rachels.haven's Journal

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @rachels.haven,

What has happened to the big coyote that was such a menace to you earlier? Has it been dealt with?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[rachels.haven]

@Baymule We're doing just that. Lots of rest. Work is more distant and easy to mentally and physically step out of when it IS more distant.

@Senile_Texas_Aggie He is probably still out there. He hasn't come to "fight" and talk trash to Bailey lately, so I don't know where he is. Maybe when everyone is stuck on their own property someone will get bored and take the opportunity to gun him down. He'd make a nice coyote hunting trophy at that size.

 

[rachels.haven]

Week 3 for the ducklings has begun.

One of the Clyde the Cats sat on a hay bales stack while I slid his dish of food up to him and he ate. One Clyde is brave!

Saffron's due date is Thursday!

 

[farmerjan]

Ducklings are really growing. Va is now declared an emergency and all schools closed for 2 weeks at least.

 

[rachels.haven]

Thanks!
Closing the schools will definitely slow the rate of spread.

 

[rachels.haven]

The pictures of our grocery stores cleaned out are hitting the town fb group. The super premium, very expensive slaughter house/butcher has been emptied by the rich/stupid crazies. That blows my mind.

Hmm, there may not be milk in the store for us when we run out.We may be impatiently waiting for Saffron's milk to clear and stop being colostrum. Aw well.

 

[farmerjan]

There was a full cooler of milk yesterday when I made my trip to Walmart. I bought a gallon because I did not feel up to going in the total opposite direction for milk from the farm where my cow is, after going to walmart and doing that whole trip by myself. I also filled a prescription while there for the pain pills that I wasn't going to bother with, but when the PA asked what my pain levels were, and I said 2-3 maybe, and that I hadn't taken but a couple of the pills, and didn't plan to fill the prescription, she said that I ought to because I might need them when I started the therapy..... I can always use them some other time if I don't need them for this. So I have them in case.....

I think that the "panic" will settle down and that the stores will get more stuff in and it will get back to somewhat more normal shortly. I think many were "reacting" to the declaration of emergency, and thinking about the kids home for 2 weeks at least here in Va., and all that.

 

[rachels.haven]

Your PA is smart on the pain pills. I know pain pills can be addictive and a controlled substance, but it's better to have them and not take them then flush them or whatever the rules say, than to wind up suddenly in agony and not have them .Flush'em after and have a little party, I guess (that being said, I can't tolerate strong pain pills other than bumper Ibuprofen, so maybe my thought is worthless, lol).

I hope the milk winds up being like that up here. Either that or the grand restock happens here. We've got another day or two, I think. I absolutely love having something to milk in my "backyard" and not having to go to that dairy cooler. Next year I think at least one of the 2nd freshener girls is going to skip her date with the buck and milk through for me.

I'm also glad we were more or less prepared for our declaration of emergency and what followed. No panic for us. We could probably go for a month on what we had, but we'd be down to "boring food" -dry rice and beans- eventually. That being said, dry rice and beans is fairly close to MY normal diet. The husband and the kids would be the ones having the adjustment, I guess.

Yesterday I started my garden plans. The kids never seem to eat what I think they should eat, but if I can help it, we'll have backyard produce too. I've done that before and at least I get to eat fresh peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cuecs, and squash. They're older now. Maybe they'll eat more.

 

[rachels.haven]

Kicked the ducks out yesterday. Once they foul the bucket in 24 hours or less and start peeping over the bucket edge and biting the window ledges and oggling you while you eat meals that's probably enough. They have plenty of down and the other ducks are young enough to accept them.

Saffron's tailhead is starting to become mushy so I set up the isolation stall. I'd better get out there and feed. I'm late due to kids staying up late last night.

Good morning Rachel's Lab!

 

[rachels.haven]

Saffron's getting sunken in the flanks and around her tail head and ligaments are starting to feel doughy. Her udder is filling and it is sooooo pretty (teats are still rather small, but that's life). I don't think she's going to make it to Thursday. But it's COLD today!

Since Saff's been in the kidding stall, Avalon has decided she's going for as close as she can get to herd queen and going to beat the bejeebers out of Emi the young lamancha, all over the barnpen, all day. The other goats dish it up back, but Emi is just running away all day. Not playing nice with others is one of those things I will get rid of an animal for. So I'm thinking Ava might not be here much longer. She's so dang moody. When she's good she's very very lovey and nice, but when she's not she's bitey with people and violent with the other goats and you never know what kind of day it is and I don't want to put up with it forever. It's a pity though, because she milks so well and kidded so easily last time. I actually like that nigerian udder. Oh well. I don't want dead goats (or to be pinched when I turn my back on what turns out to be moody days). She should be in a nigerian herd full of other feisty, dominant goats and not a mixed one where half are mostly easy going (until picked on). She's a bottom of the pecking order goat with goats her size. She kids April 6th, and as soon as she's out of colostrum I may list her...if I don't chicken out and fall in love with that stupid butter udder again.

But moderately peaceful goats would be nice.