- Cecile's Country Garden
- I'm a Canadian now residing in Sunny Arizona since 2002. Although I've been a city girl all of my life, I've always loved the country and the laid back life it offers. My love of the Outdoors, Animals,and Gardening comes from my mom Cecile, who loved her home in the country, but sadly passed away in 2005. I promised her I would grow a garden in her name, And I finally did, five years later. One of my best memories of her is how much she loved her garden. The glow on her face when she would show me something new, always creating a life with things she loved. She loved all animals. She taught me simplicity, to enjoy the small things, and see beauty in everything. Today I find myself doing the same things she did in her garden and in life. This blog was created to keep track of my projects and adventures. They may not all be successes, but my goal is to remain unintimidated by whatever engages my curiosity. I want to share this adventure with those who can appreciate the small things, the trial and errors, the simplicity in it all, but mostly,what my mom knew how to do best,just have FUN! *This blog is dedicated to her*
Jun 29, 2010
The Flock Has Arrived!
After weeks of going over each corner of the pen and making last minute adjustments, finally my chicks have come home :)
Over the weekend I got 4 little ones. Born on May 12, 2010.
One Leghorn, One Rhode Island Red, and two Barred Rocks. I will not go into detail but sadly the Leghorn fell victim to one of my sneaky dogs while I was distracted. It happened so fast and I hope this never happens again. I will make sure that it never ever does.
I mourned for a day, then headed out to get two more. I had to, I was so heartbroken and guilt-ridden.
I picked one Leghorn and another Rhode Island Red. Now I have 5 little ones running around the pen. They are quickly adapting to their space. How funny to see them head up the ramp when it's getting dark out. But they're not going in the coop yet. They like to just sit on the edge of the patio. That will have to change since they need to remain inside the coop at night. It's so cute how they all stick together and never separate.
It's an adjustment for everyone, especially my dogs. The mellow ones I brought in the coop for them to see and smell and that worked out just fine. They don't seem to bother with the new residents.
Chicks grow very fast so I intend to enjoy every minute of it. I look forward to checking up on them first thing every morning.
Over the weekend I got 4 little ones. Born on May 12, 2010.
One Leghorn, One Rhode Island Red, and two Barred Rocks. I will not go into detail but sadly the Leghorn fell victim to one of my sneaky dogs while I was distracted. It happened so fast and I hope this never happens again. I will make sure that it never ever does.
I mourned for a day, then headed out to get two more. I had to, I was so heartbroken and guilt-ridden.
I picked one Leghorn and another Rhode Island Red. Now I have 5 little ones running around the pen. They are quickly adapting to their space. How funny to see them head up the ramp when it's getting dark out. But they're not going in the coop yet. They like to just sit on the edge of the patio. That will have to change since they need to remain inside the coop at night. It's so cute how they all stick together and never separate.
It's an adjustment for everyone, especially my dogs. The mellow ones I brought in the coop for them to see and smell and that worked out just fine. They don't seem to bother with the new residents.
Chicks grow very fast so I intend to enjoy every minute of it. I look forward to checking up on them first thing every morning.
Jun 18, 2010
Jun 14, 2010
Jun 8, 2010
Bringing a Little Country Into My City Life!
Chickens in the City? Why not!
My mom’s love of chickens goes as far back as I can remember. When I was about 10 we had a hen in a bird cage in the back yard as a pet. She had picture frames of chickens everywhere. It wasn’t until we were all grown up that she could finally escape the city and have her flock she always dreamed of. Years ago I remember mom & dad telling me about their visit to the annual country fair and farmers auction, my poor mom misunderstood the auctioneer and bid on what she thought was one chicken but when she picked up the box it turned out she had 13! We laughed about that for years. But she enjoyed every one of them. She would spend hours watching their antics and getting her daily dose of entertainment. I am definitely looking forward to doing just that!
The urban chicken movement is on fire. The economy is tightening and more folks are getting into gardening and raising their own chickens, at least that's what I'm noticing. It’s exciting to hear friends wanting their own too.
Having a garden and plenty of space for a coop and pen in my yard, it makes sense to have chickens, especially since I compost everything I can. Chicken droppings enrich compost, they provide natural insect control and they actually produce something in return. EGGS! The Back to the Land Movement.
~Recent research published by Mother Earth News, a magazine dedicated to self-reliant and healthy living, found that eggs from chickens allowed to forage naturally have, on average, seven times more beta carotene (which is what makes pastured egg yolks so orange), three times more vitamin E, two times more omega-3 fatty acids and two-thirds more vitamin A than factory farm birds. Pastured eggs also have one-third less cholesterol and one-quarter less saturated fat, on average.
Now that part of my yard is zoned off for chickens, I am ready to add the final touches to this awesome little coop Tim has built. Although chickens aren’t fussy and don’t need fancy accommodations, he was determined to make this a creative one, which includes a patio! I must say though, these are going to be some lucky chickens!
I am thinking within the next two weeks I should be ready to have a flock of my own!
My mom’s love of chickens goes as far back as I can remember. When I was about 10 we had a hen in a bird cage in the back yard as a pet. She had picture frames of chickens everywhere. It wasn’t until we were all grown up that she could finally escape the city and have her flock she always dreamed of. Years ago I remember mom & dad telling me about their visit to the annual country fair and farmers auction, my poor mom misunderstood the auctioneer and bid on what she thought was one chicken but when she picked up the box it turned out she had 13! We laughed about that for years. But she enjoyed every one of them. She would spend hours watching their antics and getting her daily dose of entertainment. I am definitely looking forward to doing just that!
The urban chicken movement is on fire. The economy is tightening and more folks are getting into gardening and raising their own chickens, at least that's what I'm noticing. It’s exciting to hear friends wanting their own too.
Having a garden and plenty of space for a coop and pen in my yard, it makes sense to have chickens, especially since I compost everything I can. Chicken droppings enrich compost, they provide natural insect control and they actually produce something in return. EGGS! The Back to the Land Movement.
~Recent research published by Mother Earth News, a magazine dedicated to self-reliant and healthy living, found that eggs from chickens allowed to forage naturally have, on average, seven times more beta carotene (which is what makes pastured egg yolks so orange), three times more vitamin E, two times more omega-3 fatty acids and two-thirds more vitamin A than factory farm birds. Pastured eggs also have one-third less cholesterol and one-quarter less saturated fat, on average.
Now that part of my yard is zoned off for chickens, I am ready to add the final touches to this awesome little coop Tim has built. Although chickens aren’t fussy and don’t need fancy accommodations, he was determined to make this a creative one, which includes a patio! I must say though, these are going to be some lucky chickens!
I am thinking within the next two weeks I should be ready to have a flock of my own!
May 24, 2010
Mistaken Seed Order
Some time ago, when I was researching ways to attract butterflies in my garden I found an awesome organization dedicated to saving butterflies and their habitats. They were offering free packets of butterfly host plant seeds to encourage people to help protect them.
I couldn't wait for the frost to pass so I could plant my all my seeds in my garden.
As these plants grew they looked quite familiar but I couldn't tell yet since they were too small. But now I know. There was a mistake in the seeds they sent. Now I have about 10 plants of tomatoes growing with nearly 20 baby tomatoes so far! Oh well....looks like I will be giving out plenty of tomatoes very soon :D
I couldn't wait for the frost to pass so I could plant my all my seeds in my garden.
As these plants grew they looked quite familiar but I couldn't tell yet since they were too small. But now I know. There was a mistake in the seeds they sent. Now I have about 10 plants of tomatoes growing with nearly 20 baby tomatoes so far! Oh well....looks like I will be giving out plenty of tomatoes very soon :D
Baby Bird Season
I am so glad to have these huge pine trees next to my home. There are so many birds in there, and lately more noise than ever, especially in the morning when all the little mouths are hungry.
I've noticed Doves,Grackle,Sparrows,Hummingbirds and various other black birds I cannot identify at this time.I am not sure which ones have nests up there. Hard to tell with all the commotion going on.
This is the time where babies take their first flight. Fledglings hopping around on the ground crying for food, Mommy birds feeding them and doing their best to keep them safe. This is such a fragile time for them. Each time I see one flying low to the ground I need to keep an eye on my dogs.
Since it's been extremely windy I was afraid to see fallen nests and babies, and sadly, I did. One baby that fell in my yard didn't make it. I am also irritated by neighboring cats who sneak up on these defenseless babies.
A little while back I noticed a hummingbird nest that was built on a pine cone! Unfortunately I couldn't take a closeup picture of it, but yesterday I found this same nest on the ground. I sure hope the babies made it out on time.
How amazing to see such a small and delicate piece of art. This time I had to take a closeup picture.
As the babies are finding their way, the mornings will get quieter...
Apr 30, 2010
My Little Red Potatoes
I feel incredibly lucky to not have any issues with my potatoes. Much of the information I have found describe the problems with pests and disease when growing them. I've been keeping an eye on them daily to make sure they are fine. This is one of the easiest crops to grow. I haven't seen any weeds around them,unlike my other vegetables which leads me to believe that they make it very difficult for them to come through.
Its been 2 months since I planted them and I am curious as to how they are doing. Yesterday I decided to gently dig around one and discovered the neatest treasure! This is where I have a big smile on my face :)
I was too excited to let them be, and since I already have plenty more I decided to dig them out and have them for dinner.
Yummy!
Apr 26, 2010
It was a very constructive weekend. But to my displeasure I had to remove a brittle peach and apple tree. Seems like the transplant didn't work and went downwards after that. It's hard to diagnose what could have gone wrong.
But now there's room to plant new trees, and that I did. I planted a semi-dwarf peach tree and to my surprise the banana tree was showing a sign of life so I decided to place it where the apple tree was. It still looks empty in the yard. I'm looking forward to planting more mature trees in the near future.
The vegetable garden is doing well, although some of the squash seem to be growing at a much slower rate. The tomatoes seem to have done their time,the potatoes are doing really good, so are the onions. I transplanted the corn that were in the seed starter trays and I'm sure they will be fine too.
I had to get more herbs. There's never enough Oregano and Basil I'm always plucking at them to use in my kitchen!
For the first time I used Fish Fertilizer on all my plants so I'm hoping the extra nutrients will provide good results. I made the mistake of smelling it once I opened the bottle and that was a very nasty surprise.
And oh yes i saw a little watermelon plant that I couldn't resist because it was there all alone on a shelf at the store. I brought it home and placed it near my cantaloupe. I'm hoping some good melons will come from it.
But now there's room to plant new trees, and that I did. I planted a semi-dwarf peach tree and to my surprise the banana tree was showing a sign of life so I decided to place it where the apple tree was. It still looks empty in the yard. I'm looking forward to planting more mature trees in the near future.
The vegetable garden is doing well, although some of the squash seem to be growing at a much slower rate. The tomatoes seem to have done their time,the potatoes are doing really good, so are the onions. I transplanted the corn that were in the seed starter trays and I'm sure they will be fine too.
I had to get more herbs. There's never enough Oregano and Basil I'm always plucking at them to use in my kitchen!
For the first time I used Fish Fertilizer on all my plants so I'm hoping the extra nutrients will provide good results. I made the mistake of smelling it once I opened the bottle and that was a very nasty surprise.
And oh yes i saw a little watermelon plant that I couldn't resist because it was there all alone on a shelf at the store. I brought it home and placed it near my cantaloupe. I'm hoping some good melons will come from it.
Apr 15, 2010
April is Here :)
Spring is in the air, although seasonal changes in Phoenix aren't dramatic, there's still a sense of renewal when April comes around. Increasing daylight, the fruit trees are in bloom ~ the lingering smell of citrus blossoms is heavenly.The birds in full vocal mode, Seeds from the bird feeder have fallen and grown into towering golden-rayed flowers :) what joy to see folks stop by and tell me what a lovely forest of sunflowers I have in my front yard :)
Ahhh spring...
Time to go through the house and do some cleaning. And cleaning I've been doing a lot of. I have neglected to update my blog (thanks for the kind reminder Bud :)...)
So here I am,going through my cupboards,closets, the shed, wondering how I could have accumulated so much since I moved in this home just 8 months ago.
Hmmm, maybe it's from all those yard sales I can't resist stopping at every weekend.
I spend more money on the streets than in malls.... sigh
Much of this accumulated stuff are from ideas I get when redecorating, and my creative juices flow more often than I'd like to. I will keep adding and changing but can never settle with a certain look for too long. I guess it makes for exciting things to see in my home, which is refreshing, and also reminds me the other day while walking my dogs I spotted a chair that had been tossed in the trash.
I HAD to have it. Although the purple velvet is really not something I would normally be attracted to this chair had something about it that I really liked. All it needed was a little touch-up with a matching pillow and Voilà! It turned out to be the cutest little accent chair.
So with all I have gathered among the clutter, I decided to make my own yard sale this weekend. And hopefully with a good sale I will be able to purchase things that are REALLY necessary!
I plan to buy some more materials to put the final touches for the sitting area in my garden, and hopefully get some more fruit trees.
Sadly it looks like 2 of my fruit trees did not make it.I am still not certain as to why. However the Plum, Pear and Appple are exploding with new buds :) puts a smile on my face each morning when I check up on them.
Ahhh spring...
Time to go through the house and do some cleaning. And cleaning I've been doing a lot of. I have neglected to update my blog (thanks for the kind reminder Bud :)...)
So here I am,going through my cupboards,closets, the shed, wondering how I could have accumulated so much since I moved in this home just 8 months ago.
Hmmm, maybe it's from all those yard sales I can't resist stopping at every weekend.
I spend more money on the streets than in malls.... sigh
Much of this accumulated stuff are from ideas I get when redecorating, and my creative juices flow more often than I'd like to. I will keep adding and changing but can never settle with a certain look for too long. I guess it makes for exciting things to see in my home, which is refreshing, and also reminds me the other day while walking my dogs I spotted a chair that had been tossed in the trash.
I HAD to have it. Although the purple velvet is really not something I would normally be attracted to this chair had something about it that I really liked. All it needed was a little touch-up with a matching pillow and Voilà! It turned out to be the cutest little accent chair.
So with all I have gathered among the clutter, I decided to make my own yard sale this weekend. And hopefully with a good sale I will be able to purchase things that are REALLY necessary!
I plan to buy some more materials to put the final touches for the sitting area in my garden, and hopefully get some more fruit trees.
Sadly it looks like 2 of my fruit trees did not make it.I am still not certain as to why. However the Plum, Pear and Appple are exploding with new buds :) puts a smile on my face each morning when I check up on them.
Mar 15, 2010
Tattered Treasures
One of my favorite things to do is to rummage for unique items to furnish my home or landscape my patio and garden. It could be anything from rustic signs to old furniture that could use a little TLC.
Over the years I have accumulated stuff that I have stored knowing I would surely find something creative to do with someday. I see potential in the treasures others would consider junk, and how rewarding to see finished results :) Even one coat of paint can bring one piece to life again.
"Happiness is making the most of what you have."
Mar 10, 2010
When constructing the small sitting area of my garden I wanted some fragrant flowers nearby to enjoy so I planted Jasmine. The pretty white flowers seem to be blooming at night and what a treat to the senses even from a distance with a slight breeze! There's nothing like the heavenly smell of fresh blooming Jasmine flowers :)
It is known to have the power to eliminate stress and depression and I believe it!
It is known to have the power to eliminate stress and depression and I believe it!
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