Lots Going On

I'm glad to say that despite the terrible bitter cold we had for three days last week, 

I did not lose any more hens.  Whew. 

Sorry for the blur.... I came out the door of the house last week and saw this cat sitting at the pasture feeder. 

This is NOT Rusty. 

He jumped up and ate... so I know he knows where the food is. 

This is a short-haired cat. 

This is it, not Rusty.  I had taken a picture a day earlier and thought Rusty was down there, hunting. 

Pretty soon, I saw him come away from the tall weeds and look to the south. 

THAT is Rusty!

(Rusty is neutered) 

There was no confrontation, at least, not as long as I watched. 

I have seen the black cat around, but not on the deck or porch. 

The white/black kitty is still eating on the porch several times during the day. 

And yes, this happened too.  I left the chickens in for three days, they hated me. 

It was miserably cold, with temps going to zero at night.  In fact, I filled buckets, thinking the 

well would freeze.  Luckily, it did not. 

As a friend said to me "If it didn't freeze Thursday night, it ain't freezing!" 

The snow brought lots of birds feeding, and here I am going to say something. 

I spend way too much on feeding the wild birds.  It is without a doubt the most expensive feed I buy... far more than chickens and far more than the sheep, even including their hay. 

I am low in the cans right now, and I bought feed on Thursday.  I am ashamed to tell you what I have been paying, and it has to stop.  

I learned last summer with the bad leg that I cannot do the weed eating here by myself, and that means I am going to have to find a lawn service.  I have been making cuts in the budget so I can afford it this year... and one of the cuts is going to be the way I feed the wild birds. 

I spend a fortune on finch feed, and most of it spills on the ground, because the feeders swing on poles.  That's going to stop, I am going to talk to a friend at the Ag Hall, and see if he can 

make a simple wood platform that a feeder fits into that holds it steady, so it is no longer hung.  The birds can perch on it and get the seed.... without swinging it so that the seed falls out.   I will be able to lift the feeder out and clean it, and fill from the top.  I tried an expensive feeder with smaller holes, and they never found the holes except the top two, would eat down two inches and I would refill and then I realized the rest of the seed was rotting in the feeder from the moisture.  So.. it's gone. 

The platform feeder in the above picture will be filled in the morning, and then one scoop late in the afternoon.  Yes, I'll support the birds until the weather breaks, but even today (it is sixty out, friends!) they are eating elsewhere. 

I love watching them!

I wanted to put this in here to remind everyone that these guys are nothing to fool with. 

This was last night. 

I go out EVERY time the dogs go out at night, because of this. 

I also will not be feeding on the porch once the weather has changed.... they will have to eat the spilled bird seed.  

I am getting very concerned that they are way too dependent on this cat food, and I pull it in when I go to bed.  The three cats eating here know where to find it. 

I saw a Facebook video last week where a lady had 23 raccoons when she opened her door.... she actually leaned down and held her hand out and one of them came forward and bit her.  I am 

not that crazy.  

Now, this guy may have only been chewing, but YIKES. 

I found this picture this morning, it is the view looking down towards the ponds at the foot of the hill, with NO TREES in the fenceline. 

Beautiful. 

This woodpecker was on the feeder this morning. 

And one of our little friends, last night. 

I tried to get a better picture of Cookie, but he always gets too close... this is his first birthday. 

If I ever have to rehome the sheep, he would be my problem boy... he is a hair sheep, not wool, and it would be hard to find him a home.  I am just enjoying him every day. 

I went to the store an hour ago to get some apples for his treat.... I bought Galas, on sale....

not one sheep ate even one!  

Happy Birthday, Cookie!