Superstar

In the past month,we  have been scampering, eating, gardening and raising our Ladies of Downton.

Spring has been ridiculously beautiful and we have been enjoying the spoils.
We have also suffered a lot of loss.
 Aunt Julie lost her sister to brain cancer and she has been healing and taking the helm for  Mimi making me an amazing mother's day night gown.

I think that it may go down in legend that I will be the crazy lady in her nightie, because I can not take this thing off.

You may drive down Woodward or see me in Holiday Market in this beautifully sewn nightgown.
I will post pictures soon, after I wash the tears off.

Bushel And A Peck

The babies have arrived. Our new chicks, Lavinia,Daisy and Violet arrived unscathed to our post office two weeks ago. I received a phone call from a bewildered post office worker. "Mrs Sipes, you have received a package, and it peeps?"

I ran like an expectant parent to the post office, knowing that the little babies needed food , water and heat immediately

I got to our local post only to find a line a mile long for me to wait in(Tax Day). I anxiously stood at the end of the line.
A woman emerged from the back room with a small cardboard box.

"There is a lady named Jules, coming to pick up this box. They are chickens!"" I'm not sure if they are alive now, I don't here anything." The bewildered worker said this and began shaking my tiny box .
I absentmindedly screeched out"Those are my chicks". I then somewhat collected myself and took my place back in line.
 The line parted with some murmuring about how strange this was. I signed for my babies and turned to leave. A man in the next line turned to me and said"Congratulations, Good Luck". I said thank you and something about how I hope my neighbors don't call the cops.  I ran out the door clutching my day old hatch-lings.

I nervously drove the box home, buckled into the front seat. I started talking to them and they began to peep wildly(can you blame them?).

They are growing like sea monkeys and we are enthralled with their crazy antics.

Zelda is not so excited. They presently live in their brooder in the laundry room. As I descend the stairs I use my chicken voice(really I think its just my animal voice). They begin to peep and search for me. Zelda runs down the basement stairs in complete disbelief that I would use that voice for anyone but her.

                            Zelda frightened the poor little baby(we are getting rid of this rug)

Ladies of Downton Abbey

Miss Violet

Miss Daisy

Mimi is a very responsible chick owner, helping with the daily routine and cradling and cuddling them so that they are used to human contact.

Who Are The Mystery Girls?

In less than a week, the Sipes family will own four chicks.
Our friends in Royal Oak will be housing them, in their adult phase... but our chicks will be arriving this Tuesday. They will live in a brood in our laundry room until they are eight weeks old.
I have read books, and blogs, consulted with my fellow chicken owner and we have decided one thing.

They are super cute weensy babies.

Happy Easter

Back when Mimi was a baby we delved into egg coloring.
How alarmed was I when she put one of the Paas pellets in her mouth(thinking it was candy)?
Roxanne and Ali are in the back of this shot loving it.

Oh my, how far we we have come.

Swingtime In Springtime

Spring is upon us and I must have been basking in its glory to the point of not blogging since March 16.

I have recently been hyper aware of the fact that I have been so preoccupied with photographing moments(and not that well, by the way), that I am actually missing the moments.

The other day I took Mimi to see the Titanic exhibit at the Henry Ford. I had accidentally left my phone in the car and I was so disappointed that I wouldn't be able to chronicle the trip.
I then slapped myself and thoroughly threw myself into the experience.


Here are a few photos I captured during the past weeks.

Mimi counting birthday party winnings in her rock star pants

A split second decision to repierce her ears herself. 

First day of Spring break

Mimi's latest interest, playing basketball(despite her teeny stature she is very good)

Taken by Terry

Ever so carefully dying her Easter eggs

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

The other day my mom called and asked me to start planning a "girls" vacation to Disney World.
Zowie!

On that note, Mr Robert Sherman passed away recently. He was responsible(with his brother), for writing the soundtrack of my childhood.

Hey Ladies

Ok, my dream is about to come true. We are going to be chicken owners.

I must elaborate. We have friends in Royal Oak that have always wanted to have chickens and because Royal Oak allows chickens, we have decided to co parent a flock.

We are in the process of designing a coop and our ladies have been chosen and ordered, from My Pet Chicken.

Due to my current obsession with not only chickens but Downton Abbey. I have named all of our ladies after characters at Downton Abbey.

Just like Downton, some of the chickens are ornamental and some are just darn good egg layers.

Our coop is based on this one that we found on a very savvy bloggers site.
We(I mean I) couldn't be happier at the prospect of being an urban chicken owner.

Mimi, Luna, Kiki and I are taking full responsibility for the ladies. I am hoping that Terry and Stan will help in the coop building process.

our ladies, from left to right: Daisy, Lavinia,Anna Mae,Violet, and Elsie

These are our friends chicks

More details to follow.