Animals
- A Little Of This, A Little Of That
Today is a rainy, rainy day here on the farm...so, yesterday I tried to get as much done outside as I could.Mornings have been exceptionally cold...temps in the low 30's. Afternoons warm up to the 50's...so that is when extra outside chores are...
- I May Never Finish Planting!
This summer's gardening motto has been..."if it's empty...plant it!" As you have witnessed, I have planted everything that isn't nailed down. You can imagine my delight yesterday when a neighbor dropped off a truckload of hollow tree...
- What Was Frozen Last Week Is Mud This Week
One of the differences between donkeys and horses,aside from the obvious,is the fact that.... horses (ponies, too) don't have enough sense to come in out of the weather. They will stand out in the rain or snow or hail...totally oblivious to the...
- The Magic Continues
I am happy to report that both Mama and her babies are doing well. Our sweet little girl has quieted down a bit. I swear each time I check on them, the little buckling is eating. In the next few days the weather is to get warmer,so these two will soon...
- The Ultimate Recycling Project
Here on the farm, we are committed to recycling as much as we possibly can. We compost whatever kitchen scraps we have (that the chickens won't eat). We compost our manure and leaves. We try to find a use for everything. This winter we had several...
Animals
Breezes and Wheezes
Wednesday's rains (inches and inches of rain) were blown out of the area
by a cold front that swept through yesterday.
Gloomy skies were replaced by blue once again.
Yesterday morning, while feeding the ducks,
I saw that a tree had fallen across the pond during Wednesday's storms.
Seeing the mayhem, I decided then and there that I would try to do something about it.
I am fiercely independent and not afraid to tackle just about any job I see.
Which, I might add, drives the men around me a little crazy.
Knowing that my little (girly) chain saw that Hubbs bought me two years ago for my birthday...
(actually, that year we bought ourselves his' and her's chainsaws)
anyways...knowing that the chain was dull and needed changing (because I have used it a lot!),
prompted me to seek out our friend Jim to show me how to take a chain saw apart
(something that I have been yearning to learn.)
While running errands, I picked up a new chain...
took it home...put it on the chainsaw, cleaned up the chainsaw,
added gas, and added bar and chain lubricant.
Then I took that chainsaw down to the pond to try to cut the tree.
It didn't take me long to figure out that I had put the chain on backwards.
As it was, it would not have cut through butter.
Once again, I took the chainsaw apart and reapplied the chain...in the right direction.
See how much I learned just in one day.
So....I started sawing (with appropriate eye and ear protection of course),
only to get the bar stuck between the two sides of the tree trunk.
Shoot!
(Those who know me know that my language may have been a little more colorful.)
Now I had to ask for help.
Rats!
As is usually the case, our friend, closest neighbor and number one farmhand, Jim,
had appeared at the pond in the mean time...
had appeared at the pond in the mean time...
most likely afraid that I was going to do something stupid.
(Like put the chain on backwards?)
With man-sized chain saw in hand, he freed my little saw and proceeded to cut the trunk in half.
Oh, did I mention that he also brought his tractor?
(I had originally planned on getting my tractor and pulling the tree out of the pond, myself.)
I am sure Jim had visions of me backing my tractor right into the pond...
drowning both myself and my tractor.
So... with a team effort we hooked the tractor to the tree...
got that tree out of the pond...
drug down the road...
and pushed off into the woods.
Of course the peanut gallery was filled with little eyes watching us!
Success!!
Oh, how I had hoped I could have told you that I did it all by myself.
But, that's ok...I learned a lot!
I am also a bit concerned at the present time about MaryAnn.
She has been wheezing for the last two days,
Dr. Becky saw her this morning and thought it was upper respiratory,
but with no Kunekune experience, was not sure what the problem is.
I called a large Kunekune breeder to see if they have any experience with this.
They suggested I take a rectal temperature and call them back.
Which I did. (Add that to my resume!)
The good news is...MaryAnn's temperature is normal....so she does not have
an infection....perhaps an allergy or irritation.
I am going to change the bedding in her stall and see if that helps.
Please send some positive healing energy MaryAnn's way.
I will keep you updated.
A couple sweet moments from yesterday...
A couple sweet moments from yesterday...
- A Little Of This, A Little Of That
Today is a rainy, rainy day here on the farm...so, yesterday I tried to get as much done outside as I could.Mornings have been exceptionally cold...temps in the low 30's. Afternoons warm up to the 50's...so that is when extra outside chores are...
- I May Never Finish Planting!
This summer's gardening motto has been..."if it's empty...plant it!" As you have witnessed, I have planted everything that isn't nailed down. You can imagine my delight yesterday when a neighbor dropped off a truckload of hollow tree...
- What Was Frozen Last Week Is Mud This Week
One of the differences between donkeys and horses,aside from the obvious,is the fact that.... horses (ponies, too) don't have enough sense to come in out of the weather. They will stand out in the rain or snow or hail...totally oblivious to the...
- The Magic Continues
I am happy to report that both Mama and her babies are doing well. Our sweet little girl has quieted down a bit. I swear each time I check on them, the little buckling is eating. In the next few days the weather is to get warmer,so these two will soon...
- The Ultimate Recycling Project
Here on the farm, we are committed to recycling as much as we possibly can. We compost whatever kitchen scraps we have (that the chickens won't eat). We compost our manure and leaves. We try to find a use for everything. This winter we had several...