Monday, January 30, 2023

Snowy Donkeys

 Once again we have a winter wonderland in southeast Michigan.  The big snow dump arrived last Wednesday.

I think I show you this scene every year, but it's my favorite winter view on the property.  Just outside the garage, heading up the driveway.  I love it.


 
Looking across the pasture



Thank goodness for the covered manger - less shoveling to clear dining areas.


 Donkeys are not eager to forge new paths and, conveniently enough, leave that for me.  When we run out of room significant traffic jams arise.


And I am stuck, um "allowed" the task of shoveling another.


With immense love I remember the last snowy video of Luigi...



Monday, January 23, 2023

Teeny Tiny Farm Happenings

 I must admit, nothing tremendously exciting is happening on the teeny tiny farm.

Marigold is getting treated for her scaly leg mites and we're finally seeing improvement.  Every other day we schmear her footies with herb treated goo, wrap them in gauze and then in vetrap.

Here she shows off her vogue look.


A spring-like mud fest

gave way to a couple of inches of snow.  Which I much prefer.

My little mountaineer, Stevie, is drawn to the garbage cans (full of chicken feed and donkey Equine Senior) almost every morning.


And Gabby's face says how much she loves hot slop Sunday.



* * * * * * Vegan Delights * * * * * *

After a recent visit to a local farm's organic produce market (slimmed down for the winter season) and talking to the farm's director about her mom making lentil stew as a kid, I said, "gotta do that".  And voila, a recent dinner.


The addition of sweet potato helped make it a nice blend of flavors.  And I do favor lentils.


Monday, January 9, 2023

Chickens and Sprouted Lentils

 Let's turn immediately to the good news.

Etta James was sounding a bit wheezy a couple of weeks ago.  I started putting a few drops of Vetrx into the water every other day and (always knock on wood) she sounds so much better.


You know I like to avoid pharmaceuticals if possible.  Ingredients:  Canada Balsam, Camphor OilOriganum, Oil Rosemary, blended in a corn oil base
I'm happy.

Last week I mentioned the lamb born next door.  You know you want to see pictures.



surrounded by her aunties

Somewhere in my reading I decided it would be a splendid idea to sprout lentils for the chickens.  Nutritious, easy to prepare, and something new to try.

Everything went according to plan.  In four days I had a quart jar of sprouts.



To my tastebuds, they have a mild flavor.  To Rick's they are tasteless.  (of course he is wrong)

They have bombed with the hens.  Sometimes when trying a new delicacy the girls take their time warming up to it.  Well, after two days there appears to be no warming.  Think I'll put them in our salad tomorrow night!

Now for the bad news.  Marigold's feet look awful - again.  We treated her for bumblefoot and scaly leg mites in September and thought we had them licked.  Appears we were wrong.


* * * * * * Vegan Delights * * * * * *. 

I give you a recipe for vegan baked beans which we prepared for the Christmas Eve family gathering.  I think it was received well; Rick and I liked them.  The only modification I made was to eliminate the liquid smoke.  


Monday, January 2, 2023

Yoga Kleshas and Sheep

I believe I have been remiss in introducing you to our current next door neighbors.


Longtime readers will know feelings on each side of the fence are not always amicable.  Mutually. So although I was screamed at by one of the humans next door (a year ago?) for giving carrots to the animal crew who was there at the time, I picked up the oh-so-damning habit again about a month ago.  The sheep run like crazy to get the treats while Whitey (my name for the cow) likes to sashay over.  She comes pressing up to the woebegone fence and takes the carrot pieces like a dog.  Although today I got some of the slimy sandpaper tongue.

Well a couple of weeks ago I realized I hadn't seen the sheep in several days.  I immediately concluded they had been sent to slaughter (yes, they have advertised fresh meat on our little community's FB page).  I comforted myself by saying I had given them attention and treats before their demise.  Then, just a couple of days ago as I was calling Whitey, I heard the sheep bleating from the barn (lordy I should show you a picture of the barn). I concluded they had been locked up from the severe and biting wind we had about 10 days ago.  With ill thoughts, I assumed the humans were remiss in not letting them out with the warmer temps.  Then, today the real answer presented itself.  A wee little baby lamb pressed against mom standing in the small pen attached to the barn.

I have been a student of yoga for over 25 years.  We study yoga tenets are well as physical poses (asanas).  Including the five yoga kleshas (pronounced kleeshas) or sources of trouble.  Boy oh boy did the story above smack me in the face.  One of the kleshas is "wrong information".  We form assumptions/opinions/judgements all the time based on wrong information.  And this was a perfect example.  I find sometimes the universe has to smack me in the head to remind me.  Message received.

Weather wise in the past 10 days we've gone from snow and those biting winds


with blankets a must, and yes, they were fed inside.  Followed by a warm-up with a bit of ice, and now a complete melt with balmy temps in the low 40's.

Yesterday morning during chores the rain transformed into a mini-blizzard in the wink of an eye.  And was done in another blink.


The chickens are loving wandering in the snow-less pens.  But holy cow did Gigi give me a fright.
This is the sight I came across


I watched before panicking and said she's just taking a dust bath.  Of course, it's just a dust bath.  But to be sure walked over and picked her up.  She stood there unfazed and went right back to bathing (although I have a dust bath in the coop).

Never a dull moment...