Our evening

Somewhat randomly, but in my continuous effort to track the goings-on of our family on this blog, this post is largely about nothing - except what we did this evening.  Basically, we played a little football on the driveway while chickens and kittens wandered around us. Sounds boring, but it wasn't. It was lovely! No yelling, no fighting, no sweating (thanks to the shade and breeze) and no crying. 

Lately, due to an increase in coyote activity on the farm, we've been trying to stick a bit closer to the chickens in the evenings. Although, over the weekend a couple coyotes bit the dust - as in a friend brought a rifle over and shot a couple. I don't like guns, but I sure was thankful to have a couple less coyotes stalking our chickens.

 Lately, our basic evening activity at home involves football. Noah learned how to kick from a tee in P.E. today at school.

 The chickens and kittens were EVERYWHERE!

 Interesting fact, chickens don't eat okra.

 The orphan kittens relentlessly seek our attention - if they can see us, they'll be at our feet or climbing our legs.

 Over and over and over again this little one, the runt of the litter, came from the house/garden out to us on the driveway.

 Cute, but annoying and sad.

  Nice kick, Noah!

 The amount of destruction the chickens have completed in one of my flower beds is astounding to me.

 Back in August, when Austin and Lindsey had their wedding reception at the farm, this flower bed was overflowing with blooming zinnias and other flowers. Now the tallest zinnias remain, but they're dying from the chickens scratching at their roots.

 The dirt isn't even in the flower bed anymore because they've scratched most of it out! I put that dirt there this spring, and the bricks to help keep it there, and I'd like it left alone. Next time I plant something there, I will put chicken wire around it for protection. Lesson learned.

 Levi! He and I played catch with the football for a while (when I wasn't taking a kitten back to the garden to avoid actually stepping on it). He's great at throwing a football, good spiral, pretty strong arm and everything. He's taken what his P.E. teacher Mr. Biggs taught him to heart, "Step, point, throw." It truly does work for throwing an accurate spiral. Levi just can't catch a football. We're working on it, I predict that by the end of football season he'll be catching them without fail.

 Levi is the best out of Noah, Ben and Levi at petting and catching the chickens. I don't even try (no way!) but Levi likes the challenge.

 Speaking of challenges - try bottle feeding one kitten while FIVE others crawl on you!

Ahhh...just another evening at the Schrag house.