2nd day of rain. Beasties are all wet, and look miserable. Anni smells of the skunk, seems they found it either dead or they killed it, and although Rosco doesn't smell like it anymore, Anni seems to go rolling it it daily :(. She doesn't understand that this is directly related to her not being allowed into the house.
Cooking the maple syrup down. Yesterday I burnt the lot on the stove, it turned so quickly ! The batch in the crockpot had a lot of sugar crystals which I scooped off. Crunchy bits of maple sugar, tasty. Watching it much closer today. I did the chores yesterday, then started vacuuming, and clouds of burnt sugar smoke errupted from the kitchen. Turned rock hard in the bottom if the pot which needed bicarb, scrubbing, then ammonia and more scrubbing to get clean. Went and collected more sap, and started the pot again. Although I'm definitely not a maple syrup fundi, I'm amazed at how sweet the boiled down syrup is. Rather yummy but light coloured and not yet as thick as the bought stuff. But then discovered that the Little Log Cabin maple syrup I bought preciously isn't maple syrup at all, but high fructose corn syrup ! Not getting any sap from the box elder, although it was on the list for sapable trees.
The pond out in the back pasture has completely thawed, and the ducks and geese are spending their days out there swimming. I tried to call them to come to bed last night, no bloody way. Herbie mentioned that the cows were drinking from the pond too, rather than from the water trough.
The furnace came on this morning, wow ! Maybe I should bake bread :). Asked Herbie if I should call the furnace people out, but money is tight so maybe will wait a little longer.
Daron may come out on Sunday to help me draw blood from the sheep. He wants them tested before buying 3 of them, Strawberry, Wanda and the little white boy twin once he's weaned. That would bring in some extra money, and have 2 less sheep to feed. He may bring his girl, Grace. He's the guy I'm talking to about taking over the farm if / when we move to New Mexico.
Have another family interested in a herd share, coming to visit the farm next week. Need to get Star back into the routine of milking, but this yucky weather makes Shaw drink more hot milk, so there isn't even a gallon per milking :( left for people.