Life in the Time of Corona

Things are changing here at Calamity Acres, friends. 

Oh, some things have pretty much stayed the same. 

The tan and white cat and Rusty are still eating in the pasture. 

And Spot, the black and white feral, checks on the porch during the day for food.  I also see him by the water bowl near the big hen house. 

I'm seeing fewer of these guys, because I am pulling the food in very early, now. 

You see, I made the mistake of starting out the door Sunday night without looking first.... as a big raccoon scuttled away under the deck, both Fritzi and Snowy (formerly Gemma) pulled out of their collars and leads, and took off.  I chased Snowy for a while, it scared me to death, because she has gone under the deck. 

I caught her, eventually, when she paused to pee. 

But, never again.  I won't be opening the door ever, without checking. 

This has commenced.... I usually start on or about Easter, but this year,
I had to start before.  

A week after this, I broke the front end of my John Deere motor cover... the mechanic is 

coming for the tune-up next week, and I'm going to call and see what a new cover will cost me. 

Then I'll decide if it's happening, or not. 

We have had wonderful, sunny days. 

I'm having so much fun watching the birds around me. 

I took that through the screen. 

My son came out to look for morels two days ago. 

I have never seen such huge ones on my property. 

In fact, the regular place had NONE this year, these were in a new area. 

This one alone was close to a pound!

Sweet little Fritzi has had a hard month, and it's only 

going to get harder.  She has diabetes, and spent five days at the Emergency Animal Hospital. 

We have been doing twice daily shots, since she came home.  This morning, 

for the first time, she snapped at me and then screamed as I gave the shot. 

In the old days, Keith would have held her for me.  

I am going to talk to her in a no-nonsense voice tonight 

as I come to her with the syringe... she knows what it is now. 

We will see how she does.  

Friends, I admit it... I was shaky as I gave it to her after she flinched and 

screamed, and it was a scream.  I am determined to give her her shot at 8:15 and we will 

see how we do. 

She is very dear to me, and I am going to do everything I can to help her. 

And... this happened.  My pasture caught fire when my neighbor to the east drove his 

electric golf cart down to his garden spot and set the grass on fire with the electric motor. 

That's my neighbor Troy and another volunteer with the Stranger Creek Volunteer Fire Dept., using the brush truck to put it out. 

It's already growing back. 

And now, friends, something sad.  

For the last two months, I have been waiting to hear from the man who had told me he would shear for me this year.  We actually had two eighty degree days, very early.  I was worrying myself sick about Fluffy and Niblet, who needed to be sheared. 

I spoke with him, and he was worried about coming because he had a granddaughter who had recently been ill, who lived with them.  He told me "he would be there next week". 

In the meantime, Troy saw me post about it on Facebook. 

He called to tell me a young man who was a new volunteer with the fire department kept sheep, 

and could shear for me. 

The picture that has greeted me at my pasture gate for the last year, and really, the last two years, 

as the boarded flock was here before. 

Here is Samuel shearing Fluffy.  It was almost impossible to catch her, and 

Flicka and Cookie literally went through the fence, tearing part of it and breaking a post off . 

Then Fluffy and Niblet jumped OVER it into the pasture.  Samuel did all the work. 

Because.... I was almost mown down, and here we are at the crux of the matter. 

I am 69.  I had been knocked into at least four times in the last two months by an excited Cookie and once by Fluffy, who hit me at the knees in excitement.  I almost went down. 

I realized I could not take care of them right, months ago. 

As Samuel sheared, I talked to him about the sheep.  To make a long store short, 

he talked to his mother, and four days later, they came and picked them up. 

Another rodeo, but his brothers were here to help. 

Yes, it broke my heart. I was crying when I took this picture. 

But, an example... as Samuel was shearing, he casually looked down 

and said "Do you ever trim their feet?".... and folks, I COULD NOT. 

I also could not find a vet who would come for sheep, (there is one in Atchison, 

as Samuel told me) and they had not had their shots. 

It is so easy to watch Sandi Brock do it... she has all the handling chutes, equipment, etc., and it is another thing to be in there by yourself.  Yes, Cookie and Niblet would let me touch them, 

but as far as haltering and leading?  NO. 

They have gone to live with Samuel and his family and their flock of almost thirty. 

Some of them will come here in the next few months to graze in my pasture, but Samuel 

will be taking care of them daily. 

So... my sheep adventure has ended, and I believe it will be for the good of the sheep. 

So, changes have come, but not all are bad.  

I know the sheep (at least the ewes) will have a good home... and I miss them, but am not missing being worried about falling. 

I have plenty to do with the chickens, and the dogs. 

Samuel sent me a wonderful thank you note, he is really a nice young man, and I think the sheep will be fine there, and that is a relief to me. 

I miss seeing them. 

Everyone stay safe!