Courtesy of Barb Guiden & Paulanne Peters

BACKYARD CHICKENS Gone are the days of having to own an acreage, hobby farm or farm to raise chickens as many municipalities across the country now allow homeowners to keep hens in their backyard. If this is something you may be interested in, first consult with your local bylaws to see which guidelines you will need to follow and if there are any licenses you need to obtain. Some areas have pilot projects in progress while others have broader rules and regulations in place. If you get the green light, raising backyard chickens can not only provide eggs, but also entertainment, fertilizer, pest control and educational opportunities. On the other hand, chickens are known to be noisy and smelly, so they can pose some problems too and aren’t always welcomed by neighbours. As with welcoming any other pet or livestock into your life, it’s not a decision to be made lightly and takes thorough research and planning before they even set foot into your coop. Some things to consider aside from the obvious food, shelter and veterinary care include: • how will you keep the chickens safe from predators (not just owls, racoons and coyotes, but neighbourhood cats and dogs can also attack some breeds of chickens) • how will you keep them active (yes, they need to be entertained for their overall health and happiness) • how will they spend their retirement years (chickens tend to live about eight to ten years and only lay eggs for about four or five of those - depending on breed). SMALL BATHROOM STYLE Just because a bathroom is short in square footage, it doesn’t mean it has to be short in style or function. One easy trick to make any room, including your powder room, appear larger is to use light colours in your décor. Whites, greys, tans and other neutral colours will open a space up. Also consider vertical or horizontal stripes on the walls as both will make the room appear larger than it actually is. Another tried and true tactic is to use mirrors. If possible, mirror an entire wall to create the illusion of more space. Finally, make sure there is adequate lighting either natural or from added light fixtures. All, or even a few, of these tactics are the foundation to creating a bathroom that appears larger than it actually is. There are a few tricks that are specific to bathrooms you can try too. First, hang your shower curtain close to the ceiling. Just like vertical stripes on the wall, long curtains will make the room appear taller. Installing a medicine cabinet will not only add another mirror to the space, but will also create an additional storage area so clutter can be removed from countertops. Speaking of clutter, utilize shelves, drawers or storage baskets to remove visual clutter where possible. You don’t have to sacrifice style in a small space either; large patterns or bold colours pair nicely with a neutral background tying the space together while complimenting the other methods you incorporated to make the space feel larger.

JOKES

Q: Why can’t you say a joke while standing on ice? A: Because it might crack up! Q: What nails do carpenters hate to hit? A: Fingernails.

Q: Why was Cinderella thrown off the basketball team? A: She ran away from the ball. Q: What did the light bulb say to its mother? A: I love you watts and watts.