  

We miss you both, already and still...

Broody hens

We've had a couple of broody hens this spring - first Lucy, currently Summer.  This is an annual phenomenon -> some hens just want to be moms...


How do you know when you have a broody hen? Well, for starters, she won't leave the nest box. Look for feathers: she'll have plucked out all of her breast feathers in order to have a very warm patch of soft skin to keep those eggs warm.  She won't be laying, but she'll be sitting on everyone else's eggs and keeping them warm (alas, no rooster in our coop, those eggs are NOT fertile).  She'll be clucking and shrieking and puffing herself up if you get near her.  She might peck you if you try to touch her, she'll definitely be pecking her flockmates and chasing them away from the nestboxes.


Also, check out the turkey-like tail display:

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Madder than a wet hen" ?  Well, one way to 'break' broodiness is to reduce the core temperature (I liken broody hens to menopausal women) - and a method employed by farmwives was to dunk broody hens in ice water.  Once you've met a broody hen, you'll fully understand that particular colloquialism.


Here is our garlic patch - looking good!

Our Ladies of Ballard

Last weekend I snagged these lovely portraits of our girls, aren't they magnificent?

 Jane

 Lucy

 Maggie

 Pepper

Summer

oh, and rhubarb!

What I like about May...

May is a welcome arrival in these parts...I woke up before 6am this morning to the sound of birds singing (and the intense need to pee) and it was light out!  Now that's what I'm talking about, Sherman...

It's the month of fuzzy neon green foliage, the scent of lilacs blooming, 5-egg days (!), and rain/sun/clouds/wind.  Peas tendrils are reaching up, spinach is unfurling, strawberries have flowers, asparagus is poking up through the sodden dirt, apple blooms are dropping petals (which the chickens love to eat), clematis has burst forth, pollen is poking my nose and eyes. 

It's also 'Bike to Work' month in Seattle. Thankfully my office has a team each year, which provides the kick in the ass I need to drag my cobweb-draped bike out of the shed and roll it down the hill.  Despite the stark reminder this activity provides about my utter lack of effort throughout the dark, rainy months of winter - here are a couple of things I really, really love about it:

Having to wait on the sidewalk on my bike at the Fremont Bridge while a boat passes under it (vs. idling in a car way back in the line):

Having to pause for the gaggle of goslings that are crossing the bike path at South Lake Union

Being hot and sweaty (as opposed to chilly and damp)

The riot of blooms that greet you around every bend in the road - and the sweetly scented air that accompanies them (lilac dominating at the present moment)

Being outside :)

Hidden treasures

Great weather here in the PNW for all those Easter egg hunts - sunny and warm! I spent most of the daylight hours out of doors, working in the yard and garden, admiring the hens, gathering eggs, and soaking up the rays...

Reluctantly headed down to the basement this afternoon to do a little work on our project - today it was demo on a dark, dirty closet that's tucked away in a corner. Dusty and cobwebby, and nailed together as if it were a tornado shelter - but hidden in the framing I found this delightful object:

Diarrhoea Remedy for Canaries - what will they think of next? Alas, the bottle is empty, but it will certainly have a place in our cabinet of curiosities...

Then there was this hidden treasure in our lilac bush:

Signs of spring

It may not be apparent to everyone just yet, but I know spring is coming when -

I'm overcome by a deep urge to open all the windows while doing my Saturday chores - no matter the temperature...

It occurs to me that I could hang the laundry out to dry on the clothesline...

Through open windows, I hear chirping bushtits, chickadees, juncos - and look out to see that the forsythia is blooming...

We suddenly have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge, and they didn't come from the grocery store.

It's HOCKEYTIME™!!

look out the window...

Hello 2012! You came charging out of the gate, eh?

As for what I've been up to the past few months, this cartoon resonated last week - I am resolved to spend more time near that window...

Home and back again...

Just back from a visit to 1 Trinity last week - had a great time seeing family & friends and traipsing around upstate NY in autumn. It's always been my favorite time of year - despite the fading light and somber anniversaries that accompany the Octobers of our adulthood...

And though I'm always glad to return home after my travels, it's with regret that I'm so far from those I so dearly love...

Here's to the next visit, and the next...

cw

3 years later...

Has it been that long? Has it only been 3 years....

Scott posted his recollections last night, reminding me once again how revealing it is to have a second set of eyes that catch/reflect events I've experienced, but only partially.

For me, that night is a blur, I'd had a long sleepless day in transit and after landing in Albany, spent the afternoon/evening at the hospital giving Scott a break and waiting for Shari to arrive (I think?)...we were at ICU late into the night, waiting for mom to stabilize. She finally did so I left to get some sleep, only to have the phone ring upon my arrival in the room at Becky's House: "You'd better come over..."

Mom had slipped away in the few minutes it took me to walk across the street. I returned, we spent the next couple of hours with her in the ICU room - an incredible experience, distressing and comforting and profound... Leaving her behind in that room was astonishingly difficult, even knowing as I did that she was no longer with us - I wasn't anywhere close to ready. And more than anything I wished that Wendy could have been there with us.

Before attempting sleep, I insisted we find a place to have a drink (at 2am). We found a little Irish pub around the corner, on the verge of closing but still open. What ensued was nothing less than a true upstate Irish wake - the sweet young bartenders took us under wing, Jameson's whiskey flowed freely, glasses were raised and toasts were made (to Eleanor, to mothers and grandmothers long departed), tears were shed along with our own, and eventually we were sent on our way, to face the dawning realization of what had just happened.

The days and weeks that followed were difficult and heartbreaking, stressful and comforting, and the power of love and encouragement that surrounded us and carried us along is hard to describe. I can say that - having been on the other side, as one who feels impotent and with little to offer - the mere presence of those who stood by us, and the quiet words of encouragement, comfort, condolence were incredible gifts whose impact can't be measured.

So, to all those innumerable friends and family members, acquaintances and near strangers who gathered around us in those most difficult days: thank you.

Summer! (?)

It's not that I intended to wait on my next post until something resembling the actual season showed up - just seems to have happened that way. Perhaps this will become a quarterly blog...

I know that I spend too much time complaining about the weather, especially given that Seattle is about the only place fit for humanity these days - but here's confirmation of my endless lament.*

I've developed a new mantra, however: It sure is good sleeping weather! (and I mean that sincerely). 'Nuff said on that topic.

What else has been going on since May, you might wonder? Well, the garden has blissfully ignored the external signals and carried on its merry way, and we've been delighting in our early summer harvest - rhubarb, strawberries, eggs, romaine, kale, raspberries, blueberries, and flowers galore.

We've had some time at Hood Canal feasting on sea protein of every sort, and in Eastern Washington soaking up the sun and sage.

We've been catching up (when I say we, I mostly mean Bob) on a significant backlog of deferred maintenance around the house.

We've been integrating our chickens (the 'babies' are 18 weeks old, and living out in the coop mostly amicably with the old lady hens) and amusing ourselves endlessly watching them express their inimitable chicken-ness.

I've been studying meditation, and spent my weekend at a retreat led by Sharon Salzburg - a little birthday present to myself, and time well spent.

We've been planning a little trip to the SW at the end of August, and getting excited about that.

We've been trying (slowly) to catch up with family and friends who may have been lost in the shuffle of what was actually a very busy 2010-11 school year!

We've been rejoicing with friends bearing good news (pending babies, good health restored, major accomplishments) and sending love to those with not so good news (passings, illness) - and carrying on with all that life brings us.

With that, I'll post (for goodness sake) - and promise to return soon.

* As it turns out, my birthday weekend was like a beautifully wrapped gift - two entire days of sunny, 80F weather. And I was happy to share it with the entire city, before it came to an apocalyptic end around 8am this morning.

Spring?

April 2011 - a month best ignored. Seattle's worst ever, in terms of cold and rain...That said, we've had plenty to keep us amused - if not completely distracted from the damp chillthatpermeated our bones!

Our baby chicks are morphing into awkward pre-adolescents, all feathering out and testing their wings:

First week chicks Fifth week chicks

The two 'replacement' blondes have acquired names at last (Maggie and Lucie), and have commenced to laying steadily - we're delighted to be in eggs once again:

We got 10+ yards of cow manure delivered a couple of weeks ago, and have been shoveling shit ever since - finally cleared the driveway at last, and spent today in the garden digging it into our vegetable beds, even planted a few starts (kale, broccoli, romaine) just to prove to myself that warmer weather is coming soon. Today was lovely, pure sunshine and mid-60's. Changes one's outlook, I have to say! Here are a couple of shots of our backyard in the sun:

More on chicks...

Since I'm not getting around to posting any pix/updates of my own - check out our dear friend Jason's entry on his blog, The Real Garden, about our newest members of the household.

Damn, they are cute.

Oh - we got our first egg of the season yesterday from the new adult chickens (we're still settling on names - they are eerily identical looking to Mabel and Leota) - a sure sign of spring!

A trip to the feed store...

Can you take a trip to the feed store to look at baby chicks and come home empty-handed?

Apparently not:

We brought these little darlings home from the Bothell Feed Store on Saturday afternoon, they're 6 days old today. They're cheeping and peeping away in the garage under their brooder lamp as I write, having managed to tear myself away for the evening not long ago.

A flock of 6 chickens in the city - are we crazy? Time will tell.

More on this topic in the coming weeks, no doubt...

March update

Spring is slowly emerging in the NW, soggy and grey for the most part with occasional patches of color...We're looking forward to the equinox this weekend - can it be that we're already halfway to summer?

It's been a wild month - earthquakes, nuclear catastrophes, and widespread misery for our neighbors in Japan, and the impacts ripple out from there touching all in its path to our western shores. This global web of ours is tightly woven, and it's hard to fathom the enormity of what's happened. The world anxiously watches, prays, grieves, mobilizes...And life carries on, albeit somewhat more gingerly.

We decided to acquire some companions for Amelia, after a month or so of pondering what the next move would be. Despite her age (8), we decided that it's no good to have only one chicken - such social creatures can't be happy alone for long, and she was showing signs of solitude. But since she's also the dominant hen, very young chickens wouldn't be able to hold their own against her. So after perusing craigslist for a couple of weeks, we happened upon a pair of 2-yr old Buff Orpingtons that needed a new home, and brought them home the other night.

They were introduced today, and so far it seems to be going ok. Started by putting them in the coop this morning, separated but able to see/hear each other. After a couple hours of that, we let them out in the yard all together under supervision. Minor bullying/pecking by Amelia - but nothing awful. After several more hours, we put them all in the coop together - and the establishment of the pecking order continues.

We're considering getting some baby chicks at the end of the month, and establishing a more age-diverse flock that will provide us with eggs every year while staggering the old-age end of life scenario we've had the past year with our original 3. Seattle allows up to 8 chickens per household now, I think we'd aim for 6 this year, and maybe add a couple each year or two?

Here are the new girls - they look just like Mabel and Leota, I know. No names yet.