Sunshine!
It's over 40 degrees F out today and at times, the sun is strong and warm. I have the same problem every year. I take all my clothes off too quickly. By all my clothes I mean, my winter boots, overalls, coat, hat, mittens..... That's what you figured I meant right? After months of cold, and packing on the layers and working in heavy pants, coats, and boots, I am just so sick of them and I cannot wait to just get out of them. So the first warm day and I toss them all away and go outside like it's 70 degrees out. My boots are too warm today but I kept my overalls on. I didn't need them mind you, it really is warm out. As soon as it's 60 degrees I will go out on the sundeck in my bathing suit. Kevin thought I was crazy the first time I did this five years ago but I do it every year now. I do not like heat in the summer and when we go out to Colorado and Montana, and all those places that get really hot summers (compared to here) I don't like it. But after a long winter feeling the hot sun on your skin and warmth in the air (even if it's just barely there!) makes you feel like you are coming out of a long slumber.
The animals are really enjoying the sun today, especially the horses, they love soaking up the rays, as do the dogs. The goats hate the snow and the sheep are just spoiled and want inside because they know they will get more grain when they do. Even Sammy is standing by our big window trying to get the sun, and the Praire dogs live for the sunshine like this. I cannot wait until it's warm and the Prairie dogs and birds can go out on the deck in the early morning to enjoy a little warmth before it gets too hot in the afternoon. Sammy is eating a lot better now but he's not feeling anybetter. He's not hopping and jumping and playing, and when he's out he'll often just walk back to his kennel and go inside and lie down and look out. We just leave the door open and let him come and go when we are in the house. He's not wanting to play with the dogs at all. Nothing like he was a few days ago. But he's still walking and holding himself up and like I said, he's wanting food a little better now. We are worried sick and doing everything we can. I look into those little eyes and we've got this far, and I just hate to loose this battle now after all this time. If Sammy doesn't give up, I won't.
The heavy wet snow is melting, not fast enough for me, but it's trying to go. We cannot take the mule (ATV) back in the bush so getting to our maple trees isn't an easy task. Kevin took the tractor back there today to plow a bit and see how bad the trails are.
The other goat kids, the two Saanen bucklings I got with Sammy, went outside in the barnyard but they were not thrilled about the snow or leaving the safety of the barn. They are too funny. One has white horns and the other has black. Buckwheat the Saanen buckling I raised in the fall and whom will be our new buck, does not have horns. Braveheart, our blind ram, was gentle as could be with them as he is with everyone. No one can believe that you can trust an animal like that, but Braveheart is just different. I watch him, I realize he's a ram, and I know how awful they can be. Barley, our lovely bottle raised billy goat beat the hell out of me in the fall, so I know not to trust a ram or buck. But Braveheart is different, and I mean it in a way that anyone who has been around rams or bucks will have a hard time understanding. It's just the way he is. He's just one of a kind, and sometimes that happens with an animal. They just break the mold, just as people do sometimes.
I got a wonderful surprise this morning at the barn. I have two hens right now, and I wasn't sure if they'd lay this year or not. I sold all my other birds in the fall - all 30 of them. They were mostly Bantams and some Barred rocks and everyone was just so wild. For my laying hens I like calm birds. Plus I just had too many since so many chicks were born unexpectedly in the spring. These girls are nice, and much calmer now that the other birds are gone. Anyway, I peeked behind the little house I moved in there since I've been getting ready for my new girls to come and for the girls to start laying again and I found 4 fresh eggs! I think they have decided it's spring too! I was so thrilled. 4 beautiful speckled brown eggs. I cannot stand white eggs anymore, I've become a snob, I admit it. Even when buying them from the store, I just love my brown eggs. We had some Leghorns for a while and they laid white eggs and it's just not the same. Plus Leghorns in my opinion are a real pain in the rear end. These ones wouldn't go in the coop at night, flew away, freaked out if you even walked within 10 feet of them. No thanks.
Tomorrow Douglas the Pug puppy goes to the Vet for his last set of shots. Then in April, finally, he'll get neutered. I can't wait. I'm sure he's not thrilled but it's time for him. His little hormones are kicking in, just a little bit, but that's enough! We are pretty sure he's about 7-8 pounds now, so I'm anxious to see for sure.
I think I may throw together a peach pie with some of my home canned peaches and head back outside to enjoy some of this sunshine while it lasts.
The animals are really enjoying the sun today, especially the horses, they love soaking up the rays, as do the dogs. The goats hate the snow and the sheep are just spoiled and want inside because they know they will get more grain when they do. Even Sammy is standing by our big window trying to get the sun, and the Praire dogs live for the sunshine like this. I cannot wait until it's warm and the Prairie dogs and birds can go out on the deck in the early morning to enjoy a little warmth before it gets too hot in the afternoon. Sammy is eating a lot better now but he's not feeling anybetter. He's not hopping and jumping and playing, and when he's out he'll often just walk back to his kennel and go inside and lie down and look out. We just leave the door open and let him come and go when we are in the house. He's not wanting to play with the dogs at all. Nothing like he was a few days ago. But he's still walking and holding himself up and like I said, he's wanting food a little better now. We are worried sick and doing everything we can. I look into those little eyes and we've got this far, and I just hate to loose this battle now after all this time. If Sammy doesn't give up, I won't.
The heavy wet snow is melting, not fast enough for me, but it's trying to go. We cannot take the mule (ATV) back in the bush so getting to our maple trees isn't an easy task. Kevin took the tractor back there today to plow a bit and see how bad the trails are.
The other goat kids, the two Saanen bucklings I got with Sammy, went outside in the barnyard but they were not thrilled about the snow or leaving the safety of the barn. They are too funny. One has white horns and the other has black. Buckwheat the Saanen buckling I raised in the fall and whom will be our new buck, does not have horns. Braveheart, our blind ram, was gentle as could be with them as he is with everyone. No one can believe that you can trust an animal like that, but Braveheart is just different. I watch him, I realize he's a ram, and I know how awful they can be. Barley, our lovely bottle raised billy goat beat the hell out of me in the fall, so I know not to trust a ram or buck. But Braveheart is different, and I mean it in a way that anyone who has been around rams or bucks will have a hard time understanding. It's just the way he is. He's just one of a kind, and sometimes that happens with an animal. They just break the mold, just as people do sometimes.
I got a wonderful surprise this morning at the barn. I have two hens right now, and I wasn't sure if they'd lay this year or not. I sold all my other birds in the fall - all 30 of them. They were mostly Bantams and some Barred rocks and everyone was just so wild. For my laying hens I like calm birds. Plus I just had too many since so many chicks were born unexpectedly in the spring. These girls are nice, and much calmer now that the other birds are gone. Anyway, I peeked behind the little house I moved in there since I've been getting ready for my new girls to come and for the girls to start laying again and I found 4 fresh eggs! I think they have decided it's spring too! I was so thrilled. 4 beautiful speckled brown eggs. I cannot stand white eggs anymore, I've become a snob, I admit it. Even when buying them from the store, I just love my brown eggs. We had some Leghorns for a while and they laid white eggs and it's just not the same. Plus Leghorns in my opinion are a real pain in the rear end. These ones wouldn't go in the coop at night, flew away, freaked out if you even walked within 10 feet of them. No thanks.
Tomorrow Douglas the Pug puppy goes to the Vet for his last set of shots. Then in April, finally, he'll get neutered. I can't wait. I'm sure he's not thrilled but it's time for him. His little hormones are kicking in, just a little bit, but that's enough! We are pretty sure he's about 7-8 pounds now, so I'm anxious to see for sure.
I think I may throw together a peach pie with some of my home canned peaches and head back outside to enjoy some of this sunshine while it lasts.
