Yes, after all the trials and tribulations with Dell company, I finally broke down and ordered the power supply from 911forpcs. For a third of the price, it was delivered two days after I sent in a money order. (being too paranoid to share a card number with a little known company.)
Friday it arrived: A box with a bundle of wires segregated into smaller bundles with connectors..just take out four screws, oops, now take out the fan below it, (not in directions,) and disconnect all the bundles from it, ooops that wasn't one of them, jeez this one does not want to come out of the motherboard and my hand is up the computer's insides...hook it all back up and wait twenty four hours to have the nerve to actually hook the monitor up and plug it in and press the button....POWER!!! yeah!
Now just six hours of updates later....
trouble is, I had too long on the mactop. I miss the fast keyboard instead of these gaumy keys, but I don't miss the two fingered to scroll mouse pad that was a pain. I do think the speed might have been faster on the mactop, too,- after complaining how slow it was...and sitting upright instead of kicking back in bed is not as nice, but at least I am not worried about irradiating my lap anymore, although the warmth was nice for midwinter...lol
At least I can leave this one on without being worried about a pet knocking it off the bed... so good and bad in both! Just never order a part from Dell computer, ever, never.
ON the farm front, Lars died. :((
Duke and Clyde have gone to their new home in Canada. Zeus is off for breeding and Monarch came back from breeding. The lady who had him is just spectacular and he looked buff when he came back.
Sandja and Galli went to slaughter.
Was below zero in the barn this am. My hands had a few bad moments for the first hour and then things were fine. Nice sun, temps topped out at about 26 at home this afternoon.
Someone came to pick out a couple little wethers and the first one they wanted was Badger! lol. Instead they picked Feisty and his brother Troll Boy, Sugreca's two. Willow and I were very happy Feisty was saved. Willow called him that because he is Feisty! I would have picked him to go with Badger but I didn't know how he might turn out with his over zealous affection-not bucky, but he loves have his neck scratched.
well, no big climatic ending for this blog..Just wanted to get on with the PC back up!
and as soon as I download the cam full of 80 photos and delete the card I can take some more pics! So I have been slacking just a camera full since the week before Thanksgiving!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
still Wednesday
I was stacking wood today and thought the white rooster looked so handsome with his girls. He is a leghorn/barred rock cross with this year's pullets-three leghorn and two black australop..
We finally finished the puzzle yesterday, yay!
I walked over to the pond this am with Peko and the water was high over the ice and almost to the top of the dam. I followed fresh footprints to the spillway and something caught my eye. I thought it was a bait container someone had stuffed under the rocks, but it turned out to be a geocache. It was just a plastic glad container with a few oddments and a small pad with names and dates and the instructions.
Apparently folks stash these things around and post their coordinates online and folks try and find them using GPS. Then you sign the paper and may take an item but you have to leave something to replace it. Don't get too excited-they were like cheap stickers and a magnet. I wanted to toss a dollar bill in there just to thrill the next person.
The most amazing thing was the first date on there was almost exactly two years ago. So I guess my eyes aren't too sharp or the last person was careless when they put it back. It is in a vulnerable spot since the water does flow over the top of the dam but I guess if it has lasted two years it is ok...I showed the kids and they were all excited and wanted to start geocaching. LOL.
Now I know why I get strangers pulling up my drive at times...once two older ladies said they were with the census and someone told me they were geocaching so now I know...
Wednesday
I really like this room. I switched with Willow last year. It hasn't been a year yet because I remember hobbling on crutches into the other room last winter. This room has two windows that face east and I wake as soon as the sky starts to lighten. There was a lovely sunrise this morning and the sun just rose blazling gold over the horizon a few minutes ago.
I received an early birthday present yesterday-four cord of wood! We were almost out of wood so I am happy! I started trying to get some of it stacked so I won't have to dig it out of a snow cave. So that is my project for today!
I really don't want to work tomorrow at the farm. It is my birthday in a few days and I don't want to deal with the farm drama! I am so glad that I had Monday off it feels like a vacation! And I am taking Saturday so it is so tempting to take one more and make it a week off....LOL.
I watched Appaloosa again and noticed when the credits rolled that I spelled Renee Zellweger's name wrong in my other post. i think that's right now. I had spelled it Zelliger.
I guess I have trouble with names because I realized that I spelled Lillemore's name wrong as well when I googled Lilymore. I mentioned it to Boss and she said Lillemore means little mother. This was as Lillemore was looking up at me. She is black with a white star so it makes more sense than Lilymore.
Well, time to turn the laptop over to the Firebird. I ordered the part for the Dell from another company and hope I can finally get that straight. That will be my birthday present to myself! That and Chinese food and chocolate cake!
I received an early birthday present yesterday-four cord of wood! We were almost out of wood so I am happy! I started trying to get some of it stacked so I won't have to dig it out of a snow cave. So that is my project for today!
I really don't want to work tomorrow at the farm. It is my birthday in a few days and I don't want to deal with the farm drama! I am so glad that I had Monday off it feels like a vacation! And I am taking Saturday so it is so tempting to take one more and make it a week off....LOL.
I watched Appaloosa again and noticed when the credits rolled that I spelled Renee Zellweger's name wrong in my other post. i think that's right now. I had spelled it Zelliger.
I guess I have trouble with names because I realized that I spelled Lillemore's name wrong as well when I googled Lilymore. I mentioned it to Boss and she said Lillemore means little mother. This was as Lillemore was looking up at me. She is black with a white star so it makes more sense than Lilymore.
Well, time to turn the laptop over to the Firebird. I ordered the part for the Dell from another company and hope I can finally get that straight. That will be my birthday present to myself! That and Chinese food and chocolate cake!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday
Still pouring here this morning.
I mentioned watching Appaloosa, and I just found out that Robert Parker, who wrote the book, died a week or two ago at his desk from a heart attack. I have read a few of Parker's books and was very sad to hear of his passing.
I mentioned watching Appaloosa, and I just found out that Robert Parker, who wrote the book, died a week or two ago at his desk from a heart attack. I have read a few of Parker's books and was very sad to hear of his passing.
Monday, January 25, 2010
AnotherMondayagain
Pouring rain and thundering as I type this. Unusual weather for January bur par for the course with wild weather all over this winter.
I am not too worried as I am still on the laptop running on battery power.
School was delayed today due to the road conditions, so I took the opportunity to call off work. Good thing, as shortly afterwards I saw the bus creeping down the road as the driver started her run, so I walked down the drive to investigate. Our dirt road was glare ice. An hour later another school bus tried to go up the road and got stuck halfway. I ran out in my pj's with my small bucket of ashes but the driver and I greed it wouldn't get the bus very far. He sat there half way up the hill for at least a half hour until the sand truck came up to rescue him. Good thing, as I had already told my kids if that road wasn't sanded by the time their bus came through, they weren't getting on the bus.
I did get to watch Appaloosa last night. Great cast, lovely scenery, good tale. I have no idea why was it was rated R. The violence was minimal, at least for a Western, and only one use of the F word. Screw could have been easily substituted. I have seen way worse on local TV channels. I was reminded of the old western TV show, Gunsmoke. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen sharing the role of Marshal Dillon, Renee Zelliger reminded me of a Miss Kitty and even grizzly Jeremy Irons, although much more eloquent and lacking a limp, visually reminded me of the old deputy Festus. IN this flick, Irons plays a bad guy.
Still working on the puzzle, one kitten down and four more to go. Then I'll have my kitchen table back. Put a couple shelves up in the Firebird's room today to help him get organized. I even cleaned my room a bit and took one of the Queen Anne wingback chairs. I inherited a pair from my mother and don't have room for them downstairs, but it looks pretty good in my room with an orange batik throw protecting it from the cats.
Goats are good, ditto cats and dog. The snow melted enough that I found two of Peko's balls outside today, so he's happy. Really wild wind right now, so I guess I'll log off and save the battery in case we lose power later.
*this version corrects the name of the TV series from Bonanza to Gunsmoke-well it was thirty plus years ago, LOL.
I am not too worried as I am still on the laptop running on battery power.
School was delayed today due to the road conditions, so I took the opportunity to call off work. Good thing, as shortly afterwards I saw the bus creeping down the road as the driver started her run, so I walked down the drive to investigate. Our dirt road was glare ice. An hour later another school bus tried to go up the road and got stuck halfway. I ran out in my pj's with my small bucket of ashes but the driver and I greed it wouldn't get the bus very far. He sat there half way up the hill for at least a half hour until the sand truck came up to rescue him. Good thing, as I had already told my kids if that road wasn't sanded by the time their bus came through, they weren't getting on the bus.
I did get to watch Appaloosa last night. Great cast, lovely scenery, good tale. I have no idea why was it was rated R. The violence was minimal, at least for a Western, and only one use of the F word. Screw could have been easily substituted. I have seen way worse on local TV channels. I was reminded of the old western TV show, Gunsmoke. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen sharing the role of Marshal Dillon, Renee Zelliger reminded me of a Miss Kitty and even grizzly Jeremy Irons, although much more eloquent and lacking a limp, visually reminded me of the old deputy Festus. IN this flick, Irons plays a bad guy.
Still working on the puzzle, one kitten down and four more to go. Then I'll have my kitchen table back. Put a couple shelves up in the Firebird's room today to help him get organized. I even cleaned my room a bit and took one of the Queen Anne wingback chairs. I inherited a pair from my mother and don't have room for them downstairs, but it looks pretty good in my room with an orange batik throw protecting it from the cats.
Goats are good, ditto cats and dog. The snow melted enough that I found two of Peko's balls outside today, so he's happy. Really wild wind right now, so I guess I'll log off and save the battery in case we lose power later.
*this version corrects the name of the TV series from Bonanza to Gunsmoke-well it was thirty plus years ago, LOL.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Puzzled
Willow asked to start a puzzle she has had forever-a 750 piece puzzle. Like a dummy I told her ok.
We used to do puzzles when I was a kid but I think we had a bigger house. This one turned out out to be way too difficult for her so I offered to help. We always started with the outside pieces, so three times we have been through the pieces and yet we are still missing at least one piece on one side. I think it is a trick piece or we have already lost it. Probably the dog or one of the cats or the vacuum or the stack of books and papers on the floor where she started it ate it and several others.
But that's the fun of a puzzle-you don't know for sure if you're missing a piece until the end. I must have worked five hours on the thing today-I got sucked in-my eyes are cross-eyed. It's got five cute furry kittens in a flower field. How fun! (sarcasm)
Well, thank goodness for afternoon chores around here, haying the goats on the dead white snow help take some of the cross out of my eyes. Now I'm going to go make a broccoli and cheddar soup. Hopefully I won't be trying to piece the broccoli back together in my bowl.
I picked up Appaloosa on DVD a couple days ago and hope to watch it tonight. It's rated R so it's just for me. I have been hitting the sack early and hope I can stay up late enough to watch it tonight-or it's tomorrow afternoon when the kids are in school.
Ah, January in Maine...
We used to do puzzles when I was a kid but I think we had a bigger house. This one turned out out to be way too difficult for her so I offered to help. We always started with the outside pieces, so three times we have been through the pieces and yet we are still missing at least one piece on one side. I think it is a trick piece or we have already lost it. Probably the dog or one of the cats or the vacuum or the stack of books and papers on the floor where she started it ate it and several others.
But that's the fun of a puzzle-you don't know for sure if you're missing a piece until the end. I must have worked five hours on the thing today-I got sucked in-my eyes are cross-eyed. It's got five cute furry kittens in a flower field. How fun! (sarcasm)
Well, thank goodness for afternoon chores around here, haying the goats on the dead white snow help take some of the cross out of my eyes. Now I'm going to go make a broccoli and cheddar soup. Hopefully I won't be trying to piece the broccoli back together in my bowl.
I picked up Appaloosa on DVD a couple days ago and hope to watch it tonight. It's rated R so it's just for me. I have been hitting the sack early and hope I can stay up late enough to watch it tonight-or it's tomorrow afternoon when the kids are in school.
Ah, January in Maine...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Snowed in Again
The last storm moved off and we had another storm move in yesterday. I thought they used to call this one an Albert Clipper, but they were saying something about a Norland Trough so who knows, really? Instead of coming up the coast from the gulf of Mexico, the system swooped down from North of the Great Lakes, set itself up in the Gulf of Maine, and dumped on us.
It was forecast to be flurries yesterday morning and then picking up in intensity through the afternoon and evening. Despite the holiday weekend, the kids had school yesterday and they were no sooner on the bus in the morning that the snow started. I ran off on errands and the snow kept falling and falling- and then school was dismissed early. I was sort of aggravated that they had school at all! To take them and to keep them there until the roads got dangerous...But at least it didn't count as a snow day to make up in June!
Then at 5:30 am this morning the phone rang with the alert cancellation for today. The snow plow went up shortly after that, so all the roads are plowed and sanded and it is barely snowing, but they called a snow day today. Well, the kids are happy to have a day off anyhow, but still I have to wonder who makes the call on the road conditions....?
We do have quite a bit of snow out there. All the trees are covered with white frosting. When I walked down the drive to shovel out the mailbox yesterday, I amused myself by trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue, and went crosseyed picking out individual flakes falling while I was walking with my head back. I caught quite few, and had a few just shoot straight down the back of my throat and my eyelashes were coated rather thoroughly by the time I made it to the mailbox.
****
Of course like everyone else I have been watching the crisis in Haiti and have been trying to keep myself from criticizing what is going on down there. The most positive thing I can say about it is that I hope the UN learns some things from this tragedy that helps them deal with future disasters. I just don't understand; if people are hurt and dying of thirst and hunger, why is the priority is getting troops in to make sure everyone will form an orderly line for an emergency biscuit and a quart of water? If food, water and bedding were airdropped enmasse immediately FIRST there would not be the rioting conditions of desperation. Yes, there might have been some racketeering involved in folks hording what they could get, but when the troops finally could get in that would be the time for law and order. I just don't see taking all that time to move troops in and supplies to feed and shelter those troops when people are in such a situation. Help FIRST and then law and order. Air drop the damn supplies already!!! Just my two cents.
It was forecast to be flurries yesterday morning and then picking up in intensity through the afternoon and evening. Despite the holiday weekend, the kids had school yesterday and they were no sooner on the bus in the morning that the snow started. I ran off on errands and the snow kept falling and falling- and then school was dismissed early. I was sort of aggravated that they had school at all! To take them and to keep them there until the roads got dangerous...But at least it didn't count as a snow day to make up in June!
Then at 5:30 am this morning the phone rang with the alert cancellation for today. The snow plow went up shortly after that, so all the roads are plowed and sanded and it is barely snowing, but they called a snow day today. Well, the kids are happy to have a day off anyhow, but still I have to wonder who makes the call on the road conditions....?
We do have quite a bit of snow out there. All the trees are covered with white frosting. When I walked down the drive to shovel out the mailbox yesterday, I amused myself by trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue, and went crosseyed picking out individual flakes falling while I was walking with my head back. I caught quite few, and had a few just shoot straight down the back of my throat and my eyelashes were coated rather thoroughly by the time I made it to the mailbox.
****
Of course like everyone else I have been watching the crisis in Haiti and have been trying to keep myself from criticizing what is going on down there. The most positive thing I can say about it is that I hope the UN learns some things from this tragedy that helps them deal with future disasters. I just don't understand; if people are hurt and dying of thirst and hunger, why is the priority is getting troops in to make sure everyone will form an orderly line for an emergency biscuit and a quart of water? If food, water and bedding were airdropped enmasse immediately FIRST there would not be the rioting conditions of desperation. Yes, there might have been some racketeering involved in folks hording what they could get, but when the troops finally could get in that would be the time for law and order. I just don't see taking all that time to move troops in and supplies to feed and shelter those troops when people are in such a situation. Help FIRST and then law and order. Air drop the damn supplies already!!! Just my two cents.
Monday, January 18, 2010
another Monday
Another week already!
We have decided to keep Badgers name Badger. We tossed around a few ideas and then I remembered a character called Badger from a children's book Wind in the Willows, so I thought that was appropriate. Then when I was looking it up I found out that Wales is going to kill a bunch of Badgers in the theory that it will reduce the incidence of Bovine TB. There was an article on it the UK Guardian online, and almost all the comments were anti Badger killing and of course I agree with them.
Back to the new goats;the other we have named Piper which is related to the book as well-Pan the Piper, but I didn't want to call him Pan. Pan is of course half man and half goat.
They were banded Thursday and we will bring them home soon.
Now there are 18 bucklings are on the Hill. Five went to slaughter and nine arrived from another farm. I met some of them today-well all of them, but didn't linger too long with them. One of the new grey ones tried to follow us back down the hill and started bawling....maaaa, maaa, ma-aaaaaaa!
Boss heard him all the way to the house and said," was that the little grey one?"
and I said, "yes."
She said, "he was babied at his last home, his name is "guapo" "
and P looked perplexed and I laughed and said that is "handsome" in Spanish, LOL.
The weather was warmer over the weekend-it was supposed to be teens yesterday and yet it broke freezing again. The weatherman is really not doing very well with his predictions. Friday they said we were going to miss a storm Sunday night and would get a dusting. We are now under a winter weather advisory and have about six inches of snow out there. I worked the farm this am and the roads were pretty crummy going and coming.
We are supposed to see the sun again on Thursday. :(
We have decided to keep Badgers name Badger. We tossed around a few ideas and then I remembered a character called Badger from a children's book Wind in the Willows, so I thought that was appropriate. Then when I was looking it up I found out that Wales is going to kill a bunch of Badgers in the theory that it will reduce the incidence of Bovine TB. There was an article on it the UK Guardian online, and almost all the comments were anti Badger killing and of course I agree with them.
Back to the new goats;the other we have named Piper which is related to the book as well-Pan the Piper, but I didn't want to call him Pan. Pan is of course half man and half goat.
They were banded Thursday and we will bring them home soon.
Now there are 18 bucklings are on the Hill. Five went to slaughter and nine arrived from another farm. I met some of them today-well all of them, but didn't linger too long with them. One of the new grey ones tried to follow us back down the hill and started bawling....maaaa, maaa, ma-aaaaaaa!
Boss heard him all the way to the house and said," was that the little grey one?"
and I said, "yes."
She said, "he was babied at his last home, his name is "guapo" "
and P looked perplexed and I laughed and said that is "handsome" in Spanish, LOL.
The weather was warmer over the weekend-it was supposed to be teens yesterday and yet it broke freezing again. The weatherman is really not doing very well with his predictions. Friday they said we were going to miss a storm Sunday night and would get a dusting. We are now under a winter weather advisory and have about six inches of snow out there. I worked the farm this am and the roads were pretty crummy going and coming.
We are supposed to see the sun again on Thursday. :(
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday Again
Well, I've gone and done it. The bucklings on the Hill are going to slaughter tomorrow, and Willow and I had fallen in love with Ursula's badger. So I said I wanted him-and of course another to keep him company, so we finally settled on Lilymore's black. Willow had named a few of them and of course those two don't have real names yet! We call them Badger Boy and Lilymore's.
In the legend of Saint Ursula (who was martyred a virgin) she was going to marry Conan Meriadoc so I said we should call them Meriadoc and Pippin, but Willow has a hard time with Meriadoc so the names are still up in the air.
They still need to be wethered and I need to build them a little house. In the meantime my own goats are sufferring the winter doldrums and have turned to destroying the tarp house now. UGH!> I was kicking myself for getting more goats!!! And let me say that mine have a huge pen but the back pastures are snowed in although I have been beating paths to put their afternoon hay out there. They have boulders and flat roofed houses to jump on too. So I went down and cut some hemlock branches off the road for treats after their hay this afternoon and that kept them busy for 1/2 hour lol.
Anyhow, the new two will stay at the farm for a bit. I am going to pull some extra hours and trade time for them.
What else..it has been cold here-it was 6F in the barn at the farm when I got there at 8:30. I did my own goats in a half hour before I left and my fingers were frozen!!! I was jumping all over for the first hour at the farm trying to get my blood going so my hands would thaw out. I used to have trouble with my feet which have been ok. I mean to start taking vitamins again since I could be low in iron which would aggravate being cold. And I may look up some supplements to help circulation. I really need to quit smoking!!!!!
Well, it did warm up finally and was just above freezing at home late afternoon so my hands were only bad for the first hour or so at the farm.
We have been burning a lot of wood too. But, it is almost the middle of January so not too bad! It is almost the anniversary of burning my foot and let me say I never want to repeat that ever!!!
I have just a small scar but sometimes the skin pinches a little.
I just found out last night that someone I have known for years shot himself on the 30th. I was aghast. I have been thinking about friends I have lost that were younger than me and now another gone....so sad. Life is so precious to end it unnecessarily...
In the legend of Saint Ursula (who was martyred a virgin) she was going to marry Conan Meriadoc so I said we should call them Meriadoc and Pippin, but Willow has a hard time with Meriadoc so the names are still up in the air.
They still need to be wethered and I need to build them a little house. In the meantime my own goats are sufferring the winter doldrums and have turned to destroying the tarp house now. UGH!> I was kicking myself for getting more goats!!! And let me say that mine have a huge pen but the back pastures are snowed in although I have been beating paths to put their afternoon hay out there. They have boulders and flat roofed houses to jump on too. So I went down and cut some hemlock branches off the road for treats after their hay this afternoon and that kept them busy for 1/2 hour lol.
Anyhow, the new two will stay at the farm for a bit. I am going to pull some extra hours and trade time for them.
What else..it has been cold here-it was 6F in the barn at the farm when I got there at 8:30. I did my own goats in a half hour before I left and my fingers were frozen!!! I was jumping all over for the first hour at the farm trying to get my blood going so my hands would thaw out. I used to have trouble with my feet which have been ok. I mean to start taking vitamins again since I could be low in iron which would aggravate being cold. And I may look up some supplements to help circulation. I really need to quit smoking!!!!!
Well, it did warm up finally and was just above freezing at home late afternoon so my hands were only bad for the first hour or so at the farm.
We have been burning a lot of wood too. But, it is almost the middle of January so not too bad! It is almost the anniversary of burning my foot and let me say I never want to repeat that ever!!!
I have just a small scar but sometimes the skin pinches a little.
I just found out last night that someone I have known for years shot himself on the 30th. I was aghast. I have been thinking about friends I have lost that were younger than me and now another gone....so sad. Life is so precious to end it unnecessarily...
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Monday
We made it to work and school yesterday. The vet came to the farm to examine two bucks that are being sold to Canada. They collected fecal, drew blood for CAE and Brucellosis, checked the microchips, gave a TB test. They will return Thurs to read the TB.
The vet also checked out the older Fjord mare, Maya. Maya was bleeding from the vulva when the farrier came last week. I had noticed the same a few months ago and told Boss. This time I spent some time on the internet and thought it might be a varicose vein of the hymen remnants, which occurs in some mares. The treatment can be to cauterize the vein, but it usually reoccurs.
So last week I told Boss what I had learned, but the vet was already coming so I thought, well good, she should be checked and he can confirm it.
Well, after I assisted with one buck who was at the main barn, I put him back down with his girls and came back to overhear the vet suggesting it was dark colored urine due to seasonal changes in feed, and Boss said, no it was blood. The vet said something about a possible stone, and started rattling off stuff for his assistant to get out of the truck.
I kept my mouth shut and helped the assistant get by the geese several times, all the while the list-rectal exam, injection to induce urination, urinalysis, scheduling an ultrasound, kept the cash register in my brain running...wow that was going to be some bill!
Eventually they were through with Maya and we went to Prescott so they could check out the other buck. On the way, I asked Boss, "so the vet thinks Maya has a stone?'
and she said, "not so much now..."
Of course Maya was not actively bleeding by the time the vet came this week. So we will see what the final diagnosis is.
Balloo was much better today but everytime he looked at me he seemed embarrassed or sad. I gave him lots of pats and told him it was fine. The other GP, Luke, who has always been rather standoffish, actually stuck his head against my leg by my hand when I was in the barn eavesdropping on the vet conversation. I gave him a good head rub.
Perhaps the dogs were worried the vet was there because of the Ballo incident the other day...
Back at my own place later I mucked out goat houses. I came into that snowstorm short of shavings and kept putting down extra hay. All of the houses were soaked! Too much snow to push the wheelbarrow, so I was dumping it into a huge plastic pot (like 20 gallon) and lugging it down back to the pile. I was pretty tired by the time night fell.
Today I have to dig all the trash out of the snowbank-before Christmas trash-and go to the dump.
and it would be nice to get the Christmas tree down sometime! I haven't put any water in it in days so I didn't make a mess getting it out. It's not too dry yet, but it needs to go. It was soooo pretty, but we need the room.
so those are my plans for today! stay warm!
The vet also checked out the older Fjord mare, Maya. Maya was bleeding from the vulva when the farrier came last week. I had noticed the same a few months ago and told Boss. This time I spent some time on the internet and thought it might be a varicose vein of the hymen remnants, which occurs in some mares. The treatment can be to cauterize the vein, but it usually reoccurs.
So last week I told Boss what I had learned, but the vet was already coming so I thought, well good, she should be checked and he can confirm it.
Well, after I assisted with one buck who was at the main barn, I put him back down with his girls and came back to overhear the vet suggesting it was dark colored urine due to seasonal changes in feed, and Boss said, no it was blood. The vet said something about a possible stone, and started rattling off stuff for his assistant to get out of the truck.
I kept my mouth shut and helped the assistant get by the geese several times, all the while the list-rectal exam, injection to induce urination, urinalysis, scheduling an ultrasound, kept the cash register in my brain running...wow that was going to be some bill!
Eventually they were through with Maya and we went to Prescott so they could check out the other buck. On the way, I asked Boss, "so the vet thinks Maya has a stone?'
and she said, "not so much now..."
Of course Maya was not actively bleeding by the time the vet came this week. So we will see what the final diagnosis is.
Balloo was much better today but everytime he looked at me he seemed embarrassed or sad. I gave him lots of pats and told him it was fine. The other GP, Luke, who has always been rather standoffish, actually stuck his head against my leg by my hand when I was in the barn eavesdropping on the vet conversation. I gave him a good head rub.
Perhaps the dogs were worried the vet was there because of the Ballo incident the other day...
Back at my own place later I mucked out goat houses. I came into that snowstorm short of shavings and kept putting down extra hay. All of the houses were soaked! Too much snow to push the wheelbarrow, so I was dumping it into a huge plastic pot (like 20 gallon) and lugging it down back to the pile. I was pretty tired by the time night fell.
Today I have to dig all the trash out of the snowbank-before Christmas trash-and go to the dump.
and it would be nice to get the Christmas tree down sometime! I haven't put any water in it in days so I didn't make a mess getting it out. It's not too dry yet, but it needs to go. It was soooo pretty, but we need the room.
so those are my plans for today! stay warm!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Big snow=fun
We played in the snow some yesterday afternoon and had about 8 inches or so since Friday. Then last night we got clobbered and had another 14 Inches. We had so much snow I gave the kids permission to try the ridge in front of the house. There are lots of stumps and rocks under that snow...Then I told them they had to quit until we were plowed out in case I had to take a trip to the emergency room. I couldn't get out the drive with nearly two feet deep of snow between my car and the road. Our drive is about 250 feet long or so so no hand digging that!
A lot of times with a major storm forecast I will park down by the road so I can hand dig the snowbank to get out in an emergency. It makes a pain for the snow plow guy to wait for me to move my car out of the way, though...
Well, he arrived a bit after noon and we are all plowed out and the car is cleaned off so we are ready for work and school in the morning! (Boo-hoo)
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Year's Day 2010
OK, I remember why I gave the white roosters away. The one that came home crowed every hour on the hour for the New Year, and the moon was NOT out,n due to the clouds. I got up at 6 am and said,. That rooster is GOING!" I mean, he starts at 9 at night. What a party animal!
Willow insisted on going to the farm with me this am. I decided the 3 inches of snow was not enough to keep me out. The roads were half plowed with a nice icy base and slush on top. I made it up over the worst hill and took it slow. We pulled in 15 minutes late to see just Mr. Boss there-Boss had left to pick up R since his truck wouldn't make the roads.
I set Willow to the wet barn floor with the broom and fed the chickens and headed to the wether area. Mr. Boss couldn't find the older Great Pyranees, Balloo, and asked me to crawl under the barn and look behind the silo. No dog. I cast around out back checking tracks-horses, then dog, which circled and returned. Mr. Boss struck out looking for Balloo with the other GP, Luke. I offerred Willow to go with him, and he declined, so I I told him to give me a yell if he needed me.
Ten minutes later I heard a shout, and he was across the lower pasture at the edge of the woods asking for some type of sling. I grabbed a couple of horse leads and a wide girth and sprinted through 6 inches of snow, climbed the gate, panted across the pasture, and met him in the woods. Balloo was trying to drag his back end. We tried to sling him, but he was exhausted and could not walk on his front legs. His color on his tongue was purplish, and then he retched and I thought he was having heart failure. I ran back to the barn for a tobaggan
TG Boss and R were just pulling in the drive. R left with a narrow farm plastic tobaggan-I had brought a wide sled for Willow in case she had a chance to sled, so I had Willow grab that and an old blanket out of the car. Then Mr. Boss yelled for the tarp and the firewood sling, so I grabbed those and told Willow to stay and help Boss clean. She wanted to come, but the walk was arduous for short legs.
Once back to the woods, I put the blanket on my sled and we managed to get the dog on it. (lifting and pulling) We pulled his front legs down to make him lie down, and I put the firewood sling over his shoulders and roped it and him down to the handles on the sled. R pulled him back. It went fairly well. After the bullmastiffs I have some experience moving non-ambulatory large dogs, and it was lucky we had some snow and I had happened to bring the sled since it was wider than the farm one.
We set him up in the tack room on some straw, and he wasn't too happy but with a huge storm coming this weekend, they can't risk him getting stuck in over a foot of snow.
He has hip problems, so he will probably be fine in a couple of days, or maybe not...
After that the farm chores were fairly normal. The roads were in better shape on the way home.
I decided to rip the side goat house off and rebuild it this afternoon, and I quickly realized why I had been putting that job off! PHEW! The worst part is the goats trying to destroy things while you are building them. I had the Firebird on watch at various times to drive them off. Hay down back? Who cares? Finally we finished at near dark. Much better storm shelter and no longer in the path of the large maple if it comes down in the storm.
We have another low pressure system moving into the gulf of maine to join the one that's there...conservative noon weather guy was predicting...yes he finally committed to a prediction...10-18 inches for our area. Really comig down tomorrow afternoon and evening. I am supposed to work the farm in the am-I am just worried about getting home if it hits early. Storms like that don't mess around and you can get 2-3 inches and hours. I told Boss I would make the call the in the morning...
Happy 2010! :D
Willow insisted on going to the farm with me this am. I decided the 3 inches of snow was not enough to keep me out. The roads were half plowed with a nice icy base and slush on top. I made it up over the worst hill and took it slow. We pulled in 15 minutes late to see just Mr. Boss there-Boss had left to pick up R since his truck wouldn't make the roads.
I set Willow to the wet barn floor with the broom and fed the chickens and headed to the wether area. Mr. Boss couldn't find the older Great Pyranees, Balloo, and asked me to crawl under the barn and look behind the silo. No dog. I cast around out back checking tracks-horses, then dog, which circled and returned. Mr. Boss struck out looking for Balloo with the other GP, Luke. I offerred Willow to go with him, and he declined, so I I told him to give me a yell if he needed me.
Ten minutes later I heard a shout, and he was across the lower pasture at the edge of the woods asking for some type of sling. I grabbed a couple of horse leads and a wide girth and sprinted through 6 inches of snow, climbed the gate, panted across the pasture, and met him in the woods. Balloo was trying to drag his back end. We tried to sling him, but he was exhausted and could not walk on his front legs. His color on his tongue was purplish, and then he retched and I thought he was having heart failure. I ran back to the barn for a tobaggan
TG Boss and R were just pulling in the drive. R left with a narrow farm plastic tobaggan-I had brought a wide sled for Willow in case she had a chance to sled, so I had Willow grab that and an old blanket out of the car. Then Mr. Boss yelled for the tarp and the firewood sling, so I grabbed those and told Willow to stay and help Boss clean. She wanted to come, but the walk was arduous for short legs.
Once back to the woods, I put the blanket on my sled and we managed to get the dog on it. (lifting and pulling) We pulled his front legs down to make him lie down, and I put the firewood sling over his shoulders and roped it and him down to the handles on the sled. R pulled him back. It went fairly well. After the bullmastiffs I have some experience moving non-ambulatory large dogs, and it was lucky we had some snow and I had happened to bring the sled since it was wider than the farm one.
We set him up in the tack room on some straw, and he wasn't too happy but with a huge storm coming this weekend, they can't risk him getting stuck in over a foot of snow.
He has hip problems, so he will probably be fine in a couple of days, or maybe not...
After that the farm chores were fairly normal. The roads were in better shape on the way home.
I decided to rip the side goat house off and rebuild it this afternoon, and I quickly realized why I had been putting that job off! PHEW! The worst part is the goats trying to destroy things while you are building them. I had the Firebird on watch at various times to drive them off. Hay down back? Who cares? Finally we finished at near dark. Much better storm shelter and no longer in the path of the large maple if it comes down in the storm.
We have another low pressure system moving into the gulf of maine to join the one that's there...conservative noon weather guy was predicting...yes he finally committed to a prediction...10-18 inches for our area. Really comig down tomorrow afternoon and evening. I am supposed to work the farm in the am-I am just worried about getting home if it hits early. Storms like that don't mess around and you can get 2-3 inches and hours. I told Boss I would make the call the in the morning...
Happy 2010! :D
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