As part of our year OFF and away from our regular routines we're shifting perspectives - changing our point of view. So here we are living in small town (actually, Pangman is a Village) Saskatchewan and loving every minute of it. Our little house is less than a thousand square feet but the yard is big and the view from our front window is nothing short of spectacular.
So the education continues. Grandpa has taught Erik how to change tires and the oil on the half ton. Grandma agreed to purchase ten baby chicks for Dieter to raise. We all agreed that chickens would work for this pet-deprived child because they're really cute and needy when they're young and they grow quickly and soon become so ugly you don't mind donating them to our farmer friends. Georg is allergic to animals so we can't ever own a pet.
So, first of all Dieter had to help Grandpa build a cage. At first he thought he could build one on his own with scraps of wood, but the boards didn't quite line up the way they were supposed to and he ended up making a lemon aid stand instead. Eventually Grandpa and Dieter succeeded in building a cage for the first stage of the chickens life. They'll need a much bigger cage as they grow. Our friend Darlene brought them home from Weyburn on May 15th. They hatched earlier that day and were immediately shipped off to their adopted home with their new caregiver Dieter.
Holding their soft little yellow bodies in the palm of your hand feels so good. Unfortunately Chicken Joe died when Grandpa dropped the heat lamp. The kids burried Chicken Joe next to Sparkles the cat.
Yesterday Erik went with our friend Darlene to move cattle from the winter pasture. It was a full day that included horseback riding, driving the quad, as well as working the half ton and trailer. He worked like a "farm hand" and had the time of his life. Today they left just past 7:30 a.m. to go branding. They'll brand the cattle and take them to the community pasture. What an amazing experience!
Georg has been busy doing some construction work which includes pouring Stampcrete, installing air conditioners and furnaces, installing radiant floor heating, installing windows and doors, and drywalling under his new company "Blind Chicken Construction." Note here: We're into chickens these days. He's also made a few dollars doing a "Work Safe Saskatchewan" commercial. He's the guy wearing the hard hat and carrying a clipboard in the advertisement.
It looks like our Regina house is behind schedule so we're planning on living in Pangman for a few months. This means we can plant a garden! Cousin Brett and Aicha have given us an unlimited supply of manure and Wayne rototilled a huge space so we're set for a garden! The apple trees and raspberry plants will be a nice addition. Another note here: The kids are impressed that people don't have to buy dirt in the country. In the city we buy dirt from Bruce's Landscaping and we also buy rocks. The folks out here tell us we can have as many rocks as we want but we have to pick them ourselves. We can also take as much manure as we need as long as we pitch it ourselves.
