Ringing in the New Year... in comfort

Here we are on the Eve of a new year. Amazing how fast a year goes, isn't it? Lots of great things have happened around our little farm in 2010 and we have many great memories to reminisce about. I have big plans for 2011! Big plans!

My chickens are well on their way to buying me an egg incubator so that I can raise chicks from egg right here at home. We are looking to hopefully acquire another Dexter or two to add to our herd which will mean beef sooner rather than later. I am also interested in a pig or two for meat for next Fall. The kids and I are looking forward to spring and gardening again. Although I'm still enjoying Winter and our lovely snow, I do look forward to the warmer days of spring.

So what are my plans for this New Years' Eve? Well... I am lounging comfortably in my husband's new Christmas pajamas that he left me for safekeeping while he is in China. 'Eat Pray Love' is spinning in the DVD player waiting for me and there is a big bowl of popcorn to go along with it. And while many people are out getting slobbering drunk right now, I however, am drinking iced tea out of my beer glass. I would hate to wake up to a new year with a hangover!

Wishing you health, happiness and prosperity in 2011!
See you next year!

Quote of the Day

I really, really, REALLY should not be awake right now! I should be slumbering like my children who will more than likely wake me up far too early tomorrow morning! I was up and at 'em at 4:30 this morning as it was back to work for my husband K today *sigh* I really do get used to having someone else around that I can split the house work/child rearing/etc with!

Anyway, the Quote of the Day is from yesterday and as my mind is exhausted I can't remember the conversation that brought on the Quote. We were in the kitchen finishing dinner and I made a joking reference to K being a redneck(which he is anything but... if anything I'm the redneck!)

F picks up her plate from the table and as she is bringing it to the counter she says, "Daddy, you're not a redneck... you're a skin-colored neck." Kids. What can I say?

Pupdate Week 1

The puppies have passed their one week birthday and they are all still alive and kicking thanks to my husband K and I and our countless rescue missions to save pups that Zama has sat on or laid on or pinned up against the kiddy pool that they will call home until they are big enough to climb out of.
They are awfully cute, aren't they?
And they sure are growing fast!

I was going to try to get a picture of the pups with Dexter, our 3.5 pound Chihuahua, but Zama wasn't all that excited about the prospect. Maybe next week I will try for that!

Christmas Puppies!

On Sunday night we were finishing up dinner and I mentioned to K that we should start being on the look out for signs of labor in Zama. I figured she would be having her puppies some time towards the end of the month or early January.

I let the dogs out and tidied up while K got the kids ready for bed. Indi and Dexter came back in when I called but Zama didn't. After the kids were tucked in, K and I put on our boots and coats, armed with a flash light and headed outside to look for her. I told him I wanted to check under the shed because if she was going off to give birth that would be where she would go.

Sure enough, upon calling her name we could hear her tail wagging against the underside of the shed.

This is the hole she had squeezed herself into to get under the shed.
K and I tried to coax her out with cheese but in the end he got the shovel and the six foot pry bar and made the hole bigger so that between the two of us we could drag her out by her hind legs. It took almost an hour. Had we left her under there, her puppies would have succumbed to the elements as it was -20 the next day.

She labored all night and into the afternoon yesterday before giving birth to her first pup around 1pm. The kids came in a got to see her have the next four pups. She did great other than being exhausted. I thought she was done after the fifth pup.
This is the eighth pup being born. My friend K requested the gory shots.

I helped with the last two pups as Zama was too tired. This one I had to break open the sac and lift its face to hers so she could lick its mouth and nose.
Here's a pup next to good old ET on VHS just so you can see how big they are.
Zama on guard with her nine pups. Risky and Dexter had come into the room and she was making sure they didn't get too close!
Risky and Dexter wondering what the heck is going on!
Mama and pups are doing well. Zama got up this morning when she heard me doling out kibbles and then she went outside which gave me enough time to change all the bedding and put the pups on fresh towels. The next task is to try and find out who the heck is the father!! We thought we had that figured out until the pups came out all black! Oops!

A little Christmas Song

Last night on our way back from the city we came up with a little song to pass the time. Here it is in all its glory!

You know Indi
And Zama

And Dexter
And Risky
Puss
And Chocolate
And Vanilla
And Sir Loin

But do you recall the most famous farm animal of aaaaaaaaall?


Cornelius the Red Combed Rooster
Had a very shiny comb!
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows!

All of the other animals
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Cornelius
Join in any Hobby Farm games

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Cornelius with your comb so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the animals loved him!
And they shouted out with glee,
"Cornelius the red combed Rooster
You'll go down in history!"

This is the thanks I get?

As you may recall, Indi was off Guard Dog Duty a while back due to an altercation involving a barbed wire fence. Well being the sucker that I am, both her and Zama never really got put back outside and have been enjoying their days and nights in the toasty warm house.

This morning I headed downstairs to make sure my computer hadn't died in the night and I found three little gifts from one of the dogs. I'm going to assume it was Zama but neither of them are talking...

And no, they didn't leave me Hershey's Kisses!

An 'EGG'-cellent day!

The chickens produced a 'personal best' today with a whopping 24 eggs plus a duck egg as well! Last year at this time I wasn't getting a single egg. It was a long dark eggless winter! ;)

So what have I done to improve laying? More birds=More warmth in the coop and a 60 watt light bulb shining for 14 hours a day to replicate the long sunny days of summer. I know, I'm sneaky like that!