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The High-Tech Eye We needed new Security Cameras . We were overpaying for a Blink Camera subscription just to sift through grainy black-and-white images. After doing some research, we received our new cameras in a shiny package. Setting up a brand-new security system brings a satisfying feeling. It gives a sense of control and the smug satisfaction of imagining catching package thieves or unruly roosters on candid camera. We were really enjoying that bliss. We tweaked camera angles, adjusted motion alerts, and admired our newfound ability to spy on poultry in ultra-HD clarity and Nightvision in FULL COLOR . We expected nothing unusual for the night. Then, it happened. The Ping of Doom. Camera Sirens went off (we didn't even realize they could do that), and time stood still for a split second! AOSU Solar Security Cameras Wireless The Bobcat Revelation There comes a moment when reality shifts . You go from expecting mild farm drama to starring in an unintended episode of National Geographic: Backyard Edition . We opened the security app, expecting a glitch or a stray cat. Instead? A big ol' feline. It had tufted ears and a muscular build, with that unmistakable "I belong in the wild, and you are beneath me" stare. Our first reaction was denial. "That’s gotta be a really beefy housecat," we thought. Our second reaction was panic. "That is NOT a housecat. That is a turkey-eating machine!" Fortification Mode Activated The turkeys, who were completely aware of their impending audition for Survivor: Barnyard Edition , had been acting strangely that evening. We managed to coax them into their coop, thinking everything was fine. In hindsight, we should have engineered DEFCON-level turkey protection! Here’s what we did: Moved the Turkeys into the Predator Proof Chicken Coop for the night! Set motion alerts to MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE. Now, every falling leaf triggers a security alert, ensuring we never sleep again. Had a serious conversation with the turkeys about stranger danger. They did not appreciate it. Added reinforcements to the enclosure, which now resembles Fort Knox (or a very intense Orange Groove collection box if you're squinting). This included extra fencing, wooden pallets, an ungodly number of screws, and anxiety-driven adjustments that screamed paranoia . The Aftermath As of now, the bobcat hasn’t made a second appearance. It’s probably off somewhere, chuckling at our overreaction. Meanwhile, the security system continues to remind us that nature never needed cameras to plot its chaos. Conclusions and Future Precautions Moral of the story? If you install a new security system expecting mild mischief, brace yourself. The wild is watching and, apparently, it’s eager to test your defenses. This experience highlighted the importance of being prepared and vigilant. As a bonus, with the success of our new system, we rushed out to buy a second set on Amazon. We needed to retire our Blink System! The new Aosu set has already proven its worth!

Homesteading: The Fine Art of Not Depending on Anyone (Except Maybe the Chickens) Ah, homesteading - the noble pursuit of independence, where you trade grocery store convenience for the thrill of chasing escaped livestock through a muddy field. It’s a lifestyle that promises resourcefulness, sustainability, and a newfound appreciation for duct tape. If you've ever dreamed of living off the land, growing your own food, and not panicking when the power goes out, buckle up - this is your guide to homesteading with humor and heart. Embracing Self-Sufficiency: Because Who Needs Stores Anyway? Self-sufficiency is the dream. Imagine waking up, strolling into your garden, and gathering ingredients for breakfast like a medieval peasant (but with Wi-Fi). Homesteading is all about knowing you can fend for yourself - with or without modern conveniences. Signs You’re Becoming Self-Sufficient: You proudly refer to your pantry as your “food fortress.” You have strong opinions on soil quality. You start casually mentioning the medicinal properties of dandelions at dinner parties. The UPS guy stops coming because, frankly, you don’t need much anymore (At least for some of you, we like our UPS guy and would miss him ;) Build yourself a food fortress Starting the Journey to Independence: Small Steps, Big Victories You don’t need a sprawling farm or a herd of goats to start homesteading (though, let’s be honest, Goats and Turkeys add a LOT of personality). The key to independence is starting small and expanding as you gain confidence - preferably before any livestock tries to outsmart you. Beginner Homesteading Moves: Grow Something:  Herbs? Tomatoes? An entire field of corn? Start where you can and work your way up. DIY Everything:  Can you make your own bread, soap, or clothes? Give it a shot (you’ll appreciate store-bought bread even more). Fix Things Yourself:  The more self-repairs you tackle, the more you realize you have the engineering skills of a genius (or at least a very ambitious amateur). Cultivating a Resourceful Mindset: Make Do or Make It Better Homesteading teaches you to think outside the box—or, more accurately, think about  the box and whether it can be repurposed into something useful. How to Be a Resourceful Homesteader: Creativity Over Convenience:  Why buy expensive garden beds when you can repurpose old furniture? Why toss scraps when they can feed the chickens? Master the Art of Bartering:  “I’ll trade you six eggs for that bundle of firewood” is a sentence you’ll find yourself saying unironically. Laugh at Your Failures:  One day you will accidentally plant potatoes upside down, and that’s okay. Chickens make fantastic beginner livestock Community Connections: Because Sometimes You Do Need Help Independence doesn’t mean isolation—especially when your neighbor has a tractor and you have a stubborn tree stump to remove. Homesteading thrives on community support, and finding like-minded folks can make the journey even more rewarding. Ways to Build Your Homesteading Network: Farmers Markets & Local Meetups:  Great places to swap skills, trade goods, and avoid making terrible beginner mistakes. Online Groups:  Because even homesteaders need internet pals to discuss chicken drama. Skill Swaps:  “I’ll fix your fence if you teach me how to make goat cheese” is peak homesteading negotiation. Farmer's Markets make great Networking spaces Sustaining Your Journey to Independence: The Long Game Homesteading is not a hobby - it’s a lifestyle shift, a commitment to long-term self-sufficiency. The trick is staying adaptable, keeping up with new skills, and remembering to enjoy the ride (even when your bees stage a revolt). Keeping Up the Momentum: Always Learn New Skills:  If you’re not growing, you’re stagnating - learn something fresh every season! We have taken to growing 2-3 things we've never grown before every season to expand our knowledge and to see if thats something we like and want to grow permanently. Prepare for the Unexpected:  Gardens will fail, roofs will leak, and chickens will plot against you. Keep backups, keep learning, and keep laughing. Celebrate Small Wins:  Managed to grow a single carrot? That’s a victory worth celebrating, especially if you've been struggling with Carrots. And in closing... Homesteading is not just about survival - it’s about thriving through ingenuity, patience, and a little chaos. Whether you’re growing your first herbs, building a DIY greenhouse, or just trying to keep your critters from eating your siding, every step towards independence is a win. So , what’s your next homesteading adventure? (And do you need help catching that runaway chicken?)

So, you’ve decided to bring some fluffy, chirping joy into your life by hatching baby chickens in an incubator? Buckle up, because this adventure will be equal parts heartwarming, nerve-wracking, and straight-up ridiculous. Step 1: The Incubator Drama Begins Hatching chicks isn’t just about tossing some eggs into a warm box and waiting. No, no. You’re essentially playing Mother Nature with a glorified toaster oven, and that takes commitment. The Setup: AKA, Welcome to Your New Obsession Grab yourself a good incubator - preferably one that doesn’t require constant micromanagement, unless you enjoy suffering. Set the temperature to a balmy 99.5°F because apparently, chickens have very specific climate preferences. Humidity matters! Aim for 45–55%  for the first 18 days, then bump it up to 65–75%  for lockdown. Yes, “lockdown” is an actual term, because things get REAL. Ready, Set, Go! The Waiting Game For 21 days , you will stare at these eggs like they hold the secrets of the universe. You’ll question every tiny movement, every sound, and probably talk to them, hoping they’ll respond. (They won’t. Yet.) Step 2: The Great Hatch-a-palooza At around day 21 , the magic happens. You’ll hear tiny peeps from inside the eggs, which is equal parts adorable and mind-blowing. Soon, little cracks will appear, and the chaos begins. A pipped egg What to Expect: Some chicks will pop out like they’ve got places to be. Others will take their sweet time, making you question everything. They’ll look ugly  at first. Wet, weird, confused. Resist the urge to “help” them hatch - it’s like opening the oven too early on a souffle. Once fully emerged, they’ll dry off and, within a few hours, turn into fluffy balls of pure joy. Congratulations, you’re now responsible for fragile, needy, chirping infants! The first arrivals More babies hatching Step 3: The Post-Hatch Chaos (AKA Baby Chicken Parenting 101) Now that you have chicks, it’s time to keep them alive. Here’s what they need: A Brooder Box (Basically, Chick Kindergarten) A heat source , like a heat lamp or plate. Set it to 95°F for the first week and gradually lower it. A safe, cozy enclosure  with proper bedding. Paper towels work great at first - less mess, more grip. Food and water! Use a shallow dish for water so they don’t dive in like tiny, feathery maniacs. Brood Box, aka "The Kindergarten" Chick Shenanigans You Should Expect They will nap randomly , often in positions that look concerning. Resist the urge to poke them every 10 minutes. They will try to fly before they should , resulting in dramatic faceplants. They will poop constantly . No amount of preparation will prepare you for the sheer scale of chick poop. The Baby Chicks Baby Chaos Step 4: Graduation to Real Chickenhood After about 6-8 weeks , your chicks will be big enough to transition outdoors. By this point, they will: Have developed actual feathers. Have personalities ranging from “sweet angel” to “chaotic little tyrant.” Demand treats and attention like they own the place. Eventually, they’ll join the flock and start their own chicken adventures—whether that’s laying eggs, bossing other chickens around, or finding new ways to make you question your life choices but we'll write another blog about that later! Final Thoughts Raising baby chicks is equal parts rewarding and ridiculous . You’ll experience moments of pure joy, minor panic attacks, and more poop-cleaning than you ever thought possible. But in the end? Totally worth it. So , if you’re ready for sleepless nights, fluffy cuddles, and a never-ending supply of poultry-related drama - welcome to the world of chicken parenthood!

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And as they strolled hand in hand through the rain-soaked streets, they knew that their love story was just beginning, with every chapter yet to be written. Cute right? It's also utter nonsense and the plot of "How Harry met Sally" LOL Chris and I met each other in a weird way, two people who managed to find each other in a sea of 7 billion other Humans. We first collided in 2016 playing Neverwinter on Xbox, where we both belonged to the same Guild. AND THIS IS US In a bustling city where the rhythm of life never missed a beat, Chris and Mel found themselves navigating the bustling streets, unaware that destiny had its own romantic script in mind for them. Their story began on a rainy afternoon, with Chris, a perpetually cheerful optimist, darting through the downpour, determined to reach his destination without turning into a soggy mess. Meanwhile, Mel, a pragmatic realist with a penchant for overthinking, was quietly cursing her luck as she wrestled with an umbrella that seemed determined to defy the laws of physics. Their paths collided in a classic "umbrella bump" moment, reminiscent of a scene straight out of a romantic comedy. As they exchanged sheepish apologies and laughter over their shared predicament, little did they know that this chance encounter would mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Over cups of steaming coffee and slices of decadent cheesecake at their favorite neighborhood cafe, Chris and Mel discovered a shared love for old movies, cheesy jokes, and late-night conversations about life, love, and everything in between. They became each other's confidants, sounding boards, and partners in crime, navigating the highs and lows of city life with a blend of humor and heart. As the seasons changed and the cityscape transformed, Chris and Mel's bond only grew stronger, evolving from friendship to something more. They laughed, they cried, they danced in the rain, and with each passing day, they found themselves falling deeper and deeper in love. In a city where millions of stories unfolded every day, Chris and Mel's love story stood out as a testament to the power of serendipity, friendship, and the magic of finding your perfect match in the most unexpected of places. And as they strolled hand in hand through the rain-soaked streets, they knew that their love story was just beginning, with every chapter yet to be written. Cute right? It's also utter nonsense and the plot of "How Harry met Sally" LOL To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Chris and I met each other in a weird way, two people who managed to find each other in a sea of 7 billion other Humans. We first collided in 2016 playing Neverwinter on Xbox, where we both belonged to the same Guild. As life will have it, we lived in different states but soon figured out we were two peas in the same pod. Chris loved Bugs, and Mel loved Bug Photography. We are both avid Gamers and Sci-Fi Lovers. Mel hates Pickles, and Chris loves them. Chris was bald, and Mel had enough hair for two people. You get what we mean ;) About a year into the relationship, we decided to do the strangest thing possible and became Roach breeders. Yep, you read that correctly. We breed Cockroaches. Discoid Roaches, to be exact, and it bloomed into a thriving business that is now in Year 6! You wouldn't believe how many people there are in Florida who also love Reptiles, and those Reptiles have to eat too. We ship Roaches all over the United States and have the most amazing Customers on the planet! Come check us out over on LUNA ROACHES ! Eventually, we had to expand, and so we moved right before COVID-19 at the end of May 2020. Away from the Beach and into Rural Florida onto 1.25 acres. Image this: A blank slate. An entire property with nothing but the new home on it. Nothing was planted, no landscaping, and about 60% of the Land was cleared. We were all in! You would think that would have been enough to wake up our Homesteading gene, but not so much. That didn’t happen until 2021 and it started slowly. We knew some about growing stuff, but not enough to be successful, and the first year, we failed. A LOT! In year two, we started to tackle this with all of the enthusiasm of newlyweds on their wedding night! We researched, we pivoted, we researched, and ended up with a bit of success but not enough to be self-sufficient. But we got smarter and experimented. Due to Mel’s Lupus, growing things that required a lot of maintenance in the garden were out. The Sun triggers Lupus flare-ups, so that was a no-go. (This also re-started the love for Herbalism, and we went all in with School, classes, learning, and research!) We decided to plant ten crops in all of the spirit of “May the odds be ever in your favor!” Seed in the ground, water until germination, and then you are on your own little Plant. We had a LOT of Success that way and had a great harvest of Seminole Pumpkins, Black Eyed Peas, Cassava, Grapes, Mulberries, Cranberry Hibiscus, Tomatoes and Sweet Potatoes. We also learned to bake everything from scratch, canning, fermenting, dehydrating, and adding a Freeze Dryer. Now, in Year three of our Homesteading Journey, we have five Turkeys, a flock of Barnyard mix egg layers that give us the prettiest eggs, and a newly raised flock of Bielefelders and Jersey Giants that will be our Dual-Purpose birds for Meat and Eggs. But that wasn’t enough, and we also decided to become Bee Keepers this year. On top of that, we expanded our growing garden, started our Food Forrest, and now have about triple the space to grow and become more self-sufficient because, after all, that is the goal! Chris and I are the kind of people who don’t mind being together 24/7. We work well together and have a ton of fun doing it, it just works in our marriage. There is rarely a day when we don’t have a belly-aching laugh over something or the other. We hope you come join us on our Journey, it’ll be weird because… weird is what we do best!

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