I have the best friends!

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

I had a surprise in the mail today!

A care package from my dear friend, from the city we lived in before our move. There is a particular grocery store that doesn’t exist here, and I’ve yet to find some of the things they carry, so she sent some of it to me! All sorts of treats in here!!!

20180717.care.package

White truffle honey? Wow!

And the adorable, itty bitty Nutella.

Also, how did I miss that those bouillon cubes we were running out of were a completely different brand than what I thought they were? No wonder I couldn’t find them online when I looked. Funny how, if you use the right brand name, things become much easier to find online… *facepalm*

Oh, and those candies? Milky Cream Fudge. They are a Polish candy. They have this awesome texture and creamy flavour unlike any other kind of fudge. If you have a chance to try them, I highly recommend them!

So many wonderful things!

I have the best friends. <3

The Re-Farmer

Cat puddle

July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

Someone spilled a cat on our floor.

The Re-Farmer

Good Moooorning!

June 24, 2018June 24, 2018 / Re-Farmer / 2 Comments

So my darling husband (picture me speaking with a rictus grin) cheerfully comes traipsing into the bedroom and wakes me up with a “so, are there supposed to be cows in the yard?”

What a way to be awakened!

No. There are not supposed to be cows in the yard.

He had been hearing the cows mooing and thought to himself, that sounds awfully close.

Then looked out the window.

That’s not good!

By the time I put my glasses on, they were at the opposite end of the yard, by the fire pit. When I got outside, there were no longer any cows in our yard, but there were several just outside the barbed wire gate at the fire pit.

I closed the gate.

I could see from the gate the the electric gate at the cow fence was in place, so before we closed the other gates, I went over by the barn, where the second electric gate is.

Sure enough, the wire was down, looking like something went right through it, dragging it into the tall grass on our side of the fence.

That left us with the task of closing up the vehicle gate, and the people gate.

Problem.

Yeah. The pole was still there.

Moving a 30 ft pole is awkward, to say the least. It wasn’t just getting it clear of the opening, but clearing the swing arc of the gate. So there was a whole lot of rolling and pivoting, but it wasn’t enough. He really shouldn’t have, but my husband was able to pull it a few feet away from the yard (yeah, I helped, but really… I wasn’t doing much) and it got rolled clear.

This is the first time we’ve closed these gates since we’ve moved here.

*sigh*

They’re broken.

On the vehicle gate, one side isn’t too bad, but had to be lifted to close. It shouldn’t need to be lifted. The other was off the top hinge and we weren’t able to put it back at the time (I will need to go back with a tool kit), but we swung it closed.

They are supposed to be able to latch together.

They don’t.

But we could at least sit the parts on top of each other and let gravity to the rest.

*sigh*

Then there’s the people gate. I had been wondering why there was a bungee cord on the chain link fence.

Now I know why.

The latch parts don’t latch anymore. So the bungee is used to keep it from swinging open on its own.

After phoning the renter and leaving a message for him (with apologies for calling so early), I went around the yard, just in case we missed a cow in the bushes or something, then went to see what was going on.

There were 6 altogether; 2 cows and 4 steers. The rest of the cattle were on the other side of the fence near the electric gate.

I decided not to try and get them out. They can graze all they want and, at some point, they may well wander back towards the barn and join the rest of the herd.

Granted, the rest of the herd might end up on the wrong side of the fence, too. But I’m not too worried about it. They can keep our grass down.

Now. I wonder if I can get another hour or two of sleep…

The Re-Farmer

I’ve Been Rolando Mooned!

June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

We’ve noticed that, when we get the fire pit going, Rolando Moon likes to hang around.

Last night, she decided she really wanted my hot dog.

When she couldn’t get it, she demanded neck skritshes, instead.

It was either that, or she’d fall right off me!

(photos taken by my daughters)

The Re-Farmer

Cats, cats, cats!

April 17, 2018April 17, 2018 / Re-Farmer / 2 Comments

Definitely not feeling well today.

Woke up and discovered I’d lost most of my voice, and what speaking I could still do had me sounding like Barry White.

It was a beautiful day, though. My husband actually made it outside. Not only that, but he was able to walk to the end of the driveway and back. Twice!

Okay, that second time was pushing it a bit, and he did have to stop and sit in his walker a couple of times, but it’s the first time he’s been out of the house, aside from doctor’s appointments, in months.

While out, I took a look at the area in front of the shed where we are storing my mother’s stuff. Right around it, things are clear of snow and dry, but there is a large area of water and ice that I’d have to drive through to get to it. We probably could still do it, but I’d rather not deal with all that water while hauling household goods. I’ll check it again in a few days.

Not feeling well meant getting some quality time catching up on projects – I finished a rope basket I was making and got it blocking, along with another basket I’d made a while back, with a lid. I’m testing out a stiffening method that uses Epsom salts.

Blocking 3 dimensional objects is definitely a challenge. The round basket and its lid have a forest of bamboo skewers sticking out of it!

I also got a couple of beaded bracelets done. Need to get my Etsy shop going again, and new inventory is always a good thing.

Which all meant I was near the living room window for much of the day, and finally got photos. Along with the deer, I got cats, cats and more cats!

And a story, in pictures.

Nasty Crime Boy: So there I am, munching on a rodent, minding my own business…

Nasty Crime Boy: … when suddenly BAM!!! I get attacked! Like, out of the blue, Man!

Nasty Crime Boy: And then he was gone, just like that. And I was like… whoa. What just happened, Man?

Squishum: I know nothing.

Squishum: The leaf! I caught it! I have vanquished mine enemy! Bwahahahaha!!

Trüllbus the Crime Eater: I am not associated with those guys over there. I just want my sun spot.

The Hand disapproves.

The Re-Farmer

A Day of Rest – and critters

April 15, 2018April 15, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

Today was a day of rest from things like breaking down that wood pile in the garden. Unfortunately, it was also another bad pain day for my husband. With the weather getting warmer, he’s itching to get outside for a bit of a walk, but it’s not been working out lately. :-(

The outside cats were out in full force when I fed them this morning. All the regulars were out. Even The Hand came out, though she was still very stand-offish.

Yes, there are actually two food bowls with food in them. They just like to all be around one, I guess! :-D

My going back and forth to put away the bowl I use for the cat food, then getting the deer feed, was too much for her, though. She still didn’t go far, and watched me closely. Can you see her?

“You can’t see me!”

I look forward to when she is comfortable enough to at least not run away from the food when we’re around.

Butterscotch, on the other hand, has no such qualms.

“MY FACE! TOUCH IT! NOW!”

When she wants pets, she does get rather insistent!

Myself, I didn’t see a single deer, though they did come by. One, I just missed. Hungry Girl had been outside the window, while three squirrels were busily chasing each other through the branches, when Beep Beep suddenly made a flying leap into a tree after them, startling her away! :-D My daughter did manage to get a couple of photos first, though.

“Yo!”

I did notice a group of blue jays at the seeds and went over to get pictures, only to have them fly off into the trees. They used to stay when I went to the window, but now they don’t. I think something in the light has changed as spring progresses, and now they can see more movement through the reflections on the glass.

This was the best I could manage!

So uncooperative! :-D

My younger daughter and I got to take advantage of today being Community Day in Pokemon Go and went into town to play the game. That was enjoyable few hours together. :-)

Then we got home, and found this.

“I will haunt you in your dreams.”

Waiting for us.

Turns out my older daughter found it hidden away in the yard and left it for us to find.

It’s still there.

:-D

The Re-Farmer

No Deer Today!

April 14, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

I saw only one deer today, and it took off before I had a chance to take it’s photo.

Sadness.

Today was a day I ended up spending mostly on the computer, though I did manage some time outside enjoying some manual labour, working clearing up the pile of wood in the garden. It seems we can only go so far, then have to pause for the day, so that newly uncovered ice and snow can thaw, and we can get more out.

I do, however, still have some critter pictures for you to enjoy.

First up, this dapper little gentleman.

Oh, those adorable little hands!

Then I found these pictures on the card, that my daughter took. Too funny!

What, after I’ve posted these, and now that it’s getting too dark, a whole herd of deer will show up. :-D

The Re-Farmer

Oh, Hello there!

April 9, 2018April 9, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

This morning had already warmed up to -3C when I went outside to put feed out. T-shirt weather! Yay!

Which means I’m also leaving the inside door open more often. Our indoor cats like to look outside through the screen door (which doesn’t actually have a screen in it).

Walking past to feed the deer, I found this…

“Watcha doin’ over there? You cheating on us with those other cats again?”

My brother had come by the other day, followed by his beautiful, shy dog. If you look at him, the dog will avert his gaze while still looking at you from the corner of his eyes. He’ll come up behind us to sniff our fingers, but if we turn to look at him or try to pet him, he runs away.

When he saw the cats in the window, however, he came right over. He likes cats – the ones at my brothe’rs, as well as the ones here. To him, these are clearly new friends!

Our cats, not to much! *L*

With no screen in the door, I opened the window just a bit. With a door in between us, his usual shyness disappeared, and he immediately stuck his nose into the opening to sniff at our mama cat. DaBoy ran off. :-D Our mama cat ended up hissing and spitting at him before running off, which actually seemed to hurt the dog’s feelings! He looked so sad!

So I opened the window enough that I could reach through – and he let me pet him! This is the first time he’s let me do more than touch him since we’ve moved out here. Through the window, however, I was able to give him a good, long scritching under the ears. Then my younger daughter came by, and he let her pet him, too.

At some point, we’re going to get this dog to accept us as new friends. :-)

Speaking of new friends, my daughters saw the new cat again – peaking through their window upstairs! They accidentally startled it before they realized what they were seeing in the window, and it ran off across the roof.

Wherever this cat came from, it seems we might have another regular visitor!

The Re-Farmer

Silly Deer!

April 4, 2018 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

I’ve been getting daily photos of deer for quite some time, now, and you’d think I would be tired of it by now. After all, they are often quite similar in pose and expression – and really, there isn’t a lot to differentiate one deer from another.

Then I upload the photos and see them on the monitor. The photos themselves often pick up details I simply cannot see from the window; the zoom lens makes all the difference. It’s so amazing to be able to stand in my window and have a deer looking at me from less than 20 feet away. Then, I upload the photo of that same deer, looking directly into the camera, with such detail and clarity that I can see our home reflected in its eyes, and count the eyelashes. It’s amazing!

Best of all are the split-second shots. Those fleeting moments, captured in a still shot, that often have me laughing out loud. Especially the tongue shots. Those just crack me up!

Today was filled with such photos. Here are some of my favourites.

First, we start with Barbecue, being all rude and stuff. ;-)

She looks like she’s giving someone behind the house the raspberry!

Taking photos from the living room has its other challenges, though.

Like cats.

Cats who like to walk on the window ledge, right in front of the camera.

That’s the mama cat’s tail, blocking what would have been a great shot of Hungry Girl. :-D

She looks like she had opinions about that.

“Hey, cat! You messed up my picture! You know what I say to that?

pptthhhhppptthh!!!”

“So there!”

This next one is something extra special, though.

That’s some 3D, jumping right out atcha, dynamic action tongue going on there!

And look at those teeth!

There were more funny shots today. Too many to post!

Later on, Detail and her boy came by.

I really tried to get some closer shots of her boy and his growing antler nubs, but the light was starting to fail. With a zoom lens, it doesn’t take much. You can’t really tell in this photo, but it looks like the antler tips are just, just starting to show through the fur.

Looking forward to taking more pictures tomorrow! :-D

The Re-Farmer