The Blair Witch Project

After a year and a half of living here, we finally decided to tackle the chicken coop, which I have been calling the Blair Witch Project, maybe because we just watched the movie again or maybe because that painted wall, which turned out to be a canvas, and all the mess in there reminded me of the house in the movie. 

The coop is situated across from the house in the wooded area once called the azalea garden by the original owners.  It has a circular path where there are many azaleas and camellias, I have planted hydrangeas and hostas and other things and have been restoring the area.  It sits at the back corner as it goes into the pasture. 

Of course, the chows, Roman and Princess, think it's heaven in there with the floor thick with shredded paper and straw from the nesting boxes and the smell of rodents that once nested in there once the chickens were gone.

I thought the wall had been painted, but it turned out to be a canvas and must have been painted by the artist who lived in the home last.  Once Bob swept out the debris and removed wood and glass panes, I could see it wouldn't need to be painted like I thought, just hosed down and ready to use as storage.  I am so happy not to have yet another room to paint.  I have had chickens before, and I would rather buy my eggs from the local farmers than deal with all the problems that come from owning chickens.

It is a well-built structure, all heart pine, and the nesting boxes are nice, so they will stay as a reminder of what the place was.  We found lots of eaten old photos and letters, some old gardening tools and a hammer. 

Roman's silver britches.

A surprise hidden behind those big windows behind Roman!

Bob loves chores like this.  Haha.  Great shot of Princess, or at least her big fluffy tail.

We had our builders move huge window panes from the garage to the coop when renovating.  They never saw this painting that they put the glass in front of.  What a surprise!  It is a huge painting, I'm sure by the artist who lived here.  We had a sketchbook of his and returned it to his brother and also went to an exhibition of his work in town and saw some of his paintings.  He didn't do many, he was a paper mache artist.  We also found a paper mache hand, missing a thumb.  A local told me someone once found one of his paper mache sculptures at the local dump.  That wouldn't have made him happy.  They were huge pieces and started at $3,000.

The painting measures about 4 feet by 4 feet.  Bob really likes it and wants to keep it in his library and keep it with the house that it belongs in.


Dogs of the week:

This is Kane, a senior in NC.  He was to be killed today at noon.  We got him out in time.  He is now at a boarding facility in Charlotte.  I worked with friends to drive the four hours needed to get him there.  I worked with a friend in CT who has a small rescue, and in two weeks that's where he will be. 

This is his brother Keagan, who was also saved and is going to the same rescue.  They both were left at an abandoned house, one chained in the front yard, one chained in the back, no food, water or shelter.  They have a lot of medical problems and are very skinny, but I will have to post the after photos once Stephanie gets them healthy. 

My other project this week is trying to get Mr. Chow from Arkansas to NC to NY.  My friend Toni runs a rescue in NY and wants him and is leaving the logistics up to me.  I have to get him pulled and to a vet to be neutered, then do a transport run to get him to Bob in Atlanta, to my friend Vickie in NC, and then up to the rescue in NY.  I have been in front of the computer all week.  I hope I can get this guy out in time.