Party girl

It only took 6 weeks and a reduction in the amount of anti-anxiety meds she was getting for Jessie to emerge. I said yesterday that Cyrus was doing a great job of getting her to play with him. Today I think he was surprised by who showed up in the playground.

The party girl is ready to celebrate a new year with her new friend.

Happy New Year to all!

Bluebirds and The Jessie Project

This was supposed to be all about Jessie, but then these 4 bluebirds showed up to check out the housing options late this morning. I do see them every once in awhile, but it is especially rare to see them here at the end of December.

Jessie is working on her posing for the camera. She is doing very well overall, though she is still somewhat fearful of Tim. She barks when he comes in the door, goes down the stairs, coughs... (Did I mention we tested positive for COVID on Wednesday? Both of us are pretty much all better now.)

Jessie is still dragging the long leash outside. Still refusing to come back in no matter the weather or time of day. I can't even catch her with the long leash unless I have Cyrus to help.

Cyrus is doing a great job of getting her to play with him. I think her sweet personality is finally coming through.

Sky writers return and the Birdbuddy

This time there was a single sky writer repeating his lines across the morning sky. I usually see them just before sunset,

After a summer break, the Birdbuddy bird feeder with camera returned in October when the birds might actually need some additional food—and there is less chance of a bear finding it.

Plus we needed a break from the squirrel who was clearing out all the sunflower seed as fast as I could fill it.

Just now there were no birds at the feeder because there was what I think was a Sharp-Shinned Hawk watching carefully. As soon as he took off, within a minute, they all returned.

This is one of the little chickadees that was in both of the photos above.

 

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Not a blue Christmas...a very sunny and beautiful Christmas!

Best wishes one and all!
 

Snow would be better

Our back 40 was drenched overnight. The Herkimer Creek is not normally visible from the house except for little views here and there. This is the third time this moving water took over the whole lower field. In 2011 it backed up into our perimeter drain and flooded the basement. The drain has disapppeared over the years, hopefully covered enough by soil and weeds now that I don't think the water will come in again.

For all those who thought we should build the house closer to the creek, instead of on higher ground where we are, here is our reason. 

This photo was from 7 am. The water is receding. Bring on the cold and the snow, please!

Why do they write in the sky?

There were at least 4 skywriters decorating the sky yesterday afternoon. Fun to watch, but I just don't understand the thought behind it.

This second photo is from before we built the house. A perfect X over what would soon be the chicken coop. Most often it is too windy up there and they just disappear...

One day at a time

It was 1 month ago that we brought this young lady to our home. I really thought she would fit in fairly quickly, like our other rescue dogs, but little nervous Nellie is taking a bit longer.

I am weaning her off of the anti-anxiety drugs that she was on at the shelter. I want to see how she acts as just her normal self. Every day we make progress. One step closer...a few steps back...

She is trying to be Cyrus's best friend, although he is impatient with her progress. Watch the video on Facebook to see how hard he is trying. :)

A week ago she decided to jump up on the sofa to sit with me. You can see she is still not sure she is supposed to be there, but you get credit for being so brave, Jessie!

We are still chasing her several times a day in the backyard fence with the long leash dragging. Yesterday she came up on the porch all by herself to come in, but when I opened the door she ran off again. She decided that same day that she might just be able to fit through the stock panel fence. I don't think her skinny self could fit through, but I bet she could get herself good and stuck!

MonkeyCat misses his buddy Woody. He is waiting for Jessie to befriend him as well, but while he's waiting he wanted to vie for the best poser award by sitting in the mandolin case.

Patience my boys. We're getting there.

Jessie and the kids

Jessie is learning how to be the new best poser. The WoodMan excelled at being the main focus, but Cyrus doesn't care for the spotlight.

This pretty hound girl needs to work on 2 things other than her posing—coming in from outside, and eating her food when it is given to her. In the top pic, you will see her new name tag, ordered because when she is thinking about coming back in to the nice warm house, she is also testing her ability to jump the fence.

The next one shows her lack of interest in eating her food (with meds) no matter how I doctor it up with wet food, cat food, people food...

Even the new poser was bumped from the last post by a surprise appearance of goat kids. A few more were born yesterday: Stella had one, Snow had one, and this last pic is Bridget with her 2 cuties.

Surprise! We have goats.

Miss Lizzie caught us unprepared for the beginning of kidding season—they usually don't start appearing until late December or January. We admit our fault here, because we allow Walter Becker, our buck, free access to the ladies at all times. We are unable to keep him separated.

You outdid yourself this year, Walter!

Lizzie chose the small barn with no heat to have this guy. He was wet and chilly when we found him, so we brought him inside for a warm bath and dry off.

When we brought him back to the big warm barn, she followed us, but was reluctant to come inside while I was still there.

Then Susan had these 2.

At about the same time, Rosie had these 2.

Karen the Goat Lady explained that the yellow coloring is from the little guy's poo when he was still inside. This pic is from after I cleaned him off with a towel. I didn't want to take him inside for a bath to take him away from her cleaning.

These were all born on Saturday.

The last pic is Rain giving us 2 today.

And Shirley (or Stella?) one of the twins, is out there working on a kid right now.

I'll keep you posted...

Welcome Sandy/Sweetheart/Jessie

We really didn't plan on getting another dog so soon after Woody left us, it just kind of happened. We are blaming Dr. Julie for sending us a video of a hound at the shelter (where she works) just after she guided us through a very bad week with Woody.

That was too soon, although we did go meet Ms Sylvie just because we could.

And then, later the next week, this young lady reappeared at the shelter after being adopted out for 12 days and getting returned.

Her daddy was a bluetick coonhound, just like the WoodMan. Her mama was a mutt who must be responsible for that Sophie-colored face. I think Sophie and Woody got together in doggie heaven to send "Sandy" to us.

She is very nervous here too. Drooling, panting, refusing to eat dog cookies (and her food) but after 3 days she stopped hiding on the big red dog bed in the dining room. She just figured out that there are other dog beds around the house, and she is getting better at eating as long as we put lots of wet food in her dish.

Cyrus is still trying to figure out what happened here. You can see him reflected in the woodstove watching her every move. So far he has learned she does not like him biting her head like he did with Woody.

This is only her third day. She is much improved, but still needs to work on a few things—like going outside and then actually coming back in—when it is 20° and I am freezing with my 2 coats and gloves on at 4 am. When the sun finally came up, I found I could trap her in the little garden fence and then bring her in on the leash.

We will get there. And she also is learning that her new name is Jessie. Husband needs to work on that too—he keeps calling her Sweetheart. :)

At peace

Of all the animals in the house, Cyrus seems to be missing Woody the most. His days were pretty much scheduled around the WoodMan's activities. Wake in the morning and go out even if it was still dark. Go outside to do their business together even though Cyrus didn't really need to go out 10 times a day. Beg for food before, during, and after dinner time. The list goes on...

Just when I think Cyrus has settled in and understands that Woody isn't coming back, I came downstairs this morning, and he did his bouncy playful let-me-go-wake-up-Woody dance for just a second or 2. Then he realized he wasn't there.

MonkeyCat is missing his buddy too. He would frequently guide Woody around the house, cutting him off and trying to redirect him just for fun. They also spent a lot of time on the big red dog bed together snoozing.

No one has used the big red dog bed since Monday.

Woody is at peace, but everyone else is still looking to find their own peace.

A hound howling in heaven

Rest in peace, WoodMan

Our handsome hound boy joined Lester and Sophie in dog heaven today. He and his huge personality will be welcomed up there I am sure.

Woody was a constant source of entertainment in this house and he will be greatly missed by all of us—animal and human. 

I will post a few more photos on FB for your entertainment as well.

We love you WoodMan!

The driveway and the creek

These somewhat recently planted red maples were a welcome sight as the rest of the landscape went from green to brown too fast.

I was down in the creek again yesterday doing my water testing for the OCCA. I was almost sitting down in the cold (52°F) creek because my access point is through a nest of old willow tree roots pulling up out of the ground. My balance isn't what it used to be. (dying willow in both pics)

This seated position just on the edge was perfect for taking some photos.

Welcome Otis

Otis might not feel lucky, but we are lucky to have captured and neutered him. He has been coming around for a few months, and just like Zelda, was crossing Route 28 a few times a day to hang with the barn cats on the other side.

Zelda mostly stays here now with a bed and litter box in the garage. Maybe Otis will stick around as well. Or maybe he will be less than pleased with what we have done and move on. Poor guy!

The visitors and a warm Willie

Nice sunny clean deck on Monday!

We had our first frost the night before the visitors came, so I had to bring in the other 2 flower pots. We probably wouldn't have spent much time outside on the poop deck (Woody's spot for you know what) anyway. It was gray and cloudy most of the weekend.

While they were in the house though, they did get a nice warm Willie in their laps for company.

The clouds are back again today. I had a warm Willie and a big Cyrus in my lap for the morning. MonkeyCat was looking for a way in. No room in the lap. Sorry, Monkey.

Fast Friends in Fall

Thanks to Roberta for the photo!

There's still some green, but not a lot of leaf color left here—all the color is in the sky. 

Fast Friends had a gig at Willy's Cider Mill yesterday, a blustery, chilly gray day. Just after we finished it rained for a bit, and then a beautiful double rainbow closed out the show.

It was better than a standing ovation. 

We had a few sitting ovations which were pretty nice too. :)

Fall and pigs in the car

The goldenrod goes brown, and the leaves get prettier this time of year. We might have a less colorful year than usual, but it still looks pretty darn pretty.

The two little piggies, Lauren and Matt, made their way from Richfield to their new home in Schuyler Lake in the back of the Kia—otherwise known as the farm transport vehicle. I had stupidly imagined that the truck would be used for such messy excursions, but hey, what's a little hay in your back seat? 

 

Donut head and some apples

Cyrus says better a donut head than a cone head!

It's nice that I was able to get a donut that brings out the blue in his one blue eye. Never a big fan of the plastic cones, I splurged and bought him a pretty blue inflatable collar. It was the only way to stop him from biting at a hot spot on his back leg. Bitter apple spray only inspired him to do more damage.

Some other apples... We had a fair amount on our many apple trees this year, maybe more than most people in the area. I contacted a lady from Uncommon Kin Cidery to take some in return for a bottle of their hard cider in the spring. A lot of local apples were killed by an early frost, and they were looking for places to come and pick.

Of course I had to save enough to make apple butter and sauce. Note to self: this amount x2 makes 7 pints of apple butter and 2 pints of apple sauce.

Change in the weather

The cats have found that it is warmer to snooze together. It's that time of year when I turn the heater on, and off, and on again. Just this afternoon I fired up the woodstove because it would warm me up sooner than the radiant heat. So much for my warm September!

Last week we received our passports in the mail. Now I just have to find someone to care for all these spoiled rotten animals when we go to visit cousins Tony and Rose in Ireland. Hoping for spring, but then they would also have to milk the goats.