Calamity Acres Hobby Farm

Two days of "balmy" temps... it got up to 56 degrees today by Volkswagen weather (my car thermometer) but now it is blowing and the temps are dropping. The hose was operational and we got the big heated trough cleaned out and the fortexes all cleaned. Now, we'll be back to carrying buckets in the morning. From no coat weather to bundling up in 24 hours - that's Kansas weather!

The farrier came today and took care of our two old equines. Lacey is foundered now, the Cushings has gotten to her... and he gently shaped her hooves while explaining the facts of life to me about her hoof care. We are going to have him come now at six week intervals, to give her relief from the spreading lamini. She is still getting pain medication so will stay in the horseyard for a few more days, until she is walking better. Her friend Beau is tired of being in, but it is not hurting him, and he and she got a good grooming while we waited for the farrier.

Our five bantams from last year's hatch under Dovey are still with us, and the four cockerels are so pretty that we hate to send them to be processed (Chicken Mcnuggets, as our friend calls them) and are ready to let them live here until and if the roosters all start fighting. They look like Fred, our original Japanese bantam rooster, and Bob, one of his first sons. For that reason alone we would like to keep them, and they are keeping their noses clean so far. The "Big Four", Rambo, Butch, Studly and Curley, the frizzle bantam, pretty much leave them alone, so if the status remains quo, they can stay for a while. The one little pullet wants to be with the Big Chickens badly, and comes into the henhouse during the day. They all want to sleep with the Big Group, but get scared just before we shut them up for the night, so tonight, two cockerels are sleeping in the little henhouse under a warming lamp, and the other three are in the big house. It would be a lot easier on us if they would all roost together, we could turn the heat lamp off in the little house and use it in the big. Maybe that will happen this week.

Down came the Christmas tree... at least it's decorations. We still need to pack the tree and the garlands and wreaths, and then all will go over to the storage room to be packed away for another year. Little by little we are cleaning the barn out of boxes... and packing the usable things from my life before this marriage into clean bins... and throwing out other things that the mice have ruined. Husband is watching football and I am getting ready to make some room at the kitchen table to scrapbook a little before bedtime. All is well!