Sunday, September 13, 2015

Ahoy!!! I see land!



It doesn't look like much...but it's ours.

It took 6 long months...but it's ours.

11 more or less acres.






Every year we see in the local newspaper land tax sales.
Property sales of people who aren't paying their taxes.
They haven't paid them for 2 years.

So every year there's some in the paper.
This year we thought we'd give it a go.
See how it works.
We had a little bit in the bank and like Dave said, "they aren't making anymore land"
It's hard to get land...well affordable land anyway. 
An investment.

So on a cold March day we marched into the municipal office for our first tax sale.
It was a bit intimidating at first, since most of the bidders were 
wealthy, seasoned landowners and business people.

We had our eye on three pieces of land.  We actually won two!!!!
But even after the land sale, the property owner still has 6 months to come up with the money.
In my opinion, if you're two years behind in your taxes, you shouldn't be given another chance.
But that's me, I'm mean like that. ;)

So after a month or so, we lost one of the properties. Bummer.
It was my favourite one. 

Oh well. This must be where they get the saying, "You win some, you lose some."
Ok, maybe not.

So Friday we got the official letter stating that the property was ours!!

So...
what to do with 11 acres of wooded land.
Hmmmmm....
I want to get it clear cutted and put goats on it!!!

No, not really.  

I do want to clear cut it, but to plant Haskaps.

Dave thinks I'm nuts.

He's not sure what to do with it.

So, dear readers...you'll have to stay tuned to see what's going to become of our
newly acquired land.
Just a head's up.....
this could take a while.

Have a Blessed Day
Lisa

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The Red Shed

Every once in a while you come across something so fantabulous that you have to share it with someone.

I'm sharing this with you!

The Red Shed!

Yes, I'm thinking of becoming a restaurant critic.

Ok, not really.

But Dave had heard of a little place on the Yarmouth Waterfront that was good.

So we were in the area a few weeks ago and decided to try it.



Jamie and I had the fish tacos and Dave had a poutine. The people with us had the clams and chips.
I can't even begin to describe how good the fish taco was. 

It was made with shredded haddock and all the flavours just melded together. It also came with a hot sauce on the side.  Word of advice...the tiny little container of hot sauce they give you is more than enough for two people.  Phew...it made my eyebrows sweat.

Dave said that the poutine was great also.
The only downside it that they're only open in the summer.  I'm not even sure if they're still open at the moment.  BUT I HAVE GOT TO FIND OUT!!!

I need one more feed of tacos!


Oh and the service was awesome. That helps a lot.

So what more can you ask, out of this world food, great service and reasonable prices.
You Gotta Eat Here!


Have a Blessed Day!
Lisa

Monday, July 27, 2015

Flower Power!!

I know ya'll come to my blog for the awesome goat pictures

But for once we are going to have a change of pace.

No goat pics

SHOCK!

HORROR!!!
Yes, 

Just tranquil pictures of my flowers around the property.

So sit back and enjoy the peaceful 

flower pictures.

Flamingo Willow

Dianthus...I think

Rose

Snow pea flower

Hosta

Lavender
Daylily

Bee Balm

Different colour Bee Balm
Tree lily
Tree lily (these lilies are taller than I am)


See now wasn't that soothing.








Ok, I couldn't leave without one picture...

The Minions!

Have a Blessed Evening!

Lisa


Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Lack of Communication

After 22 years of wedded bliss
(it was our anniversary last week)
you'd think that we'd be able to finish each other's sentences.
And if my brain worked like a normal person's that would probably be true.

But my brain is not that of a normal person. It's mine.
It doesn't stop, even for one millisecond.
While I sleep I'm still thinking of things. 
It never stops.

Where was I going with this....

Oh yes!


Twenty two years!
You'd think that when I tell him just half of the story, he'd know what I meant.
Honestly, I shouldn't have to explain everything....right?

That's how I ended up with 45 chicks.

Dave loves auctions. Me, not so much.
I'm an over-thinker.
 When you're in an auction you can't think things through. You have to act instead of think it to death.

So we went to the cattle sale a few months ago.
Nothing was catching my eye. (well except the mini donkey, it stayed there.)
So then Dave is like, " Look at all these chicks. Do you want some?"

Me-No, I don't need chicks. We just hatched out a bunch. We don't need any.....
Him-Are you sure?
Me-Yes I'm sure.
Him-Are you sure, did you see the boxes of white chicks over there?
Me-Yes, I saw them, but we don't need anymore chicks
Him-Okaaaayyy. Well if you see something, just write the tag number on this paper.

So I wandered around and then wandered to the chicks again.
Stupid me.
Three boxes caught my eye. 
Stupid me. 
The white chicks.
Stupid me.
So I wrote down the numbers and gave them to Dave.
Since I have no patience and the brain for the auction itself, I went to visit the donkey.

He was such a cute donkey and there was a mini horse also.

I got back to Dave after it was done and he proudly announced that he got all 
THREE BOXES OF CHICKS!!!

Holy catfish Batman!

I only wanted one box.
Didn't you realize that? 
I only wrote the three numbers in case you didn't get the first box, bid on the second. 
If you don't get the second box bid on the third.

But don't get all three!!!

And that's how I ended up with this



45 chicks.

They're mostly grown now.  But now I have to figure out who's pullet and who's rooster.
AND find homes for them since I don't have room for all that.

But in my defense, we've been married for 22 years.  You'd think he would have known that I didn't want all three boxes. Am I right ladies?! 
Help me here!

Have a Blessed Day
Lisa








Sunday, June 14, 2015

The Girl's Dorm

We've got a new building! I little barn, just for the girls.

Well at the moment it's every man errr...goat, for himself/herself.
I'm trying to train them to go into each of their pens.  It's only the first two days....
It's going to be a long summer.

I think it needs window boxes and curtains!


Claude and |Peanut scoping out the new pens.

Bear wondering why he's not allowed to stay in.

This is the goat's view.


The old goat house is now our hay barn.  No more little tarp barn for the hay.
 Our hay will be safe this winter!


I'm also awaiting some teat tape from Hoeggars. I'm desperate.  The kids have been weaned now for almost two months and when I put them together again. They went right to where they were before weaning.  Not happy!

I need the milk because at the last cattle sale we bought this...


Have a Blessed Evening.
Lisa

Monday, May 25, 2015

Lazarus...maybe?

Nothing is ever normal here on Spring Peeper Farm.


Never


Ever.

Ever.

This morning I was three minutes away from going live on
 CTV Morning Live when the phone starts to ring. 

Who on earth calls at 7:12am?
So I scream (yes, very professional I know) to Jamie,
"ANSWER THE PHONE! QUICK!"

He answers the phone, listens and then hangs up and runs BEHIND ME, 2 minutes before Cyril Lunney says " And now we have Lisa Doucette our correspondent from Concession..." in his PJ bottoms and no shirt. To see what is outside.
Then he says, " Norman (our neighbour up the road) says there's a dead chicken on the side of the road if we want it. The meat is probably still good."

What?!

No!!!Eww.

"Good Morning, Cyril!"

120 seconds later I'm off the air and go see what Jamie and Norman were talking about.
There on the side of the road is one of the neighbour's chickens.  It wasn't there an hour ago when I did the morning chores. And I would have noticed it since I passed right by it with Emilie for her morning ablutions.

It must just have happened when Norman went on his morning walk. He would have seen it.
So I Facebook my neighbour (no I don't call there, we're in 2015, you Facebook people now) and tell her...Another one bit the dust :(

We're both sad.

Then I go to put my clothes on the line and there's another white chicken on my lawn.  
NO WAIT! The dead chicken is not there anymore! It's the dead chicken!

Holy Moly! 

It's risen from the dead!

This deserves a PHONE CALL to the neighbour!!!

"Your chicken has been resurrected!"

"Do you think you can catch it?" she says?

So I go out and catch her.  I brought her home. Not sure if she's going to survive, but at least she might have a chance.

Dave came to visit me after he was done work today.
I told him the story of the Lazarus chicken.
He said," You're going to blog this aren't you?"

Yup.

Have a Blessed Evening.
Lisa

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Why did the chicken cross the road....


Last week while I was planting my onions, my neighbour's chickens came to visit me.
Just two of them.
Never happened before.
I didn't mind.  It was kinda funny and cute.
One of the chickens went back home a little while later and never came back.
But this little white hen started visiting everyday.

Little White hen yesterday...notice the green grass!


She would even follow me around.  I didn't mind her being there. She was cute and respectful of my veggie gardens...unlike my chickens that have been under lock down till my veggies are grown high enough to fend for themselves.

So every morning the little white hen would come running to see me. Then when I went to work she would go home.  I called her the Renegade Chicken!

She broke the rules and let everyone know..

"WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?

To visit her neighbour. 

 I know it was driving my chickens to distraction.
"Why is she allowed to roam OUR territory and we're not!" they would cackle.

I was very concerned about the renegade chicken. I called my neighbour to tell her.
I told her I didn't mind her being there...

but we live on a blind crest and people LOVE
 to drive 30-40km faster than the posted speed limit...

 I was afraid that she was going to get hit.

My fears came true.

The house across the road is where she was from.

This morning as I brought Simonne to do her morning ablutions

 I saw the poor little white hen in the road.

She never had a chance.  It's so sad.

I don't even think she seen what hit her.

Rest in Peace little white hen.

Thanks to you we now know the answer to the riddle...
Why did the chicken cross the road.

Have a Blessed Evening.
Lisa