Anne Fannie's Green Acres

Chicken News From the Green Acres Cottage

2012-01-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

I'm new to the backyard chicken thing. I've only had them for 3 months now. I can't believe how quick they grow and change and how dumb I really am about chickens. I thought I would share a picture with you of Buttercup my Rhode Island Red. I took this picture 3 months ago of her. Look how cute she was only 3 months ago. I was so excited to look forward to large brown eggs......

This is a picture of Buttercup I took today, only 3 months later.

Yep, she's a ROOSTER! And the really sad part of it all, up to 2 days ago, I actually still thought she was a hen! I guess I better read one of those Chickens for Dummies Books. Yeah, go ahead and laugh at me, everyone else is!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

The True Meaning of Christmas

Love, Anne Fannie

Caribbean Blue Waters

2011-12-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

My husband and I just got home last night from a beautiful Caribbean Cruise. I was so intrigued and fascinated by the beautiful blue waters.

I took this picture with my cell phone. I was walking around an island and I glanced over at our cruise ship and the blue waters just took my breath away! If I didn't take this picture myself with my cell phone I would think it was touched up!

Here are some more beautiful blue waters from the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas

I am joining Ms Sally at Smiling Sally Blog today for Blue Monday!

Vintage Turkey Planters - Pink Saturday

2011-11-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

I haven't joined Pink Saturday in a while!

I love my collection of Vintage Turkey Planters. This time of the year I love to display them! Some of them have faded over the years to a soft pink color!

Be sure to visit our hostess for Pink Saturday, Ms Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!

Step Back in Time in My Vintage General Store

2011-11-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

My husband has built fake store fronts inside our Car Museum to house some of our ~~Junk~~ Collectibles. This Car Museum is in our yard and is 12,000 sq feet!

(Yep, I'm in California)

Today I will show pictures of the General Store.

For years I have collected old spice cans, cans, Drug Store items, coffee cans, signs, cash register, bottles, etc. Every Flea Market or Garage Sale I would go to I would pick up something. Some of the items use to belong to my father or grandmother! You can't just keep them in a box in your garage. To much to display in your kitchen, so..... my husband built me a fake store front of a general store to display my items!

Is this not awesome or what?

The two outside windows are very special to me. They are from the house I grew up in, the house that my father built for us!

These old Miner Gold Pans had old lanterns added to them so my husband added lights and I have those flickering lights that look like candles burning!

Old metal Signs hanging outside the store

We added vintage lanterns as lights above the walkway

Check out the hanging lights inside the General Store. They are vintage Mason jars with lights in them!

Thank you for visiting my General Store with me!

I am also hooking up with Suzanne at Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday!
and Open House Party at No Miminmal List Here!

My Chicken Coop

2011-11-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged for a while and I have really missed everyone! Life has been so busy but I found time today to take some pictures of my newly decorated chicken coop.

I wish I had taken pictures of this thing before I painted it and fixed it up. It was a old shack I think it was a old pigeon coop. My husband saw a vision and decided to revamp it and make it into a chicken coop for me. It now has a huge sun roof window, 2 side windows, automatic heat lamps that turn off and on, nesting boxes on each side for easy access to the eggs, roosting poles across the back and it is completely enclosed with chicken wire to keep any predator out.

I had it painted bright yellow, added curtains, hanging plates, vintage lanterns, vintage egg baskets and I hung all around it my collection of vintage and new farm signs.

It is completely closed in to keep out predators.

I have vintage hanging lamps

My vintage signs are also hanging inside the coop

I love this boot bird house!

I have vintage egg baskets hanging all around the back

I have roosting boxes on each side of the coop. I can't wait till they start laying eggs!

Even the Scare Crow is dressed up in a John Deere Apron!

I bought this adorable sign from a etsy store called Mulberry Lane Folk Art She custom made this for me for the side of my coop!

Here are some of the girls pigging out around the food bowl

Tom the Turkey is getting bigger. He calls all the shots and tells everyone what to do

This is my favorite of all the chickens. This is Susie. She is a White Silkie. Well, I think its a she....at least I am hoping its a she......the other day she made a really deep chirping noise. I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

Some New Additions to Green Acres!

2011-09-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

This week we had some new additions to Green Acres! I finally convinced my sweet husband (after 5 years) that I just can't live without having some chickens. I just LOVE my new little babies!

This is Susie. She is a White Silkie. She is so sweet!

This is Geraldine. She is a White Leghorn Hen. She is a couple of weeks older than the other chicks and she acts like a Mommy to the little ones!

This is Henrietta. She is a Buff Orpington Hen.

This is Rosie. She is a Frizzle Hen. She is soooo cute!!

This is Buttercup. She is a Rhode Island Red Hen.

This is Pickles. She is a Barred Rock Hen.

Soooo, when I went to buy these baby chicks at a Ranch the other day, they had two other cute things that I just had to take home. My husband was not amused....LOL So here is:

This is Peter. He is a Peacock!!

And this is Tom. He is a Tom Turkey!! He has quite the personality!

I am just finishing up the final touches of my Chicken Coop and I will post pictures as soon as I am done. It is bright Yellow and I have been hanging up some of my vintage signs on the outside and inside.

Bloomin' Tuesday

2011-09-13T00:15:00.000-07:00

The weather is starting to cool down a bit. Its still in the 80s-90s but you can tell the nights are starting to get cooler. We don't have actual Fall here in Southern California, the weather just cools down a bit.

I just went out and took some random shots of some of my flowers for Bloomin' Tuesday.

My favorite rose bush, Betty Boop!

After 4 years I finally get my first lime on my tree!

Some of my Red Cabbage that the wild animals and Charlie the Turtle haven't found in my garden yet!

Some roses from the Rose Garden

I am hooking up today with Jean at MsGreenThumbJean's Blog for Bloomin' Tuesday!

Pink Mosaic Shabby Chic Chalk Board

2011-09-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

This is a Chalk Board I just got done with. It is shaped like a house with half of it a chalk board and the other half with twine to hang pictures or cards. It even has a shelf at the bottom for chalk.

I used broken china plates pieces and pink glass and made a cute design up at the top in Mosaic

I have listed this for sale in my Etsy store AnneFannie.etsy.com

For more Pink Saturday posts be sure to go visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday!

Pumpkin Head Kitty

2011-09-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

Do you ever search through the Treasuries at Etsy.com and look for something to buy? Last week I was looking through the Treasuries and I came across something I just had to have for Evil Kitty.

Is this funny or what? It's a hand knitted orange pumpkin hat for your kitty! Look how happy Evil Kitty is to be wearing it?

When the package came and I pulled it out of the package my husband takes one look at it and says "Now that was a impulse buy".

You have to go check out this lady's Etsy Store. It's called Scooter Knits. She makes all kinds of knitted hats for your kitty, witch's hat, a candy corn hat, reindeer hat, etc. They are great!

All ready for fall!

Bloomin' Tuesday

2011-08-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

Today I am joining Jean at Ms Green Thumb Jean's Blog for Bloomin' Tuesday.

It has been so hot here lately that my garden is really suffering. The last couple days it has been around 110. Very hot!

I thought I would show you my Plumeria flowers. They seem to be doing really well in this heat! These are the Hawaiian flowers that you make a Lei out of! I have 6 plants in my garden. They are very hard to grow!

These are my yellow Plumeria flowers. I also have pink and white ones!

Have you ever tried to make a Hawaiian Lei? It is really easy. It takes around 50 Plumeria Blossoms to make a 40" lei. Pick them and spray them with water to keep them fresh. Take a large stainless steel needle with fishing line or strong thread and thread it through the center of each flower. After you have all the flowers on the string tie the end! That is it! It is very easy and they not only smell so good but they make a great gift for someone to wear on a special day!

Animal News at the Green Acres Cottage

2011-08-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

We have had a lot of excitement around here lately.......ever since Miss Molly came to live with us.
Someone dumped her next to our property about 7 months ago. How can someone be so mean to a lovable dog? Well, Miss Molly is full of it. I am guessing someone had enough of her.

We are on the 4th Golf Cart seat to replace thanks to Miss Molly.

She also chews all our sprinkler heads. Last month I got a water bill over $800 because she chewed the top off the sprinkler controls while we were gone. And our electric gate stopped working today. My husband noticed the antenna is all chewed up. She is quite the hunter too. She will catch and kill anything that comes into our yard. Everyday I find dead rabbits, squirrels, gophers, birds,crows, mice, etc. She goes after just about everything that moves, which might also include something that already lives here too. My question is, How much would you pay in Vet bills for your pet turtle? Keep that thought in your mind, we will get back to it later!

I have two African Spur Turtles. Charlie and baby Charlie. (They are not related) Charlie is HUGE, weighs over 60 lbs (I can't pick him up) and baby Charlie looks like a dwarf next to him.

Just the other day my husband completed a area for baby Charlie to live in till she gets bigger. She cannot run free through the yard like Charlie does, she is just to small. Big Charlie tries to ram rod any of the dogs if they even think about going near him. He can handle himself so we don't worry about him.

Here is the fenced off area my husband built for Baby Charlie right in front of my Potting Shed.

As soon as he got done he put baby Charlie into the area and went to Home Depot. While he was gone, one of the workers heard Buck our Rottweiler barking like crazy at Molly. He hurried down to see what all the commotion was. Now, Buck is a big dog, almost 150 lbs and he tolerates Miss Molly but he always likes to alert us when she is doing something wrong.

Well, it seems Miss Molly jumped over the black rod fence into Baby Charlie's area and chewed her top shell open.

It was awful. I freaked out when I got home and scooped up Baby Charlie and hurried down to the Animal Hospital. You could actually see inside under her shell and can see it moving from her heart beats!

When I brought baby Charlie inside the animal hospital and asked if they could help my pet turtle because my dog tried to eat it, I looked around and saw the look of shock on every one's face in the waiting room. Hmmm, I thought, are they shocked because it's a awful sight or they can't believe that I would actually spend money on a pet turtle?

They couldn't help me there and sent me to someone that could about 35 miles away. So I drove there and sat till 10:30 pm in the emergency room and waited for my pet turtle. They told me all they could do is clean out the wound and wrapped it up and said I had to bring it to a "turtle specialist in the morning" somewhere else. They came out and gave me this sad looking turtle all bandaged up and a HUGE bill in the emergency room. I started giggling because I couldn't believe this turtle bandaged up and that I was going to pay this enormous emergency room bill and I still had to take her to a turtle specialist.

So the next day I took Baby Charlie to the Turtle Specialist. Yes, they actually have Vets that specialize with turtles! They had to give her xrays to make sure she had no internal damages to her organs and he told me that if she survived a week, she will survive the infection. They gave me shots that I had to give Baby Charlie every 72 hours and they fiberglass her shell closed!

The Vet told me that baby Charlie will get around 200 lbs and 3 feet long. So it will be a life long thing for her to go to a turtle specialist and get her shell re-fiber glassed as she grows bigger. Are you thinking the same thing I am? $$$$$$$$$

So my question before was, How much would you pay in Vet bills for your pet turtle?? Oh my gosh, every time my husband asks me how much I spent on Baby Charlie I can't look at him straight in the eye and turn my head away. I still refuse to tell him or anyone else how much I spent.

This is baby Charlie today. I faithfully gave her those shots and she survived the infection! She is eating, walking around her little area which I might add now has netting around to keep out Miss Molly. Also the shock collar for Miss Molly worked great too.......every time she would get near baby Charlie I would zap her!!

I might add that Molly has met one animal in our household that she avoids and will not give eye contact with. She is afraid of Evil Kitty!

My Etsy Store has been featured today!

2011-08-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

My Etsy Store, Green Acres Cottage where I make all my handmade vintage style tags has been featured today on the Website What's Hot and On Top!

Here are some of my Fall and Halloween Tags that I have recently put up on my store! Some of the tags I make myself using Photo Shop and Vintage images.

Roosters and Chickens

2011-08-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today I am joining Shelia at Note Songs for a Rooster and Chicken Party. I am a Rooster and Chicken-aholic so this is the party I can't miss!

My whole kitchen is full of Rooster and Chickens

I display all my Rooster and Chicken Plates above the windows

I have Chicken wallpaper around the room

I also collect Glass Chickens and Roosters in every color

I love to collect Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers of Chickens and Roosters. Here are just a few!

I keep some of my table cloths in this cute Chicken Chest

Even Kitty joins me for my love for roosters and chickens!

Here's a Picture especially for you! I have one posted on my sidebar!

Thanks for joining me today and thank you to Shelia!

Bloomin' Tuesday

2011-07-19T00:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have joined Jean over at Ms Green Thumb Jean's Blog for Bloomin' Tuesday!

I went out and snapped some pictures today.

I have a old Outhouse where I store all my pond supplies inside

This is my potting shed where I keep all my garden supplies

I love to collect old signs and junk to place around in the garden

This phone booth has a phone inside but its not hooked up. We just like how it lights up at night!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a enjoyable day!

My Vintage Pedal Car Collection

2011-06-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

Since 1930 Pedal Cars have been a popular ride on toy for children. Today, they have caught the eye of collectors and are a very fun thing to look for at garage sales and flea markets. I started collecting them around 3 years ago. I had my husband build me a metal roof awning in our Vintage Car Museum and I display them up high along one wall.

These are all child size ride on vehicles!

This is a child two seater vintage coke delivery car. It even has a engine! Its to big and heavy to fit up on the metal roof! I have a crate of vintage coke bottles in the back!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and seeing my Pedal Car Collection!

Grandkids!

2011-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

What could possibly make my Grand Daughter Piper this excited????

It's Minnie with sister Harper!!

Showing Some Pink in the Garden Today

2011-06-11T00:42:00.000-07:00

Today for Pink Saturday I have walked through my garden and snapped some pictures of some pretty pinks!

This is Charlie our African Spur Turtle. He must weigh over 60 lbs. You can't tell in this picture how big he really is. I cannot pick him up he is so heavy! He has the run of the yard and the dogs are scared of him! They tell me he will get around 200 lbs one day. I feed him vegetables so that he will leave my garden flowers alone.

Yum, look at all these pink peaches on one of our peach trees! While I was walking around with my Grandson taking pictures today we came across this baby scared bunny. We picked him up and I put him in a box and my Grandson fed him some cabbage and grass. When our son came to pick up our grandson he was not happy with Grandma sending him home with a pet bunny. I love being a Grandma!

For more Pink Saturday posts, please go visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!

Our Avocado Grove

2011-05-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

Last year my husband and I purchased a 3 acre avocado grove next door to us. The property had been abandoned and was in foreclosure. What are we going to do with all these half dead avocado trees my husband asked me? We are going to nurse them all back and sell avocados I said! I went online and looked up how to care for avocado trees! Well, after lots of TLC it looks like my pipe dream is coming to reality! After a year of nursing these poor trees back to health, they are finally full of buds of hundreds of little avocados and the leaves are all green instead of brown!

Here are a few pictures I took today of some of the trees.

This is a vintage Smudge Pot! I have found 3 of them left on the property from the owners years ago. They are a oil burning device that is used to prevent frost on fruit trees. I have them in my garden as garden art! Aren't they fun looking??

I picked these yesterday off just one tree! Yum avocado dip for the Memorial Holiday weekend!

Here is a quick easy Avocado dip recipe!

3 ripe avocados

2-3 green onions, finely diced

1 medium tomato diced

Lime juice (I usually use 1/2 of lime)

1/2 cup chopped up Cilantro (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Tabasco or hot sauce to taste (optional)

Cut avocados in half and scoop out. Throw pit away. Mash up in bowl with fork.
Add diced tomato, diced green onions and chopped Cilantro. Add salt and pepper, lime juice, and Tabasco or hot sauce to taste. Grab some Tortilla chips and enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have not posted on my blog for a month now. My life has been so full. It's amazing how one little phone call can change someone's life. My Mother has recently had a stroke. I am so grateful for my Sister in sharing with me the responsibility of taking care of our Mom 24 hours a day.

I am dedicating this Pink Saturday post to my beautiful Mother who shares with me the love for beautiful PINK things around the house!

My Mom's Pink Flowered antique lamp over 60 years old!

Her Pink flowered china Tea Set This Pink flowered Plate belonged to my Grandmother. A Pink glass Decanter that was once a wedding gift to my parents

My Mother's vintage pink brooch

I always giggle when I look at this picture. My Mother hates my cat. I snapped this picture because I couldn't believe my mother was petting my cat. Right after I took this picture, evil kitty turned and bit my mom!

Thank you Mom for always being there for me. Now I have the opportunity to do for you what you have always done for me.

Be sure to go visit our hostess for Pink Saturday, Ms Beverly, at How Sweet the Sound!

Pink In the Garden for Pink Saturday

2011-04-09T01:05:00.001-07:00

Spring is here in Southern California, at least in my garden it is! For Pink Saturday I am going to show some PINK in the garden today!

For more Pink Saturday, be sure to visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet The Sound!

I'm so BLUE

2011-03-27T11:43:00.001-07:00

Growing up my father had a fish pond in our yard. He loved his Koi fish and everyday when he would come home from work he would immediately go visit his fish and feed them. My sweet memories are of him tapping the rocks and all his fish would swim up to him for food. Before my father passed away from Cancer, he had all his fish moved to the pond at the cemetery where he was going to be buried.

I grew to love them too so when my husband and I moved to the Green Acres 6 years ago I asked him to build me a fish pond. He built me one and around it I put some large rocks that was once the actual rocks my father use to have around his pond. I bought small Koi fish so that I could train them to come to me too when I tapped on the rocks.

I loved my Koi Fish. In the past few years some of them have grown to almost 2 feet long!

The other day the unthinkable happened......"SOMEONE" (and it wasn't me) left the garden hose on in the pond. The Chlorine in the water KILLED ALL MY KOI FISH!! We woke up to finding all 37 of my beloved Koi Fish floating bellied up in the pond.........I was devastated!!

I dropped to my knees at the side of the pond and watched quietly as my husband scooped all my beautiful fish up one by one and put them in a trash can. Once the trash can was filled, I grabbed my cell phone and snapped a picture of the sad very brightly colored sight...

Then, HE said it, not me......You are going to post pictures of this on your blog and tell the world how I KILLED YOUR KOI FISH? .........................yep

I am hooking up today with Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog for Blue Monday. I am feeling very blue today .......

Hot Pink Bougainvilleas for Pink Saturday

2011-03-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

I love Bougainvillea plants. They are so hardy and along with the carpet of flowers comes long thorns to keep intruders out of your yard.

We have so many of these plants in every color along the fences of our property. Here is one plant that is over 12 feet tall and it is a carpet of beautiful hot pink flowers.

Here is a picture of the flowers close up.

Nestled in the flowers is one of my Pink Mosaic Wind Chimes I made last week. I have this listed on my Anne Fannie's Etsy store.

Don't forget to click here and go visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday participants.

Showing Some Pink in the Garden for Pink Saturday

2011-03-18T23:47:00.000-07:00

The weather has been beautiful here. Rain is in the forecast, but today it is a pretty day. My flowers are starting to bloom and my yard is showing so much color.

One of my PINK Amaryllis plants is just starting to open. This bulb was given to me about 4 years ago from a friend for my birthday. Every year when it blooms, I think of her. What a wonderful gift to give someone that loves to garden. They can enjoy it year after year.

I have a area that my PINK Alstroemeria is growing wild. Every year they take over more area. They will stay in bloom till December and I will have fresh flowers for my vases till then.

I know this isn't PINK, but I just love these double wash tubs on a stand filled with Marigolds. I like to place galvanized buckets around the yard and plant different colored flowers. Here is a vintage bucket filled with Ranunculus. I think the pink ones are the prettiest but I like to mix a variety of color. These will come back every year so I leave the root balls in the dirt and I will plant annuals over the top of them for the summer months. Be sure to click here and go visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for more pink saturday posts!

Spring Roses

2011-03-04T20:16:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things in my garden are my rose bushes. I love when spring is almost upon us and they start to bloom. Here are some pink blooms just awaking for spring!

For more Pink, please click here and visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet The Sound!