Love

This is the sneaky look.  What you are looking at is a dog getting ready to bounce off the bed and pounce on me.  A very fun sidekick for sure.

Lyme's Disease

Jewel and me chilling out in the camper

Tuesday Jewel and I went to the vet.  I haven't had much luck finding good vets to be honest.  I hope I've found a good one this time.  After Charlie died from Lyme's disease last fall I decided to switch again.  At the new vet Jewel got her vaccinations and they did the test for Lyme's that they do before they can give that vaccine.  At our old vet I started going to when I moved up here they never mentioned a vaccine for Lyme's and only did a test for it when Charlie got sick {in hindsight I believe I never actually saw the real vet at that office, but just the retired one who filled in, and I know when Charlie was diagnosed I dealt only with a tech}.  I didn't even know a vaccine existed until talking to people I work with.  Jewel was tested when Charlie got sick, but came back negative.  I should have brought Jewel in to get her vaccine as soon as I found out about one instead of waiting for time to renew all of her other vaccines.  I don't know what I was thinking.  This time her test came back positive.  I immediately broke out in a cold sweat when they showed me the little test strip's results.  Sometime between last October and now she was bitten by a deer tick.  She is showing no symptoms and the vet gave us medication and said in 6 weeks {the medication is for 3 weeks} she will come back in, be vaccinated, and then tested next year this time and it should have cleared her system, which it should without any bad effects after finishing the antibiotics the vet said.  I feel horrible.  I keep replaying all the mistakes I made with the dogs, wondering if the Lyme's has affected Jewel in any way before the medication was started, if the medication will actually work this time.  We got a new supply of Frontline--I had started putting some on Jewel at the beginning of April technically before the grass even started growing--next year I'm going to do it starting in March.  I've yet to ever find a tick on her, but they have to be coming from somewhere.

I absolutely detest ticks, but now I also despise them on a whole other level and am paranoid about their presence.  The {new} vet said he has never seen as many cases of Lyme's as he has in the past few years, but that doesn't make me feel much better.  I could have prevented this by getting her vaccinated at the beginning of last fall.  I can't wait to get Jewel completely healthy and hope all goes well.  I wish there was some sort of pesticide bomb that could be dropped and all ticks would be annihilated--and I'm mostly against pesticides or some natural tick predator who would just start pigging out on them and eat them all.

Jewel acts as if nothing is out of sorts.  She gets her medication two times a day in a peanut butter sandwich, so she is probably thinking life is pretty good right now.

Cold...But Paradise

I started doing chores about 3:30 this afternoon and finished around 5:00.  Normally it doesn't take me that long to get everyone fed and watered, but the weekends are usually my time to clean for everyone and whatnot.  The sky was this magnificent blue with a bright sun reflecting off the snow making things even more dazzling.  It did feel pretty good to soak in some rays, even if it was something like -20* with the windchill, so I didn't mind a few hours outside.  I'm such a fan of Carhart coveralls--not once did I feel cold, or have I ever, when outside in low temps for hours...originally I bought them in 2006 for South Dakota winter chores and recess duty...they probably could be chalked up to the best purchase I've ever made.  I could wear next to nothing underneath and never feel a twinge of cold--I know from experience....

Jewel stayed out with me for about half the time.  She has adapted pretty well to being an "out of town" dog.  She loves playing in Gypsy's hay--she does this thing where she jumps about 5 feet in the air and then rolls in it.  She doesn't chase the chickens, or the free range rabbit fellows, and only barks at Gypsy sometimes.

The rabbits and everyone else are tucked in for the night.  I never would have thought moving up here that rabbits could thrive at negative winter temperatures, but mine seem to.  Their fur is beyond spectacular--it's something to sink your hand into when giving them a pet, they have excellent appetites, and I would not hesitate to plop them on a show table right now and expect top honors.  The ducks and chickens are similarly happy.

South Dakota would get down to -15* through January, and of course the windchills could be brutal.   Here, it gets that and then some.  It's intense.  But after last winter I know we can handle it all, no problem.

Jewel and I are reading, quilting, and just generally chilling, plus intermediately dancing to music from The Mavericks {they raise the temperature at least 100*...their new album is pretty awesome} while enjoying some good wine tonight {the wine's for me...Jewel gets plenty of dog treats}.  We'll go out around 9:00 and make our rounds to just see that everyone is still happy and warm...plus take in those amazingly crisp stars.  All is well at -25*.

Inside {mostly} Staying Warm {and garden planning}

Squirrels continue to scamper through the forest by the house--

The deck has successfully been cleared...yes, that is my South Dakota snow shovel getting some use again!

All is well in the barn--the girls are quite chatty when I come in to gather water bottles and refresh feed.

If I find the eggs in time they don't freeze and crack...about 20* right now in the barn with it getting around 8* by tonight.

Charlie loves to play outside despite the cold...I think he's gotten a bit "frisky" lately--+100 lbs of frisky is quite something to see.

Seed orders are almost finalized...almost.

We're hitting the bottom of the barrel in what is suppose to be our average lowest temperature for this neck of the woods...depending on where you are those lows have been surpassed.  Last Thursday it was -38 at the house.  Friday was warmer--dare I say a heat wave and school let out early due to rain/ice, but before we left for the day we learned the Governor had cancelled all public schools for Monday {it will be just as cold Tuesday but the dangerous wind chills will be absent}.

So, I find myself with an unexpected holiday extension and very glad for the inside, don't have to go anywhere time.  I believe it's just what I needed.  The Christmas tree still provides a warming glow in the evenings {we may get around to taking it down today or tomorrow}, my peppermint chocolates will last another day or so, and it's still breathtakingly beautiful outside--which I'm mostly appreciating from the living room windows, but it is so very refreshing to venture out every few hours and breath in the crispness.  Plus there's good company inside where we are busy having a Mythbusters marathon and thinking about ordering fruit trees someday, and wishing we would have restocked the freezer because we're kind of tired of eating chicken and dreaming up ways it can be made a way it hasn't tonight, because it's too cold to go anywhere!

The things staying inside gives us time to think about...should some extra chickens be added this summer or is three enough for now {three does seem to be enough, but Sand Hill does have a pretty enticing variety!}, would it be possible to at least add grapes this year somehow-someway, one or two bee hives, stay at the cabin another year and expand the garden behind the barn or buy....

We're enjoying this cold "snap" very much.  Perspective is everything right?!  Lovely time actually....

Life in the Snow Globe

This morning I felt like I was inside a snow globe, the snow was falling so gently in gigantic flake form.  December is halfway through, almost, and for half of that we've been in the deep freeze.  It did feel almost like sweet relief this morning when the temperature showed to be more around zero than the -20's with wind.

The rabbit barn is holding up well.  I'm losing more heat that I'd like, but I'm seeing this as a trial run for the long stretch of below zero temps that will surely come in January/February.

The house is also holding up.  The bathtub is the only cold point in the house and for two days the hot water faucet froze, but that was  remedied by getting the crawl space heater fired up again {special thanks to my sister for letting me shower up for two days at her place}.



I have noticed less icicles on the barn since adding insulation along the inside eaves.  The barn's coldest temperature was 8* on Wednesday morning around 4:30 a.m.  Throughout this week it has hovered around 20* making for a steady rotation of water bottles morning, afternoon, and late evening.

I haven't quite decided if I want to try water crocks for the rabbits.  I don't want water spilling all over them and their bedding in cold temperatures and am willing to keep rotating things.  Besides, the crocks would freeze too.  Maybe with some more insulation I can avoid freezing all together eventually.

All bunnies are happy though and just as cuddling as ever.  This would be my biggest female fox baby I'm excited about...Charlotte.

Somewhere in there {among my self segregated rabbits} would be Charlotte the silver fox and Violet the Californian and a few other smaller unnamed siblings I won't show, but are just as cared for during their lives in the rabbitry.  Fluffy pine shavings were added this morning and I believe they are taking everything in stride.  Tuesday the outside temperature will reach the high 20's so the barn will definitely get above freezing.  I'm scheduling a good barn cleaning session.

Eva {who I was told was absent from last weekend's pictures} was found sitting in the cornier of the barn I most need to organize this morning.  She looked quite happy there, so I let her be and promised myself Tuesday would be the day I put up the citronella fluid and other summer odds and ends before they are completely taken over by the chickens.  Maybe she's hoping to get a glimpse of summertime grass sitting over by the solar lights.

I'm thinking snow is here to stay with no truly warm temperatures in sight.  It's piling up on everything everywhere.  Gyspy is handling all well--I usually see her when it's dark nowadays more often that not.  I promise to get a picture of her flashy red winter coat up here next week.

The pines are still covered with snow and it's breathtaking...this gal is the closest to the house and an absolute haven for thatch, blue jays, and one particular fat grey squirrel.

And Jewel and Charlie are still handling the cold well...

although by the time I get done with chores I often find these two waiting by the door eager for the warmer inside.

Yes, life in this snow globe is good and so much different than last year this time.  Although I'm eager to get out on the cross country skis and snowboard, today is a good day to stay inside and watch the snow fall.

A Sad Good-bye

Lenny passed away on Thursday.  He was 14 and the veterinarian had diagnosed bone cancer.  He didn't slow down much until the very end.  Fourteen years of good companionship and countless road trips. I'm glad that he had a chance to run a little freer in his last days, stretch out in the grass again.  It's hard to believe he's gone.

Squash, Baby Rabbits, and Happy Dogs

Above you see me getting ready to plant some Pipian From Tuxpan.  I think the seeds look pretty neat.  It will be pushing it for these to be ready this fall, but they are going up by the cabin where they are sheltered and can be easily babied.  Even though I'm in the heart of summer I'm starting to picture the forest ablaze in fall splendor.  I have been without a fall for some time, and this one will be grand, but it also means this garden needs to produce and fast.  These squash are a Mexican winter squash I'm curious to try for carving mostly if I can get some...reviews say they don't taste so swell compared to other winter squash varieties, but I have my candy roasters, TN sweet potatoes, and blue hubbards for that, plus some pumpkins.  In two months time I will be outside, maybe in a sweat shirt, harvesting these fall goodies.

This evening the rain that had sprinkled the day stopped and the skies turned blue--perfect for tending to things outside the cabin.  There are two litters right now and we are all getting settled in the rabbit barn.  I think we're pretty happy in there {and busy making plenty of fertilizer for the tomatoes and squash outside the barn}.

Jewel did errands in town with me today and then was my side kick while I made my rounds between plants and rabbits.  The other dogs will find a shady place to relax, but Jewel is my assistant of sorts.  We're all breathing pretty easy here out in the woods living at a slower pace.  I swear I can see the canines smiling. Tending to squash with happy dogs....

There is one dog who is happy to be on the mend and between chasing dragon flies and lying under the deck I think he feels like he's in doggy heaven {and I think enjoying all the attention our doctoring sessions bring}.  Charlie has been prone to a rash around the area of his collar lately.  Before the move after a long collar break I put his collar back on because for months he had looked fine.  Then the rash came back with a vengeance in the area under his chin.  I felt very bad for the fellow.  Most of the poor guy's fur had rubbed off down his chest between the folds of his skin, and it had to have happened very quickly, because one moment he was fine and the next he needed doctoring.  As of now instead of angry red, oozy, and spreading he has gone to happy pink and healing.  For a few days he lounged around, but now he's back to his overgrown bouncy self.  He has found a favorite spot under the deck steps {and has worn a path right through my zinnia patch}.

the spot

Who Sits in the Lawn Chairs Around Here?

Feeding Rabbits, More Tomatoes, Plus Teasing the Dogs With Sophia

Out of Bounds

Jewel and Charlie bounced their tennis ball over the garden fence into their "out of bounds" area.  They let me know about it for sure and were not happy until I tossed it back over to them.  Life would be very dull without the crew keeping me company in the backyard.