I have mentioned that we are close to a busy road.
Last night, probably because it was hot, the noise bothered Tim more than usual. He was up and down quite a bit in the night.
We already know that we want to plant raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries in that area this fall, but I got the idea to plant a sound barrier too. Arbor vitae was one suggestion. I suggested that since we were headed to Tractor Supply in the morning, we should check out the Garden area. The last time I was there, their shrubs were 75% off.
I got the stuff I needed for my chicks, which wasn't much really. Only two of the 9 egg clutch hatched. I don't mind starting small. I never had chickens before. That being said, if anyone could explain why I was so very tempted to buy two more chicks when I stopped to look at them at the store. I have two, I want three. But if I took two, they could comfort each other on the trip home. And four is only one more than three and this is probably exactly how people wind up with twenty of them, isn't it?
Anyways, we headed out to the garden center. Annuals were $1 a pot, and yes, they had 3 ft tall potted arbor vitae which were still 75% off. A lot of them were looking pretty bad, but we managed to find 5 of them in very good shape.
I don't think there is anything more satisfying than watching a register ring up $224. worth of stuff and then discounting it down to just under $65.
Well...that and the fact that I was strong and resisted the temptation to buy 2 more chicks.
I can't even discuss the political situation. I just can't.
But I will link you to a blog post from Kay over at Musings. The ending is chilling.
Not sure why the link does not work but let's try it this way:
https://travelerswife.blogspot.com/2025/08/surprising-byakkotai-memorials.html
I had to Google arbor vitae and the first images to appear were brain related. Scrolling down, I came to shrubs and trees. I think they would be excellent at absorbing sound.
ReplyDeleteI hope so. But we have a fan in here tonight and it seems to be helping a great deal.
DeleteSounds like a nice trip to Tractor Supply. Maybe those shrubs will buffer the politics too. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteCripes. I would go back and buy them all. I got a very nice basil a d a lily too.
DeleteGreat deal on the bushes! We planted some between a neighbor and our yard. It has worked out well. Good for you on the chicks.
ReplyDeleteHey...these bushes can be trimmed, right?
DeleteIt is called "chicken math". I can relate to it very well When Daughter rented a farmhouse for a few years she raised chickens. She wanted 20, but every trip to Rural King she would see some other breed that appealed to her and then a hen went broody (cause of course she had a rooster to protect the flock) and before she knew it she was feeding 40 chickens. She sold eggs sometimes and provided eggs for all her kids and me, and guess what? You don't get rich raising chickens.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to get rich raising chickens. I just want them to supply my eggs.
DeleteBut chicken math does scare me.
Delete@Ana - “chicken math” 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteAm I right to think that your title has two meanings?
ReplyDeleteYou are ever clever.
DeleteI would not plan on shaping or pruning the arborvitae, if they are like ours. Their growth pattern is to put new growth on the outside of the plant, and the stuff near the trunk is brown and dead. Are there different varieties of arborvitae? I do not know. We had a big juniper that grew like that, we dug it up. You were very strong to leave those chicks at the store, they are so cute.
ReplyDeleteYes I was very strong. Sad to report that one day later, running back into town to haul more things, I was still fighting with myself about those chicks. It seems more sensible to start them out together. The brooder light is borrowed. If I get the four chicks at the same time, I will be able to give it back sooner.
DeleteYour chicken math is correct, Debby. But I would have sprung for the two day-olds, because more chicken math: Of the two you have, 2 minus 1 (because disasters happen) = 1, and one chick is a lonely chick.
ReplyDeleteWell done on the bargain shrubs. In our climate, arbor vitae grow quickly and are often used as sound barriers. May it work as well for you.
Chris from Boise
I was pretty pleased. It worked out to about $8.75 a shrub. I also got a basil and a lily.
DeleteI don't know about chicken math but I do know that arborvitae are not prunable. Only the extreme outside is green, the rest is like brown sticks. And ours never recovered from being trimmed, just stayed brown. I hope yours are a different variety. With any luck you'll do better. I had ours yanked out when they got too unruly!
ReplyDeleteWell, I will have to read up on it. We want them to be no taller than 8 foot. I guess we will take what we get because they were on sale.
DeleteYep, arborvitae is not something to prune, but it's excellent as a visual or sound barrier. Probably should plan on doing some watering until the fall rains come if it's as dry there as here. I too would have gotten the chickens, have to admit. Were they sexed or might you end up with 4 roosters?
ReplyDeleteCeci
We actually made the decision to leave them potted and keep them well watered. August has been so dry.
DeleteHaha,I just can not help this I can totally see how “just two more chicks” turns into a full blown chicken empire.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I've resisted having Chickens, I'd definitely end up with a Chicken Empire!
DeleteMust. Resist. The. Call....of the chickens....
DeleteI'm not sure I could have resisted the chicks. 'What's two more?' I would say, on repeat . . .
ReplyDeleteA sound barrier sounds essential. I had to look up Arbor vitae, too. Thuja are often used in topiary - you could have fun with that, Debby. 😁
Topiaries give me flash backs to the The Shining. First Steven king book I ever read.
DeleteJ D Vance is in UK, and causing so many problems for locals as their small town is almost in shutdown, and there are protesters just so he does not feel welcome. Well done on your savings, I would have 4 chicks by now.
ReplyDeleteHad to look up arborvitae - Thuja over here. Good dense evergreen hedge
ReplyDeleteWe used to keep around 180 chickens - eggs sold well!
I've heard that chickens are easily addictive...I know I would have a problem if I had them, I mean, the chicks are adorbs and there are so many cute kinds! Do you have ac yet at the new house? Lordy, I can't sleep (or live, sadly) without it. If I am hot, I am cranky. Been like that all my life. I say to myself that nothing the orange oaf does can shock me, and then another day arrives and so does more unbelievable stupidity. Yes, nice, thick evergreen hedges will help with the noise for sure. A school we drive by planted some sort of evergreens 2 by 2, in a zig zag pattern and those trees grew together into a magnificent hedge in no time.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the "baffling hedge" - and the chicks!
ReplyDeleteTwo chicks are better than none - do hope they're not both cockerels . . . Hope that the hedge quickly grows and cuts down the noise from the road. I am fortunate where I live - I can see a bit of the main road into Builth (t'other side of valley from my garden) and hear motorbikes on it, but that's as loud as it gets.
ReplyDeleteThe link to Kay didn't work for me but I have here blog bookmarked so I'll take a read.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and family have 18 chickens, 9 of which are newbies this year. A couple will be shown at the 4H tent at the fair this weekend. They do enjoy the eggs and I do too when they share.
OMG I laughed so hard thru your hilarious Post that my Sides now hurt and I had to share it with The Man. He mentioned, well, clearly your Blog Friends "Think" in the same manner as you do... bwahahaha... when I read the part about Chicks and you some people probably end up with 20 of them. I've thought about Raising Chickens, but he knows it would mean choosing a couple would be impossible for Yours Truly, they're all so Adorbs... and my Thought Process would go EXACTLY like yours did, as you so aptly described! Lord have Mercy, I Found My People here in The Land, I never thought anyone justified things the way I do!!!!!!!!!! *LMAOROTF*
ReplyDeleteYes. You have absolutely caught on to chicken math. You did, however, forget the proven equation that four chickens are no harder than three to take care of. This is a very important thing to factor in.
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest running a fan at night to drown out the noise of the busy road but I see you are already trying that now. My kids are all fan users for sleeping!
ReplyDeleteMy yesterday comment didn't go through :(. I do know from certain experience that the wrong dog out can do terrible things to chicken maths.
ReplyDeleteI am LOVING this conversation about chicken math! Thank you all so much for bringing giggles to my day!!
ReplyDelete