My dad and his fiancée, Claire, arrived here on Friday night. She's lovely :). Her 2 beautiful, very white dogs, Lacy, a Westie, and Holly, a Maltese poodle, came with and they are so well behaved. Makes me really want to get another lap puppy, but a female this time. Had to bath them last night as we went for a farm walk and Lacy eas belly deep in a muddy swamp. It's the first time they've been on a farm and Lacy especially, really enjoyed herself. Holly is more timid.
Calling the new boy calf Doofus at present as he can't find the teat or his mums' udder which is the size of a small car. He keeps trying to nurse on her knees. I managed to get him sucking for the first time this morning, leading his head down to her teat as he vigorously sucks my fingers. He nursed his full this morning, first on her right side, then I moved him to her left side so he could realise this was his own on-tap milk bar. He drank until he was full and just playing with her teat in his mouth, so I pushed him away, re-washed and re-dipped her and milked her out. But when I went to check on them this evening after bringing Daisy May up from the pasture, he hadn't nursed again, and didn't want to suck my fingers so I couldn't lead him to drink. After considering giving him a proper name this morning after the success, he's reverted to Doofus. Having to bottle feed him 3 x each day is not my idea of fun. Mum talks to him, and positions herself so he has easy access, but he still needs all the help he can get. Boys ! Gotta luv 'em.
I took Saturn to butcher this morning. All by myself, in the van. I'd asked my dad if he'd help me take him in my dads' van, and that was planned until we discovered the wedding they were going to in St Joseph started at 11am and not 3pm as he'd thought. Went out and the van wouldn't start. Didn't even turn over. Then to fetch Noddy, and realised I didn't know where the battery was. Must be in the back as it wasn't in the front. Decided to try use the battery charger / starter. Have to place a weight over the starter as it's not working properly. Attached it to the vans' battery, turn the key, rat-a-tat-tat, but at least it was turning over. Left it for a while, then went out and it started. Drove down the drive and stopped next to the gate. Took one grain bucket and put it in the back of the van, after lining the floor with 2 feed sacks. Then took the other grain bucket and went sheep-shopping. Saturn came out fairly easily, I put a rope around his head - my sheep will follow me anywhere, if, I'm holding a grain bucket ! Showed him the 2nd grain bucket in the back of the van, put his front legs up in the van, and he climbed in himself, (with a little help), to get at the grain. Closed the door on him. Drove over to the processing plant, put the order in as to how the cuts needed to be, ½ for Joe and Lynn, the other ½ for us. Can't wait to have lamb in the freezer again. Planning on bartering some with Betty for apricots this year.
Back home I started a new batch of yoghurt and another of feta cheese. Had about 5 gallons this morning after feeding Doofus, the cats and dogs. Probably need to look for more herdshare owners. Then made a carrot cake, did 3 loads of laundry, 3 loads of dishes, took the dogs for their wee-walk, made lentil patties, the cream cheese icing for the cake and put another load of dishes into the machine. Coated the cake, looks good. Then cooked a cauliflower and made a white sauce. We're eating at home tomorrow - roasted veggies, the cauliflower, tossed salad with avo, the lentil salad and potato salad I made the other day, with cake to finish. Hopefully the dogs will get a booking at the groomers, not the farm dogs, the visitors, and Claire and I are going for a pedicure. She's never had one before.
Also fixed some fencing, moved a gate so the boys and horses could access the channel, closed the back pasture, took out a new bale of hay after taking the 2-bottom plow off the tractor and putting the bale spear on. When I lifted the ring, Gabriel started butting the hay with his head, fluffing it up and I realised that there was still enough for them to eat and that it was too hogh to put a fresh bale on top, so I took it to the lower barn enclosure for the girls. Although I'll start taking Dolly back to the pasture after milking as soon as Doofus can drink unassisted, Daisyay will still spend her nights in that enclosure and needed hay. 2 ducks are sitting on eggs in the middle of their previous bale on the other side, so I didn't disturb them.
This morning there were 7 chicks in the lower barn shares between two broodies. But they're still sitting so I'm hoping for more hatchlings.
It's nearly 1am, so goodnight to all.