A Whole New World

This post was supposed to be called 

"The Cats of Calamity Acres", and I was to have written it a full week ago. 

How things and times change. 

It's a whole new world, friends. 

Here in Leavenworth County, we are staying at home except for 

necessary trips out to the grocery, for animal feed, etc.. 

This week, my youngest son Jeff came to stay a few days, since he 

lives in Missouri and works in Kansas now.  On Monday, he 

lifted some grain bags for me and threw his back out, 

so we have been to the chiropracter's office in Tonganoxie 

for four of the last five days.  Thank heavens they are open, 

they have their clerks working from home, and the two 

chiropracters are working in the office, and it is 

running very smoothly.  As Dr. Shuck said to me, 

they feel that by their being open, they are taking some 

of the weight off walk in doctor's locations that are swamped right now. 

All I know is, we are grateful. 

The restaurants in Tongie all went to carry out service, and by the 

comments on Facebook, it is going very, very well.  People are grateful for this. 

I saw on Facebook this morning that people also panic-bought in Great Britain, and now there is a huge scandal with people throwing away food that has already expired (fresh goods). 

I am making banana bread for that very reason today, I made some yesterday and followed the recipe but my oven was too hot and they became scorched, so I am going to give those to the birds 

and use up the last three bananas today. 

I did lose another bird this week.  I noticed yet another with a dirty behind last night, 

so I don't have a good feeling.  I soaked the first two in warm water and spent time cleaning up their rears, I never even SAW the third until it was too late.  They are so good at hiding their illnesses, since they are prey animals.  She was a brown Leghorn, one of my favorite layers. 

I am getting about six to nine eggs a day, and trust me, friends, I could be selling them 

for a lot... but I am giving them to friends and family, since eggs have become scarce. 

Let's look at some cat pictures: 

Here is the "white" cat that began appearing on my deck three weeks ago. 

Here is the actual cat, the other night in my pasture feeder. 

The raccoons have about destroyed the feeder, my nephew Brandon is 

coming on Monday to do some work for me, and one of those things 

is pouring cement and re-setting the feeder pole. 

Scared of me.  But eating regularly. 

I might have a bird feeding problem. 

Instead of hosting the Starling Hordes for the last three months, 

I had very few black birds of any kind this winter.  

Now I have cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds, and the ubiquitous starling. 

I literally walk out the door and yell
"Starlings!" to watch them all fly off. 

Gotta give them credit for their agility. 

Keith's specialty in the old days was making banana bread. 

I found a great easy recipe yesterday and set out to use the bananas I bought 

for my grands to eat last weekend. 

It called for baking them at 350 for 60 to 70 minutes. 

Welp. 

They were scorched. 

I am breaking them up for the chickens this afternoon, 

and using the last three bananas to make another batch. 

We have a beautiful, sunny day after rain off and on all week, 

but the wind is gusting to 30 MPH, with gusts of 50 warned. 

It is awful out, Fritzi was scared to come out the door. 

Jester did his business and came back in. 

The chickens are hiding under the big henhouse, and Buddy, the 

Yard Rooster, wants to go in so badly.  I tried to catch him just now, 

but he is too anxious. 

I'll try again in a bit. 

I have two big branches down already, too!

Tomorrow the winds will be calmer, and I am going to put poison on a patch of nettles coming up, and then cover them with black plastic.  UGH... they are so painful to deal with. 

This happened this week. 

Meet Gemma, a little foster girl from Lucky 13 Rescue. 

I drove across two counties to get her on the first day of our stay home order, worrying the whole way. 

She is sixteen and a half, but full of pep and deaf as a doornail. 

I have to put two leashes hooked together on her because she is too fast for me to catch!  She is a chicken and rooster chaser. 

She was uprooted from the only home she ever had known a week ago and put into the rescue.  I really, really like her, and after some initial hesitation on Fritz's part, my dogs do, too. 

I did speak with a potential adopter this morning, but 

she did not like the fact that Gem sheds, and also, 

wanted to know if she "had to be inside all the time". 

Uh, yes. 

Not sure if I am going to be a foster failure or not. 

The sheep lined up to get a good look at her!

And, let's talk about the sheep. 

I am having difficulty getting Fluffy and Niblet sheered again. 

Soon, it will be very warm here. 

Also... I was in the pasture with them the other day, putting down hay in their pen, 

and I reached out to pat Fluffy as I went by.  She juked, and with her big, heavy body (she is on the right) she hit me in my knee and almost sent me flying. 

I am starting to believe they would be better rehomed, (for my safety) but honestly, 

they have been literally my most favorite animal that ever lived here. 

I think it's so interesting that the different species get along... I rarely see 

possums on the porch now that the weather has gotten better... and yesterday, I 

pulled up the outdoor heated waters... and today, I'll unplug the under-fountain 

heaters in the hen houses. 

Some of you are wondering about the Ag Hall... it is closed for the time being, 

however long it takes to get out of this predicament in which we find ourselves. 

I am missing all my friends, and our main event of the year, Barnyard Babies, is pushed 

back to the end of May tentatively, but I don't see it happening. 

I am sure the wild animals there are loving it. 

Everyone stay home and stay safe! 

and PRAY. 

Hello March!

February rushed on out of here with a blast of warmer air, after bringing us freeze and thaw all month long. 

Today it is 65 degrees! 

The beautiful moon has been shining down on us the last few nights, I was not able to capture Venus to it's upper right. 

Here's Niblet, who turns one year old this month. 

Her mama, Fluffy. 

(Almost shearing time) 

Mr. Up Close and Personal, Cookie... the gentle wether. 

His mama, Flicka, the putative leader of the flock. 

I am typing this in my office, and watching them out of the window right now... they are grazing just outside, by the propane tank.  The grass is greening up here, and I rotate them from yard to pasture and back. 

I am not going to plant the garden beds in the raised garden this year, so if I can keep 

them out of the flower garden, they can go back and forth all summer. 

That will be an undertaking. 

I figured right on my winter hay supply, I have about fifteen bales left (maybe a little more) and they are grazing more than eating hay right now. 

I so enjoy watching everyone. 

And here, without doubt, is the Harbinger of Spring for Calamity Acres....

the Red-winged Blackbirds are back!

They are the truest sign here!

The south end of Buddy, going across the yard this morning. 

Buddy comes in the yard now every day, so that Singleton, his older brother and he don't fight. 

Singleton and their dad, Ferdie, get along okay as long as they don't get too close to each other. 

In another six weeks, Singleton and his girls will go to the Ag Hall for the summer, and Buddy and his dad can co-exist on the same side of the fence, the non-house side. 

Little Red, the hen, comes in and out of the yard all day to keep him company. 

Little Red on the flock side. 

Fritzi was exploring yesterday in the good weather.  Yes, she is still woefully overweight, and we are still struggling.  If anyone has advice for me, I'll be glad to listen to it.  We are really 

having a hard time.