Nagged..!

Several people have gently "nagged" me to put up a new post. Summer is a busy time, and sometimes I run out of steam before I find the energy to post a blog.

Here are a few things that are happening lately.

Chanel the horse has been at my friends house for a while. Her horse was lonely and my pasture needed a break from the constant eating that Chanel does. In exchange, I had my friends ram lamb here for a bit, until she had a proper pasture for him to stay in. Yesterday we had what she dubbed, "the hostage exchange." We brought Chanel home and she took "Ramchop" and a companion boy goat to her house.

Chanel tends to be a bit chunky. (Ok, she is fat. My vet fusses at me horribly. My neighbor says, "That is a HAPPY pony.") Her time at my friends house was sort of like a fat farm. She came home trim and fit and... I can even see her RIBS! She looks amazing!



That Hannible Lecter thing on her face? That is called a "grazing muzzle." It allows her to eat, but drastically limits how much food she gets with each bite. She doesn't love it, but it helps keep her looking fit. I am determined to keep it on her so she continues to look so nice. I need one for me, too!

Yesterday we also loaded the pigs up and took them to the butcher. I felt rather sad, I liked these pigs. They did tend to try to nibble on us, and those teeth were sharp, but all in all they were benevolent members of the farm. They had a nice little life here, though... plenty of food and good goat milk, (which they loved!), a big pasture to play in, a nice mud wallow, cozy shelter and plentiful fresh water. I think their days were happy.

We took down the hot wire that enclosed their area, and tonight I took the goats over and showed them...



Though the pigs had rooted up much of their pasture, a lot of browse was growing there, along the line where the electric fence was, and also along the wire fence. The goatie girls had an excellent time exploring the space and eating all the food they previously could not reach.

The flower gardens are pretty this year. I especially like this petunia plant.



Tonight my husband, daughter and I were watching television in our living room. My daughter calmly stated, "There's a bat in the house." I looked in the direction she was staring. Sure enough, a little bat hung from one of the stairs that go to the bedroom area. She approached to catch it and it nimbly lifted off. It began to circle through the living and dining rooms, flying lower and lower. It swept inches from our heads.


Finally it landed on the footstool, tried to escape, then launched itself airborne. After a few long moments it landed on the floor, frightened and exhausted. It climbed to the top of the baseboard heater (which, after seeing this picture, I realize needs a good wipe down!) Our daughter caught it gently in a soft piece of fabric, and let it out the front door. We find a bat or two zipping about the house at least once every summer. I like them a lot, but prefer they stay outside.