You Will NEVER

See this at Northview.




**** (Not the kitty tracks...we do have kitty tracks.)

January Rain

Seems with our changing weather patterns we get at least one damaging rain storm in January. Every single year.

Yaktrax Tracks

Seems that this is it. Everything is awash in water running over the ice and frozen ground. Not very nice for walking. Can't say enough about those Yaktrax (and no they don't pay me.) Gotta get the boss a set.


There is little of interest going on...the boss keeps working on the furnace, making it a little warmer at least. We keep milking cows and feeding cows and cleaning out the stables...picking things up and putting them down. Dad is having kind of a hard time, but I guess he is progressing....and that is about all the news that is fit to print.

The Difference in Dogs

The original three collies, rear Gael and Mike, foreground Nick

Long time readers will remember my once in a lifetime border collie, Mike. Mike was amazing, a hard, stubborn, brilliant, guy, a so called "line dog" and the best canine friend I ever had. Once we came to terms that is. He would and did work anything we pointed him at and mistakes...and there were many...were generally mine.


Nick is his 3/4 (ish) brother..his mom was Mike's half sister (our Gael) by an open trial dog of national caliber and his father was Mike's father.


You may remember the story of the day Liz, (who was around thirteen at the time, and home terribly sick), had an intruder try to get in the house with her. I was out. The boss was at the barn choring.


She was in the shower trying to get relief for her lungs...the kids all have asthma and she was, as I said, really, really ill.


Mike was loose in the house with her.


We reconstructed events later, based on forensic evidence and what the boss saw from the barn.


Somebody came on the back porch from a rental van and opened the kitchen door and tried to walk inside the house. (They did NOT succeed at this attempt.)


The door was still partly open when the boss came over after seeing someone leaping through the snow like a gazelle, great, big, loping steps, and diving into the rental and racing away.


Indoors everything was torn off the counter and there were claw marks three quarters of the way up the door...eight foot door btw. The whole kitchen looked like a cyclone had hit.


The only cyclone was Mike though, protecting his girl and his property. I will wager that the guy in the van (whom we suspect was looking to fill it up with stuff out of our house) ever even gave thought to coming back. I wonder if he even knew what hit him when he stuck his foot in that door.


Fast forward to Nick, who is getting old enough that he doesn't quite recognize folks at the door any more. The boss and Becky came in that same door yesterday. He was barking furiously right at the crack where it opens.... 


Teasing, the boss stuck his hand inside and made a noise.


Nick bolted in terror to sit on my feet, quaking like an aspen, for at least an hour.


And there is the difference in dogs. Short of being full sibs they couldn't share much more DNA and yet.......

Surprise

Kitteh, lying in wait for something
Please click to enlarge any of these

Sitting at the kitchen table this morning getting outside the first cup of coffee when Liz walked in.

Scaring the heck out of something and making it run away and slip on the ice

No surprise as that is how the day usually goes. 


Except that I hadn't heard her truck. I usually hear her truck...before the dog does in fact. He sure is getting old.


I didn't hear the truck because she came in really, really, really early and milked ALL the cows by herself (except Lemmie, because she didn't know what I am doing with her) and fed the babies.


Wow, that sure is a great surprise.Thanks Liz!


And last night the boy dropped in with a half a dozen hilarious stories about life in the big city and pretty girls and all those young guy things we miss when he is gone.

"Something" track. I would say possum....what was that kitteh thinking!

So anyhow, I had time to go out an look at some tracks and take some pics. Brave kitties out there last night...but kinda stoopid!

In Honor of Burns Night

I get to show off this lovely plate Mom and Dad gave me for Christmas......so, Happy Burns Night, everyone!

The Things You Learn While Moving Heifers

The electric fence gate is indeed "hot". If you touch it while wearing thick rubber boots and gloves and standing on snow, you won't get grounded completely and knocked on your *ss. However, liquid fire will run over your skin and you will cuss in the general direction of the guy who built such a tight d*** gate! Ouch!


When you worry and agonize for months over how you will move a certain recalcitrant heifer with big horns and a bad attitude, from heifer barn to cow barn....... When you sweat and plan and lose sleep fretting over what she will do......


She will walk quietly, almost exactly where you want her to go, and stroll into the barn and let you lug her into a stall with only the most minor of disagreements.


As if to say, "Ha, fooled you, didn't I?"


And the best cow moving item I have ever found is an old worn out canoe paddle. I always keep something on the porch with which to direct cow traffic. I can't count the number of times I have looked out the window to see cattle coming at me where they don't belong. Or heard hooves and moos out of place. It does not pay to chase them unarmed, as they will laugh and leap around you, kicking up their heels as they race away.


However, as with any tool sequestered by the lady of the house, all my fiber glass sorting sticks became "walking" sticks (as in walking away..I have a walking hammer too) and are over at the barn. When the time came to move an animal recently there was nothing on the back porch to choose from but a hoe and the canoe paddle.


 I chose the one that fit my hand the best and carried the fondest memories. Much to my astonishment cattle respect that paddle. And do not challenge me when I carry it. Must be because they can see it so well and it makes me look wider (amazing) and more dangerous.


Anyhow, farmers love to recycle and I am going to recycle that old paddle!


**Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts. Dad had a good day yesterday and took two walks and ate hit meals. I think that is excellent progress.

Something Going On

In the Amish world today. Early this morning, as I lay squashed under the mountain of comforters, blankets, and afghans that is necessary to prevent freezer burn in this climate (I felt like a particularly insignificant leaf, pressed in a particularly thick dictionary) I heard horse after horse clopping by.


I paused on the stair landing and watched yet another, seen only by a vague green light from whatever he was using to make himself visible to passing traffic, as he pounded down the road well before dawn.


I wonder where they are all going. 


And have you noticed that almost every single one of their horses is lame to some degree? Watch for the tell-tale head bob when the hurty foot hits the ground when they trot....or listen. You can hear that little hitch in their git-along too, especially in the quiet of the early early morning like today.

Anyhow, something is happening somewhere.....




****And on another note, I am SO GLAD that moose are uncommon in NY (although I am sure most local folks will remember the one in Fonda a couple of years ago. Do click the link above then click on through to read the whole story. I know a lot of tough women, but to drive away an attacking moose with a grain shovel...at 85 years old and 97 pounds...well, that is amazing.

No News is Good News

I hope at least. Haven't heard how Dad is doing yet today, but he came through surgery all right.
Thank you all for your prayers. 


I KNOW they helped.


 Hope you will continue to keep him in your conversations with the Almighty as we will be doing here at home. 

My American Farm

HT to Kim Komando for sharing this site, which shares lots of useful information on American farms and farmers. 

And here is another story about area cheese making.




****Please if you can, pray for my dad today. Major surgery taking place.