MC St Patty's Drawing

 Jenna won a prize!  She is so excited.

if all goes according to plan, they will reopen April 1
and we will go later that week for Jenna's birthday.

toothpick from cupcake and button from library

sugar cookie wrapper and indication

They're Still NOT Our Chickens

 On March 12 I posted the following to my facebook page

To which I received this comment:

“I think most towns’ chicken ordinances say NO roosters within the city limits.  Just because of the noise.”

My reply was that we just don’t seem to fit into that “most town” mold.  Two days later we received a knock on our door from a very angry homeowner that I didn’t even recognize.  She came here to complain about our chickens.  I told her the chickens are not ours.  She didn’t believe me.  I get it.  They do seem to spend far much more time in our yard than they do their own and will follow Roland around as though he is the Pied piper.  Roland is allergic to feathers.  Go figure.

I don’t think I even knew they were there until the end of July – perhaps just before.  It doesn’t appear I made mention of them in my blog until August 2 – though I refer to the pigs more than the chickens.  Jenna and I had walked around to the house where the chickens live to let the owners aware that two or three chickens were in our yard.  We didn’t understand the term free-range chicken and neither of us seemed to be bothered that they were in our yard. 

I don’t remember when two or three chickens at the top of the hill became 15 chickens plus roosters invading our front yard as well as the back.  My problem is having them soil the deck which Roland says he doesn’t mind cleaning for three dollar eggs (which is how he averaged the cost).  They had discovered the bird seed that gets knocked on the ground and have gone beyond our boundaries and into other neighbors as well.  Our neighbors to the west have a problem with the free-roaming chickens – and I suppose I do too to a degree – but not enough to risk starting a feud with the neighbors. 

I just think the average mindset of those that reside (and have for generations) in this area as opposed to one who may have lived in West Valley, Utah where restrictions apply and the average person seems more uptight because of all the rules and regulations whereas there are several human beings who have just never considered how another person (neighbor) might react to their casual ways.  The neighbors to our west are NOT happy with the livestock who live in the area.

On February 15^th I mentioned that Roland had added to the bird food supply separating the flying wild fowl and getting a more enriched product geared to chickens to feed the neighbor’s animals though it really is not his responsibility to feed them.  He just has a good heart. 

He had purchased some coops where the hens can lay their eggs as we’d really not have them lay under the porch and have a rotten egg smell this coming summer.  We were told that we could keep whatever eggs we could find – not to go out and encourage it.  So it might appear that we are the owners and Jenna had asked, “How do you prove that something is NOT yours?”

I don’t know if posts on a blog would be any proof – especially this one that is after the fact of being called out on the chickens that are still roaming around.  The neighbors behind us have put wind flowers upon a fenced in garden in order to keep the chickens out. 

interesting, if not colorful, idea

Roland and Jenna said they would miss the chickens if they were to leave.  I don’t know if I would or not.  I would definitely not miss the crow of the roosters. 

I know it would be better for Bonnie if the chickens were gone as she seems to be intimidated by their very presence.  I don’t know why.  She used to go out in the yard with no problem, but I think it was easier when there were only a few of them and not a cackling army. I certainly wouldn’t miss the mess they leave.  But perhaps there are things that would annoy me more if they weren’t around – like bugs.  I fear if the chickens disappear we will have more flies – especially if there are rotten eggs beneath the back porch.  I suppose I would rather deal with their crowing and crap and than the flies for even a day.  I HATE insects.

Last night we went for a walk - Roland's idea.  Jenna and I had him hold onto Bonnie.  About seven chickens were behind us as we left the driveway.  Almost four made it to the corner but than two turned back.  We crossed the street at the corner, but the two remaining chickens turned at the corner and went a direction different from the one we chose.  How humorous it would have been if all the chickens had followed us for our entire walk.  

11 out of 11

           I don’t know where Jenna came up with that number but that is how she had rated St. Patrick’s Day this year.  After being denied the opportunity of the annual Grunge Plunge (see here)  for the last two years not to mention the annual Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating downtown (thank you so much COVID) it was decided to involve several of the downtown businesses to participate in a St. Patrick’s Day celebration which Jenna has been looking forward since the beginning of this month it seems.

          Jenna started out the day by eating a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast. She decked out in green because Spirit dressing is a large part of personality. 

We left the house later than we had hoped.  She said Scooby Doo would be at Good Dog’s Bakery.  Though he represented the bakery, he was really across the street.  

We made our way around a few of the participating businesses and received green doughnut holes at TrueBlood realty and sugar cookies from MSK Hardware  - Jenna also received a leprechaun hat (which she ended up holding in place with her cone hat – which gave the appearance of a witch or what she thought might look like a green crayon).

          After exploring downtown Myrtle Creek we headed to the library in Riddle and assisted for just a bit before Roland summoned us to return home.  

Jenna had really wanted to participate in the treasure hunt, but we were at a point where the schools were letting out and I didn’t much want to drive around Riddle looking for clues (especially since I am not familiar enough with Riddle to know where to search).

          Later we all went for a walk so that Bonnie and Roland could get some needed exercise. Jenna was a bit sulky but did try to focus on what she enjoyed.  She said she rated the day 8 out of 11.

          The young women were scheduled to play volley ball, but did not have a ball to throw and so we stopped by Dollar General and retrieved this purple ball.

 When she returned home from said activity she wore a smile on her face.  She held her ball and the cup she had used for refreshments – her final snack for the night – Lucky Charms.  She said she rated the day with an 11 out of 11.

Three Houses in Nauvoo

 
          I was not the only one signed up to tour Nauvoo yesterday.  I thought we would see more of the city, but it was raining and thus we did not see much of the outside.  The tour covered only three houses. There was a set of missionaries for each house we saw.

Those residing at the homes had names I was not even familiar with – nor did I have the correct spelling on the first and so had to look it up – though I still did not find many references for those residing in the first house. This first house belonged to William and Ester Gheens (here)

The final pic shows the outside view.  

They did not take us outside but did show a picture

inside - just behind the yellow door (from above)

standing in the kitchen of the Gheens home

Behind the tree is the Nauvoo Temple.

The second house we saw was that of William and Caroline Weeks (here). 

The ceilings are quite low and everything
looked so small - like we were in a playhouse.

First they showed us where the house was in relation to their neighbors and to the temple. 

I think this is the Hunter house from a distance

I think the house in the background
is Gheens where we had come from

We were shown some architect samples and tools. 

The waste basket represents some original designs that had been discarded after a conversation with Joseph Smith. (See here for more information)

This next pic shows a parlor bench with two hats which represent the Relief Society sisters who would have made their visits.

We were shown the bedroom  and were told that though there were eleven children born to the couple, only three lived.

The last set of missionaries showed us the house of Edward Hunter who was the third bishop to reside in the Church (here)

The pineapple paper is not authentic to the house but the missionaries explained the symbolic welcome message and imagined it could have been part of the characterization of the house as it seemed to represent the Hunters.

The temple can be seen out this window and up the stairs (we did not view beyond the stairs) was a “hideout” room where we were told the Prophet would sometimes use to escape his persecutors. 

My understanding was during one of these moments is when Joseph had recorded the revelation of baptisms for the dead

The sisters had also taken us to the “pantry” which was known as the bishop’s storehouse as the members of Nauvoo were able to build up supply for those in need.

Members back then did not pay tithing in money as many members
do today; they filled baskets with trade items (such as produce or livestock)

a collection of blankets and other items

The final picture was a view outside the window of the Hunter house

notice how there’s no snow in this pic

 Back to the Gheen’s house. 

Wm Gheens died June 15, 1845.  Chairs set up
for those who had come to pay their respects