Pig area, coop upgrade, class, a video

Tuesday evening, I worked on getting an area ready for piglets in case we bought one or two of the ones Mama found when we delivered the goats to our buyer in Weatherford. Mama had waited to call the sellers again until I had an area ready, but now that I do, we cannot get in touch with the sellers to see if they still have any piglets for sale. Regardless, the area can be used for any of our smaller animals whether pigs or goats or even a small calf. The nanny goats, who are very soon to kid, will need to be separated from the little ones about eight weeks after the kidding. So, the finishing the enclosure will not be a waste of time, effort or materials. From my perspective, it was nice to have the energy to get the enclosure ready to the point I was able that evening. I will finish it this evening. Plus, I got to use some materials that have been just lying around the farm at various points allowing me to clean up some areas as I got the enclosure put together.

Before I started working on the enclosure, I retrofitted a ceiling fan Mama and I had recovered from one of our rental houses and hung it in the East side of the chicken coop. On that side we have had only a bare light bulb while on the West side we have a ceiling fan with a light kit. Now at least, the sides are equally equipped. The drawback is that the chickens do not like the ceiling fan spinning overhead. It makes them seriously nervous. In fact, one particularly warm evening when Mama had left the ceiling fan running, the chickens would not go into the coop to roost. They found places to roost outside the coop. Mama and I had to take each chicken into the coop and put them on the roost after dark – as well as shut off the fan. So, why did I install the fan into the coop? Mama and I use the fans when we are cleaning the coops – just for the added air flow – and it got the fan out of my shop and put it into a useful setting. I thought about using it in the shop, but I do not need a light kit on any of the fans I will install there. The light kit causes them to extend too low. The coop was a good use for the extra fan.

I had a long class yesterday. It was a good class. I had only five individuals in the class, but all of them were talkative and well engaged. It was good for the most part to be able to teach again. My voice, which is a tool that grows weak if not used, was strained by late in second part of the class, but we made it through. Next week, I have only a short class to teach. That will be good since Nate, Cori and the kids will be with us that week. Fortunately, we will have a long weekend the weekend they arrive since the following Monday is Labor Day. I cannot turn the Wednesday class over to anyone that week, but I will be free to get ahead on our visit while they and some of our other children and grandchildren are with us next Saturday for Mama’s birthday bash; Sept 5^th. We are looking forward to the day. Regardless of who is available to share the day, we are going to make it special for those who are there. Life is busy for everyone, so taking a day to enjoy a respite is a break we all need.

This morning I was watching some of the videos posted on a conservative website from the Republican National Convention. The following four-minute video came up. In the video a Catholic nun speaks very eloquently about the imminent danger to the unborn in or country. It is worth a few minutes to view: https://youtu.be/WZrlXvNO9VQ. It reminds me of the sisters I worked with in a Catholic hospital when I was in a Lab Tech program at and the University of Houston. They were wonderful people. Firm believers in our Lord. I did not agree on some of the fundamental issues of the faith with these precious ladies, but I had to admire their faith, their sacrifice, and their commitment. Although I eventually dropped out of the program and reenrolled in a different major, my time in the hospital was a very eye-opening experience. There were several Sisters I prayed for for several years that their faith would be placed in Jesus alone for salvation rather than their works.

I may get to see the results of those prayer in the future.