Heat Index Returns ~ Keeping Chickens Cool

Friday the heat index was predicted to be up to 100°.  It reached 98°F in our area. Weeding is still at a halt for me.  Just not worth the risk to be out there.  The humidity is sooo thick and my camera lens steamed up.

Chickens were iced again.  Did you know that although they eat the ice to cool off, they also pick some up and put it under their feathers?  Mine do anyway.  Just an FYI for those undergoing the same heat as we are, and raise chickens.  When we had goats, we froze water in small bottles and added them to their water buckets.

Nothing really "homesteady" to share today.  Youngest Daughter ditched me for another sister and is spending a few nights with her, so I'm unsupervised for a few days.

Bought myself this. . .

I sure hope I take the time to read it now, lol!

I have yet to deliver roosters to those taking them, but they are crowing now.

Thanks to being stuck inside with the AC this week, I have new projects on the handiwork to-do list.  They will be fun too.  I'll update as I finish them.

Dinner was once again salad and fresh cold fruit.  Too hot to cook a darn thing, and with the heat this bad, we all have non-zippity do-dah appetities.

Hot, Humid, more Thunderstorms ~ Homemade Pomegranate Vinaigrette

When water starts to flood this field it's not a good sign.  I took this photo yesterday morning.  We got a lot of rain the previous night.

We are getting burned out of this night shift business.  I should go to "nights" when he does so we are on the same schedule.  Ugh.  He's on this shift until middle of next week with no days/nights off.

What did I do on the 4th?  No celebrating for us. Too hot to grill out as well.  Hubby had to sleep then work night shift, the girls went to the movies, and it was just me and the dog and the AC.

I baked some chocolate bourbon spiked banana bread for the us.  Recipe is online, I just adapted organic ingredients (leites culinaria).

Cooked up a breakfast scramble with bacon and dandelion greens.  Tossed in some jalapenos too.

I made us a salad for dinner on a very hot and humid day.

Organic greens, cooked and shredded chicken, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, glazed pecans, apple slices and homemade pomegranate vinaigrette.  Delicious!  Best vinaigrette I've ever made too!  Recipe is a keeper!

Although I fed this little bugger steak at breakfast, he was sure wanting some of the chicken I was cutting up for the salad.

Homemade Pomegranate Vinaigrette
1 1/2 cups organic pomegranate juice - heat to medium heat and reduce until you have 1/4 cup.  Cool completely.

Whisk in:
(all organic ingredients)
1/3 olive oil
5 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Yield:  2/3 cup approximately