August storms....


Are blowing us away. For the past three days we've had several thunderstorms per day, some with hail, all right on top of us with super heavy rains, booming thunder, and plenty of lightning. I've hardly had any Internet, that's the reason for my lack of posting, Friday it was gone ALL day, and yesterday we didn't get it back until bedtime.
This morning there was a cool breeze coming in the bedroom and it was wonderful for sleeping, briefly. The rain has driven up the humidity to a horrible level and excited all the mosquitoes again. One reason we like Alaska summers - there is no humidity, it's cooler, although they do get warm 90 degree Fahrenheit days. I don't mind the heat so much as the humidity, I've been in 110 degree heat, in Wyoming for example, and it's hot, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't make you feel like you can't breath and are drowning, like high humidity does.

But fall will come soon enough.

It's been raining so heavy, you can't even see at times.







We've had short breaks...






Douglas has been wondering why everything has been flooding all the time. Along with the rain, we've enjoyed some hail, thankfully not big enough to do any serious damage. And along with that super high winds.


To make up for it, we have got the odd rainbow....


The other day I had made some dog biscuits. The recipe called for whole wheat flour, milk, and a banana. It also said to use a bit of corn syrup but I didn't use that.

The little dogs liked them...
Please, please, give me the cookie.... please...

yum!


My four dogs will eat anything, so their opinion doesn't really say a lot about the taste, but they ate them and enjoyed them. The goats also like them, and two of the Prairie dogs gave them a try.

Sammy says "who's got cookies?"

Bea ate all her cookies and then had to eat leaves...

Give me that!

Nelly chose to eat her banana

what? you want some?

Norman made the best use he could out of a small sunbeam that came in through the window, even though it was directly on his dads slippers...



See how long that tongue is? All the way up to his nose!

Earlier this past week, we had to go to the city, so we did our usual big supply/feed shop, and went out to dinner. We got home late about 9:30 PM, after dark. Kevin unloaded the truck while I went up to the barn to do chores.

The animals are never left out after dark. Never. Maybe once a year, if that. I don't worry so much now with the dogs there, and once upon a time when we just had sheep and no dogs, they just stayed out all night with the Llamas, they had run in sheds, but I didn't lock them in. And everyone was fine. Everyone here now is way too spoiled for that.

Everyone was fine, but completely devastated. Once they got over yelling at me for doing such a horrible thing to them, they all piled into the barn and into their pens to get fresh hay and treats for the night.

All the turkeys wouldn't go in because it was dark, they had all roosted for the night. I don't worry about them out because the dogs watch that place so well. But while I was working in the barn, cleaning up, feeding, checking water, I left the big doors open and I looked down the isle of the barn to see Scarface walking in. He is a young tom, who stalks me... all the turkeys follow me, but he's always one step behind me, every time I look down I see his ugly mug looking up at me. He is ugly, but obviously I don't tell him that, that would be rude. So I opened the turkey pen door and sprinkled feed in there, and in he went, all alone.

Clearly he's the brains of that operation. The others roosted outside. The dogs watch them, never let one out of their sight. I never expected the dogs to watch turkeys or chickens, I figured they'd eat them. The ducks stay out, they have a house but I don't lock them up, the door is open, and it's in the barnyard. They are always safe. The dogs check out new birds and they accept them as part of the herd and guard them just like they do everyone else. They are amazing.

Every night since however, ALL the turkeys go inside at night into the barn at the same time the rest of the crew goes in. They climb up on their roosts and go to bed.

A couple of hours ago, we went out in the bush for a ride on the ATV, but could see the rain was coming back when we were at a spot we call "far point."


So we headed for home, but guess what we saw on the way home?


All of our vines are loaded with wild grapes this year! It's been two years since we picked grapes the last time for jelly because there just haven't been any grapes, but this year, oh baby, they are all hanging with beautiful grapes!

I can taste the jelly now and see all the purple stains all over my kitchen counters and clothes. They say it's best to wait until after the first frost to pick wild grapes, but here, that is impossible. If you wait until after the first frost, there will not be a single grape left. We've picked them earlier before and they make awesome jelly. In the next few days we'll have to start picking.

Poor cousin Greg got covered in those sticky little seed pods that are always out this time of year...


Now, it's still pouring rain and I am going to head up to the barn to do evening chores. There is beef and cheddar biscuit pot pie in the oven, and I'm ready to make a hot cup of tea, eat dinner, and call it a night.

Oh, I forgot to mention this little girl. She's been here for three days now. She's not very well, but she's coming around with meds and food.


I haven't thought of a name for her yet... and I won't name her for a few more days... she is perking up a lot but I'd like to see her a little better. Any name ideas?

Comments

Kelly said…
It looks so lush and green with the rains. We have been getting a hit and miss rain here in Maine. The bunny is so sweet. Thumper? Fluffy? Molly?
Wow, what a difference a few hours drive makes. We have had very little rain in the past 3 weeks...terribly dry (of course, now that I say that it will start and not let up for 40 nights!). Looks like a scarey type of storm.

Lovely bunny. Sparkle?
The pictures of your scenery is stunning. It's so great to get some good drenching rainstorms...we are living thru a terrible drought here in Texas and yes that humdity gets so thick that you could slice it with a knife. I love reading about everyone's personal weather changes and how it's affecting their life/farm animals. In all different parts of the country, we prepare differently. Here in Texas, we are simply trying to make it thru the heat-advisories and are hoping the drought will come to an end soon. We're ready for cooler weather, but it seems so far away to dream about! Anway, You're teaching me more about your area and I love seeing the shots since I know they come from real people just trying to live their lives like the rest of us. I love that.
Dollwood Farms said…
I love all the pictures and even though it rained a lot, I love watching rain. :)
I say name her freckles. :)
The JR said…
LOL at your cousin.

We got rain like that for a month. Then it got so hot now we need a rain again.
Unknown said…
What a lovely set of photos, and we enjoyed the stories you told with each of them. Seems like the rains didn't stop you from keeping busy. The rabbit is adorable. We aren't actually the champions of choosing names for pets, though. The only name we know is Bob, and we tend to wonder if all fish should be named Bob. We ramble...

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