Enjoying Spring

Yes, the virus is still here. 

I am scared, I admit it... but I am determined to go on with life. 

We all need to remember this. 

Here is the tan and white cat and Rusty in the pasture, eating from the 

feeder. 

I'm glad to know the cats are still using it... because so are the raccoons. 

The cats have been getting first dibs. 

I'm going to have to stop feeding on the porch, unless I find a way to keep the raccoons 

from getting the food.  I do pull it when I go to bed now. 

Here is the tan and white cat and Stubby, the raccoon.  The tan cat 

comes at dusk almost every day, and watches me as he eats. 

I have not seen "Spot", the black and white cat, in a week now. 

Rusty watched me from the then-empty sheep yard the other night. 

I was glad he was getting to sleep inside, but the cats all have 

access to the little red hen house, too. 

Yesterday morning, Saturday, May 2nd, Samuel, the young man who 

took my sheep, called me.  He asked if I would still let him use the pasture 

for a few months, and I said yes.  He brought over five ewes and a doe. 

Something happened during the day to one of the ewes... he thinks a reaction to a shot... 

and he came back this morning and "swapped her out".  He is taking care of them, 

I am enjoying them.  

There are three Suffolk ewes, and a Southdown ewe, and I am not sure of the fifth.  And....  their goat protector, a doe. 

The Southdown ewe. 

He did invite me again this morning to come see "mine"... who are still in quarantine... but I am afraid it would make me so sad. 

Fritzi and I are doing okay with her shots.  I have ordered a special 

meter that draws up a blood spot painlessly, so I can check her 

blood glucose off and on, and it should be here this week.  I also 

bought and got a pet testing meter.  She has had two nights where I was 

very worried.  The ER is many miles away, and a route I am afraid to drive at 

night, but we are learning. 

Some will remember that Keith and I lost Abby, one of our pugs, to diabetes about five years ago. 

We were given NO training with Abby, other then "here is the medicine, give her shots".  I have much more support this time, but the sad truth is, most dogs go blind with diabetes. 

I wonder now if that is what happened to Abby, before her death.  Fritzi is such a good girl, 

when I tell her

"It's time for your shot"... she knows she will get a treat, and goes to her bed in the kitchen and lays down.  Giving the shot is fairly easily, tho she has yipped twice.  I am going to learn to do the blood testing, too. 

This girl. 

If I don't keep an eye on her, she disappears into thin air.  For Pete's sake, 

she will be seventeen in less than a month! 

We don't go out after dark without her on the leash, because she would take on ANY raccoon.

She is a true terrier. 

Oh, I had such a good time watching the birds today. 

This rose-breasted grosbeak is the first one I've seen here. 

I had an indigo bunting earlier this week, but he has not come back.

I have a Baltimore Oriole on my phone, I'll try to get a picture tomorrow with my camera of him on the deck.

I sat on the patio yesterday taking pictures, and caught Ferdinand, the oldest rooster (and father of the other two) laying quietly in the grass at the fenceline.  All three are getting along okay.... but Ferdie is picked on. 

There was a spat going on in the feeder. 

'

But in the distance, happy hens were sunbathing and eating. 

I can guarantee the compost spot is pure mud this afternoon, we had over an

inch of rain in a big storm this morning.