Those of you who know me know that Dakota and I have been just about to start our kitchen remodel for, hmmm, maybe 2 years. In fact, the current kitchen has been in a state of partial demolition for at least that long. Various considerations have kept us from actually making real progress, but, starting in September, we will be really and truly actively remodeling our kitchen. Really!

In fact, today we took another preparatory step and picked up our new dishwasher from the appliance warehouse. Our current dishwasher is fairly large and the kind that you roll over to the sink on casters when you need to do a wash. We wanted to get a built-in washer, and we also needed one that was more compact so that it would fit in a spot next to the sink.

First, we looked on the Flex Your Power website to see what rebates might be available (looks like a $30 mail-in rebate from SoCalGas is what we'd get). Next, I headed over to the Energy Star website to find out what compact dishwasher models were energy and water-efficient enough to qualify. They have a nice search function on the Energy Star site, so it was easy to find what I was looking for.

After poking around a bit on the Internet, we decided on a Fisher & Paykel model. It's a drawer-style dishwasher with two washing compartments that each hold six place settings. You can choose to run one or both drawers, depending on what you need to wash. Each drawer uses less than 2 gallons of water per wash cycle, and it has a delay-cycle function, so we can wash dishes in the middle of the night when other power use is low.

We got the model that allows you to make your own custom fronts, so Dakota will make fronts for the dishwasher drawers to match our cabinets. You'll barely be able to tell the dishwasher is there. And, it'll be right next to the sink for easy loading.

This dishwasher wasn't cheap (although we found a good deal), but since Dakota is doing all the labor himself, and because we have aquired some other materials as gifts or trades, we won't have to spend a lot of money on anything else.

If all goes according to plan, the only other major expense, besides the wood for the cabinets, will be a new faucet. We analized that situation today, and I think we're leaning towards something from a company called Hansgrohe. I'll let you know what we decide.

This summer, as usual, I am having some garden success and a fair amount of frustrating failures.

My squash situation has been almost embarrassingly bad. Several baby zucchini have started to form, and then turned yellow, withered and died. Considering the fact that squash are supposed to be extremely easy to grow, I'm kind of bummed that my plants have been so wimpy. I have fertilized the heck out of them, but I think the problem may be where I planted them. I suspect they need more sun. I think next year I will plant in the lower plot that gets the most direct sunlight. This would probably also help with the white mold problem on the leaves. I read on a new favorite blog, Homegrown Evolution, that the cold, moist coastal summer nights are tough on our squash plants.

On the bright side, I have had some nice tomatoes. They are finally ripening, and I am really looking forward to tasting a variety I am growing for the first time this year: the Green Zebra Tomato. Apparently, they are supposed to be kind of tart and are recommended for sandwiches and salsa. At first, I was worried I wouldn't be able to tell when they ripened, because they don't turn red or yellow like other tomatoes. But, I looked around online and read that Green Zebras turn a bit yellow-green when they ripen. And, they do. I picked one this evening and plan to try it tomorrow.

Here's an unripe one still on the vine. Aren't they pretty?



I have also harvested one of my favorite summer vegetables: green beans. Fresh picked green beans are so delicious, and these have been no exception. I am getting a decent harvest, although some of my vines got some kind of weird bug or leaf disease and conked out.



Sadly, there's been no corn harvest yet, and I'm getting nervous. The ants have put their little aphid buddies all over my corn stalks. I brought in some lady bugs, but they didn't really help. I think corn ears are wrapped up tight enough in their husks to be protected from aphids. At least, I hope so.

The okra plants never really got off the ground. A couple are still hanging on, but actual okra seem unlikely. The carrots are doing their carrot thing. I usually do fine with root vegetables. I also anticipate a couple more eggplants before the summer is over.

So, it's been the usual hit and miss summer of gardening. I am hoping that, with all my chicken poop compost, mixed in with the kitchen scrap compost, I will be able to get the soil in better shape for the Fall garden. Someday, I will have a big, fancy, productive garden like you see in magazines. Or, you know, at least a good one.

This weekend, the big project has been chicken integration. At the start of the weekend, I was determined to have Lisa, Peggy and Tina happily living and sleeping together by Sunday night. Believe it or not, chickens can be pretty tricky to combine. If they didn't grow up in the brooder together, they're often very aggressive towards one another. It's that whole pecking order thing one hears so much about. So, I wasn't completely sure if I was going to reach my goal.

I actually started this project a bit earlier, when we officially introduced Peggy and Tina to Lisa out in the yard. Here she is staring at the little peepers through the wire on the chicken tractor.



We let them peer at each other this way for a few days. Just getting Lisa comfortable with the idea that there were other chickens in the yard. Then, we opened the door to the tractor.



The idea was to let them all free range together. But, initially, that's not how things played out. Instead, this happened:



Lisa just sauntered right inside the tractor and started eating Peggy and Tina's food--much to the younger girls' horror. If you look closely, you will see Peggy and Tina frozen in fear towards the back of the tractor. Their main strategy to deal with Lisa at first was to huddle close together and stand perfectly still. You could almost hear them saying, "Just don't move and maybe the big scary chicken won't notice us. And whatever you do, don't make eye contact."

Once they got out into the yard together, their interaction was more varied. Some of the time they happily ignored each other, and other times Lisa would chase them or even peck them a little bit. Interestingly, Lisa mostly pecks Tina. I think this is because Tina is much bigger than Peggy and clearly the dominant bird of their pair. So, by establishing her dominance over Tina, Lisa was also putting Peggy in her place (as the number three chicken). I'm not sure why Lisa even felt the need to peck Tina at all. Lisa is so much bigger, and Tina is clearly afraid of her.

Here they are hanging out on the steps together.



Anyway, the point of all the introductions and group outings was to get the three girls comfortable(ish) with each other before we tried getting them all in the coop together. So, this weekend, the Frieda Farm Chicken Integration Project '08 reached it's final phase.

On Friday evening, I started experimenting with putting Tina and Peggy into the run while Lisa was out free ranging. I stood in there with them while the examined the new spot. Then, I brought Lisa in and the four of us hung out in the run together for a bit. Mostly, Peggy and Tina tried to perch up high out of Lisa reach. They made a point of avoiding her whenever she came near, jumping into the tunnel or on top of the waterer, if necessary.

Saturday was everybody-in-the-run day. My plan was to get to a point where I could leave them in the coop with the door closed and walk away. I started with a fairly long free range in the morning while I did some gardening. Then, I put them all together in the run, pulled up a chair next to the coop and watched what happened.

For the most part, Lisa stuck to physical intimidation, with fairly few pecks. At one point, she did seem to grab Tina by the back of the neck--almost like you would a kitten--and hold on with her beak. I ran in and broke up that fight, although Tina didn't seem to be hurt at all, just scared.

Lisa's main concern, at first, was keeping Tina and Peggy away from the food--both her feeder and theirs. She spent a lot of time rushing over to startle them when they would tentatively peck at their feed. I had expected this issue, as Lisa is a bit of a greedy girl. But, eventually, she let them eat their feed while she pecked at her feeder across the run. Further progress came when all three chickens drank from the waterer at the same time. I was psyched.

Finally, after several hours, I walked away and came back to find all three chickens eating from Lisa's big feeder. Success! This seemed like a very good sign. So, I decided to push it and see if they could handle a sleepover. It was dusk and I took my station up on the patio to watch their behavior from afar.

At first, Lisa seemed unwilling to retire with strangers in her run. But, after a lot of pacing and false-starts up the plank, she did go to bed. The two younger girls weren't sure what to do after that. They kind of wandered around for a while, and then snuggled down in the dirt in one corner. I went down after a while and shoved them in the coop door. Moment of truth time!

Dakota and I got a flashlight and stood outside the coop listening for signs of Lisa attack. But, none came. Peggy and Tina were doing a lot of their "I'm scared" peeping, but that eventually died down, and the three of them settled in. Lisa in the nest box, Peggy and Tina on the floor nearby. We went out for dinner with friends, and when we came back everyone was still fine, so we left them for the night. (Of course, I did set my alarm for 6 am so I could go down and open the door early in case Lisa woke up cranky.)

Today has been pretty low-key, chicken-wise. No big altercations, although the pecking and intimidation continues. I assume Lisa will bully them for a few days more, at least. But I'm hoping that eventually they'll all get used to living together and be a happy little family.

Here they are today. Note Lisa having a snack at her feeder while Peggy sneaks a nibble at the smaller feeder behind her back.



And here they are coexisting in a semi-comfortable manner his evening.



Tomorrow they'll spend a whole day unattended. Fingers crossed they don't get in any big squabbles while I'm at work.

When we left off on the story of the great chicken escape, it was dusk and Peggy had just vanished into thin air.

I had searched with my flashlight under nearby bushes, under the coop and under the little house. No sign of her. So, I expanded my search further out to the bushes nearer to the fence. Still nothing. I was getting nervous, now. The light was fading, and Peggy wasn't in any of the logical places. After more fruitless searching, I decided on a new strategy.

I went into the basement and grabbed Tina out of the brooder box. I put her back in the tractor, and she immediately started peeping very loudly, calling to her sister. Peggy will come out when she hears her sister's cries, I thought. But still there was no sign of her, and no peep in response to Tina.

While Tina called out to Peggy, I continued to look, and my friend Rachel arrived, expecting to go out to a nice, relaxing dinner. No such luck. She was quickly drafted into the chicken search. Now, the two of us began systematically the yard from top to bottom, flashlights in hand. By the time we completed our sweep, I was in tears. I called Dakota, and he started driving back home from his evening out. Things were getting dire.

We had covered every inch of the yard without finding Peggy, so I decided it was time to take the plunge into the neighbor's yard. Unfortunately, the house next to us was owned by an elderly woman who recently passed away. She hadn't kept up the yard in years, and it's literally a jungle of ivy, bushes and giant avocado trees, populated by skunks, raccoons and who knows what else. But, I was determined to find my chicken, so I put on long pants, hiking boots and a hat and went over the fence. (While I suited up, Rachel stood out in the yard, completely silent, listening for chick noises. Nada.)

I'm not going to lie; it was bad over there. There were giant spider webs, burrows that probably held skunks (luckily out for the evening) and lots of crazy undergrowth. Oh, and did I mention that both my yard and the neighbor's yard are on fairly steep hillside? Luckily, I didn't fall or get bitten or sprayed by anything. Unluckily, I did not find Peggy, despite a thorough search.

Rachel and I had now been searching for over an hour! We decided to regroup and collect our thoughts. How plausible was it that Peggy was able to scramble over a fence without me hearing anything? She's good, but is she that good?

So, we began to re-do our scan inside my yard, this time paying close attention to the undersides of everything. I got way up under the little house, just in case she was jammed up in there somewhere. As I moved to scan some nearby bushes, I heard Rachel say, "Audrey?" Her voice was unsure, but hopeful.

"Did you find her?"

"Uh, I'm not sure..."

I rushed over and looked at the tiny space under the boardwalk between the staircases where Rachel was pointing her flashlight. At first, I didn't see anything. But I looked closer and... way in the back... behind a pile of dirt almost the same color as her feathers... it was Peggy!

We were so happy to have found her, and relieved that she was okay. But man, that Peggy is one sneaky chicken. She'd been hiding under those steps the whole time, mere feet away from her crying sister, and hadn't made a sound or moved enough for us to hear her. I called Dakota to tell him the good news, and then, we started the process of getting Peggy out.

Here's where she was, although this picture was taken during the day, so picture it much darker.



Peggy was so far back under the boardwalk, I couldn't reach her with my arm fully extended. So, I got a hand spade, and we started digging her out. I tried digging holes in various spots, but couldn't get my hand through far enough to grab her. Eventually, we decided we'd have to shoo her out a hole ourselves, and then grab her when she popped through.

After a lot of coaxing, we finally got Peggy to squeeze through an opening I'd dug near the back of the boardwalk, and then Rachel and I grabbed her. I got her in my grasp, and was happy to have her safe but mad, too. Peggy was SO grounded!

Rachel, on the other hand, will from now on be known as my Chicken Hero. Or, Detective Rachel of CSI: Chicken Scene Investigation. I can't thank her enough for being such a good sport and for finding my sneaky baby chicken. Peggy owes her big, too. If we hadn't found that little chick, she might easily have been eaten by a raccoon or fox. I think Rachel will be getting a lot of fresh eggs from a certain someone in a few more months.

The End

Earlier this week, I had quite a chicken adventure. Or perhaps it was a chickmergency. I'm not sure of the correct terminology.

It started when I let Peggy and Tina out for a little free range action on Wednesday evening around dusk. They seemed kind of antsy after being cooped up in the tractor all day, and I thought they deserved some fun. The thought crossed my mind that it would be getting dark soon and maybe I should let them out some other time, but decided to let them out anyway. I should have listened to my brain.

At first, everything was lovely. They stuck close to the chicken tractor and wandered slowly around the nearby dirt, happily pecking and peeping. It was when I tried to pick them up to put them in their brooder for the night that the trouble started.

Tina, the black sex-link, is slower and easier to catch. So, it only took me a moment to trap her and grab her. Her sister Peggy, on the other hand, proved a more formidable opponent. As the twilight faded into dark, I chased that little chicken up, down and all over the yard. She jumped up on walls, hid under bushes, scrambled over the wood pile and even tried to squeeze through the fence into the front yard. She even flew a couple of times (as much as a chicken can fly).

I was getting exhausted, and it was almost completely dark, so I grabbed a flashlight and a beach towel. The chase continued. Finally, Peggy leaped from her perch inside a jade bush to the top of the fence post surrounding the garden. I tried to throw the towel over her while she was focusing on keeping her balance, but she jumped and flew out into the yard and around the corner of Dakota's little house. I ran around the corner of the house, and she was gone.

Gone. Disappeared. There was no sign of her. Literally not a peep.

I stood still, listening for rustling and looking for any sign of movement. Nothing. I got my flashlight and started searching the area. Looking under nearby bushes and structures. By now, it was dark, and I was really starting to get worried. Where could Peggy be? Why wasn't she peeping? Would I ever find her?

Find out tomorrow when the gripping story of The Great Chicken Escape continues...

Exciting news! The California Senate is about to vote on a bill that will significantly cut down on disposable plastic bags state-wide. The bill, AB 2058, will be voted on in the legislature this month, and I really hope it passes.

AB 2058 will require retailers to meet a goal of 70% diversion of plastic bag useage in their stores by 2011. Meaning, they have to distribute 70% fewer plastic bags than they are now. If they don't meet that goal, they will have to charge a 25 cent fee per bag--for both plastic and paper. The proceeds from that fee will go to local litter clean-up. The bill will also allow local governments to charge an additional fee on bags if they choose to. Basically, the fee should make it more likely that people get into the habit of bringing their own reuseable bags to the store.

Living in Los Angeles, it's hard not to see the negative effects of disposable plastic bags. They get stuck in trees, litter the sides of highways and clog up storm drains. And if you look closer, things get even nastier. Recently, the Good Girls (and friends) did a LA River Clean-Up with FoLAR (Friends of the Los Angeles River). We spent about 3 hours picking up trash in a section of the river near my house. As soon as we got down to the river bed, I noticed the plastic bags everywhere. They were wrapped around almost every single tree branch, bush and log. It was pretty disgusting. I think anyone who spent 5 minutes by the LA River would immediately understand why disposable plastic shopping bags have got to go.



I have already sent a message to my state representative asking him to support AB 2058. If you want to do the same, you can look up your representive here. Or, you can let Heal the Bay contact your representative for you by going to their website.

It was a weekend of new experiences for the chickens here on our urban farm. Yesterday made it ten days since Peggy and Tina got their Marek's shots, so they were officially allowed to go outside for the first time ever. Not a moment too soon, if you ask them. They were getting really rowdy in their inside brooder box. I mean, look at these two little trouble-makers.



Peggy and Tina took to the chicken tractor pretty quickly. They only stood frozen in terror for about 60 seconds or so before they started checking out their new digs. Yesterday, they were down by Lisa's coop, because that's one of the only available flat spots in the yard. Today, we moved them to their own personal chicken tier, which Dakota dug out early this morning.



Here they are inside the tractor. Can you believe how big they are already?



Lisa is quite curious about the new girls, as you might imagine. She has checked them out from every angle through the wire mesh of the tractor. She and Tina were practically beak to beak today. I'm not sure if she's decided what she thinks of the new chicks yet, but we're hoping they end up as friends. I don't plan to force it, though. I have read about babies getting injured in fights with bigger, more dominant chickens. I think several weeks of staring at each other through the wire will be important before they actually meet out in the yard. That should give Peggy and Tina time to grow a bit bigger, too.

I can already tell that Tina is going to be the leader of their little team. Whenever I go into their brooder with my camera or reach into the tractor to pick them up, Peggy runs behind Tina to hide. Like this:



Tina's a good protector, so hopefully she'll take good care of her smaller sister when they move in with this no-nonsense lady.



Don't you feel chastised by her disapproving expression? Lisa's actually a pretty sweet girl, most of the time. Although, the appearance of the new girls has gotten her a bit riled up. She's been hooting and hollering quite a lot this weekend. Lisa has always had a big, impressive cluck she uses to remind us how important she is, but she's been doing it even more the last couple of days. Dakota thinks she wants more attention. He may be right.


Lisa's Big Cluck from Audrey on Vimeo.

Finally, by special request from one of Lisa's many admirers, here's a full-body shot of her. Here you go Sarah! I hope this helps you figure out the sex of your Rhode Island Red.