Chicken Woes and Going Paperless

We are still reeling from our chicken loss of this past weekend.

But, as always, we forge ahead.

I ordered 25 newly hatched chicks, which will arrive in early June.

Until they are raised, we will have few eggs to share with our family and friends.

It's all so very sad.

Yesterday morning I did find this fellow hiding in one of the goat houses.

He was very traumatized and I am not sure if he will make it or not.

It all depends upon whether he has any internal damage.

All birds will remain on yard arrest until the threat of hunting foxes has ended.

Yesterday was another solid day of rain.

We are quite soggy around here.

And so I spent the day indoors.... cleaning, sewing, and knitting.

The only outside activities were the required visits to our animal

friends for feeding times.

Today I thought we could chat a little more about sustainability...

specifically, reducing our paper consumption.

After all, we love our trees!!

I have stopped buying toilet paper made from paper... and instead buy rolls

made from sugar cane and bamboo.

It's nice and soft on the bum... but not as soft for blowing noses.

I have to share a secret about myself with you.

I love paper... I mean LOVE... L.O.V.E love it.

Ever since I can remember (as a child) I have had an addiction to paper.

 I love the feel of it in my hands.  I love writing on it.

I have no idea where this addiction comes from... but it's real.

True story:  My second grade teacher kept a pile of writing paper at the front of the class.

Whenever we had something to write, we would walk to the front and get a piece of paper.

Every time I went for a piece, I would take ten or more and squirrel them away in my desk.

Eventually, my pile was taller than the teacher's.

A guilty conscience got the better of me one night and I found myself unable to sleep.

I called to my Mama and told her my confession... I had been stealing paper.

She advised me to return the stack of paper to the original pile

 and to not do this again.

I have no idea why I took so much paper... except that I loved the feel of it in my hands,

not to mention the look of a neat stack within my desk.

Possession, however, was not worth the guilty conscience.

I returned the paper and never took anything that didn't belong to me again.

The guilt was gone, but the love of paper continued.

Over the past years I have learned to curb this addiction.

I have cancelled catalog subscriptions,

and signed up for services designed to lessen junk mail.
We pay bills on line and read our news online.

And for the most part... read our books and some magazines via Kindle, or I-pad.

I banned paper towels years ago, and replaced them with OR towels,

that Hubbs brought home (clean and unused) from work (saving them from ending up in the trash).

Only occasionally do I use a paper towel in the kitchen...

usually only for something really greasy (bacon),

 to save that grease from ending up in my washing machine.

Recently, I received an email from a website called Paperless Post.

They asked if I was interested in trying their cards and stationery 

and then mentioning them on my blog.

Now, I randomly get requests to collaborate with businesses on my blog,

and usually turn them down because they don't mesh with the content and message of my blog.

But, when this opportunity came along...

(in the form of a credit to be used for cards)

I decided to seize the opportunity to switch more of my paper usage to online...

and save a couple more trees!

I do really like this service and will continue to use it.

The cards are lovely and totally customizable.

They arrive via email in a customizable envelope and are "opened",

virtually, like a real envelope.

The card pops out of the envelope revealing your heartfelt sentiments.

a sample card front from the Paperless Post website

It is not a free service, but way less expensive than the price of a card and postage!

When you sign up, I believe they give you a little credit so that you can try a card or two.

Check them out.

I won't benefit from you becoming a subscriber...

however, a few trees will.
And that's even better!

Good news... the rain is to stop today, so I will be back outside with my camera

visiting with all of your friends!

See you tomorrow with more tales from the farm.

😉😉