Saturday, January 31, 2015

Saturday Catch-up : Sheep the size of Battleships





I got off on several topics this week and wasn't suffering from writers block not to mention a couple of work runs so there were several homesteading related updates I didn't cover. This happens fairly frequently when it is a busy week and I try to not just do "what I did today" posts all the time so I am thinking I will start a semi-regular weekly post called Catchup Saturday.

Ya I know you are all overwhelmed by my wittiness :)

I also had a few emails asking for updates on a few topics so I will try to catch everything up.

With all the rush to get the Mom retirement cabin finished I ended up leaving the breeding ewes in with their lords and masters..... err I mean Rams, about a month longer than I really needed to. I know some breeders only leave the ewes in with the rams a couple of weeks but I like to make sure the rams can take their time and properly woo the girls and all that....

I know I am a hopeless romantic :)

Really both our rams are pretty good fellows but after all the ewes are bred Frazier does tend to start missing his bachelor life a bit.

Well Frazier's ewes apparently got sick of his crap and did a planned break out yesterday. They managed to knock a board off the side of the barn and squeezed through to freedom. I caught two of em looking up domestic violence defense arguments on google and one was reading an article entitled "How I killed my Husband and got away with it".

I'm guessing it was time to separate them.

When I went out to do morning feeding they were out behind the barn staring at me with murder in their eyes. They very much looked like pictures I had seen of those old WWI era battleships. You know the ones that are as wide as they are long.




I knew better than to argue with em. I just gave em some grain and put them in with the yearlings.

Fence project - The temporary electric fence is up with the solar box charged and working. The horses kept trying to stick their noses up my butt the whole time I was out there working on it and one of the old nags actually stole the plastic bucket I had the wire rolled up in. They were not happy about having their snack fence blocked off like that with the evil electric line. I am going to leave it alone for a few days now to see if they test it before I start tearing down the old fence.

I suppose waiting on the fence tear down is just as well since we are predicted as being hit with a real snow storm this weekend. According to the weather ring I saw around the moon last night they may be right this time.




I don't think I have ever seen one so big around here before. I guess we will see if this pans out but I split a load of wood yesterday and plan on splitting another today to get ready for it.

I know the almanacs and the weather people are saying February to April is suppose to be colder than normal around here this year but the geese are saying otherwise. We have been having flights of snows and blues heading back North the past week or two and several large groups of Canada's and the various White geese stopping by briefly this week.

If I was currently as much a hunter as I once was I would be having a blast right now. Anyway we don't usually start seeing so many geese coming through until it is a full blown migration so something is telling them it's time to head North once again. So I am going to bet against the experts this year and plan on an early Spring. All I stand to get is a little disappointment if I am wrong...

Kitten update - Yes he is still alive. Yes I need to take an updated picture. He is actually fitting in like a glove and all the cats have pretty much accepted him as part of the group. Interestingly enough he is about the least playful but most affectionate kitten I have ever seen. He loves to be held and would rather be laying on a persons lap than playing. Unusual in a kitten his age by my observation. Unless his personality changes he is also pretty obviously going to be a shoulder cat too as he much prefers to be as close to the neck as possible when it's cuddle time.

His only bad habit is a complete and total craving for food constantly. People food, dog food, cat food he doesn't care he wants it all right NOW.

Oh and he doesn't seem too interested in learning to jump either. He still prefers to find alternative ways of getting to high places.

So anyway that's the Saturday catchup covering some things I have been asked about. More to come soon.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!


11 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have a handle on things, January is over!

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    Replies
    1. Sf - Yes it is. I can't complain so far this Winter as I have made some real progress. I came into November with dread thinking it was going to be like last year.

      I am glad I was wrong.

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  2. Welcome to February. Hope you are right about an early Spring. I seem to always plant my garden a little too late for my current climate. I need to get things in earlier (our Spring here is about two weeks).

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    Replies
    1. TB - I used to have that problem myself but have been managing to hold off a bit the last few years.

      Delete
  3. Maybe the sheep were traumatized by the mere presence of the molester that showed up to make you that offer you told us about this week and decided to make their escape.

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    Replies
    1. Oh and how's the ancient donkey and the gelding(?) Doing?

      Its like you have a benevolent version of animal farm going there....

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    2. Anon - The ancient donkey is still alive and shows no signs of slowing down any more than she already has. Of course there ain't much slower she can go or she would be moving backwards. Funny you should ask though because she must be feeling a bit frisky cause I saw her get ready to take a kick at one of the horses this afternoon and kinda got after one of the neighbor dogs the other day too.

      These animals around here have a lot fo time on their hands so they are always coming up with something to make my life interesting.

      Delete
  4. i'm liking the saturday catch up idea! and your kitten sounds like our Frankie Blue Eyes...he's not too particular about what kind of food - he just wants food period. much love buddy!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    Replies
    1. kymber - ya that kitten loves his food, all kinds. He took a bugle corn chip out of my hand the other day and ate it.

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  5. You know why all the birds are headed north?? Cause we don't have any snow anymore. All the outdoor types are pissed to say the lest. have a great week sir.

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  6. PP,

    The ewes placed Frasier in time out......they were tired of his constant demands, lol....

    Great picture of the sunset off in the background, tree, and moon.

    You should name that kitten "Mikey" because it eats everything :-)

    ReplyDelete

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