WHERE OH WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE, OH WHERE OH WHERE CAN IT BE?

I just looked back and realized it has been WAY too long since I posted, what was I up to?

Well let's start with the awful chicken murders. yes, we have, for the first time in 9 years, predators attack our flock.  It as awful, each day I'd find another chicken missing it's head or gone.  Then after many attempts at fixing the fence, electrifying the fence, locking them up at night, putting out a flashing light at night, live traps (all I caught was my cat) and sitting in my car with a shotgun (ok I didn't have a shot gun, but I thought about it), nothing worked. One afternoon we saw a fox walk right into the pasture in the middle of the afternoon!  We also figured out that the thing that just bites off the head is a weasel.  So not only did we have one evil predator - we had two!

The last night they got some free food was the last straw.  I went out to lock them up, and there were 4 hens, killed!  One still breathing but with his neck covered in fang marks (or what ever weasels have).  I was pissed!  I locked up the remaining chicken, the one remaining duck and my friend's two ducks (lucky he never got them!) I was babysitting and put a message into my friend to see if she would take them for a week until I went down to Illinois to return the ducks to their summer home on the pond.  She agreed.

I left her my one remaining chicken and took my friend's duck and my remaining duck down to Illinois the next weekend and placed them on the pond.  poor Uno!  She had no idea what to do!  Compared to her little kiddy pool, this must've looked like an ocean!

So now my little old chicken run is barren and sad.  I so miss the laughter of the ducks and the sound of the chickens when they announce how happy they are they laid an egg.  And now no eggs!  Not sure what I'll do now, perhaps wait until next year to get some more because I don't want that darn weasel or fox to come back.

DEATH - AGAIN

We lost another family member this morning, Barry the Pekin duck.  He passed away after what seemed to be just growing old.  I  knew he was going but he wasn't suffering, just growing old and tired. We've had him for about 5 years which is a long life for a duck.

I remember for a couple years in a row, when we would open the pool in the spring and the water would be uninhabitable for people, but perfect for ducks, we would bring the ducks down to the pool and let them swim and swim!  It was fun to watch them disappear under the murky water, only to guess and wonder where they would appear when they resurfaced!  What joy they would express with their quaking and diving, all the time we would watch and be in awe of their revelry.

It was sad to see him out there, growing old, how his legs wouldn't work like they used to ( I can relate, Barry) and how his fellow duck friends would stand by his side every day for the last couple of days, seemingly anticipating the impending death and showing their support.

It was such a beautiful sight, watching his friends take care of him, showing him that he was well loved. Last week I had the pleasure of going to see a performance of Tuesday's with Morrie based on the popular book at the Rochester Civic Theatre. The way all these people came out to see Morrie, recognize his life and give him credit for the life he lived, that is beauty!  In the play, Morrie even mentions that he throws himself a funeral!  I wonder if Barry thought that?  I know I would.  Once I'm gone, I'm gone and that's no fun, I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to all the people I've loved in my life.  I wouldn't be able to see and hug them one last time if I were to wait and have a funeral after I die.  So be prepared people - if I know I'm goin' any time soon, there will be a party!

Barry lived a good life, he had many lovers, lots of good water to play in, great food, and some real good friends to be by his side through it all.

Isn't that all we really need?

Barry (right) with friend Uno

WE'RE ALL DOOMED!

Yes,it's been too long and although most falls and winters are slow around here, so far this one has not been so I have been niglecting many things especially this blog.  And with a prediction of 4-6 inches of snow tonight and tomorrow, I got my butt in gear to do a little bit outside which I've had to put off because of other pressing matters.  It's amazing what the weather can force one to do.

I wrestled with the hammock to get it rolled up (sad - no more lounging in it for 6 months), I brought in the hose from the chickens' coop, gave the ducks one last splash in the pool, covered up all the saddles in the tack room,


 turned on the heaters in the water founts, and plugged in the pipe heating tapes for all the outside water thingies, and then went to the garden to pick the last of the garden veggies; lettuce and radishes.

 




















It was sad to see the garden so wrecked and neglected.

Goats in the background, Winky in the foreground. : )

 I was hoping to get the beds layered with cardboard, mulch and more dirt, but alas, time ran out. Snow.... oh such a sad day today....

It's so depressing that winter is almost here, but honestly, part of me really likes the break and now i'll be able to sit down at the computer and get reorganized with this blog plus I can get caught up on some things that I've really wanted to do for a long time but have been put on the back burner.  Which is what happens a lot around here when one has to prioritize on a daily basis jsut to make it through the day. Farm livin'.  LOVE IT!

HERE COMES THE RAIN!

Yes, we've had another bout of strange weather. For what seemed like two weeks it was hot and dry, then a cool off with lots of rain.  So much rain that on Friday we had flash flooding around the tri-county area.  Although a cooler set out on the front porch may not be a good indicator of the actual amount of rain we received, this is what the water amount measured inside:

Yes, that is nearly 6 inches!

Then all that day i was preparing for market.  Since it was cool it was a good day to bake.  But at chore time I went out in that rain only to find MANY things waaaay under water:

Like my arena, and the horses dry lot:

But the ducks were happy campers.  The rain provided them with their very own lake in the chicken run!  And with the rain coming down like a cool shower in the hot sun, they preened and cleaned themselves in the refreshing shower!

Several of the horses were freezing from being the rain too long, because there are a few selfish ones that won't let the others under the awning out of the rain, so we brought them in the stables for the night.

Next morning I found the other three that were left outdoors roaming around the outside of the barn.  They had (once again) knocked down a rail and were upset because they were separated from their friends.  Someday- someday we will have fencing that will contain them, i can just feel it!

THERE'S A PREDATOR ON THE LOOSE!

And much to my dismay - it has taken 5 ducks and a chicken or two.  We've never had issues with any predators before but i think this may be a small fox or something.  there is a small area of the fence around the coup that has been pulled apart, about 6" in diameter and underneath it is a myriad of feathers.  Guilty!  The strange part is that he took 5 ducks in one night.  They have been sleeping outside the coop on these warmer nights and i think they were stalked and killed in their sleep.  Doesn't a duck have someone stand look out?  Horses do - that's why you never see a herd of horses all laying down at the same time. One will remain standing to be able to warn the others of danger.  Well, sad but true, i am now down to the original 4 i had before i got the 4 new ones - the runners and the one Uno hatched.  It's a sad day cuz now Uno's the only female in the small flock.  She will be raped repeatedly now by the others.  Ducks are evil molesters. Maybe i will grab a duck egg or two and set them under one of those broody hens i got out there. Increase my flock, save her fromt he torures of male-dom.

Uno & Barry