The Long Hot Summer

         Summer on the East Coast - we forget during the fall and winter just how miserable the summers are! Even my perspiration sweats. And the flies this year - some days it seemed as if every fly in Virginia congregated at my barn for a reunion.  I continue to try a variety of remedies to kill them or keep them away - I don't think anything short of tear gas will be effective.  There are so many flies they fight with each other over who's going to get the honor to bite you in a particular location.  The favored spots are places you can't reach.  Maybe a taser? I'm doing better this year with the chiggers - they've run out of places to get me....

Our Farm Sign

     Well - I'm finally official - I have a farm sign thanks to my special friend Dee's husband - Paul - who made it.  Isn't it great!  I feel so - so - well like I have a real farm!  Now wouldn't it be great if I could turn a profit - no - making money might take the fun out of it. 

         How Much Is That Lamb In The Window?

     This year's sales have been slow due to the economy but I'm not complaining.  I get to watch the babies grow up.  Now I understand how some people have ended up with huge flocks they never intended to have.  I have resisted the urge to start naming them - I get many calls for yearlings - but maybe just one or two? 

          I've added a new gallery tag 'FOR SALE' - so when you click on that you will see pictures of all the sheep still for sale.  I'm also attempting to update my For Sale page but having some difficulty due to a software glitch. 

Cow Talk

          Annabelle and Patti Labelle continue to hold court as the reigning princesses of the farm.  Each day, at the hottest point, they saunter down to the barn - kick the sheep out of whichever stall they've chosen - pick out their preferred spot under the fan and then allow the rest of the flock to join them albeit in the cheap seats.  The amount of manure those two eject is hard to describe.  And its really heavy stuff!  I wonder what the market is for dried cow patties? 

Cats, Cats Everywhere

          We still have 12 barn cats - which is amazing since a few of them regularly hunt in the woods.  One of them- Smokie - a very skinny grey kitty that is part siamese I think - has learned a new trick - he waits for a bird to land on the hanging bird feeder then he jumps up and snatches the bird literally while he is in mid air - landing back on his feet with bird in mouth.  We've seen him do this twice.  Once he ending up hanging by his nails on the edge of the bird feeder - bird in mouth - and I had to help him down!  What's that old saying "a bird in the mouth is worth...." (I know its really "hand" so don't bother emailing me with a correction!)   The other day I found what I have been told is a squirrel tail in the driveway.  Very cool - I'm not asking questions as to how it got there or where the rest of the animal is.

         It Smells Around Here

       Big excitement around here last week - found a dead skunk in the upper pasture.  Not sure how it died - don't know that I care.  Boy did it stink though - for days.  I am guessing that a big stinky turkey buzzard was taking his prize home when something caused him to drop it and it landed in my pasture.  I wouldn't have wanted to be in his talons when he had to face the missus and tell her they were having mice for dinner instead of that very fragrant skunk.  The only other explanation is that somehow he got through the fencing (almost impossible) and when he saw where he was - surrounded by two cows, umpteen sheep and two ginormous dogs - he died of heart failure. 

       No Need for Round-Up Here

    Benji came up with a really good idea the other day (Benji is one of my Nigerian Dwarf goats).  The electric fence was off and he managed to slip into Babe and Opal's pasture.  At first I was upset and getting ready to drag him back over but then I noticed him eating weeds.  Of course goats eat weeds.....why hadn't I thought of that.  There are way too many weeds in Babe's pasture because Equine's are very picky about their greens.  They must be a certain shape with nothing extra attached - like bristles or flower heads or bushy leaves.  Nope - its got to be the plain meat and potatoes type grass.  So instead of kicking Benji out I brought his gal pal Johanna over to him.   With any luck by the year 2015 they will have chewed down all of the weeds....

          Cucumbers Anyone?

About my cucumbers ---I've made two different types of cucumber soup, marinated cucumber salad and 3 different types of pickles.  And the cucumbers still come.  Would love any ideas on what to do next.  This too shall pass - just in time for the tomatoes!

         That's about it for now.  Stay cool everyone.  And remember - "Life without animals is no life at all" (From the Sharon Kinsey book of philosophy.