Yes...its really me! I'm back..for good this time!

Has it really been that long since I've written to you? Life can pass so quickly, and sometimes we have to take a pause in a few things, which is where I've been. As you know cows and crops never take a pause and keep on growing, having baby's, munching grass, and thinking its greener on the other side of that fence as usual. Which incidentally did happen the other day with one bunch, what a surprise for us! I dont know in how long something like this has happened. You know when cattle learn a hot wire, they mind it, for some reason the cows seem as anxious for spring as we are and decided to walk through an open gate (that we always leave open when we go through that they NEVER decide to cross to the other side - ever!). Funny thing is..the grass wasn't even green, at least no greener than where they were. Just like us always testing what we dont know that might be better, and usually wrong just like they were! Our calves are coming fast! I like to say they are popping like popcorn all over! With so many cattle we always suffer some loss. This year we have lost 5. But even with so much snow - the most we have had in a long time - its not been due to the weather! We have had over sized calves one of which was born too early, and it was born with an underdeveloped brain. The other had a leg folded. And another had its head folded downward and mom had pushed all night and by morning when we found her the calf was already dead and we had to have the vet remove the dead calf.

Each time we loose a calf it takes a piece of my heart with it. I dont like to loose, and that is how I look at it, like I've lost. especially those that I've brought into my kitchen to warm up a calf half frozen, or one that mom's milk isnt flowing enough to feed, pneumonia, or whatever the case may be.
This is a normal average loss for the number of cattle we have, so we are praying that the numbers are over now. So far we have had only 2 twins born....last year we had 5 sets...it made up for any lost calves...strange only 1 set this year after several years in a row of many more. Maybe there will be more in the others, since we are not even half way there...I think we have 60 calves on the ground at this point. How much fun it is to watch them play!God was good to us last summer with rain, not too little and not too much, just enough at just the right time. We had such a good year. Steers sold good too. The best year we've had in a long time. But farming is always a roll of the dice, never knowing what you get. As the song goes " He just takes the tractor another round, he pulls the plow across the ground, and sends up another prayer, he says "Lord I, never complain I never ask why, please dont let my dreams run dry...." Thats all a farmer can do.
As for me...the last 7 months have been a struggle with my health. I had some really bad days and was unable to write to you and had to put my farm journal aside, actually writing to you and being on the computer was something near impossible except for games or spending small amounts of time, and as you know a blog requires quite a bit of time. I put aside my photography, and pretty much everything. But my health has improved greatly, I have had many more good days than bad, and tho I still have some bad ones here and there, normality is coming back! And I'm excited to get back to my farm life journal and getting back in touch with all my friends I've made. Gee, I dont know if you realize how Ive missed you! I have thought so much about you and wondered what you have been up too!My horses.....Oh my baby's! They are so wonderful! Our baby Jack is not so much a baby anymore, I have so much to tell you about him and I hope to write so much more, but I guess a post about everyone individually would probably just be best! Everyone, critters and all, have just grown in so many ways, not just physically, but so many milestones! Our family too!
Speaking of the family...we are all so good...the kids are doing great, Douglas is taller than me and reminding me every minute he can. Leah is as beautiful as ever and doing good in school as always and just had the chance to shadow her farrier and was so excited about that! Norm has been working hard as usual, has really taken up my slack when I needed his help...I dont know what I'd do without him.
So, I'm back....full force....and I missed you - all of you - and I cant wait to talk to each of you and see what I've missed. Like I said - I have thought about each of you and wondered where you have been in your lives in the last 7 months since my absence! Talk again soon! I cant wait to update you!
~*~Rachel~*~

Horse Shoeing....

This morning Josh T came to trim 2 of the horses, Molly and Bella.

Molly is a pill to trim, she leans into him and pulls hard. He has to use a twitch on her to keep her under control. This is the only thing that she acts ugly with. Its almost funny to see such a huge horse throw and fit, and see poor Josh try to hold her up!!!!! Bella was a doll...and beautiful as usual! She goes to Josh in a month or two to get her out of her barn sour and from being a little hot when ridden. (which means she is a little high spirited, but not bad, enough to keep you working hard to keep her from running, not running off, just running!)

Floating a Horses Teeth - Kings Age

What a cool, first time experience for myself, and for King. Let me first tell you that King is younger than at first thought! What great news he has many more years ahead of him! He is probably under 20 years old....not sure exact age due to teeth wearing, but not as old as I thought!

<**King getting his sedation**

I'm so tickled pink with that news. 2ND...HE'S a little club footed in his right front leg! I knew his pastern was a little bigger than the other but never imagined that's what it was! Then I found out that his hoof is hot, and his tendons are not as straight and tight as they should be. Doc looked at his frog, and its definitely not thrush ( I didn't think it was), but rather an abscess of some sort. He is "greatly lame" he said at this point, but nothing that wont be cured! What a relief! He did suggest a Vet visit, he does need that, but there is absolutely

NO WAY we can do it today!

<**Feeling teeth and aging King**

Norm has the heifers in the lot to worm, and is moving the bulls to the heifer lot and the heifers to the Bull lot. Tomorrow 4 of the 6 are getting a hoof trimming - Buck, King, Molly, and Bella. So Norm is going to try to take him right after his trimming,

<**King beginning to feel the sedation**

I'll have to stay here while Josh is trimming the others. I hate that and really want to go, but I don't see how that will work that way. Oh well cant see it all I guess. So on to the floating! King has more gumption in him than anyone expected. He is just very broke, a bit lazy and needs exercise, and hard headed...he fought the floating quite a bit, and have to have .5 times more of the sedation meds than most horses. Could also be his size maybe. I got to feel the before and after effects of the filing...so cool! He should have a much easier time eating and feel tons better. Well only need to have him floated once a year, and at $60.00 a pop that's not bad! I'm worried that his frog has abscessed,

<**Sedation now working!**

but I'm happy that its not as bad as I thought it might be. <**Feeling even more sleepy!**

King is in good health, perfect weight, and younger than thought!

<** The filing begins, he didn't like it and often bit down on the file!**

I'm really pleased over all, and the guy is very knowledgeable, and did a good job.....Little Jackabo had to be in on all the action of course. Worried about his dear friend and mentor.

<**EVEN MORE sleepy!**

I worked with him on backing and so impressed with how he is coming along. I can touch him everywhere, (but he wouldn't let Norm feel his Noo noo's LOL - one has dropped) (shhhh he let me! ha ha) He was well behaved except when he nipped at Norm...Oh OH! LOL I don't know what to do about stopping that...guess I need to go get a "hose behavior" book tells how to correct unwanted behavior.

^**since he fought it the guns came out!**

He us a sweetie but he is a toddler.

<** My baby boy!**

So today was very interesting. Georgia too was all about watching this get done as well and tasting the equipment that was in reach! Funny how they worry so much about this new stuff and can tell that King was sedated. That really worried little Jack! So good morning so far...Leah comes home today..Doug came home from school coughing and feeling terrible, and is taking a nap..he is supposed to go back at 1:30 to present his science project....but I don't know if he is gonna make it and if he can make it up..guess he is just gonna have to trudge through it.

<**still wanting to take all the attention on himself! "look at me I'm so pretty even if I am dirty! Momma cant wait to bathe me!**

Leah comes home tonight, and will mostly likely get to see little (horse) radish come into the world. (Georgia's vulva us very swollen and soft)....her belly is still tightening up but she is not in any distress at all....its just the beginnings for her and since the foal didn't come last night we definitely expect his arrival tonight! Such an exciting day ahead of us. I wish I could help Norm with the cattle, but with Doug now home sick...guess I'll miss out on that too...Oh well still a good day so far! Talk again with an update as soon as I have one!

**Rae**

Friday Farm Update

This week has been a busy one here on the farm.

Torro is coming a long nicely, healthy, and very active little bugger!

Georgia is getting closer to her due date! I'm very excited to experience the birth of a foal for the first time! I have come to grow on Georgia! She now knows that I am the bearer of good food, and she greets me with a friendly rolling snort! Get this! She even let me rub on her the other day! Woo hoo! Trust me that is progress.

Pepper is back to laying...but I wonder why everyone elses chickens lay more than 1 egg a day??? Is my Pepper defective?

Doug went to feed Torro yesterday afternoon and came running back to tell me there was a hawk in the barn...Oh no! Pepper! She was out all day! I ran down to find a Red tail Hawk finishing a meal of pigeon! Whew, pepper dodged the bullet! No more free ranging for her for awhile, now that the hawk knows there is a plentiful supply of pigeons, he'll be back again for an easy meal.

The bathroom that we have had renovated (new tile) is completed. We ended up having to get more linoleum but I really like the floor. Do you know how it is when you have a plan in your mind and its not done the way you want? Well the bath kinda ended up that way. The faucet in the tub is NOT what I picked out. For whatever reason they had to get another one, and i told them to get one like I had...same style...very country. They came back and put up a very modern faucet. Not at all what I wanted. Too late for me to say something.

I have a tile stripe running along the wall that I picked out..white beaded thin strip...I wanted it 3 tiles down from the end cap so that it would flow seamlessly along the wall, without the window or light switch breaking it up...both of these things were told to them several times, before I could say anything again....the stripe is only 1 tile down, with the window and light switch breaking it up...and to top it off the tile is not level in some places. *sigh*

And there is more...I wanted to keep the ceiling smooth, told this as well a few times....it was textured before I even got back from taking Douglas to school!

The bad thing is...My uncle, cousin, and my uncles brother who remodel and build homes are the ones we contracted to do the bathroom and our hardwood floors. What do you do? Basically my uncle did it the way HE wanted rather than what I asked for. Bummed about that, because my vision for the bath is not carried through. I'll post a picture later....too upset to even walk in there right now. The white tile I picked out really brightened the room and made the bath look bigger...hey! A bright spot.

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Cow and calf count on the hill is off...another baby was born yesterday which should make 8 calves, and only 7 has been counted for 2 days. This is not unusual, momma usually hides them away for 3 or 4 days before she brings him or her out to be with the rest of the herd.

Hopefully today we will get an accurate count.

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Douglas is with his dad this weekend and Norm and I are celebrating my good health report and the fact that I can no longer worry about my cancer, with our good friends Donnie and Michele. I'm hoping to get our other friends and neighbors too, Dennis and Mari to go with us, but I havent been able to talk to Mari yet.

I'm supposed to go to Mari's to take some pictures for our Etsy teams March giveaway.

I'll post the link and instructions to win! It begins March 1st! Yea!

So this morning I've been busy making soap again! I LOVE IT! I also got an order last night, just 36 hours after I re-opened my Etsy shop. I had it closed since the ice storm. I've listed new items too, so come check it out.

I'll be getting some more on there tomorrow...some great body butter...Victoria Secrets - VERY SEXY! YUUUUMMMM is all I can say!

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I got a wonderful surprise yesterday!!! Kacy gave me a call on the tele! We have become friends through blogger world and it was so great to "meet" in person! Unfortunately she lives in Oregon...so far away! Why is it that my friends have to be so far away!!!!! Bummer! I do plan one day to get out and meet everyone "proper-like"! I sure NEED to win the lottery so I can do all I plan in life! Kacy it was awesome to talk to you! I hope you get that blog issue worked out, and to get to mine its on my side bar...I NEED to write in it! I also hope that you get those issues we talked about cleared up and over with!

Cathy! Your so close, no reason not to come down and meet up! We'll celebrate our benchmarks with cancer like you said! We are both survivors and should be celebrated! YEA us! So let me know, I'm up for getting together!

Libby Dear - your so great! Leah is home next weekend...Indian??? Can you do that?

Let me know! I am excited to see you again! Hopefully I can meet the boys too!

Did I tell you that I love the dreads????

OOOOH just got an email I made another sell on Etsy! YEA...I get to make more soap! Tomorrow!

I had better jump off here, I gotta get cleaned up, I'm supposed to go to Mari's and take some picks of my giveaway items and email them to the team.

Like I said I'll let you know when its up, the link, and what to do!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Wednesday....

Can you tell he was fearful at first?? This is a big step for Doug...if you dont know his story by now..let me know I'll tell it again....tho I hate to revisit that day, it helps to get it off your chest too.

King...reaching his horse soul, chipping away one chip at a time...

King
a.k.a. Old Man
Red Roan Quarter Horse 20+ years old
I LOVE this picture I took today!
I've written about King before...
But some really cool things are beginning to happen with him! I'm just so excited!
As you know I have now read several books about training, horse behavior, communicating with the horse through your own body language...some of the old cowboy ways.
etc.
I've begun over the last two weeks to incorporate what I've been reading each day when I walk to the barn!
I owned King previously....purchased him from a horse sale about 5 years ago. He was going to the "killers" and I outbid them. Why would I want a horse under weight to the point he was a skeleton, a horse that may have had health problems, or could have been nutso?
My gut told me too. The whole night he was all I could think about, yes there were some beautiful well broke horses, but I HAD to have HIM.
At the time that I bought him I was partners with a friend.
He also saw something....King had now found a new home.
It took a few months but he quickly gained weight, walked with more "life" than before.
However, he never bonded with any of the other horses...he was always aloof and to himself.
He made me so sad.
I divorced...had to sell my horses. He and Babe (will talk about her and her story...she saved my life in a very hard and scary time)
were sold to a mutual friend, Larry.
After a couple years he got rid of his horses and King and Babe went to new homes.
Well my friend whom I partnered with in the past called me last Spring to tell me King was needing a new home, was I interested....YES!!!!
He came back to me again...it was meant to be!
King is what horse people refer to as "bomb proof", the perfect teacher for a nervous friend like myself.
But he hadn't changed...still so sad. When peering into his big beautiful brown eyes, you cannot see into the depths of his soul. Not like you should in a horse. That dreamy quality has long been gone over years of hard work and hard hands.
The light is not on.
Sadness is what his eyes tell me. Disappointment, beaten, broken, and withdrawn. He tugged at my heart and I have been determined to turn on that light that is missing from his gorgeous eyes. I've been so happy to have him back with me, I've watched him get to a normal weight, he even bonded with Bella- the first time since I've owned him that he has done that. His coat began to show signs of good health, even if he is slowly going blind in his left eye.
However even with this progress, he never sought out attention, never considered me his friend. He again, remained aloof to my attempts.
Like I mentioned I've been doing a lot of reading....I want to change his outlook on life, though once a horse has withdrawn so deeply into himself this is very difficult and often times impossible if he has been that way for a very long time.
I've been working on bonding with King more than ever using everything the books suggested.
Saturday I was laying out a huge pile of straw for him and Jack to lay in while it was cold. King did something he's never done...and it was enough to stop my heart a few beats. I was cutting the twine off the bails as I heard him walk into the barn...this was good! I soon felt his soft warm nose on the back of my neck, inspecting my hair with his lips. He gently and softly nibbled my hand, I had ceased moving, paralyzed with joy of the moment, afraid if I even breathed I would forever miss this moment! As I looked up into his kind and lovely face, he didn't move!, but reached toward me for affection!
It was a small quick moment....but I'm finally breaking away at that wall...will he just change tomorrow - No I dont expect that...it will take time for him to trust me and bond with me as my best friend. But I'm confident it WILL happen.
Norm thinks I'm crazy with all my reading and my new efforts....but he doesnt love the horse like I do. And King? He is worth every and any effort.
Lisa asked me what my goals were with the horses this year.
I think the above has answered my goals with King.
Break that wall King has built
Work on trust
my confidence
being the "herd" leader
communicating through body language
begin Jacks Kindergarten classes
Ride more
get over my fear of the other horses
imprint Georgia's foal when he arrives
Take Bella and Buck back to 1st grade for more riding time and to cure Bellas barn sour
Well, thats the basics...I'm sure there are lots I'd like to accomplish...but I'm so tired from listing items in my Artfire shop I cant seem to think and Im seeing double.
I've gotten several messages I cannot reply too due to lack of time. I havent forgotten anyone, but rather been busy out the wazoo today and last weekend. I'll get there! I will get to everyones blogs as well to catch up.
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. ~Winston Churchill
~*~Rachel~*~

Friday Farm Forcast: COLD!!!! & the day in pictures.

Good evening! I've only got a few minutes here, so I've got to make this fast! Busy day, and unfortunately all of it was spent outside, except for the last 3 hours I've spent indoors making soap, lip balm, and body butter......soooo yummy!

And now, going to figure out how we are going to fit in supper, and Douglas' basketball game!

Tomorrow Norm and I are going to a farm auction.

Sunday! Meeting Libby, a sweet friend ( on my Bluegrass etsy street team-whom I must call my "teacher" cause she has helped me out soo much when I first started making soap) face-to-face for the first time! YEA! I cant wait! I'm hyped!

Kids are gone this weekend, and it looks like its going to be another busy day tomorrow!

Nite all, sleep well and warm.

~*~Rae~*~

"Regret for wasted time is more wasted time."-Mason Cooley

How To Think Like A Horse....

Which is what I'm learning by my new book of the same title! I've been eyeing it for a couple months and have skimmed through the pages while at Tractor Supply....I finally broke down and purchased the book today!

So far......I LOVE IT! A "new" approach focusing on the "old" cowboy ways....basically along the lines of how horse whispering is done and how and why their methods are successful.

Just in the first chapter...I've learned soo much....

So I'm pleased!

I'm so excited! I've gotten 3 soap orders this week...things had slowed down after Christmas! I havent even had time to "make over" my shop like I had planned this week.

So again- I'm pleased!

Saturday I'm meeting a fellow Bluegrass Etsy Street Team member who lives in Louisville. Libby and I are gonna grab a great lunch at Panera Bread...she's never been there and she'll be in for a treat! Plus I get a little treat by getting to meet her daughter Maylee! She is such a beautiful little girl! I'll have to think of a treat to take her! Must win over the munchkins with treats you know! LOL

So did ya'll hear about the plane crash today? I'm sure you have its all over the news! US Airways and a flock of Geese...they dont mix well, made an emergency landing in the only place he could lay the plane down and that was the Hudson River....good quick thinking on the pilot's part saved EVERYONE! Thank God for Miracles!

Poor Norm has been busy and out in this terribly cold weather all day. He had to take his mom to town for grocery stops...5 places....then feeding, several people have called about the farm trucks we have for sale and the old trailer that we pulled off the lot for Josh to put his in. The trailer isnt worth ANYTHING - nasty and old, but with money can be made livable....I'd never live there, but you would be surprised at people! Just like with a yard sale, why is it the things that you were gonna throw away but in after thought said "heck I'll lay it out there and just see if someone wants my totally trashed out item that is useless..if anything I can throw it away with the other junk thats NOT coming back in the house"...THEY ALL SELL AND SELL FIRST!!!! Why the heck is that??????

Some trash can never be made into another persons treasures no matter what you try! LOL

Doug helped with feeding which involved getting all the gates open and shut for him, and today required pushing a hay bale after it was spun and the small tight bunch wouldnt come off the thingy that turns...Norm will laugh when he reads this cause I should know what thats called! LOL Oh well - laugh on Norm!

Its my job to make you smile!

I had a doctor apt...I've been told..NO carbs at all, EXERCISE no matter what, and get a light box.......hmmmmmm where am I gonna come up with the funds for that box? I've been looking on line for the last 3 months and I couldnt find any cheaper than $300.00...however today i decided to check on Amazon and found a better one for $125.00 I'm praying that we can swing it......

I do need it, very badly actually.

The weather is too cold to do anything with my critters and this dampens my mood. I know that you must be confident and happy and excited in a good way when dealing with horses and I make my first trip out to the barns with a good attitude keeping that in mind no matter how I feel. I'm met with the same loving and exuberant attitudes from my horses. It's giving me more confidence with them each day. My little Pepper never ceases to make me smile, I never knew I'd love a chicken SO much..but she is a joy! Little Carrot greets me happily too waiting for her treats she knows I'll bring her. So with the weather today, bitterly cold, coldest its been in 8 years I'm stuck inside. Stalls need to be mucked...coop and rabbit cage need to be cleaned, barn needs to be cleaned, dog needs some loving, hooves need picking and mud cleared from those magnificent bodies of my dear horse friends....Right now its 9 degrees, low tonight to 0 degrees..wind chill.... like negative 12 I think....you cant be out long in this. I'm still running a fever so the cold seems to bite even more. I'm really worried about my dear chicken and rabbit, hoping they will brave the weather okay....they are snug in the barn cages surrounded by thick hay, hopefully insulating them from the cold. I even thought of putting them together in the same cage to help them warm up with more body heat...but I dont believe Pepper will tolerate the rabbit being so close...she is a Diva....I'll be out to check on them before bed and thats all I can do. The basement is way too hot for either of them with the wood stove...and Norm wont let me bring them in...though I'm gonna ask him again. He did let me have a baby starling i tried to nurse back to health.....so we'll see. The answer will be no I'm sure. But worth trying.

Okay....time for me to snuggle under a blanket with my new book....tomorrow is soap making! And Dougs Basketball game.

Night all - stay warm.

*BTW thats me and Oliver back in March! I miss my little calf being a little calf!

Wilmoth Farm's Sunday Reading - *photos of Doug's duck hunting adventure not for the faint of heart**

Today was a really good day for Douglas! He went duck hunting for the first time with Donnie and Neil (neighbors and friends) and got a beautiful Male Mallard!!! Yea Douglas!! Below are some pictures of his first duck. We have him saved back and frozen until I can gather the money to take him to the taxidermist. He was so beautiful....still made me sad to see such a gorgeous dead animal! I loved this next one...TOOOOOOO funny!

Here you can see the beautiful colors of his feathers!

LOVE the next one too!

I havent written much about Georgia who is going to be a mommy soon. In our herds hierarchy she is last...well now poor Bella is with that bunch. We had a mare, a lovely tenn walking mare who foaled about 2 years ago. He baby was the one that kicked Douglas and severed the tip of his middle finger. Momma and baby got sold back in Feb. She wouldnt let Buck who at the time was a stud anywhere near another mare. Right after we sold her, both he and Georgia took a trip to the Amish to be broken. When they came back he was gelded. (The most gentle horse you will find even as a stud...he is only 4 years old.) Well in that month and half that he was able to mate....he got Georgia (who is about 5 or 6 yrs)!! So now we are looking at a baby due the end of this month to middle of Feb. We dont know the exact date since we dont know when she was bred. Anyhoo....now to decide what we are going to do, we have thought the last year about selling her, she is a very hot horse and I hate handling her at all, and she don't seem to like me either unless there is a fence between us. I'll let you know as we go...I wish I could have gotten better pictures to show her large barreled belly, but she wouldnt cooperate with the camera.

This is a pretty cool home made duck blind that some acquaintances have made to hunt over on part of our farm. So I took a picture of it.

My little guys are slowly getting bigger! I turned my camera off too soon, they ALL began jumping and kicking in the hay that Norm spun off the bail....too cute! Of course...I missed the shot. You can see how wet its been by how deep the mud is on their legs....N-A-S-T-Y! Is anyone besides me ready for those hot days of summer? Geez this winter seems so long! And we haven't even gotten into the coldest or snowy days yet! As of today we have 69 days until spring!!!!!! I am praying that these 69 days move along quickly!

We had a good weekend, as always with Leah home. Douglas was very sad tonight to see her go and cried most of the way home...my heart breaks a little more each time too. I wish I had some wise words of wisdom for him, but I'm trying to handle it gracefully myself.

The cattle are getting more hungry as calving time approaches. We will begin feeding silage very soon. They are in need of it, seems that this year pasture kinda disappeared sooner than usual. Its mud everywhere.

Typical Kentucky Winter.

The Bulls are getting along well, there are only 5 in a nice big paddock. They are lazy and fat. Except Amos, who was napping in the bail ring.

He appears a little thin. Of course he is the youngest Bull and as far as his rank in the bunch, he is last in line to the throne! We will need to begin feeding them some feed again along with their hay. The hard part is figuring out how to get it over there without going back and forth from the grain bin here at the house back across the street to them. It'll be somewhat of a hassle carrying 2 or 3 buckets of feed over every day. But guess if thats what we have to do...then we do it.

Leah changed Jacks halter today, he didn't appreciate the pretty new blue halter coming at him, so she cleverly placed the halter open across his feed and he placed his nose right through! She said he gave her no problem at all as she pulled it in place and buckled him up. I'll be working the next few days with taking the halter off and on getting him used to it.

King has a new halter too, a pretty maroon that will look nice with his red roan coat. He knows he is tall and thinks its quite funny to hold his head high these days when he is haltered or bridled. But once its on his nose (and thats a good reach for me! lol) he lowers his head right down....little bugger! He is really feeling good and looking so healthy! Its taken us since spring when I acquired him back to get his weight up to where it should be, and get his coat to begin to shine again. His eyes are no longer depressed and "beaten" looking and he has a beautiful sparkle back in them! He used to not care for attention one way or the other...he was indifferent, but lately he is really taking a turn! He appreciates the daily contact, and is seeking affection!!!! I love my old man and I'm so pleased in his turn around!

Pepper and Carrot are living quite happily in the same pen. I see the two of them often sitting out together. They both need some company so this works for now. The temps are falling into single digits this week, so I'll be moving them both back to the barn until it passes. Luckily neither of them care if they are moved back and forth...as long as fruit and cookies and veggies are given daily! The do miss each others company when they are in the barn, there is no good place to have them together while in there.

Levi is FINALLY (knock on wood) learning to stop chasing my car when I leave! That darned dog has driven me crazy about this. He absolutely hates to be tied out and pouts like none other when he is, so since he hates it so much, he has figured out to stop chasing me! YEA!

Leah and I checked out one of our barns thats not really used at all except for storage of tobacco sticks and a few pieces of equipment to see if we can turn it into a horse/goat barn...I'll post on that later tho. This is already long.

Norm is feeling good but achy. Being off the pain killers has helped him tremendously.

We are both back to feeding the farm by ourselves.

Before you can be old and wise, you must be young and stupid! - Nite, Rachel