We are so lucky to have county-owned open space behind our house. We'll never have neighbors back there. Except animals. And we love having animals for neighbors. When we first moved in, horses roamed those acres. We fed them carrots and rubbed their noses. Eventually, cows replaced the horses and we eagerly look forward to the first cows in the spring. This year was no different. … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2014
The End Of Motherhood
July 24, 2014 by
I knew this time would come soon. I've been taking photos every night. I've been looking for signs every day. Earlier this week, Mama Rapunzel laid an egg, a sure sign her motherhood was coming to an end. The next evening she went into the coop with the other hens, not the new chicken shed where she has been nesting with her four babies for the past six weeks. She hopped into one of … [Read more...]
Trickster Goats
July 18, 2014 by
Last night around 8:30pm I did my final rounds in the barnyard. Eight chickens in the coop? Check. Raise the chicken food? Check. Lock the coop door? Check. Moved on to the goat shed. Two chickens? Yep. Doink and Brandy already sound asleep? Of course. The younger goats were still hanging out in the barnyard. They like to stay up late. Next, on to the new chicken shed housing the … [Read more...]
An Unsuccessful Vet Visit. Again.
July 15, 2014 by
I could write a book about the relationships my animals have. But this photo is better than words. Let me explain. First, the bad news. The vet came out yesterday to trim Doink's tusk and hooves. Actually two vets. My guy and the young woman vet who comes for barnyard visits. Basically, it did not go the way I was hoping, just like last year. I gave Doink the prescribed sedatives … [Read more...]
This Old House
July 11, 2014 by
A few days ago marked an anniversary. Very Excellent Husband Don and I have owned our house for 25 years. No, really. Who has lived in the same house for 25 years? We're like dinosaurs. Long story short - Don and I met and married in Colorado, Soon after we married, we moved to New Jersey. Soon after we arrived in New Jersey, I realized I really, really, REALLY did not want to live there. … [Read more...]
Summer Craziness
July 8, 2014 by
The animals have been standing in line to tell me their stories the past couple of weeks. Now they've started asking me why the heck they're not showing up in the blog. I've had to explain that it's summer and it is CRAZY busy (and CRAZY fun) around here. Not a lot of spare minutes to gather the thoughts and put them in writing! While I am certainly not wistfully thinking about winter, I am … [Read more...]
No Bail For The Broody
July 2, 2014 by
Poor Aretha. She's been sent to the Henitentiary for her broody ways. She squawks at me. She glares at me. She paces. She knocks over her water again and again and tries to fly out when I replace it. None of this fazes me, the warden. She had her chance to be a mama two years ago and proved not to be the mothering type. She went broody last year around this time, so she's familiar … [Read more...]
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