Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Chicken Coop



These days daughter Susie and her husband Wes work in Johannesburg but offset the stresses of corporate-type jobs by enjoying a small farm in the countryside on nights and weekends.  They are accompanied by two dogs, three sheep, numerous guinea fowl and -- at the stables next door -- six horses.

That isn't enough.  Here are her latest iPhone photos.  Last weekend work began on constructing a coop so they can add some chickens and have their own fresh eggs.

Believe me, this is not how Susie lived back in West Hartford, Connecticut.  South Africa is a long ways off, in so many ways.


22 comments:

  1. To be in touch with nature is so precious!Glad that your son lives in such a beautiful place and he can enjoy it, having quality of life!They are doing a great work with the coop! :)
    Léia

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  2. Err, daughter:) Thanks for the nice post, dad. Will send more photos as the coop progresses. (I think once it's done, everyone's going to be too tired for the chickens...)

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  3. How cool! South Africa sounds like a real adventure. :)

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  4. They must have someone reliable to take care of the animals during the week. That sounds like a high maintenance operation.

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  5. Very cool, Jack! I wouldn't mind a total change in my life if one day I would have the chance to say: "I had a farm in Africa (at the foot of the Ngong Hills)" - Karen Blixen's 'Out Of Africa'.

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  6. That does sound like a nice change of pace as well as a grand adventure.

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  7. Wow! A total change indeed, but how wonderful for them to be able to make and enjoy those changes! That's making the most of life and changes wherever they are!!

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  8. Despite the many stresses they are probably experiencing, they know how to deal with it for their own lives together. I think that they are being very wise. Jo'berg can be frustrating. South Africa is a wonderful country despite its myriad problems. I've been there twice and loved it and its people.

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  9. I'd love to have a few chickens pecking around the place. It must be so relaxing for them when they get home at night, Jack.

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  10. Sounds like they have figured out how to mix business with pleasure and down time. Good for them. I can't wait to see the coop when finished!
    V

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  11. That would become one of the nicest chicken coops around. We need to see it when it is finished!

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  12. What a change of life, nice.
    A friend of me made the same in Tuscany...

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  13. Gotta give her credit. Our youngest daughter in Ft. Lauderdale has a farm, too, with horse, pigs, goats, chickens, sheep, donkeys, etc. She's a teacher and never lived on a farm. I don't get it. But she loves it.

    Oh,and she just built a chicken coop.

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  14. That looks like it will be a 5-star chicken residence.

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  15. Do I take it you aren't going to build one in Hartford or in Naples?

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  16. I'd love to see South Africa for myself some day.

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  17. I'm sure it's a beautiful spot and a dream come true. But I can't see having six horses plus the sheep, guinea fowl, dogs. . .and chickens as a stress offset. Unless there's a couple of extra hands to help.

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  18. She is a brave young woman. I have a friend in central Seattle who keeps chickens in her back yard (not uncommon there, I'm told). I don't get it. Where I come from, chickens ans eggs come from Safeway and there is no question which came first.

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  19. Well DD in far off Alberta received 18 chickens this last week...BEFORE they got the coop built. The chaos has been a challenge! They don't have the sheep or horses, but they have the 2 dogs and the 4 children. This may turn into a blog post of mine later on, once I see the humor in it all.

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  20. She and her husband must have tons of energy!

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