The new wood cook stove has a funny sized oval hole at the back to link to the chimney, so we are looking to find something that will work. DH tried to crush an 8" round pipe to the required size, but it doesn't want to work.
Moved my desk into the lounge, so here I sit typing looking out over the front yard which is now the sheep pasture. Can currently see 3 lambs and 1 rooster close to the fence, and 2 ewes down further.
DH put the support brackets into my pantry cupboard this morning, so today I'm going to paint in there so that tomorrow I can re-pack all the food, and my canning work, back into it.
Fun and games down in the milk parlour this morning. Bambi was waiting for me, pretty cool, so I did the set-up and let her in. All good. I pull down on the milkers while they are on her teats to make them drop all the milk, and I usually stand that I'm facing the same way as her, with my body pressed against her side, it keeps her calmer. She has been a bit antsy lately, doing a bit of kicking, so I've been careful. I was squatting next to her, and next thing I was down on my butt, the wash water bucket overturned with the dip cup lying in a pool of bleach water. Seems as if she moved too close to the wall, and when she touched it she startled and jumped sideways, knocking me down and the bucket over. I have the lead attached to a large spring to give a little, but she pulled back so hard she stretched if out and when I did the auto release it snapped back on my hand letting her out after the milking and dipping. One ruined spring, my hand will heal. But she trotted out happily, with Mabel dancing by her side. Hmm, need danger pay for cow milking ?
On Wednesday when DH and I were coming back from picking of the stove, there was a deer at the edge of our driveway, just at the bend before you can see the house, and she had a fawn behind her. Haven't seen much deer around the farm, the dogs see to that.
The enclosure around the lower barn gets sun in the bottom corner first, and that's where Bambi and Mabel were standing this morning when I went to feed the sheep and poultry. Warming their hides in the early morning sun. The other cows do it in the pasture as well.
Frogz, the elder of the 2 alpaca girl crias, has taken to chest-bumping me. She comes up into my space, her face about touching mine. Then she steps back, up onto her hind legs and lunges at me. Not hard and it doesn't hurt, but pretty weird behaviour, methinks. Elli doesn't join in this bit of fun, just Frogz. Cavvie tends to keep his distance, doesn't even stick with the 2 youngsters anymore. I de-wormed him the other day as his inner eye-lids were pretty white, and he was super easy to catch.
Trying to have a sheep butchered. Jones has their first opening 1st week December, Pinckney Hills can take it on Sunday. Nicole, who is buying the meat wants the fat, legs and feet, all internal organs and the tongue, but according to the USDA rules the processing plants are not allowed to give those things back. What ? It's my sheep and I want all the bits and bobs. Is this an encouragement to do ones' own butchering ? Those extra bits make very good dog feed, not sure why they can't be handed over. They do the liver, heart and tongue on cows, why not on sheep ?