Improvement

This is how our house looked with a porch added onto a porch. Don't ask why!

This is where the door was. I had already started the demolition.

After the windows came out, Jake took off the worst part of the roof with the Bobcat.

Now, it still has a half roof. That will become shade for the pasture when he attaches it to the back of the garage. Now I don't have to be quite as embarrassed about how this house looks. As you can see, it really isn't green here yet. The washing machine got left out because that is where I wash my wool, and I still have to work on that task.

New Sheep?

All the excitement was on Wednesday night. The sheep got sheared. I let them out today and tried to take some pictures while they were still in the small pen. The girls were real interested in the dogs. They look like new sheep. I hardly recognize them.






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This is my poor little Pia. Doesn't she look pathetic? She is so small. I think she needs to put on a few pounds. (Hey, Nance, What do you think?) She is still as lively as before, but it sure is hard to tell if they are getting enough food until after they are sheared. It is a bad picture of her; she is usually not hunched like that.

Weekend Visitor

This is Sadie. She belongs to Bridget, Jake's daughter. Sadie stayed with us from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon. Now I remember what it was like to have an active dog. The collies just don't qualify in that category.


Sadie was a real athlete. She would play ball until the "cows came home". She was also an expert at dribbling the ball. It was like she was at the free throw line. She would dribble a few times, and then she would let you throw the ball. What a hoot. She was a easy house guest.



And.......Scooter, well, he couldn't be more uninterested in the proceedings. Libby was more interested and active, but she doesn't play ball. She just ran along and caused trouble.

Bob the Builder

Well, Bob the Builder had better look out for me. This morning I took things into my own hands and got my ewes out of their confinement in the garage. Last weekend, Jake cut a hole in the back of the garage which is part of the ewe pasture. Then we fed them in a small pen in there so that they would be ready for shearing. Well, the shearer called and said he was coming early in the week. So I got all the girls into the garage on Saturday so they would be dry for the big event. Well......(short dumb story) he did not come, and they have been confined in the garage for toooooo long. I wanted them outside. The result was my construction fit. If I don't say so myself, it turned out pretty well, and the girls love it. I am much happier now.

I should have been cleaning since Jake's daughter is coming up tonight, staying with us for the night, leaving her dog here to play with ours, continuing up to the Cities, and returning on Sunday to go home. The "little house" was a pigsty from the whole winter of being a "cat house" and having the pipes freeze and spray water all over the bathroom. The water works now, no hot, but the toilet works. I will finish cleaning and make the bed up. I love that she is coming for two reasons. We get to see her, and I got the house cleaned. Double bonus!!

High Ridge Abby's Little Countess

This is Abby. She was named because of the black bangs she has on her forehead which reminded me of a character from my favorite TV show-----NCIS. How could she be named anything else? (If you don't watch that show, some of this just won't make sense. Humor me.) She was the last heifer expected to calve in our barn. I knew she was nearly ready and was expecting to find a calf any day now. Well, last night was her time, and she made her presentation this morning.




Being "Abby" she outdid herself. First she hatched a heifer!!!!! Second she dressed her up "Abby" fashion. Her little girl is black with a white face. So far .......OK. Then Abby added a wide white belt, thigh high white stockings in the front, white sport socks in the back, and a white tip on her tail. Nice job, Abby!!! Way to dress up that little girl.




Meet Duchess, or as she will be known.......Duchy



Family portrait (not done by professionals) Happily, Abby and Duchy are doing just fine. Duchy is jumping around, and I saw her nursing. I knew she had arrived even before I got to the barn because I heard Abby doing that "mama to baby locater mooing" which meant there was a new baby born.

Sleeping Beauty

This is the same Libby, but it is exactly how we both feel about the weather we have been having lately. It makes us just want to take a nap. It is the first time that I have seen her sleeping on her back. What a hoot!