Sunday, February 23, 2014

Partly Cloudy and No Chance of Meatballs

Temps were in the 80's, but the skies were cloudy and rainy for most of the day Saturday.  It felt warm, but since the sun rarely poked through the clouds, it wasn't too hot or humid.  It is a precursor to the long hot summer months coming to a theater Compound near you!

The Moose and Philippe worked on a few odd, unplanned projects of heavy lifting, that seemed to take forever.  Neither of them was very happy about it, but it's now done. 

I spent the better part of the day working in the garden. I built the second raised, raised bed.  Planted some additional lettuce greens, cucumbers and potatoes. Organized the potting soil onto a pallet, and replanted a new blueberry plant.  Doesn't sound like much, but it all takes time.  Throw in some wild weather in the early afternoon, that had us running for cover, and another day has come and gone.


We lost Walter this past week. We have absolutely no idea why. He was doing well, eating and running around. I was carrying him around last Saturday and he was talkative, seemed healthy and in good spirits. I guess it's just part of life on a farm.

The little pigs are getting bigger.  People don't give them much credit, but they are extremely smart.  The Queen as I like to call her, the dominant female who gives out the tongue lashings is really fun to be around.

Last Saturday, she decided to lay down near the fence line and take a nap.  I was in the area and decided to try and scratch her back and see what she'd do.  Usually she won't let you get that close.  At first she didn't know it was me, then when she realized it she jumped up and gave me the "did you really just scratch me" look.  It was as if the wheels were spinning and trying to determine if she should be scared or if she should continue to enjoy the attention.  The Queen chose the latter and laid back down to let me scratch her some more.

So skip ahead a week, I'm again along the fence line, in the exact same area as last Saturday.  The Queen, while giving me a tongue lashing for having the audacity to come over treat less, rubbed her side against the fence and laid down.  Not all the way down, she was watching to see if I would remember to scratch her back.  As soon as I reached in to scratch her back, she laid all the way down.  Occasionally, I'd get a grunt or groan of satisfaction.  

This didn't happen just once, it happened twice in much the same way.  They watch everything you do.  They're so much fun. 

That's it for now.  I have some research to do on Guineas, Asparagus, and raising mealworms.




6 comments:

  1. And now you have a friend in Queen. :)

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    1. Yes, I sure do. She has a lot of personality

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  2. I am so ready for weather like yours....We have been pretty nice around here with temps in the 60's, so not to bad...I am ready to begin gardening!

    Guinea's are great watch dogs...Just a word of advice from someone that has had guineas many times...get them while they are keets....otherwise they will try and return from wherever you buy them...I found many 'teenage' guinea as road kill because they were homesick...I raised keets and they stuck around until the coyotes decided they were tastey! :o(

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    1. Thanks for the advice on Guinea's. I think we'd like to hand raise them anyway. I know the chickens we hand raised are less skittish than those we brought in full grown.

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  3. Izzy,

    It sounds like Queen pig is starting to trust her human keeper. Pigs are smart, be careful though they can be little stinkers too.

    You've got a really good start on gardening, were still waiting for that last freeze to come through.

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    1. yes, they are stinkers. We had one escape through an opening we didn't even know was there! Turned around and out in the yard she was. Good thing they know where the food is, she was pretty easy to get back in.

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