Ducklings, Goslings & Coop Addition

Hey, everyone! I'm sorry that it has been awhile since my last update, but I hope this post makes up for it. A ton of pictures are involved but there's no such thing as too much cute. Right?

'Are you my mommy?' (One of my Brown Chinese Goslings)

I've had a lot going on this year...family stuff, medical (though everyone's fine now), deadlines etc...and that's largely why I was missing from social media for awhile. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that when life gets crazy and you don't have enough time in a day and you're physically and emotionally exhausted, that's when stopping...even for mere minutes...to do something you love...something that brings you joy and a sense of peace...is so important. If you don't recharge, you won't be able to help others (you all know the airplane oxygen mask rule about putting yours on first). For me, raising backyard chickens isn't just about having organic, pasture raised eggs, organic pest control, an endless supply of compost and the satisfaction of knowing I'm taking steps towards permaculture. Chickens make me happy. They have funny personalities and watching them free range is a beautiful sight. It's bucolic and serene and grounding.

So, naturally, I added 6 ducklings and 3 goslings to the family. What? You don't see the twisted logic in all that? I'm betting some of you backyard poultry keepers out there totally get it lol.

Oh, and I got Jersey Giant and Welsummer chicks too (3 of each) because I'm dying to try the breeds and eventually narrow down to a few favorites. As for the quantities, that in part had to do with minimum ordering laws around here. Bottom line is I had a lot of babies brooding in the basement in March/April!

'You know I'm irresistible'. (One of my Pekin ducklings)

I know you're wondering why I'd go and add more work to my schedule when I'm so busy as it is. For one thing, I've been wanting to try my hand at raising ducks and geese. I have so many pics to post that I'll have to leave all the reasons why they're great to raise for another time, but suffice it to say, I'M IN LOVE! I wish I'd gotten them years ago. Now, I still love my chickens, but I have to say ducks are flat out hilarious, geese are like puppies and both are incredibly smart and easy to train. I still struggle to get my chickens in their coop for the night, but all it took was 3 days to train my waterfowl and they caught on. Now, all I have to say is, "Go home. Go to bed." In fact, the ducks/geese are so smart that when they see me urging the chickens in their coop, they get in their house on their own and wait for me to lock the door (my birds free range but get locked up at night for safety).

Anyway, I won't keep you waiting on the pics. I've included some of the duck/goose house we built too. I'll go in chronological order, so first up are the chicks I got (all female). I did post some pics back in May on the Heartwarming blog, if you want to check them out too (not nearly as many as here though).

Cleopatra...one of 3 Jersey Giant chicks

One of 3 Welsummer chicks 

I had to order the ducks through my local farm store and (after much breed research and not being able to decide) I got 2 Pekins, 2 Rouens and 2 Khaki Campbells. These were unsexed so I had no idea what I'd end up. Turns out I have a boy and girl from each breed! I picked up the ducklings on April 12 (they were about 2 days old).

Pekin and KC napping

I love how they make eye contact. Remember, ducklings and goslings imprint (something I didn't experience with chicks.) You can see the rouens in the background.

So here they are in a giant plastic tub brooder. I have a giant dog crate that my birds graduate to before the tub gets too snug. Let me tell you, ducklings and goslings grow much faster than chicks! Like, freakishly fast.

So the Pekins were named Spirit and Karma. The Rouens are Lapis and Lazuli (because of the color they get on their wings) but my kids insisted on naming one Nathan Drake, so Lazuli is only his middle name. The Khaki Campbells are Amber and Topaz (because of the gem color but also because of the 'top'...he ended up being crested). 

The pic above gives you an idea of how I set up the dog crate as a brooder. I had read up on all the different methods folks use to keep them dry (ducklings + water = mess) and went through a series of trial and errors. This first set up used old towels (reserved for pets). The water is on a foil covered pan with paper towels. I got tired of taking the real towels out two-three times a day to hose off and hang dry. Plus, it was kind of gross. The thing is, I'm very smell sensitive so I tend to keep my brooders/coops very clean. Also, to waterproof the crate and to keep the little ones from escaping or getting their heads caught, I cut up an old box in strips (vacuum box) and taped it around the crate then lined the bottom and a few inches up the walls with empty feed bags.

"Mommy, play with us, please!"

Here they graduated to drinking from a plastic container with holes cut in the top. It's weighted down with a few river rocks. I think I read about this idea on www.Backyardchickens.com and it worked great to keep the kids from jumping in for a swim.

Happy ducklings! They're about 1.5 weeks old here. See how fast they grow in just a week?

Very soon I switched to a jug with holes (again, not my original idea). The marker around the holes seemed to help them see where to stick their heads (at least 'till they caught on). Notice how they all started pairing up by breed?  They're about 2.5 weeks old here. Same crate. Much less room.

Swimming outside at about 3 weeks

So remember how I got tired of using towels? I ended up using pee pads. I got the largest 'human' sized ones on sale (cheaper than puppy pads) and changed them out as often as needed. Now, I'm all about recycling and composting and minimizing what goes into landfills, but the towel washing situation was just more than I had time or energy for after awhile. Plus, we're on well water so all that washing was using water and electricity (pump). I hated using disposable pads, but I was desperate and OMG did it make life easier. More expensive, but a huge time and labor saver. And btw, I did try pine shavings (which I use in my chicken coop), but they kept eating them. I mean, really eating them, so I stopped.

Confession: I had convinced myself that I could wait until next year to try geese. I flip flopped a bit, but I missed the ordering date and figured that was that. But then my farm store went and posted on FB that they had some extra goslings. I needed to pick up bedding anyway for the chickens and figured I'd just take a look at the babies while I was there.

I came home with three.

I'm sorry but I couldn't resist. I figured the fact that I missed the order date, yet the store still ended up with a few and I just happened to see their post about it...was a sign. I was meant to take them home. Don't you love backyard poultry keeper logic? My husband hates it lol.

Anyway, these were Brown Chinese goslings and I'd read about how they're guard and weeder geese. There was one who I immediately suspected was a male. He was so much bigger than the rest (but still a baby based on no feathers)...bigger head and acted bolder and more curious. He would not take his eyes off me. He had me at hello. That imprinting thing is powerful both ways. So I got him along with two of the smallest, dainty looking goslings (presumably female). Now that they're older, I can tell you I got the sexes right. The goslings were less skittish than both the chicks and ducks from the start. In fact, they begged to be held and wanted nothing more than a lap cuddle. I'm telling you, feathered puppies!

That's my boy right up front. Can you tell? I named him Gandalf and his two ladies are Galadriel (the larger female, who he's bonded with the most) and Tauriel (who's very attached to me...she's on the right).

I started them in the plastic brooder, but this time I have a pee pad in there.

Gandalf on the left, Galadriel on the right and little Tauriel in the middle.

Only about a week old and you can already tell who's boss.

They're so fluffy but feel completely different than chick fluff. They feel dense like a my kid's stuffed animal dolls (had to clarify there;).

They literally would try and climb out of the brooder to get to my lap. You know you're doomed when you start singing the 'Goosey, goosey gander. Where shall I wander?' nursery rhyme to goslings in your lap.

First day outside! Notice the cage? It's an old rabbit cage I got when we had guinea pigs. I use it for transitioning chicks outside, so the older birds can watch without pecking.

Gandalf on the left, Galadriel up front and Tauriel in back. Notice I put a hole in the lid of a butter tub for water.

Yum! Clover!

By the way, even before they went outside, I was clipping clover, grass and dandelions etc...and putting them in their brooders. I give all my babies (meaning chicks too) fresh greens from outside, along with dirt (as well as some chick grit), crumbled eggs and other nutritious foods. I'm not one to stick with just bagged feed. I also use things like oregano, other herbs and organic apple cider vinegar in the drinking water for gut health and to help prevent parasites (since I raise them organically and don't use chemical wormers).

The ducks on the same day. They're about a month old here. Notice the crest on Topaz's head? It's also really easy to tell boys from girls at this point. The girls quack loudly and the boys sound raspy like they want to quack but they've been smoking for too many years ;)...or like they have laryngitis.

The goslings in the back are two weeks old here. They all get along. The ducks were sweet and welcoming from the start! So different than my chickens who are ready to attack newcomers. I read somewhere that ducks have a 'let's party, the more the merrier' attitude. So true!

Sooooo....big piece of advice. These Brown Chinese are a swan goose. They get tall very fast. I had to move them to the big dog crate, only I still didn't have the duck/goose house done. But the ducks were too big for the crate. Which meant I had to get creative for a week with the ducks in the basement. The pee pads helped but I still ended up bleaching the area/floor when they moved out at the end of that week! These guys can make a swimming pool out of a single drop of water.

Advice? Have their outside home ready to go before you get them!

The good thing is ducks are easy to contain. Chickens would have flown out of this in a flash. I had left over bubble wrap insulation and taped it into a 'play pen'. I was constantly giving them water (they drink tons) so I used the jugs in waiting to help brace the walls. The red bin on the right is the bottom of the old guinea pig cage. It helped contain the water a little.

We did finally get the house done. It's attached to our chicken coop, which we also built from scratch. you can see some of that process in this old post HERE. The area is on an incline, hence the concrete blocks for leveling. It's also screwed into the back of the coop, which sits securely on 4x4's in the ground.

The steps aren't made yet, but they've been getting in by hopping on this plastic platform and some cinder blocks.

I had coated the floor of the chicken coop with Blackjack 57 roof sealer (another tip from www.backyardchickens.com). It made washing the coop out so much easier. So I coated the entire inside of the duck/goose house so that I can easily hose it out if needed. Keeping their water outside really makes a difference with keeping things clean. I also started with straw, but found out what's available has herbicide in it. I switched to the same pine shavings we use in the chicken coop and it has worked out well. I compost and I don't want my birds or my garden beds getting an herbicide dose.

One thing I did this time around is that I don't have a lip at the front. This way, when I wash the house out, everything can flow right out or get raked out (the compost is a few feet in front of  it, which makes that easy). I don't have to worry about much bedding falling out because these guys don't scratch like chickens. Also, since this house is lower to the ground (the way ducks and geese like it), I didn't put big windows like the coop has because I didn't want my dogs looking in at night. Instead, I used corrugated roofing sheets that let light in.

Also, note that I had not drilled/cut the extra side and door ventilation in this pic but they were done before the kids moved in.

Roofing sheets on top of hardware cloth. I put hardware cloth first for predator proofing. The corrugated sheets allow extra ventilation along the edges as well. The window in the back is part of the 8x8 chicken coop. The duck/goose house is 8x4 but I also put a mesh divider in the middle to keep the ducks and geese separate. It only took a few minutes for me to see that the geese would trample the ducks if I didn't (not on purpose, but because of size). They can see each other and chit chat though ;).

All vents are covered with hardware cloth attached with washers and screws.

And a few more pics...

Gandalf the Great

BTW, although my geese are named after Lord of the Rings characters, sometimes I refer to them as 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. After all, they're guard geese ;).

Wing color coming in!

Taken recently...

Geese eat grass like nobody's business. They love weeds too.

One of my favorite shots when they were getting their feathers.

'Don't you dare forget about us!'
(Baldy...who is finally growing new feathers)

Sorry, I know that was a ton of pics, but I hope you enjoyed them. If anyone has questions about any of the above, feel free to ask in the comments. I'm not an expert, but I'm happy to share my experiences or what I've tried. I will add, for those thinking about waterfowl, you don't have to have a pond or lake. I have a creek, but they haven't been there yet. They do, however, need to be able to wash up, submerge their heads, preen and just have the kind of water fun they deserve to have. I bought a plastic kid pool on sale (less than ten dollars and now I saw some for less than five) and have another tub that I rinse/refill three times a day (they muck the water up). I move them around so that no particular area ever gets muddy. So far, so good.

That's all for now! I need to get back to working on book 5 in my 'From Kenya, with Love' series. Book 4 releases December 2017! It's titled 'Every Serengeti Sunrise' (my working title stuck) and is up for preorder. I haven't seen the blurb or cover yet, though. I will say that these next three books revolve around the kids from the first three...all grown up.

I'm also headed to RWA Nationals 2017, so I'll post pics soon. I'll be posting some on the Heartwarming Authors blog on Tues, Aug 1st with my friend, the lovely Catherine Lanigan too.

Stay tuned and take care :)!

Happy Holidays!

My Winter Woodland themed tree

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! WISHING YOU PEACE, LOVE, HAPPINESS AND GOOD HEALTH IN 2017 AND BEYOND.

P.S.  Check out more Harlequin Heartwarming authors' Christmas Trees (and pets) on the Heartwarming blog today! HERE

A Peek at My Fall Decor and Crocheted Scarf & Hat

Happy Harvest & Halloween!

I know Thanksgiving and Halloween haven't arrived yet, but I love the autumn season so much that fall decorating around my house begins as early as the fall equinox. I simply can't resist. It's also an ongoing process. It all begins with my stored decorations, but I always add to my collection when I see all the fall decor in stores. I do, however, typically wait until things go on sale (which is pretty early since Christmas hits shelves by early October...which seems crazy)...plus I always grab an online coupon to make my finds extra fabulous ;).

First off, I love to crochet when the cool weather hits. I'm not perfect at it and I'm not a pro, but I find it fun and relaxing. I've been wanting a super soft, fall colored, casual scarf and hat and, when I was in Joann's Fabrics recently, I found the perfect yarn. In fact, it's even called 'Harvest'! It's by Lion Brand Yarns (#377 for those who like to crochet or knit). I also added a rim to the hat using Lion Brand 'Herb Garden' (#410). I'm sorry that I don't have a specific pattern to use because I kind of wing it when I crochet. I can tell you that I mainly used a shell pattern with some single and double stitches in between...and a 6mm hook. I wanted it to have a loose pattern. Here's what I came up with (that's my totally Halloweenish black cat Nimbus inspecting my work in the first pic and his brother Storm peeking down from the upper corner in the second):

Rula's crochet handiwork

Another shot of Rula's crocheted hat and scarf

I also love owls and manage to include them in my decor year round. I have some that I only pull out for fall and others that transition through all seasons. I won't show pics of  all of them, but here are a few I incorporated into my fall decor:

Owl over Rula's fireplace. This one can hold a votive candle.

A recent owl 'bargain' I found, plus fall leaves from my backyard

By the way, I tend to include fall leaves around my home and they were all found on my property then dried/pressed by me. Free decor!

This very heavy owl is always in my kitchen. The mini pumpkins on top of votive candle holders are a substitute for real flames. No fire hazard here!

I seriously love pumpkins too! Talk about multipurpose decorating and getting your money's worth. They go from fall decor to jack-o-lanterns to roasted seeds and pie...and even chicken food! I especially like the white ghost pumpkins. So cool!

Pumpkins at Rula's front door

Pumpkins stacked on a planter at Rula's front door. Quick and easy decor.

Ooooh and then there's Halloween. 

Rula's butternut squash witch

A recent find on sale!

And a bit of spook. My teen son made the vials by filling them with water and food coloring and adding labels like 'Dragon's Blood', 'Basilisk Venom' and 'Mermaid Essence'. Can't have Halloween without some Harry Potter references!

I'm not done decorating and these are just a few of the things I've set out, but the season is young! :) Feel free to pop by this Pinterest board where some of the other Harlequin Heartwarming authors are posting fall/Thanksgiving ideas too!

What's your favorite fall decorating item or theme?

A Heartwarming Thanksgiving & Sweepstakes!

Happy October!! This is my absolute favorite month of the year. I'm a total autumn addict and can't get enough of fall colors, pumpkins and apple everything.

Now, I promised that I'd fill you in on some great news...

First off, Through the Storm was the final book on my first contract with Harlequin, BUT I recently signed a new SIX book contract with them. Yay!!!! The next three books will continue as part of my From Kenya, With Love series :) and the three after that will be part of another series...something a bit different but still Harlequin Heartwarming. I'm so excited about these next books!

Secondly, remember how After the Silence was honored as a Maggie Award Finalist? Well, this summer I found out that it is also an Aspen Gold contest finalist!! I'm so grateful and humbled!

Finally (for now ;)), what better way to usher in fall than with Thanksgiving themed stories and a huge GIVING THANKS SWEEPSTAKES (scroll down for details)? It might be awhile before my next Kenya book releases, but in the meantime, my connected short story, The Sweetheart Tree, is part of a 13 story Thanksgiving anthology releasing (along with scrumptious recipes...like my butternut squash cheesecake) November 1, 2016! A Heartwarming Thanksgiving is up for pre-order now! These stories were out for a limited time last year, but now they're back so you can have the keepsake collection to enjoy every year as a fall tradition.

"Count down to Thanksgiving with one of our 13 poignant Harlequin Heartwarming short stories. This is a time to get together with family and friends, and reconnect over pumpkin pie and hot apple cider…or read about the stories where heroes and heroines struggle to get their dream holiday!"

Snow Day Baby by Amy Vastine

Wedding at Turkey Run by Liz Flaherty

Her Thanksgiving Soldier by Leigh Riker

Mr. Right All Along by Jennifer Snow

Falling for the Cowboy by Sophia Sasson

The Marriage Gift by Tara Taylor Quinn

Heart of a Hero by Pamela Tracy

Thankful for You by Karen Rock

Autumn at Jasper Lake by Carol Ross

The Firefighter’s Promise by Kate James

Wedding of His Dreams by Cari Lynn Webb

The Sweetheart Tree by Rula Sinara

Married by Thanksgiving by Melinda Curtis

Amazon 
BN
Harlequin

including...

The initials were still there, carved in their tree…
Environmental activist Serena Myss thrives on difficult situations, so tying herself to a tree in her hometown to protect a wildlife habitat should be a no-brainer. Except she hasn't been back in five years—not since her brother died. Not since Austin, the man she loved, failed to save him. It's not just any tree, either. Serena and Austin carved their initials in its trunk and shared their first kiss under its canopy. But Serena's not one to let her emotions get in the way of a cause. Even if seeing Austin brings up all the pain she's tried to escape…and new feelings she can't ignore.

AND YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS SWEEPSTAKES!

We are giving away a grand prize consisting of a $70 Amazon gift card and one previously-released, signed book from each of the anthology's 13 authors (approximate value of US $150). We are also offering three second-place prizes of $10 Amazon gift cards.
Check out this post for all the details and a link to enter: http://heartwarmingauthors.blogspot.com/2016/10/were-giving-thanks-sweepstakes.html

And there's more!

We're also hosting a FACEBOOK PARTY scheduled for November 3rd, 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time. All thirteen authors will be participating, sharing stories, recipes and more. And, of course, there will be lots of giveaways! Let us know if you're coming HERE.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot. Remember last year's USA Today and Nationally Bestselling A Heartwarming Christmas anthology? The one that includes my story, The Gingerbird House? It's on sale for a limited time for only 99cents on Amazon!! And though I don't have a story in it this year, you can revisit Christmas Town, Maine and many of the same authors in A Heartwarming Holiday!

See? Isn't fall the best time of year? :)

Now, I'm off to buy more pumpkins and mum. You can't have enough pumpkins and it's hard to choose between all the cool colors and shapes. Plus, at the end of the season, my kids can do some fun pumpkin smashing so our chickens can have a feast :).

RWA 2016 National Pics Part 2

Wow! August is almost over and only now am I getting the second set of RWA pics I promised posted! I've been a little MIA online because of so much happening this month, but I'll save all that for my next post. In the meantime, here are a few more pics from RWA Nationals this past July. This time I'm focusing on some of the goodies we get at Nationals :).

First, everyone has to wear a lanyard/badge at the meeting and it's tradition (for those who wish) to put meeting pins (we get them annually) and any award pins on our badge. Here's mine from this year:

In my last post, I shared photos from the famous Harlequin Party. Remember the close up of me with my awesome girlfriends Jeannie Watt and Jamie Dallas? Well, let's zoom out so you can see the wonderful booties Harlequin provides at the party for more comfortable dancing. Every year they're a different color and this year they were...

I collect my soft Harlequin booties and use them every winter to keep my feet warm while typing away at a book. I love them!

In fact, green seemed to be the theme this year, which coincidentally happens to be the color for Harlequin Heartwarming. This year, instead of giving us pre-stuffed goodie bags, RWA set up a room where meeting attendees could walk through and stuff their own bags (separate from the 'Goody Room' where authors put promo/giveaway items). The totes this year were sponsored by Harlequin.

and the flip side...

The Harlequin Heartwarming authors were also giving away totes at RWA and they kept with the green theme...even if the shade was a bit different.

Here are a few of the items that were in the RWA tote room, including a selfie stick, fruit juice/water bottle (it has an inner core you can put chunks of fruit in to flavor water) and a pool/beach towel. There was so much more, including tons of books.

Oh and you have to love Harlequin for the book marks they provided at the Harlequin Book Signing (I think I may be missing one but I can't recall what it was!)...

Here are a few pics of San Diego views:

USS Midway

I wish I had pics of everything I got, but suffice it to say my suitcases were full on the trip home. And even with all the goodies we got, the best gifts I brought home with me were the memories of time spent with friends and tons of inspiration.

I'll leave you with a wall plate I won at a Harlequin gathering at RWA Nationals a few years ago. It has been hanging in my office ever since.

And a door knob sign courtesy of brilliant author Kristan Higgins at this year's RWA. It's hanging on my office door and my kids are getting a kick out of it. I hope it works!

I'll be posting again soon because I have news! :)

RWA 2016 Nationals Pics Part 1

I'm back from RWA (Romance Writers of America) Nationals in San Diego where the weather was absolutely spectacular! It was heavenly and the entire meeting was infused with a more relaxed California vibe. Loved it!

The best part about Nationals, for me, is getting to see everyone in person. I always look forward to reconnecting with my dear friends and RWA roomies, Jeannie Watt and Jamie Dallas. They're my rocks and I can't imagine RWA without them. For those of you who are new to my blog (or to my writerly history), Jeannie is the incredible western romance author who befriended and mentored me years ago...and wouldn't let me leave a Harlequin Heartwarming open house (where, at the time, Senior Editor Victoria Curran was taking pitches) until I pitched an idea. That pitch turned into my first sale and debut, The Promise of Rain. You can re-read the details of that Call story here.

I absolutely loved getting to see all of my other friends, including the lovable and unstoppable Harlequin Heartwarming crowd (I like to call them the Heartwarmers). This is an amazing group of women who are like one big family. This year was extra special because I finally got to meet Heartwarmer Catherine Lanigan in person. Catherine and I have been Heartwarming blog sisters forever now and we clicked from day one. She's simply a gorgeous, genuine and an all around phenomenal woman who I'm honored to know. Getting to meet and spend time with her in San Diego was the highlight of this trip.

In fact, Catherine and I were thrilled that our awesome Heartwarming sis Kate James made it to Nationals! We had a wonderful time hanging out and catching up :).

I'm afraid to leave anyone out, so forgive me if you don't see your name or pic here! I saw soooo many wonderful people that it's impossible to name them all. If I forget to mention you, know that I still love you and loved seeing you. I'm running out of hours today so I'm just going to post the pics I have. Enjoy!

I autographed books at the Harlequin Book Signing with Catherine Lanigan. Note the photograph of her with actress Kathleen Turner on the set of Romancing the Stone. Catherine wrote the novelizations (as Joan Wilder) of both Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile. 

Rula and Catherine Lanigan at the Harlequin Signing

Anna J Stewart, myself and Catherine Lanigan at the Harlequin signing. 

At the RWA Literacy Autographing

My set up for the RWA Literacy Autographing. I was giving away canvas totes with the book cover on them and matching bookmarks.  It was an honor to be signing among a group of big name, incredible authors. And great news! This year, RWA succeeded in hitting the million dollar mark for funds they've raised for literacy!! 

And pics from the famous Harlequin Party...

My besties Jamie Dallas and Jeannie Watt 

Me and Jamie

Jeannie Watt, me and Cheryl Harper

Kate James, Elizabeth Heiter and me

Me and the lovely Roz Denny Fox

Roz Denny Fox, Kate James and Catherine Lanigan

The ever fun loving Carol Ross, Anna J Stewart and Cari Webb

Marion Ekholm, Amy Vastine and me

Me and girlfriends Catherine Lanigan and Kate James

Kate and Catherine

The sweet Cheryl Harper and me

And at the RITA/Golden Heart ceremony...

Kristan Higgins

Robyn Carr accepting her award

And just to show you how much fun the Harlequin party is. I present you with the Heartwarmers.

There were more pics and a repeat of a selfie from two years ago for old times sake, but I need to hunt them down for a part two to this post!

Stay tuned!