Monday, February 12, 2018

The Disappearing Calamity Acres

Last night, I heard from a blog reader on Facebook. 

She basically said 

"What's up, where are you and why have you not posted?"

I realized it's been a long while, and I'll explain. 

(Thanks, Joyce!) 

On the 14th of January, I started a new medication for 
Type Two Diabetes... Bydureon. 

It's a shot in a crazy apparatus that I administer to myself 
once a week. 

It's kicking my hiney. 


This is what it looks like. 

Oddly enough, I have not had any trouble putting the thing together and doing the shots, thanks to a great pharmacist at Fort Leavenworth who explained the whole thing to me. 

But.... I have had side effects, and one of them is fatigue, I am so.darned.tired. 
All. the. Time. 

I'm emotional, and making bad decisions. 

This medicine makes you not want to eat.... so I have had to re-learn 
how to get protein in. 


My new friend, Mr. 40 Grams of Protein. 

I used to drink this ten years ago, after a surgery. 
I'm glad I remembered it. 

My blood sugars are coming way down, and I'm very glad about that. 
I am willing to stick with it for a while, because I see positive results, 
however, I am going to run to the doctor today to discuss all the side effects with him. 

One was a low blood sugar event I had a week ago, after my shot by about six 
hours.  I feel like I did not eat enough that day, and certainly not that evening, 
so yesterday, was prepared for another event... it didn't happen.  I drank a whole 
bottle of protein, and and a Glucerna before bed.... and I slept like a baby. 
So... I'm learning.  

I also have glucose tablets all over the house. 

Just in case. 

Now, on to happier things... .


Lilly was carrying something around yesterday in the yard.  I stole upon her to see the 
skeleton of a LONG dead possum.  She was crunching away happily. 


I took this picture through the front door window... I have so many 
goldfinches and house finches eating on the deck feeder... they are so fun to watch. 


My happy boy Jester LOVES bacon, I had some in my hand. 


Buds on the lilac!!!!


Ferdie has been such a wonderful addition to Calamity Acres, 
he is the gentlest and prettiest of roosters... 

thank you, Roxane McCoy from Screamin' Oaks Farm for 
this beautiful boy! 


We have had some snow.... and frankly, we are going to need rain this spring. 


And there were a few days that the hens had to stay in, because of the cold. 

I fix them oatmeal with raisins as a treat. 


The egg dam has broken, and laying has begun again, with the longer 
spring light. 

Not all 23 hens are laying, some are two years old and are depleted.  I am still studying 
how to get some more hens without displacing the feral cats who eat in the old henhouse. 

I do not want to start chicks unless I have to. 


That top one was a double yolker. 

I am so glad the Leghorns are still laying, the white is a Leghorn egg. 

I think, if I do place a chick order, it will be for some Leghorns 
and a few brown-laying breeds, and oddly... I love the brown Cornish I still have, 
they are more of a meat bird but they are beautiful birds. 


That's one of the Leghorns, I should have said they are brown, not white. 


Here is feral Spooky, being a naughty (and normal cat) boy. 

Remember, the four ferals that were placed here were all neutered. 
Spooky was longingly watching the birds one day.  You know they are well fed... look at him.... 
but cats can't resist.  I have found no dead wild birds, and I do watch. 
I actually saw him chase the chickens one day, but all it takes is to 
open the door and he disappears.  As of this week, I am feeding 
five ferals, three of the original four... and two others. 

I get them all on the night cameras, but I rarely put those pictures in the 
computer, there are just too many. 


There is Harlequin watching me from the rafters of the old henhouse one morning. 





This picture makes me laugh out loud to see it.  They never left the property.... My son Jim and Grandson Jax worked in the yard for me, cutting down saplings and hauling all the debris to the brush pile in the pasture.  Thunder has come in so handy for this kind of work.  
Jax got to rider back up the pasture in the back of Thunder for load number two, and YES, it was 
January and that kid had shorts on and his shirt OFF.  He isn't just a good athlete, he's TOUGH. 


A swan.  Down our road.  On a farm pond. 

Whew. 



Here they come! 

Seeing hundreds every single night! 

15 comments:

  1. I'm glad that medicine didn't get you like last time. Good to see a post from you Mary Ann. Love all the pictures.

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  2. Enjoyed your post! Everyone seems to be having a tough year medically. After all the ills of the holidays, I ended up with pneumonia, and on steroids, I want to eat ALL the food! Thankfully the last oral dose is today, a few more days on the inhaler and I should have it kicked. I will send healing thoughts your way!

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  3. Glad you are back. Take good care of your self and stay in close contact with your medical provider. Diabetes is a nasty disease. Nannie

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  4. Hari OM
    That whole med thing sounds pretty yukky; hope you can find that balance sooner than later. Ferdie looks most handsome and Jester! Such anticipation!!! Take care all of you. YAM xx

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  5. Glad the mets is working! I missed your posts

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  6. Mary Ann,
    Sounds like the medicine the doctor put you on is too strong. My husband was recently diagnosed, his numbers were high. Doctors put him on metformin, numbers went down a bit. Doc put him on Jaurdin, and Januvia along with his (4) metformin and his numbers have been between 90 and 110. All are pills, and have been working well. No extreme lows or highs. He has even lost weight.
    And feels good.

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  7. You may have had to take a short break getting use to new meds but you always interesting posts and wonderful pictures when you are here. Love all ypur different animals - such a interesting and busy life.
    Mom Kim

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  8. That is one big adjustment for you to be making. Glad you are seeing something positive happening ! Always always something new to deal with. We still have some snow on the ground but it is warming up. Little by little the days are getting longer too!

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  9. Really hope you you are able to start to feel better soon. Being tired all the time is a hard side effect.

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  10. SO! glad to see a post from you again. I was worried about you. I hope the meds straighten up and fly right for you.

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  11. That is a great photo of Jester. It is begging for so many different captions! Did Lily get to finish off the possum? Mom says YUCK but me and Stanley wonder if it tasted like chicken? Mom says she hopes your treatment gets you feeling right. That diabetes is nothing to play with!

    Keep Calm & Bark On!

    Murphy & Stanley

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  12. Glad to see your post! Always enjoy them. Take care of yourself.

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  13. I'm so glad your better...enjoyed your writing.

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