Yesterday was a stressful one, over at the property, to be sure. Hubby fought the tractor, for a couple of hours, trying to get the lawnmower deck back on. A part had broken off of it awhile back, and my grandson had welded it for him, and then - when Mark had tried to put that part back on - the pulley broke. He'd got another pulley from Gus's, and was finally trying to put everything back together. It didn't slide onto the shaft the way it was supposed to. He gought it and finally got it on, only to test drive it and have the part pop off. He was so frustrated. Fought again trying to get it on and just as he was about to blow a fuse, it slid on perfectly!
He then mowed a bit around the edge of the fenced paddock that we intend to use as the goat field, so that he had access to where he is adding to the original fence with the pallets on the outside, and intends adding an electric fence on the inside. It was so hot by that time, though, that we decided to cut it short and came home.
I watered in the melons and (poss) cucumber, and they are all doing well, perked up a lot for being transplanted the day before.
Today, everything went perfectly. We went early, so it was cooler. We filled up with gas, both vehicles (his truck and my Soul) at 85c a gallon, using our Spinx points! Can't complain at that, 20 gallons for under twenty dollars!
I'd intended painting some of the pallet fencing, but it was still damp with the morning dew, so I was lazy and just watched Mark for a while, and read some David Bladacci (The Collectors) the rest of the time.
He put in almost a row of mesh fencing
to divide across the paddock. We want to be able to keep our male and female goats separate, but also to let them graze other than just in "their" area, so that the greenery can keep growing.
It's coming along pretty well now, the tractor being able to pull the fencing along, and being able to pound the stakes in (have bucket will pound!). He's hoping to get that bit finished off tomorrow.
Today, as I drove up he dirt track, the 4 geese were there but - sadly - only 4 babies accompanying them now. I had to stop to let them cross, and then wait on a little dawdler, hopping along. I hate that they've lost 3, that's sad, but I hope these manage to survive. They are pretty safe on our property, they have their own creek and plenty of space to where they don't have to go near the main road.
The stray mama dog was over yesterday, being her sneaky self and trying to run off with the whole bag of dog food when she thought we were otherwise occupied. Mark put some out for her. She watches us but doesn't want contact. We didn't see her today but put food out anyway. She knows she is safe coming there to eat. I just wish she'd bring her puppies with her.
Tomorrow is a new day, we'll be headed back over to get on and do more.
The stray mama was back again today, she may not be people friendly, but she knows we are a food source, and she comes over to watch us, makes sure we are busy, and then eats. She doesn't like us talking to her, but I do it anyway in the hope that eventually she won't be so afraid. At least she trusts us enough to come for food, so I guess that's good.
Hubby planted out my tiger melon, and cucumber seedlings and (possibly) one watermelon today.
He dug the trench to put them in, and then laid cardboard below weed barrier fabric, and then put mulch on top, to create a "pathway" alongside, which will also be a better drained area for when they fruit later on, and hopefully help prevent them from rotting. I took the pic mid-work and forgot to take another one at the end of it.
So, Solomon and Sunshine are too smart for their own good. Hubby had them out to browse ... and where do they run? Straight up onto the front porch where the goat feed is! Noisy, too, when you tell them no and drag them away. Awww, my babies.
Last, but one dose of Albon today, then take a fecal sample to the vet a week from Monday to follow up and make sure Sunshine is totally free of it. Only then will I bring our next little girl home. I don't want to risk a 7 week old getting it.
Today we were over at the property and lo! My snow peas have flourished. I opened my car door and picked half a dozen pods and ate the lot there and then. Oh, they tasted awesome!
Unfortunately, my beans haven't fared as well and don't seem to have grown at all, despite being planted at the same time. I'm going to have to try again, I guess.
Tomorrow, I need to plant out my tiger melons, and my cucumbers. Today, we really didn't do much. We went over to feed the stray dogs, our chickens and water the bees, and Mark worked some more on putting my new recumbent stepper together.
I didn't see the geese at all, which was disappointing. Watching the babies growing lights up my day. They are about a week old now and getting a decent size.
We made it home just before the storm hit, and got Sushine and Solomon in. She was diving into the alfalfa as I was trying to herd her in, she is a little monster! And she knows it. They are both so loveable though, I can't believe I thought my goat days were over, when we lost the last of our former 4, Sadie, 10 years ago at 12 years of age. Here we are, starting all over again!
To be honest, I never thought I'd live to this age. Between family genetics (although my mum is now 88 and has passed ages that her forebears never reached) and my "wild streak" riding motorbikes, I'd expected a much shorter life. I'm def thankful God saw fit to let me stay in this world longer, and I have lived such a life, and experienced so many things - good and bad - yet they made me who I am, and have given me so many memories to look back on.
I was born in 1955, 10 years after WWII ended, and yet - in England - rationing had only stopped the year before. I grew up with favourite foods like bread and dripping, rabbit stew, and (yuk!) wanting the Parson's Nose off the roast chicken that served the whole family, and with leftovers, on a Sunday! I remember my mum liking her pig's trotters, and how fish and chips became a favourite Friday night treat (it was payday!).
My school days began at George Tomlinson, and were absolutely smashing, didn't ever let us think that because we were East End kids it was an excuse to go nowhere. No, they taught us we could do, and be, anything we wanted to be, we just had to work hard. That was our key out of the "poor" start we all had. No inner city "can't do" allowed back then, and our teachers and parents would tell us "there's no such word as "can't"! "
Whitsun, and Easter, I used to go on "touring" holidays with my nan and granpop, down from London and through Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. We explored burial barrows, museums, old tin mines, and various beaches and fishing villages. We travelled through the Doone Valley because R. D. Blackmore's "Lorna Doone" was one of my favourite books. I had various "I-Spy" books
to go through at different times, which had me identifying all sorts of things I saw as we went to dofferent places, and Ladybird books
to help expound on some of the things I saw. "Stone Age Man in Britain" was one of my favourites back then. I credit both of them for a lot of my all-round knowledge, and they gave me the premise I used all through my daycare days - that learning should be FUN!
My first marriage was a disaster, and only lasted 5 years, and then I was on my own for 8 with my 3 children. I struggled, but somehow made it through. Then married Mark, and we've now been together 40 years.
I've now lived in places I'd never dreamed of, when I was growing up. I came to the USA and lived in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and now (def my favourite) South Carolina - so much history here, and I love my history even now. I spent 3 years in Germany, and visited Luxembourg, and Amsterdam in Holland. I've stood where famous people have stood. I've been in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and finally understood the full depth of the family trying to live in that space without being discovered. I've been to places where battles were fought, and imagined the hardships of foot soldiers even attempting to get through dense forests and cane. I surprised myself being able to translate (from the French) almost all the labelling in the museum in Luxembourg (missing only maybe 4 words) some 18 years after leaving school. Not bad, I thought.
I sailed on the QEII 3 times, meeting some amazing and interesting people - an Iraqi millionaire widower with no family, who had made his money arms-running in the 60s, a gold dealer, and
(my favourite) Simon Williams, the actor. He and I sat and chatted many times on the Lido deck. I was there scribbling my poems and stuff, and he would just come and sit with me. We'd laugh and talk about everything under the sun.
I'm so blessed to have had those experiences. Seeing the Statue of Liberty, as we sailed up the river on a grey, damp morning, made me realise how all the immigrants who'd gone through Ellis Island must have felt. It's something I'll never forget.
On one sailing, I read some of my poetry (out of my book, "Twilight") and was mobbed by about 30 people afterwards, wanting MY AUTOGRAPH. That was a trip, and (very unprofessionally) I giggled too much while chatting to them.
On my last trip, I had the help of 1960s pop group, The Mindbenders, to try to figure out a song from my childhood. Took us awhile with my off-key humming but we got it in the end.
Other memories, oh boy, my best friend, Olga, and I. We were nuts together, so many laughs (and sore feet). We hitchhiked all over, to get to dances and concerts. Some of the stuff we got into, you just couldn't make up. Yes, in one sense it's good that they didn't have cellphones back then, but in another, it'd be fun to have proof that we DID do what we say we did.
Then there's that "you're never too late" thing. After 20 odd years of wanting to, I finally published "The Storybook Witch" and then went on to publish some other children's books as well. Who'd a thunk it?
Which brings me to today and the past few days. I've been sick, courtesy of Daniel and his buddy, Jayden, who gave me the dreaded lergy - rhinovirus - during the school runs. Sore throat, bunged up nose, thick head, and fevers, finally resulting in a doctor visit. Thankfully, my Vick's regimen, lozenges, vitamins, mouthwash etc has all helped me make it through, as a virus just has to run its course. I'm almost there, today is much better than the last few, that's for sure.
Also, Sunshine's poop is doing much better. Goat poop is supposed to be little balls, like rabbits. The coccidia gave her diarrhea which can be fatal in goats.
Sorry for the poop pic but thankfully, our efforts before the vet (giving her probios and electrolytes) and her sassiness, helped her stay alive, and now, 5 days into her Albon regimen, we now have solid poop (albeit more like dog poop) but we can see the divisions that (hopefully) will become those little balls by the end of the next 5 days.
Both she and Solomon are bonded to us, she even tries to get in my car with me! They follow Mark all around the yard, and browse the weeds and grasses as they go. They still both love the blackberries the best. The man I was due to get my Nubian doeling from is going to hold her an extra week or two, so that I can make sure there's no coccidia for her to catch when she comes over. I'll know after we have a fecal done on Sunshine 2 weeks after her last dose of Albon.
Today, lunch was Cava, later, we'll share carrot cake from Publix (my birthday freebie) but it's a somewhat lazy day. We may go down to the property, if the weather holds, after hubby goes gleaning, we'll decide when he gets back.
Dear sweet Murphy has had a field day with us these past couple of days! Exasperating and frustrating, just one thing after another going wrong. UGH!
So, yesterday, we woke up to Rover having one of his icky tummy bouts. He has such a sensitive stomach, so he gets grain-free, pumpkin, probios, and when it gets really bad, a prescription anti-diarrhoeal that the vet gave us. I hate seeing him when he gets like that, he hunches and is obviously in pain, and he is such a good boy. We cleaned up a couple of accidents and then ...
We went to let Solomon and Sunshine out, and lo, her pen has little heaps of pudding consistency poop again. I've checked everything the online vet said and we are pretty much down to it's the new home/food/stress causing it BUT I wanted a fecal sample done to make sure nothing insidious is the underlying cause. Called 2 emergency vets, they could not even chheck a fecal sample for me as they only do dogs and cats, basically. I was so upset, I sat and sobbed. I felt so helpless.
So, this morning, I called and made an appointment with the nearest farm vet who's actually about 30 miles away. For 2pm.
I had a topsoil delivery coming between 9 and 10am, so rushed this morning to be out of the house, showered and dressed, by 8am so as to be ib Belton by 9. The guy arrived at ten past eleven.
Again, I was well stressed, had to drive back to try to get everything situated for Mark to take Sunshine and me to do the school run and grab Daniel. Lo and behold, dogs messing around in the car, Mark coming through the gate, slams on brakes, and Brunel smashes into the key and breaks it off in the ignition. Couldn't find the spare, the dealer needed the vehicle there to cut a new key, and the truck is stuck in the gateway.
I had to call the vet to cancel, Mark hunted for an old key that won't do anything else but will start the car, so - now that he can start/drive the truck, he's going to Batteries Plus to get a new one cut.
I've called the vet back and we now have an appointment for Sunshine in the morning at 11am. Hopefully the vet will say she's ok just a goat with an icky tummy. I'm going to have him do her CD&T while she's there tomorrow, though. Get that over and done with.
She is such a little sweetheart. I just worry about her and I don't want anything to happen to her.
So that's how the last couple of days have been, I am so hoping tomorrow is better.
It's been a pretty awesome week. Some ups and downs, but overall, pretty decent. We've been going over to the property every day and just doing different things while we're there. Everything brings us closer to the day when we can say "ok, we're done" and move in ... although money (or the lack of it) means that the inside won't be done for at least a year, maybe two. It is what it is, and patience is a virtue as they say so I guess I need to have it.
Hubby's bees are doing good, although the one hive is quite aggressive. He has to suit up to even do their water tray. They fly around him and chase him, even after he's used the smoker to calm them. This evening one got inside his glove and stung him. The other hive is far more placid and lets him get on and do whatever he needs to.
Our site gleanings are going extremely well (and he's building up quite a stock of wood and boards for future projects) as is his pallet collecting. The latter is re-inforcing the current wire fencing around what will eventually be the goat field. Once it's done, I'm going to paint it black to make it match the barn and bring everything together.
The goats are crazy and smart, and fit in with us well. Little Miss Sunshine just loves to frolic, and kicks her little legs out sideways as she dances around. Solomon is more sedate and just struts around. He, like our darlin' long-gone-but-never-forgotten Rammy before him, has two different cries, one for Mark that sounds like "Daaad" and the other "Maa-ma". Sunshine and Solomon discovered the blackberry bushes and those little munchers are clearing them really well. It seems a lot longer than 2 weeks ago that we brought them home. In another 3 weeks we'll be picking up another little girl, a Nubian, who my great-grandson is calling Maxie. She and Sunshine will be companions, and I'm looking for a Nigerian Dwarf buckling to be Solomon's companion. I'm hoping to find one that has a white band between 2 black ones, so that I can call him Oreo. We shall have to wait and see how successful I am in that search.
The wild roses are in bloom, out along the hedgerows, so we've taken some cuttings that I hope will root so that we can then plant them over some of our perimeter fencing eventually.
We have 2 pairs of geese with babies, 1 pair appears to have 4 and the other has 3. Sadly, they are not people friendly, they waddle back down to the creek when they see us drive on the property,
The stray mama dog that we've been feeding is also very shy BUT she's sneaky. The other day she was trying to drag the bag of dog food out of the barn whilst our backs were turned, and then today, while we were down with the bees, she took the pan we had put wet food in, and absconded with the whole pan! Sneaky little madam. She is very timid though. Even when I'm talking to her gently, and her knowing we put the food there for her, she runs off.
Hubby's been trying to catch up on mowing - there's just so much space to mow that by the time he finishes it all, the bit that was done first is already a couple of inches high again.
Today I re-mopped in the barn where we had already cleared the dried mud, and mopped, before. Just trying to keep the dust down on that bit until I get the rest scraped, swept and mopped.
Tomorrow, I have a young lad coming to help Mark with the pallet fencing, and then Sunday I'm supposed to have another helper coming. It's just too much for one person to do, and I'm physically not capable of doing so much. Sweeping and mopping, I do sitting and rolling around on my desk chair. I water my outdoor plants sitting on the porch with a hose, and I have to use my upright walker to get from the car to the chair. Moving from one side of the porch to the other, I hook the hose over the brakes to drag it to the chair on the other side. Where there's a will, there's a way, but some things are definitely beyond me physically - hence getting hubby some outside help for a lot of things.
I had a bone scan on Wednesday, and despite more pain and less mobility, apparently my osteoporosis has not worsened and I have not had any further bone loss in the past 5 years or so. That was a relief, to be sure.
Another good week though, such a blessing, for which I am extremely thankful.
It's been a really nice day but, boy, did it get hot! We took Brunel and Lightning over to the property today, as Mark was reinforcing the wire fencing around the "field" that we are going to use for the goats.
The reinforcement of choice (FREE!) is pallets and they are perfect. My goal, eventually, is to paint them black (I'm planning on black iron railings and gate for the front and just want everything to match). I think that will make my "farm" look more cohesive, rather than a hotch potch of different colours and styles. I'm even wanting my red shed repainted black and white, before we take it over there for me to get my train layout set up in.
We had a pleasant surprise yesterday, when we found that the geese had 4 babies.
Unfortunately, when I parked about 50 feet from them, they decided to take the babies into the creek and around the bend, so that I couldn't see them. Trying to take a pic from afar, the babies are well camouflaged in the grass, but are just behind the goose on the left.
The privacy trees are growing well, probably 2" taller than when we planted them back in February. This pic makes them look much closer to the barn than they really are.
What's funny is that from a different angle, the row of trees looks so much closer to each other. They are actually spaced 3 feet apart. I was parked by these when I was taking the picture of the geese.
But everything is coming together nicely, slowly but surely. We go over every day to feed our chickens and the stray mama, and do the stuff that needs doing with my plants, the bees, fixing the tractor and mower or whatever, and - now - the fencing around the "field". It has the wire fence
all the way down to the neighbour's house and barn (seen at the back in this pic, which is actually down by the road). My mate, Kwacha, mowed this last weekend and you can see the difference between what's in the field and where she mowed. Mowing is going to be a many day "thing", as we have about 6 acres of what was, once, horse pasture, and it just keeps on growing! Eventually, once we have a full herd of goats, we're hoping they will keep most of it down.
