It's been raining for over 24 hours now. The tunnel has the most rain I've seen in it for a while, actually wet the bottoms of my jeans. At least it sort-of cleaned the poop from my Caterpillars !
Therefore a quiet day. Only just over 1/2 gallon of milk from Bambi. She was funny today. After milking I took her back to the pasture with the other cows. She knows the routine, also knows when I say "take her, Anni" that she'd better move as Anni nips her thighs. We were inside and heard her calling for Mabel, and Mabels' plaintive one note call back. DH had let Rosco out the bottom gate as he didn't know I was taking Bambi out the top gate. I like leaving Rosco in with Mabel when Bambi isn't there so that she's not alone. Put over-clothes on, tramped through the mud to fetch Bambi, who didn't want to come ! Was calling her daughter, listening the the calls back, but she wasn't ready to stop eating the green stuff to go back. So I left her there for another hour or so. Then she went back happily. Need milk for Jennifer tomorrow, and then think I may try take Mabel and her back to the pasture. It will be Mabels' first time back since she was born, and I'm not sure if Bambi will willingly come for milking on Friday. Had to watch Frogz out in the pasture. She is wet and still wants to chest-bump me. Wet Anni, unpleasant but relatively small, wet alpaca, waterlogged fibre the whole length of me ! Suppose Rosco has a weight advantage over the alpacas, but he doesn't usually try and jump on me. He's getting much better with visitors. Seems he understands that they are not going to hurt me. All the sheep looked bedraggled today. Love the way their wool gets really curly locks when wet.
Seems my pumpkin pie is good. He wasn't sure about the sugared ginger in the crust, I put it in the apple pie crust as well. Maybe I'll try something different next time. Made good old South African custard tonight to eat with a slice of apple pie. Used evaporated milk from a can. Doesn't that suck, have a cow that I milk every day, yet there isn't enough milk for us !
The stew is nearly finished. Must say it was much better today than when I first made it.
DH also put the roof back on Little Africa in anticipation of the rain today, and was then disappointed this morning to see the cows all over the pasture, none under cover. LOL could have told him that. Cattle don't mind the rain, it's sleet and wind they're not too fond of.
Invited the girls for Christmas, together with the Chads'. They've never spent any of the holidays or birthdays or vacations with us. Sort of sad. Said they're having the usual lunch with Mabel (the original, ie DHs' mum, not Mabel the new calf born on her birthday) and could they come afterwards and then they'd spend the night too. DH has to go to work on Thursday, and they always seem to call him in early on his "Mondays". Thought it would be nice for them to rather come on Tuesday, his Saturday, but can understand the draw of Christmas with g'ma. Asked DH if he wanted to go to his mum for Christmas as well. Nope, he wants to stay home. It's the 1 1/2 hour drive one way. Being in the truck for hours for work, he's not fond of moving vehicles on his days off, even, or maybe especially, when I'm driving.
Anni should be coming on heat early next month. Will be watching her so that I can take her to Carries' for breeding. Then hopefully puppies again in May.
Started a new FB page today. I mainly use FB to learn from various groups, homesteading, fibre, canning etc and a few people have been banned for talking about maryjane, and some about canning deer urine, and another lot for comments about the HPV vaccine for boys. Realised that there are lots of Oddball farmers out there, so thought I'd start a group for us. Check us out https://www.facebook.com/groups/sustainableoddballs/ Thought it may be fun, although don't know where I'll have enough time to administer it. We'll see.
The wood cook stove is not installed yet. The vent is an odd size, 7 inches vs the 6 and 8 inches of today's piping. Probably will need a custom made piece so asked DH why we couldn't make it ourselves. Have the plasma cutter, welder, tin shears ?? What more would we need ? I'd like to play with the welder. Always wanted to be able to create metal works, why not something more practical we need. I've played with the plasma cutter already, that machine is way too cool. But dangerous too. Cuts through metal easy-peasy.