Wacky dog yoga

Let me start by saying that I have never tried yoga, and that is not me in the photo. My friend Maryellen and I were discussing goat yoga, which is definitely a "thing" and there is even a nearby farm in Gilbertsville that offers it. If I were inspired to do yoga, I think I would prefer it without the help of adorable goats...

We have enough adorable goats here who do not practice yoga. I am happy with that.

So Maryellen had not heard of goat yoga, but said that her dog Junior is very excited every time she gets out her yoga mat. We have always known that Junior had similarities to our wacky Woody, but not until she sent this photo did I realize that they must be twin brothers.

Poor ME, I am the one responsible for sending her the cute puppy photo of what grew up to be a totally wacky Junior. Who knew cuteness could turn out like this?

Deer in the coop

The Husband has made friends with 2 of our young deer—Little Bucky, and this one Little Doe. She was inside the coop eating their food when I walked out to close them up.

They both show up (separately) almost every morning when he puts chicken feed out there, and now that it has been so wickedly cold, he has been leaving some corn for them at night. They don't seem especially fearful of us, even when there's a dog on the leash. And they have no fear at all of the dogs' frenzied barking from inside the house or even from in the dog fence in the back. They just stand and stare...which just creates more frenzy...

Other news from the dog fence: no more rabbit tracks in the cold. Silly rabbits have taken to hanging out inside the fence, probably hiding under the deck close to the house for heat. Problem is, same frenzied dogs are watching every minute of every day, and have captured and killed 3 in the past week or 2. I just pray the rest of the bunny population takes note and moves on. Getting tired of hurling dead bunnies over the fence into the field when I am out there in the cold, in my PJs. Who knew this would be my life?

Just as chilly, just as lazy

I have pretty much the same photos from today that I took last week of the dogs and cats being lazy in the living room, with me, by the woodstove, in the sunshine. Top one of Cyrus is the only one that has come through from my phone thus far.

Although the weather reached a tropical 64° on Friday, by Saturday we were back to a high of 10° and a low of -13° (or something like that) it's hard to keep track of all these below 0° temperatures.

Second pic is Woody on the covered porch—meaning covered with a roof—which did not keep it from being covered in snow. Not only the frigid temps, also the wicked wind has been making sure the snow covers everything.

So happy we have the woodstove. It just makes winter, even the ugly days, that much more enjoyable. Handsome husband and other boys in the house are icing on the cake!

What we do on the chilly mornings

Rabbits dancing in the cold

Bunny rabbits seem to be the only ones who don't mind the frigid weather. They drive the dogs almost as crazy as Little Bucky (young deer boy) who hangs out just outside the living room windows with no fear of barking dogs.

The rabbits have also found their way inside the dog fence, leaving their tracks and scent all over to make said almost-house-bound dogs lose their minds.

They do make nice dancing patterns in the snow every morning though! They're good for that!

Happy New Year on this even colder New Year's Day!

Starting off 2018 with some truly frigid weather, -13° at 9 am. At least we can all stay warm inside with the woodstove a-blazing, but the animals are left to do their best to stay warm out in the cold.

All of our "barns" are unheated. There is a good thick layer of straw/hay/poo on the floor that helps to keep them warm, that along with some serious snuggling with each other. This photo from yesterday shows all 3 piggies right up against each other with bodies in the house to protect from the wind, big heads out to catch some warmth from the sun.

Body heat and heavy coats work pretty well for the goats. Chicken bodies are kept warm by feather coats, but combs and feet are in danger of getting frostbite. Dogs and cats are all warm in the house with us, but it's supposed to get even colder in a few days.

I don't think the outside animals are celebrating this happy holiday...