Sicky Chicky and New Grazing Pen

My Lace Brahma, Lace, is sick. No clue what the problem is. It's been going on for the last 3-4 days. She is still eating and drinking. No sign of mites or lice, I wormed 2 days ago. She lays down most of the time. She isn't flying out of the coop anymore, now she uses the ladder. I've been giving them scrambled eggs and plain yogurt and she's eating that. I started Poly-Vi-Sol today. It's actually an infant liquid vitamin that can be given to chickens. If nothing else, it won't hurt her. Ruby stuck her beak into the mix and got some too.

Completed pen. I only purchased the chicken wire. We used 2x3s that we already had and 2 2x4s. This is NOT a predator proof pen and isn't meant to be. I plan on using it only when they can be supervised. It's 70 inches long, 36 inches wide high and 40 inches wide.

Ruby sticking her beak in.

This is how Lace lays most of the time now. When she does move, it's very slow.

Easter

I didn't get too many Easter pics, but here are a few:

Connor and his basket:

The "basket" I painted for my niece:

Connor colored eggs for the first time:

Easter Eggs

Connor colored eggs for the first time a few days ago. We were supposed to color eggs with Jon's mom and niece, but plans were changed when she got sick. His mom brought over the eggs and a coloring kit. It's a no-spill kit and we won't be getting one again. It did not use vinegar and didn't color too well. Also, with the "no-spill" containers, Connor could only drop them in. We had to get them out and still needed a catch container for the liquid dripping out.

But he had fun and that's all that matters!

Trip to Cantigny

On Sunday, we took a family trip to Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL. I had never been there before, but my husband was when he was a kid. It's a 500 acre park with gardens, play areas, a military museum and much more. It was founded by Colonel Robert R McCormick, who was an editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune newspaper for 44 years (and a polo player).

The best part? The kids can play on tanks! Yes, tanks!
(click on any picture to enlarge it)

Two pics from inside the military museum (goes from WWI to Desert Storm):

The flag was captured in Germany and signed by Illinois servicemen.

This is the Exedra - the burial place of the Colonel and his first wife, Amy. She sounds like she led quite a life too. She served as a Red Cross nurse in WWI, raised Guernsey cattle, co-founded the DuPage County Hunt Club (foxhunting) and a no-kill animal shelter (in 1928 no less).

The exterior of their beautiful home:

Banana Bread and Chocolate Ice Cream

I love banana bread. Connor loves banana bread. Jon likes banana bread. I've experimented with a few different recipes, found some good ones, but no real keepers. I found this recipe on Pinterest, tried it, and now I have my keeper recipe!

Martha Stewart’s Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture. Blend well. Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir well. Stir in the nuts if using. Pour into a well greased loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then turn onto a rack to cool. Slice and enjoy!

Next time I may add toasted nuts and Nutella.

Ice cream... In the summer of 2002, when I worked at the Belgian Warmblood breeding farm, I bought an ice cream maker. I used it ONCE to make pumpkin custard that didn't set well (I think I rushed it and didn't let the base cool long enough). When I moved back home, it was put in the garage attic and then went missing. I was at my Uncle Roy's house last weekend and saw a familiar box... sure enough, written on top... "Ice cream maker". I found it! Almost 10 years later...

Of course, there was no manual. But, Rival still makes the same model, so the manual was easily found online. I didn't like their chocolate recipe and found another and modified it a bit. This recipe is based on Scoop Adventure's Sinful Chocolate Ice Cream, a dark chocolate recipe. I did not have dutch process cocoa, so used regular cocoa powder because that's what I had on hand. So here is my Lindt Chocolate ice cream recipe:

Lindt Chocolate Ice Cream

2 1/4 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 3.5 oz 70% Dark Chocolate Lindt Excellence Bar, chopped
1 3.5 oz Lindt Bittersweet Chocolate Bar, chopped
1 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(Scoop Adventure's directions) Combine the cream, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine. Heat the mixture, continuing to whisk frequently, until the mixture comes to a full boil (it will start to foam up). Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in the chocolate until it is completely melted. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. Pour the mixture into a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.

Transfer ice cream mixture to a medium bowl. Place in the refrigerator and chill the mixture thoroughly (at least 4 hours or overnight). Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place plastic or parchment over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

In the maker:

Right out of the maker:

After being in the freezer for a few hours:

This combo is quite good, not overwhelmingly sweet, a bit darker than milk chocolate, but not overbearing. It has Connor's and Jon's stamp of approval! I will be trying quite a few recipes from Scoop Adventures. She has cookies n cream, chocolate peanut butter, Nutella and a nice honey I'd like to try!

Connor

When I was in Girl Scouts, we went to White Pines Ranch in Oregon, IL. It was sometime between 1988-1990. I got this little toy horse there. Never did I imagine that I'd be giving it to my son to play with! It's gotten more use in the last few days than ever before. He carries it everywhere, even naps with it.

Connor helping Jon sweep out the garage.

Connor in the woods.

It's Spring!

Even though it feels more like summer. We've had record breaking temperatures for the last 8 days, like 80's in the middle of March. That is NOT normal for this time of year. While I LOVE it, I'm scared of what the summer is going to bring.

Crocus in bloom, already gone.

Red Haven peach tree is budding, nothing on the Bing cherry tree yet.

Yellow tulips that I got on clearance at Menard's three years ago.

Broken tree in the woods.

Daffodils around the unidentified nut tree. It had nuts the first year we were here (2006) and hasn't since.