What a Week We Had

Northeast Kansas had a wild ride of weather last week, 

from 57 early on Thursday morning (Valentine's Day) to 

29 by the time I finished up hauling hay that evening, and a plunge thereafter. 

I saw several memes on FB, showing sunny and grass covered ground in the 

morning, and snow in the afternoon... true that!

Our latest snow came in Thursday afternoon, and pretty much 

shut down the city on Friday, resulting in one forty car pileup (in which 

there was sadly a fatality) and numerous smaller ones.  

You can see that on Wednesday, pretty much all the snow and ice from the last event had melted. 

I finished chores Thursday morning, and within an hour, this had started. 

We actually got about 4 inches. 

We were predicted 3 more for Saturday night (didn't happen)... and 

a possibility of five for tomorrow (praying it won't happen). 

It's cold out Monday morning, as I write this. 

The chickens are in again, as it was only ten above when I trudged around doing chores. 

The ducks actually holed up in the duck barn to get out of the wind. 

I really felt sorry for them, because they had had several days of being able to 

play in big puddles, and eat grass.  I think this winter has been hard on them. 

This was yesterday morning, not as bitter as today. 

I have discovered something about the ducks. 

I have a young rooster, he was Biddy's last .... she hatched a 

pullet and cockerel.  This rooster is the spitting image of his dad, 

Ferdie.  

I call him Buddy, or Little Boy. 

He is becoming a terror, and I kept noticing that the duck pool by the 

big hen house was clear in the afternoon.  I couldn't figure out 

why they weren't using it, and one day, I saw Buddy go after the ducks. 

They won't go over there if he is loose. 

Their normal place to hang out during the day was under the front porch of the big hen house, near the pool and food bowl. 

So... the above pool is near the old hen house (I have about ten pools, large and small, in the barn, but have actually not had to replace either of these despite bitter weather).  I filled it and called the ducks, and they came waddling yesterday to get in.  This morning, they were in their old hangout by the big hen house, and I filled their large fortex and put their lettuce in it, which they promptly ate. 

I let them get settled, re-filled this big tub, and put their food near them and left them. 

Buddy and his dad are fighting, and I am going to have to re-home Buddy if I can, I think. 

He is a gorgeous boy. 

This is where he stays on the days I don't let them out, like this morning. 

He stays on top of the brooder pen in the big hen house.... so his dad can't get him.  He has water and food, but it's no life. 

He does come down when everyone goes out, but he is heck on the hens. 

Paiton and Jax spent the night on Saturday night, and Paiton 

decorated brownies for us. 

She is still riding, even in bitter winter weather.... and is becoming quite the artist, too. 

Jax is already practicing baseball at an indoor facility... he can't wait for the season to start. 

So Saturday, soon after the kids got here, 

this happened!

I look worried here, because I was not sure if Flicka was going to deliver 

more.... and Jim, my son, was trying to get Fluffy out of the barn and into 

the lot, so we could lock mom and baby up alone. 

I picked this little doll up and made sure it was dry. 

I looked yesterday, it is a ram lamb, and Paiton named him 

Cookie, for Cookies and Cream. 

He looks pure Dorper, like his mom. 

Fluffy is butting it around off and on, so I have her 

locked out of the barn this morning, to give Flicka and Cookie time to 

rest.  

Wednesday night, I had run a long cord to the place where Keith had left a 

cord looped around around fence, and connected the lights in the barn which we had used for the baby goats five years ago.  (almost six years!).  

Both lights still worked, and keep the barn warm.  The sheep were a little scared that first night, 

but by the next day, they had figured it out and were lounging inside.  I was so glad I had it ready to go. 

It was just a darn good thing I did it. 

I was so relieved Flicka had only one lamb.  I had bought colustrum, 

milk replacer, and two bottles with Pritchard nipples (remembering 

our goat days) just in case.  I was prepared to bring the third of a trio inside... but... it turned out 

not to be necessary, and I'm grateful for that.  So far, she is doing a good job. 

I have Fluffy blocked out this morning, to give Flicka and the baby time to 

chew cuds and rest after she ate. 

I have warm molasses water in there for her, too. 

I can't thank my son Jim enough for his help.  He came out two weeks 

ago and screwed all the boards back onto the barn which the larger 

herd of sheep had knocked off during the summer.  It is not a fancy 

little barn, but it is doing the trick.  IF I see Fluffy butting the baby today, 

I can put two by fours in the middle channel (if you look in the 

above picture, above this one, you will see a channel in the north wall).  Keith put this 

in when we had a mini and pony, and the pony was having trouble keeping weight on. 

We divided the barn so that they could go in and eat alone, 

and we could regulate what they were eating.  

To open the barn up again, you could simply lift the boards out. 

You can see the pole in the picture directly above this, and I figure two or three two x fours 

would keep Fluffy from being able to jump on the side with Flicka, but they could still be "together". 

I am locking them in at night, now, and yes, there is a warm water bucket. 

I have just checked my phone, and we are almost up to twenty degrees. The "feels like" is still nine degrees, however, so I will leave the chickens in a while longer.  I will go out and open the door to the barn and Fluffy can come and go.  Flicka did come out with her baby yesterday for a few minutes, but then led it back in. 

I am keeping Cookie, he will be wethered.  That's it for me, 

I can take care of maybe four, but no more. 

I do not think Fluffy is bred, though Diablo, the big ram lamb, 

was on most of them before the herd was sold.  That was 

early November... she would be delivering next month, if she were.  I just don't think so, as she and Freckles were best buds, and they stayed away from the other sheep. 

I'm hoping she is not. 

The girls are rocking it here lately!

When my son came out to get the kids yesterday, 

we talked about plans for summer. 

I am going to make pickles, I have not done that since 2016, the year 

Keith died.  I planted a straw bale garden that year that did very well, 

and I had an abundance of pickling cukes.  The kids love sweet pickles, 

so this year, I am going to try picking them as babies and making sweet 

gherkins.  

I am going to sit down today and work on my seed orders, 

as the big shop (barn) is ready for me to get set up to start seeds. 

It's hard to think of it when you are trudging around in the snow. 

I just went out to let Jester out, and saw legs going around the side of the hen house.  I grabbed the porch food bowl and went out, it was Petey, the tamest of the ferals, looking for something to eat. 

I usually leave a bowl just inside the hen house, but it is not open this morning. 

I called to him, and he started to go away, he IS feral, after all, and then realized it was me. 

He waited, and I put the bowl down and he came back to eat. 

As I stood up and started back to the house, I realized it is spitting snow. 

I'm looking out now and see it, and I'll watch the noon news to find out what is going on.  I have an eye appointment in the morning, my diabetic eye appointment. 

I think I am going to slip boots and coat on and go let 

Fluffy in the barn. 

Everyone take care... spring is just about thirty days away!

More from Calamity Acres

The view from my porch steps about 30 minutes ago.  We had a very bad storm last night, and got about 2.45 inches of rain, along with booming thunder and scary lightening.  The dogs and Sister hung close, they were all nervous.  Heck, I was nervous!  Though the lights flickered, they didn't go out, but I was reminded how rain fade can obscure your television dish receiver.  It was okay, I was 

in the middle of a great book, and I am also a hopeless Instagram addict. 

Here we are at the beginning of the storm... I had come out of church at 6, and 

realized if I stopped at Casey's for a root beer (my big Saturday night fling) that I 

was going to be in trouble at home, trying to do chores in rain. 

I found about 8 chickens still out, milling around in the chicken yard, but by the time I went over to 

batten down the hatches on the "cat house".... and went back, everyone had gone in. 

I hit the porch just as the rain started, the dogs rushing to keep up with me.  Lilly has feared storms since she was a puppy.  At the big house, she could escape into the darkest corner of the basement, where no light shown in, and stay down there until the hoopla was over.  

Here she stays in the hallway between the living room and bedrooms.  Last night, however, she stayed near me. 

As I sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast this morning, I heard cackling. 

Some one was hanging around the door, looking for a treat. 

(this is a brown Leghorn) 

She got it. 

I should say that I let Sister out, as well.  He spent Friday night out, as well, and 

I brought him back in the next morning. 

He was trying to get out the door this morning and I went ahead and let him out, but yes, I have qualms.  Nickie lived in/out his whole life here... Gwen was in.  I really don't want to lose Sister, so may reconsider this.  

In the meantime, there is this:

In the meantime, there is this. 

I did not come back from Iowa alone. 

I heard a growl from the living room, and looked up to see this.  Lilly and Twinkle, and Lilly was definitely not amused.  It took Lilly six months to accept Sister, and I think it will be six with Twink (thank you Jeanne, for the name suggestion). 

Twinkle and Sister are being kept apart at present, as Twink is on medication for a cold, and then has to have her vaccinations.  She came from a goat farm where the kind farmer leaves cat food out for the ferals.  She is extremely friendly, though, unlike the Wild Four in my cat house. 

Twinkle in her office. 

Another view of my kitchen.  I bit the bullet and bought a new fridge, 

but the double-oven stove is one that Keith bought me right before our move. 

I left it here for the tenants to use, and it looked as if the oven had never been used. 

Paiton and I are going to put it to good use today, making Halloween cookies. 

I intend to put a rug in the kitchen, but have not decided on one yet.  I am paying cash as I go, so there is that, too.  I don't want any charges hanging over my head. 

Part of the bathroom.  I opted for NO tub,
I have a shower only.  

It is such a luxury having that beautiful linen cabinet made by 

Lavery Woodworks, who did all the cabinetry.  The ONLY thing

I would change is having a third drawer put in the vanity. 

Notice I put a grab bar by the shower. 

I guess I could have turned the light on.  I put a single bed in the spare bedroom, so there is a little more room in there than before.  There is a dresser out of sight to the right, and this is the room 

Chris uses when he comes up. 

Right before the move, my washer quit working right, and would not work on any cycle but "light".  

When I got here, the move had messed up the dryer, and it would not shut itself off, I had to keep track of it all the time.  Once I left, and worried myself sick because the dryer was running.  I came clear across the county to turn it off.  So... I invested in what will probably be the last washer and dryer I will ever buy, a Samsung pair bought at of all places, JC Penney's! 

The dryer vent tube needs to be cut down, so it's sticking out a little til my son has time to do it. 

The reason I posted it though, is that that neat cupboard that holds cleaning supplies pops out... so that there is access to all the pipes.  Is that cool or WHAT? 

And this lovely cabinet, which can be locked, is 

at the back of the laundry room where our pantry cabinet 

used to sit... providing extra storage.  Sister's box sits just to 

right of it, in the open space you see. 

Lavery Woodworks did all the cabinetry in the house.  

I almost wish I had had a cabinet like this one put in my bedroom, too! 

October 21st.  WOW. 

Into the Freezer

I know we shouldn't be complaining... we have had the mildest winter. 

That said, it's been below 20 degrees all day, and it is dropping right now. 

We have a strange snowstorm going across the metro area.... Keith and 

I set out for a doctor's appointment for him from which I was to drive home. 

We were almost there when I told him I didn't think I could do it... there 

was an almost-white out, and streets were getting bad... and I was going to 

have to negotiate two highways with a husband who had been 

anesthetized.  Thank heavens, he agreed... and went in to to 

talk to them and let them know he would have to re-schedule. 

By the time we got back to our house... there was only the barest bit of snow! 

Still, the news has just shown how bad 30 miles from here, where we were. 

Whew. 

There's a lot of action at the feeders these days... at the old house, and at the new. 

I'm going to have a better way to feed here next year. 

The dogs jumped out of the car and took off down into the pasture when we went out to do chores.  I told them to RUN as we were only going to be there long enough to do the waters and get going again. 

The little birds look so cold. 

This beautiful catbird drank long and hard from the warm water in the fortex. 

I figure if they are getting some water daily, it's better than none. 

There was actually a little water left in the warmed water... 

Look to the left side of the picture, to the left of the bluebird. 

This is why there was only a little water left. 

Even the starlings have to drink. 

The catbird is a cutie. 

Lilly was ready to go when I called her... she was cold.

And the speed demon comes 90 miles an hour when I call him to go. 

Look whom we saw on the way home! 

And don't forget

Gung Hay Fat Choy... 

Happy Chinese New Year, the 
Year of the Sheep! 

A Very Stormy Sunday

It has begun. 

Storm season. 

No matter how old I get, I still get nervous. 

They have extended the warning, I have the tv on still right next to me.  

I'm going to try to get out to lock the birds up... but if I can't, I'm not going to worry too much... they will have to go through the night with temps dropping... and make it through with their lights on in their henhouses... but that won't kill them. 

We have a storm shelter here in this house, thank heavens! 

I have been working here at the house all day, after running out to get the birds fed and watered.  

I did see this beautiful sight on the way: 

It is almost a block worth of flowering trees on two different properties.. an absolutely glorious sight! 

I came home to this! 

And several hours of showers which we sorely needed. 

And was this kind of day for the dogs.  Abby was staying close while I folded clean clothes and put other things away... I'm still working on it here at the new house. 

I found a sack of toys I had bought at the thrift store before the move... and the one Abs has in her mouth has a sound thingy... and says a phrase.  When she picked it up, it talked to her!  She went crazy! 

This was dinner today, I worked on it after putting things away. 

I have to tell you, it takes a while... those are meatballs, only I kind of tore them up as I ladled them... 

but my gosh, delicious!  I found the recipe on Facebook, posted by the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, and the recipe is HERE.  This is part of a promotion by Land O Lakes to pin to help America's hunger.  If you go to the link, Ree will explain.  Yes, I've pinned... and we'll be making this great dish for family at some time in the near future! 

This afternoon, we have had a terrible situation in the county to the south of us... 

a shooting by a Neo Nazi sympathizer of three persons... and a four in the hospital in surgery. 

Our hearts go out to them, and our prayers.  

A Sunny Monday

Better look closely at that one, Mary Ann.  We won't be seeing it the rest of the week. 

It's dripping out there now, but we are get a major winter storm moving in by midnight. 

I'll have 12 inches of snow tomorrow to cope with, and the darn wind is coming back up. 

I let both henhouse flocks out today to get plenty of exercise, in case they have to be locked up for a few days. 

It's not so bad for the old henhouse, with 13 birds left... but the henspa flock is under each other's feet when they are locked up for a while. 

Yesterday, on my way to buy some warm mittens... I saw a lone coyote in a large pasture along the highway.  He stood for a moment in the middle of the pasture out in the open, then limped forward.  The wild things are starting to suffer now during this cold weather. 

The ducks waddled as fast as they could for the warm water this morning.  I usually fill their pasture fortex as soon as I do the goats in the morning.  They are quacking wildly at their gate when they see me. 

By the time I finished filling the water fountains in the old henhouse, the ducks were bathing in the warm water. 

I took them some more a little while later, as we are expecting a storm and I don't think they'll be 

able to bathe for several days. 

These guys had a good day... I let them out of their pen into the pasture, but pretty soon, I saw they had gone back in the pen to lay down and chew their cuds.  Smart goats.  I'll batten down their hatch tonight and leave them with warm water and fresh hay. 

I took this picture from a distance so you could see that we had a good melting going on today, of the smattering of snow we got on Saturday.  It melted enough yesterday that the driveway and road were very slick today... and I'm almost glad for the snow coming tonight.  However, we'll have to have the driveway plowed out, and I think I've already arranged for that, thank heavens. 

I was getting ready to CARRY THAT HAY out of the back of the HHR and into the haybarn on the right, and yes, MA'AM, I did it by my little self. 

Look closely at the blue rooster at the back. 

He is calmly standing on Buffy.  Again. 

She doesn't even protest. 

I'm protesting for her! 

I went by the pasture pen with water and interrupted a confab going on inside the dog house. 

Chowing down before the storm! 

I'll be praying for all my friends still working that you all make it safely to and from work tomorrow... everyone be safe out there!