Waiting for Woody

Here's the new boy that we are thinking about adopting—very handsome, don't you think? He is staying with a foster family in NJ, and his name is Woody. I think I like that name enough that we might keep it, but I haven't talked to The Husband about that yet. I am just happy that he agreed to getting another dog, because he wasn't quite ready. (I say look at the Lester smiling down on Woody from the top of this page. He gives his approval.)

I found out that the same day we lost Lester, one of my Flickr friends lost her rescue dog, Rocco. He was also just under 15YO. So now Rocco and Lester have no more aches and pains, and they have each other to romp around with in pooch heaven. I'll bet they are swimming in the lake together as we speak...

I am one of those people who thinks that you have to choose a dog based on their personality, and that you can sense that when you first meet them. Problem is, we have not met the Wood Man yet, and we have no idea if Sophie will think that he is as interesting as we do. I am picking him up in Amsterdam, NY next Wednesday. I can send him back to NJ on Sunday if he doesn't work out, but I am really praying that does not happen.

And he will have quite the first weekend settling in here at Lester's Flat—we have family also coming up from NJ, and are having a big party on Saturday. So that gives you 3 days to get with the program, Wood Man! Don't make me have to send you back!

The missing eggs and the goat romp

For weeks we have noticed that egg production has slowed down, dramatically. Of course summer is the time when we can sell the most eggs, and lately we've barely been able to collect 3 dozen a week. I thought maybe the groundhog invaders were responsible, and I even accused one of the hens who looked like she wanted to nosh on a few eggs in the box the other day. Then today I found the answer: the girls made a new favorite nesting place in the stacks of hay bales we loaded up for the goats—37 eggs all neatly stacked on top of each other. Considering there were multiple hens climbing on top of them every day, it is surprising that more of them weren't damaged. Of the 37 we pulled out, a few had pieces of shell and egg smeared on them from other eggs, but only one was cracked. Amazing!

After the sadness of losing the Lester, and the entertaining but drenching Wilco concert in the rain last night, what we really needed today was a nice goat romp in the field. About a week after we got the goats, there was one masterful escape that ended with the 3 of them being captured in the middle of Route 28, so we decided to get them used to being free. This way maybe they will learn to stay in the field where they are allowed to run.

Mama Lucille is hiding in the weeds, content to dine on the goldenrod and burdock. Kids on the other hand...

Coop raiders and maybe a new dog

Next groundhog who breaks my chicken feeders and steals all the feed, this is what's going to be waiting for you! Probably was those nasty groundhogs who have been stealing the girls' eggs too. We were getting about 7 eggs a day from the 9 big girls, and now we are only seeing 4 or 5, and sometimes less than that. I am putting Don on the Hill on the lookout—watch out, critters!

We are all still very much missing the big Lester here at Lester's Flat. Sophie has been a bit less mopey, but there is still a big void. Petfinder.com-addict that I used to be (that's how we found Sophie in 2001) well let's just say I was looking again, and happened upon 2 perfect candidates. One found me through the Burlington County Animal Alliance (thanks, Lorraine!) and the chocolate lab was picked up on the same day I was interviewing with a rescue up here in NY.

Some say it's too soon for another dog (including The Husband) but I say the time is right. I convinced him to let Woodie the blue-tick coonhound come up for a visit on August 8. (Look how pretty he's sitting for his new photo!) Woodie's BCAA foster mom has friends near here and is coming up for the weekend. If Woodie approves of us, and Sophie accepts the Wood Man into her home, we may have a new pooch just in time for the family coming up to visit on the 10th.

The beautiful chocolate lab girl might be pregnant, so we might have a little time (while her pups are getting born and adopted) to steal her away if the Wood Man decides he doesn't love us as much as we would like to love him.

As always, I'll keep you posted...

Missing the big guy

We all miss him, probably Sophie more than anyone because no one told her why her best buddy isn't coming back. She was here in the living room when he was having seizures, and she saw some guy come here and carry him away (the vet tech came to the house to help me get him in the car). Now, every time I come through the front door she looks up to see if I am bringing him back. She has always been the one to have a sad look on her face, but now that look breaks my heart because I know she really is sad.

I am starting to look for another dog. The hole in this house is just too big...but it will take a special dog to fill the Lester's shoes (paws? paw prints?). We can take our time searching. I suspect that in the same way that Will, our cat, found us after we lost Maggie the cat; that Lester will send a new guy or gal our way when he thinks we are ready.

Lester's Flat won't be the same without the Lester

We got Lester as an 8-week-old pup from a shelter near Atlantic City, NJ, just a few months after we were married. The Husband named him Lester, for Lester Flatt, the bluegrass musician who played the Beverly Hillbillies theme song along with Earl Scruggs. The name certainly suited his unique personality. I named our place up here Lester's Flat, because I think Lester loved it up here almost more than we do, if that's possible.

Lester Pester was a stubborn child from the get-go, and up until the bitter end. If it were not for the fact that they did not think he would get any better, only worse, I don't think we could have let him go yesterday. Even after being sedated for most of the day, and having a total of 11 or 12 seizures, he still did not want to give up. He perked up when The Husband came in to see him at the vet's last night, making it just that much harder to do what we did.

I always joked that he would die standing up—if his back end would have cooperated, I think he would have been standing up yesterday. He certainly tried.

Sophie is mourning with the rest of us, and even the cats are aware that he is gone. He will be missed by all of us, animal and human.

Thanks to everyone who has left comments about my big boy. After all my crying yesterday, I was doing much better today until I read all the kind things you have said...but it was a slightly happier cry today. He's in a better place.

Lost my Lester today

I lost my big Lester today. He had 7 seizures this morning, and only got worse after going to the vet. It was not easy, and yet it needed to happen. He would have been 15YO around Halloween.


Rest in peace, Lester.

Lazy hazy crazy days of summer!

I apologize for being a very lazy blogger lately. Even here in the North Country it has been hot and dry, which is making me hot and lazy. My real job is real slow, as in no work for the past month or so. So I have been filling my time selling stuff out of the Magic Barn. I finally completed my task, and turned over the keys to the new owner yesterday. I sold about $1200 worth of stuff, and I get to keep half of my earnings in addition to the piles of things that we are keeping as our own little treasures. Most bloggable of these is the portrait of the mystery woman. No one seems to know who she is, so we are just going to hang her on the wall because she looks so pleasant and loverly.

In an earlier post I mentioned the inflatable Mickey Mouse and the huge razor: Mickey sold for $61, and the razor went for $80. Both wound up going to California (separately). All of the magic stuff (second photo) went to 3 or 4 of Charlie's buddies who were happy to pick through the treasures in the Museum of Famous Unknown Magicians and Clowns.

Because I was so inspired by my success on eBay and Craig's List, I started posting some things of my own. I got a nibble on my grandmother's punch bowl, another huge and heavy item. Problem is, the nibble lives in Florida and is not sure she wants to pay to ship all 27 lbs. of pressed glass down there.

Today was inspirational as well: I found out that some TYCO Toy samples that I have had for 15 years (stored in 2 different attics) are maybe (fingers crossed) worth some big bucks. I am testing the waters on eBay as we speak, and hope to catch the big fish: http://www.ebay.com/itm/320947405998?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_1373

We'll just have to wait and see.

We have kids!

Well the buck kid must have read my post about being well behaved, and he cleaned up his act. On Sunday, June 16, we came home in the CR-V with 3 registered Saanen dairy goats: the black momma, Lucille; her doe kid, Helen; and a buck kid from a different momma, Jack. Saanens are usually all white, the ones with color are called Sable Saanens. Full black Lucille is unusual for her breed, but it's not so unusual that she would have a white kid. Helen is wearing the collar so we can distinguish her from Jack, but as they are growing, Jack is built more like a boy, and Helen is developing some black markings, including a black stripe down her back.

Lucille was named by The Husband, and I chose Helen and Jack because they are family names related to a different Lucille, my Grandmother Helen's cousin. Of course I had to get permission from my Uncle Jack to use his name for a goat, but we might still change his name to Bucky Pizzarelli (the goat, not the uncle). That's another story for another day.

The weather has been kind of strange. Too hot, then too cold, then almost perfect like today, which is just a bit too breezy.

The little hen that lays the little blue eggs is still the only one of the 4 babies who is laying, and she is doing a great job of giving up those little treasures almost every day. It is the crazy summer season here by the lake, and Anna is selling my eggs in her shop faster than the girls can lay them. Watch, the babies will kick in just as the season winds down, and then we'll have to be more creative about using up all those good fresh eggs.

I wonder if goats eat eggs?

Such a proud momma I am!

I didn't think I would get eggs from the chickie babes for at least another month—but look what was in the nest box today! My first little blue egg! (Maybe this explains all the squawking and singing I heard from the girls this morning...) It is from the Araucana mix, the honey and grey colored one in the photos. Not only is she a pretty girl with interesting feathers, but she lays interesting eggs as well.

Red Meanie, who was attacked over a month ago by the dog across the street, is still recuperating with the little girls in their satellite coop, next to the garage. Maybe it's because 3 of the 4 babies are Rhode Island Reds, like herself, that she likes to hang with them. Or maybe it's because she wants to be as far away as possible from Ben (the dog). The babies are all now free ranging like the other big girls and Roo, but unlike the big kids, they don't travel far. Meanie spends most of the day with them back here by the house, only occasionally going out to the real coop by the road. Their favorite place to hang, all 5 of them, is under the car in the driveway (third photo).

I am nearing the end of my treasure hunt in Chazoo's barn. I did one more pick-through yesterday and found a few cool things, but I have been through almost everything already. There are some folks who are coming to buy a few more things next week (I hope) and then I am going to call it quits. When I finish I will post on here the fun stuff that I succeeded in selling on eBay and Craig's List, and let you know my total earnings. I am close to $300 so far, but I only keep half of that. Still, it is nice to be paid for having fun.

Goats are coming!

We went to Karen's farm today to meet the goats we are thinking about bringing to Lester's Flat. She offered us a doe kid, and a buck kid, both just a few weeks old. One was born the day before my birthday, one a couple days after. The black doe is momma to the doe kid, and the buckling belongs to a different momma, but he nurses off this momma as well.

We thought we might take all 3, but now that Karen has them all in together, the buckling is pushing the doe kid away from the milk. If they all work it out before Karen delivers them next Sunday, we could still end up with all 3, but probably will get only the 2 girls. Note to little bucky: behave yourself and you might get to come along for the ride!

They are sable Saanens—anything other than white is called sable. The doe kid, on the right in both photos, has some grey markings on her nose, back and tail, and she will probably get more grey as she gets older (don't we all!). The buck kid will probably stay pure white.

As for the closeup of the brown girl (I think she's an alpine) she was trying to convince The Husband that she should come home with us instead. She doesn't have any babies, so we'd have to take her and her BFF, the white girl in the background. She was quite the fresh girl, biting us both while we weren't paying attention. Quite the personality...and it almost swayed us both.

Still spring in mid-June

I prefer the spring-like temperatures in June to the 90° we had in May. I really thought that "spring had sprung", so I planted up the large pots (above) only to have the weather go from 90° in the daytime to 30-something° at night just a few days later. I lost about half of what I had planted. The apple trees that are always FULL of blooms were just starting to open their blossoms when the freeze came through and killed them all. This may be the first year since coming up here that we get no apples at all!

Thankfully there have been no further chicken health dramas, and all of the injured are recovering. Roo, with his naked, feather-free butt, has been somewhat humbled by his Jack Russell encounter, but not so much that he still doesn't try to kick me now and then. The baby chicks are almost adults now. It's good that they will start laying eggs soon, in the summer when all the egg-buying folks are here in the North Country. We are selling about 3 dozen eggs a week, and could probably sell more if we had them.

I put up an ad on Craig's List last week for "Fresh Ham and Eggs." Yesterday, a very nice gentleman with the last name of Meyer (my unmarried name) bought $78 worth of hams and bacon. He was kind enough to tell me that $3 per pound is too cheap, so next go-round with pigs we'll have to up the prices to $5 per pound, at his suggestion. I took down the Craig's List ad and will have to retrieve the flyers I posted around town—we'll save the rest for us and for friends. Some friends and family members have expressed their disgust at our sending the cute piggies to "harvest," but as Mr. Meyer stated yesterday, it is nice to know where your meat comes from, and that the animals were well cared for. He tries to buy all of his meat locally, and none from a grocery store, and that's an admirable goal, I think.