The Long Sunday Post

Unlike a week ago, when it was below zero in the morning, it was high twenties this morning, and actually got up to 63 here today. 

Geese filled the sky, flying every which way... they are so beautiful. 

I just had to stand and watch and listen to them for a while. 

The Elvi all came out, despite the fact that the ground was rapidly turning into a sea of mud. 

Can you see all the starling "debris" around the pophole... hundreds of starlings have been hanging out here. 

This is how the old henyard looked this morning, after a lot of melting yesterday. 

That pool... I dumped it every night up until ten days ago, and we had a nice day, I filled it with the hose... and that night it FROZE. 

Then we went into the freezer. 

The ice in it became at least four inches thick, and for the life of me, I couldn't lift the pool to 

dump it out. 

This was this afternoon... and I heaved at it until I got the four inch thick round of ice out... but I admit that it about killed me.  

You can see more ice has thawed during the day. 

I ran a pool for the ducks. 

I'll dump it before we freeze again, and yes, after replacing the yard hydrant, I am being very careful to make sure pumps are off and hoses unhitched after use. 

We have had the goats in the yard very few times since before Christmas.  They get into EVERYTHING and it's hard getting in and out of the door with them on the porch... as you see. 

Abby is incensed every time one comes in... and all three babies got in at this point. 

I got the crackers out (that's what they were looking for) and we had a cracker party on the porch. 

This little girl... I can't say enough about her.  Keith and I believe, now, that her teeth must have 

been VERY painful.  She is running all over the yard, headlong... and has more pep than we can remember her having in a long time. 

She helped me out there for 30 minutes or so, but it was hard for her to get around in the mush, and I finally took her in. 

But not until she took a wrong turn in the henyard, and got stuck behind the fence on the little henyard side.  (So called because of the little red henhouse, and because we used to keep the yards/flocks separated.) 

She stayed there until I went back in and called her to come around the fence.  I knew then it was about time to go in. 

I have a BAD sapling problem in those two yards, and will have to find someone in the spring to cut down some of them. 

Look who came out again today. 

And.... found her way back in. 

And.... look how she paid for it. 

That's Elvis standing calmly on her, just STANDING there.  I went over, shoo'ed him away, and picked her up and put her back with BUTCH.  

Don't forget that the thawing-refreezing cycle is still making those gates dangerous places. 

This afternoon, I threw out about a half bag of feed I bought two weeks ago. 

I had taken about four cups of Purina Goat Chow to our feed store, and had 

Neal analyze what was in it, and then suggest one of his feeds for us.  You see, the feed store in Tongie closed at the end of the year, and they carried Purina products.  Our regular feed store mixes all their own. 

We bought a 50 pound bag of Neal's Dairy mix... because it had pretty much the same ingredients, down to the 16% protein. 

The goats HATED it. 

I can't figure it out... the two feeds look the same. 

Anyway, I took that four cups of feed left over in the Goat Chow sack and gave it to the goats tonight, and they inhaled it. 

Then I came out of their pen, and bucketed the rest of the dairy mix down to the middle of the pasture where the wildings can eat it... and look who began snarfing it down! 

That makes me think that I am going to change these duckies to a game bird mix.  They have been so glad to be out eating grasses these last few days. 

I also had a new bag of Goat Chow picked up at TSC that I bucketed into the hay barn can. 

The thicket behind the ducks in that picture is where the coyotes come up, and believe me, I was watching today. 

This was a sight for sore eyes... the henspa flock had not been out for days.  They had a good two hours of sunlight today. 

The wild birds were gone today... and I was not eaten out of house and home with their feed. 

I have gone through hundreds of pounds since before Christmas, but like magic, when the weather gets better, the wild birds go elsewhere.  I'm glad for the respite, and so were the hens, obviously. 

Our beautiful Lil. 

Some of you may have wondered about my brothers, both of whom have been ill. 

One is still in ICU, and gravely ill, 

The other has been placed in a nursing home, and though it was for rehabilitation from his recent illness...he may be looking at long-term care.  

It has been a test of faith, believe me.... but I think God must have a purpose for this. 

If you think of it, please say a prayer for their families, as this is so hard on them. 

70 days until spring!  

70 days until spring!!!!