If it's not one thing....

This is my last vacation week. Things started out boring enough. The only thing we had planned was going to the Annapolis Valley Exhibition. To you Americans I think it's your equivalent to a county fair. Charlotte was only due next week and she's usually a couple of days late.

Tommy feeling better and in his new bachelor pad.

Tommy had had a bad case of the poopies. It had been going on for a least a week. I tried everything. Deworming, changing his diet, keeping him inside on just hay and water. Nothing was working and he was losing weight fast. I think he lost a good 10 pounds. He was looking sad and listless. I was starting to worry.

Wednesday we planned on going to the Ex. Ten minutes away from the exhibition is a great goat vet. So I scooped up some poop, which is hard to do when it's water, and off we went.

We dropped the sample off, gave our cell number and went to the exhibition awaiting a call.

They called.

He was full of worms, eggs and coccidiosis. This was not good. We knew that it could be a life and death situation. They told us is could be treated, which was good. But at what cost? That's what we were wondering. I had read on websites that it could be expensive. Plus, even though the girls had immunity to it now, we still had to treat them for the worms. Safeguard does not work anymore. Needless to say.

We got to the vet and they gave us a whole bunch of well written out instructions, plus a HUGE bottle of medication and a smaller extra one for Tommy. In the instructions we have to give all the goats the meds once a day for 5 days. The extra one for Tommy smelled and looked like kerosene. It was nasty. Then I had to sanitize their stalls. Yeah...right.... How do you sanitize wood. So yesterday that's what I did, I cleaned the stalls, then sprayed them with Javex. Dave then powerwashed them. That's as clean as we can do.

Tommy has to be put in another uninfected stall and can't go in the pasture for a few weeks, till he gets an immunity to the coccidiosis.

But the best thing about all this is that it cost me a grand total of 26$ for all those meds and huge syringes. They never charged me for a call and the vet spoke to us for at least 20 minutes, didn't charge us for dispensing fees. Nothing. I couldn't believe it. The vets around here would have charged an astronomical dispensing fees, a service call and for the syringes. We were expecting no less than 200$.

The next day Tommy was doing so well. His poopies are already back to berries. He's eating like crazy and I'm sure he's already gained a few pounds. So it all ended in a happy ending after all.

Someone had lots of red ribbons! Dave and J. on the ferris wheel.

The exhibition was fun. They had the wild and woolie sheep riding competition. J. wanted to go but he's too heavy. You had to be under 50lbs and he's 56.

Wild and woolie sheep rodeo

They had nice chickens there also. But someone had dyed their chicken pink and blue. It was just so wrong.

Blue and pink chicken. Just so wrong.

J. and I in a John Deere wheel

The mini donkey I want so bad.

There was one thing I wanted soooo bad. A mini donkey. We all want one badly. But we don't have the time for one and they cost a small fortune. Someday when we're retired.

Tundra

Tundra is doing well. But she still pees alot. She listens better.

I've done lots of pickled beets and plum jam. The greenhouse is full of cherry tomatoes. So some things did well. The sunflowers are finally getting buds. I don't think we'll get any pumpkins though. They were all false blossoms.

Sunflowers super tall, teeny blossoms.

Well that's my update for this week.

Oh and I almost forgot.

Charlotte had 6 piglets on Wednesday. Mother and piglets are doing well.

I guess we had the dates wrong. Or she was a week early.

Six fat little piglets awaiting their needles.

Have a Blessed day!
Lisa

The Clothesline debate.

Ok,

How many of you have a clothesline?

I'm able to use mine again and I'm very happy about this. I love my clothesline. That's one of the things I look forward to the most in the spring. Every time I put a piece of clothing on the line I think of how nice it smells when you take them off, how much money I'm saving and of how domestic it all is.

But as I was putting the clothes on the line I also notice how I put the clothes up and why I put them up like that.

I have to make sure that they line up correctly. The large items together, the facecloths together, the hand towels, the towels etc...socks, undies, bras etc..

Why do I do this? I know I'm not the only one either. I drive by other people's houses and there they are. Everything all in a row.

Do the clothes dry better that way? I don't think so. Do they come off the line easier. Naw! So can someone tell me why we do this? Is it actually just for looks?

Dave once put clothes on the line at his mother's house just willy nilly. Well! you'd think that a lightning bolt was going to strike him dead on the spot. His mother had a fit, walked right out and put them on "properly".

But today I actually found someone worse than my mother in law.

This woman shall remain unnamed. But her daughter told me that she's got three clotheslines. One is in public view. This one will contain towels, shirts and jeans/pants. The second one is a bit smaller and it holds hand towels and facecloths. Then, there is a third smaller line. This one is hidden from all public view. It dries bras, undies and socks.

She also told me that as she takes the clothes out of the washer the jeans have to come out first so they'll be last on the line. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but laugh. I thought I was bad.

But honestly I'm not that bad. These photos prove it. I don't measure to make sure all towels are the same length on the line, I do actually forget a facecloth and stick it in the middle of the towels. Many times a sock get forgotten and it finds its way in the middle of the jeans or shorts.

But Dave loves to put them all scattered on the line. I think that he likes to aggravate me.

So here's the debate or really just your opinion.

Do you put your clothes all nice and neat on the line or willy nilly?

While I'm at it...is your line on a pulley or just a rope strung between two poles?

Do you hang your pants by the legs or the waist?

Plastic or wooden pegs?

How long is your line?

Have a Blessed day!

Lisa

This week in farming

Well so far this week things are better.

After we took stock of the chickens we discovered that the mink had killed mostly roosters that we were going to snuff anyway and older hens. With the exception of Hawky and Grisette I don't really mind losing the others. We will be without the usual amount of eggs till the new hens start to lay, but at least we are getting 2-3 eggs a day. Enough for us.

What I can't figure out is that he didn't bother the ducks. They always go after the ducks. Weird.

We had quite the thunder and rain showers this morning. So bad that I didn't want to put the goats out.

Awaiting the batter....yummm

J. and I have been baking again. Oh, and btw the cookies didn't get to the old lady. I brought them to my mother's house and she had company. Needless to say, they didn't make it.

This time we made cupcakes.

Batter time!

When I was a little girl my mother would make cake or cupcakes and I never got to lick the bowl. She'd hardly leave anything in the bowl. So now that I'm a mom I make sure there's plenty to lick in the bowl. As a matter of fact...we eat the raw batter and what's left is what we cook.

Now when we do this it's only for us. I don't give these cupcakes to anyone since we are severely double dipping in the bowl. When I make cupcakes for other people we don't eat the batter.

Anyway, here's the finally product. I mean you gotta have sprinkles!!

Tundra is doing well. Dave brought her to the vet yesterday for a checkup and needles. I guess Parvo is getting very common in this area. The vet says that she's the picture of health. She's got no heart murmur. I guess that breed is known for them.(this I didn't know) And we'll only know when she's closer to 2 years old if she'll have hip dysplacia. But neither of her parents had it so it should be good.

She's lost all shyness and boy oh boy can she pee. I know we should crate train her, but I just don't have the heart to do it. I mean, I don't want to be stuck in a crate all day long. So I can't imagine a dog would. But we'll try this for now. I asked Dave if he got her bladder checked since I think it must be the size of a mustard seed. He then said, "why do you think there are so many P's in the word Puppy!" Ha Ha very funny Dave.

The goats are kinda warming up to her. They aren't super sure what to think. I let her loose alone. I still just bring her in my arms around them. When she 's bigger I'll let her loose with them. Oh and the vet said by Christmas she'll be 100 lbs! Yikes! She'll only be 6 months by then. She said it's a good idea to change her puppy chow to puppy chow for giant dogs. Regular puppy chow is not good for large dogs. It makes them grow too fast and it's not good for their bones.

Well that's it for today.

Have a Blessed evening.

Lisa

Losses...

This month has been a hard month for J. and his animals.

As you all know our favourite cuddle cat Tootsie is still MIA. It's been over 2 weeks now. We figure coyotes.

Then his goldfish is gone.

Yesterday Whisper and Esme were sold. Thank goodness they went to the same owner. We know he's a good goat person. They will have a good home there. But it's still hard.

Then Monday I noticed that my chicken watching days were over. They were going over to the neighbours property. I mean geezzzz! They have 4 acres of land and they have to go to the neighbours?

Not even an hour had gone by with my decision when I heard them making a racket worse than usual. A mink! He killed the mille fleur rooster. I was not impressed. I grabbed the first thing I could find. A baseball bat. The only thing was that he was gone under our winter tires. I was able to whack him in the ribs and butt. The only problem is that to a mink that's like patting them on the head. They are the toughest creatures you can imagine. He escaped to kill another day.

I thought that maybe I had done enough damage to him that he might not come back.

No such luck!

That night I made sure I locked up the chickens in their pens. It's mink proof. Cement floors and mink wire. (what keeps minks in...keeps them out!)

Yesterday Dave got home from work and was greeted with a bloody and feather carnage. The mink had somehow gotten in the chicken coop and killed 13 chickens!!!! Half of my flock is gone. Mostly layers and a few roosters, including the beautiful rooster we hatched out this year called Hawky. We were going to keep him. We also lost Grisette. She was hatched out this year also. She hadn't started laying yet. She was so pretty and our favourite new one.

Grisette

We borrowed two live mink traps from a mink rancher and set them at the chicken coop. That evening when I was getting J. ready for bed, the girls started freaking out again. I looked out the window and there was the mink going right for the pen. Ignoring the trap completely.

I yelled to Dave and he ran out with his shotgun.

Well needless to say a headless mink doesn't do much damage.

The chickens are now safe again and we've patched up the holes in the old wood. Some of it was rotten and he had dug a whole through.

But it's been a long week of sadness.

On the bright side, the mink only got a few of my new pullets, the rest were older ones. The rest are ok and Foghorn Leghorn is a hero. I think he fought the mink off. Because when mink get in a hen pen then don't stop killing until everyone is dead. Yet something stopped it. Foghorn is a bit worse for wear, but alive. I think he's going to be blind in one eye.

Mink are one of the only animals that kill just for sport. They rip the head off the victim and drink the blood, then leave the body there.

Ok, it wasn't a short post. Sorry. I should have also put a disclaimer at the beginning.

"This post will contain scenes of a bloody and graphic nature. Viewer discretion is advised."

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

Vacations over...back to the ole grind.

Well my vacation week is over. Crud, crud, crud. I want another several weeks!! I think it should be law that everyone gets a weeks paid vacation every month. Who's with me!???

We went to Halifax for 2 days. The reason was because Dave had an appointment to a surgeon for his hand that he broke back in December and they still can't figure out why he's in constant pain. But a few days before we left, they called and cancelled!! He asked when he could expect to be rebooked and they said a year to a year and a half!! Excuse me???!!!

But we already had the hotel booked so we just decided to go anyway and do the touristy things. We got a great deal for the hotel. We got in a ritzy hotel for 60$ instead of their regular 200$! I love www.priceline.com.

We shopped for J.'s school clothes, went on the Harbour Hopper and it's not a tourist trip to Halifax without a ride on Fred the bus.

Fred is a free bus that picks up tourists at certain points in Halifax and gives you a little tour.

J. and I in Fred the bus.

I had never been on the Harbour Hopper. It's an amphibious machine that takes you on a tour of Halifax, then brings you on a tour of the harbour. It was so much fun.

In front of the Harbour Hopper.

In the Hopper on top of Citadel Hill.

Our hotel ritual of delivered pizza

Every time we stay in a hotel we have to have pizza delivered since it's not possible where we live. 40$ for a pizza, but it was good and fun. It only happens once every 2-3 years.

We left the next morning to go pick up Tundra. On the way back we stopped at a fellow goat person's house. I had never been but wanted to visit her and her goats. It also broke up the trip since it was a 6 hour drive!

Well she's got goats!! Not just one or two, but GOATS!!!! She said that last year she had up to 60 GOATS!!! I find that 4 is too many. But they were cute. Nubians are cute. Stubborn and not the best dairy goats, but cute. I know, I know. Don't blast me, but I've had experience in both Alpines and Nubians and that's my opinion. And several other goat people's opinions to.

My goat friend, Cathy and her goats.

The day after we got home. We had a big chicken BBQ to throw. Dave loves making chicken BBQ. We supplied the chicken and beverages and we asked everyone to bring a salad or dessert.

Dave's chicken!!Yum!!

Now I have to just vent here for a little bit. We hand delivered the invitations about 3 weeks before the date. ON THE INVITATION it said to RSVP before July 17th. Half of the people didn't. So does that mean they're coming or not? In my book of etiquette you RSVP whether you're coming or not. To let the hostess know how much food to get. Many people said a few days before, "We're not sure yet." So I told them without trying to be mean or rude, "I'm going to have to take that as a no. Because we need to know how much chicken to buy and we don't want to get stuck with too much chicken." I don't know if I offended anyone, but come on people. Be a bit considerate of the hosts.

We are not millionaires here. Far, far from it. But we thought we'd do this for our friends.

THEN!!!THEN!!! Several couples didn't show up, even though they said they would. How about a phone call saying "Oh I'm sorry, I'm sick, something came up yada yada yada." Is this too much to ask?

Dunno, maybe I'm being too sensitive. Maybe it's because I knew we really couldn't afford it, but we did it anyway.

Oh well. The people that were there had fun. That's all that counts. The kids had a blast since we had J.'s water slide out. Of course, Red Green a.k.a Dave, rerouted the water through the solar panels so the kid's water wouldn't be too cold.

Water slide time!

My aunts and cousins came also and they had fun to. That was a big bonus.

My mother, aunts and cousin.

Well on the farm side of things.

We have Whisper and Esme sold. They are going to a good farmer. I'm so glad that they are going together and to him. They're leaving Thursday.

The ducks are going soon. The drake has gotten really nasty. He attacks you when you turn your back to him. Not good.

Charlotte is due in mid-August.

My chicken watching has come to an end. A mink attacked them and I can't catch him. He killed my mille-fleur rooster. This means war! I took a baseball bat to the mink but he escaped. Why couldn't he go after the ducks?

I put an ad on Kijiji for another one and someone answered me back, saying they have one and they only want 200$ for it? Excuse me? Oh Mylanta! Is it lined with gold? Or maybe it's from a golden egg.

We've lost Tootsie and Duke. They both disappeared a few weeks ago. Duke showed up a few days after he disappeared. Tootsie is still missing in action. We are all devastated. He was the best cat ever! He was the one that got hit by a car and crawled back home on his front legs.

We are having so many problems with coyotes here in Nova Scotia. It's not good. I figure that's what happened to him. This is also why we got the dog. At the moment she doesn't look or act too much like a guard dog. But it'll get better.......I hope.

Have a Blessed Day

Lisa

Tundra

Ok, I can't wait till Sunday.

This is our new surprise!!!

Tundra!

She's a Great Pyrenees.

She's also going to be our guard dog against coyotes.

Ok, well maybe when she grows up a bit.

I'm super pooped and Dave wants the computer so I'll tell all about our holiday adventures in a few days.

Oh and it's also Happy Birthday to me!!! I'm an old woman today! 43!

Have a Blessed Evening.

Lisa

I've got a secret!!!

We are getting a new member for the farm.

Can anybody guess?????

You'll all have to wait till Sunday!!!!!

MUAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Have a Blessed Day!

Lisa