Misc. boring stuff from the farm

Because of all the snow we've had it's been harder for the deer and other critters to eat. I told Gramma that I wished I had put a bale out on the West side for them. I needn't have worried.

I have been seeing deer run from behind the shed when I go out to the barn in the morning and wondered if they have been digging through the snow back there looking for something to eat. Nope. They have been helping themselves to the hay in the shed. They're very messy. Hopefully this will help them through the winter.

We bought some wood in Dec. and I wasn't too pleased with it. Found a guy just three miles away and fifteen bucks cheaper per cord, so we thought we would try his wood.

 It's all Ash wood and it's terrific. Lasts twice as long as the first cord we bought, so called him back and got three more cords. This should get us through next winter too. Maybe longer. Never used ash before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's really nice wood.

 I mentioned that the dogs really like the stove and Heidi will lay with her head under it. So creeping quietly like a tiny mouse I attemted to take a picture of her. I don't know what I did, but this was as close as I got. Maybe next time.

This is how she sleeps on the couch sometimes and is doing so as I write this. Eventually she slides towards the floor until her feet and nose touch the carpet and then she wakes up and looks at you with that "Whaaa happen?" look.

 Here she is checking out my new fish house heater. The other one died after 16 years of faithful service and continuous abuse. Another reason I wasn't happy on my last fishing excursion. I'll have to go again so I can test it out.

Another dozen eggs. We are happy. :-)

Warm weather and fishing

Warm is a relative term, right? It depends on where you are and where you're from. It got warm here yesterday. In the 30's. In some parts of the country, temps in the 30's causes panic and weather warnings. Here in the North, temps in the 30's causes widespread joy and elation, people take off their coats, snow starts to slide off barn roofs and guys go fishing.

Just some interesting fish house pics. Notice the tv antenna.

This guy has a scuba symbol on the door and three antennas.

Antenna.

Sattelite dish.

This is a "Wheelhouse". You pull it out on the ice and then crank up the wheels and go fishing. It also has a sattelite dish. How do you concentrate on fishing when the tv's on?

This is a pressure ridge. The ice expands and pushes against itself and breaks open and forms these things. Sometimes it contracts and then a large crack opens up. Scary.

 This is the average size of the fish I caught yesterday. I admit defeat. I surrender. I'm gonna find a new place to fish.

 You remember this pic of Antoine's comb.

Here's what it looks like now. Poor chicken.

Winter stuff

Well, we have had measurable snowfall 50 of the last 64 days. I'm out of places to push it.

If we keep getting more I will probably have to rent a skidloader to move around the piles. I had a skidloader that was broken down and has been sitting in the shed for almost 2years. Part of the drive system broke and because it was built in the late 60's parts are not available. I had finally decided I was going to cut it up for scrap and sell the engine on Craigslist. Well, Tuesday afternoon the brother of the guy that the FD gets her wood from called and asked if I wanted to sell it. I said sure. He said how much? I said I would have to think about it and could I call him tomorrow? He then said he had been looking online for a week for a repairable machine and what would I absolutely have to get for it. I told him 500 bucks and he said I'll take it, can I come and get now? He called three different times trying to get someone to haul it for him. It was some kind of skidloader emergency I guess. Anyway these three guys show up at 6:30 in the dark with a trailer behind an early 80's Chrysler mini-van. ???? I have to say I was surprised that they got the thing on the trailer with two 4x5 beams and a come along hand winch. If anyone remembers the Bob Newhart show where he owned an inn you will remember the three brothers. Hi I'm Larry and this is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl. That is the only way to describe them. The FD calls them Minnesota Hillbillies. Anyway I had to pull them up the driveway from the shed cause the mini-van could only get part way. It was quite an experience and I won't soon forget it.

Here's Sparkle soaking sunshine.

The only varmints that I have seen on my critter pile so far are crows. Still hoping for a coyote. Fishing tomorrow, wish me luck.

A trip to the Farmer Daughter's

Yesterday I went over to FD's, she had a few things she wanted me to do and I had some kindling for her wood furnace.

Anyway, here's some of the piggies.

When you feed pigs they always end up with food on them cause they have no patience.

Jowly.

A pig sharing it's food with a duck. ( Notice the food on it's head.)

Here's one sharing with two chickens. (Food head.)

 Mama sharing with her babies. (Must have snuck up on them cause there's hardly any food on them.)

The "Geese".

                                       Zippy "The Wonder Dog"

This is the bull calf Gramma and I are taking.(After he's no longer a bull.) His sire is a Simmental and they come from Switzerland, so we're going to name him Hans. His mother is part Angus, so I suppose we could have named him Argyle, but I like Hans better. When he was born he was all brown, but now he's turning black. I think he was prettier when he was brown, but he's still pretty cute and someday he's going to taste real good. So I did a couple of things for the FD and managed to stab myself in the hand with a flat blade screwdriver. Went right in, about two feet deep, or so it felt like it. So now I have a swollen, very sore hand. So far it doesn't seem infected, but Gramma thinks I should get a tetanus shot since it's been nine years since my last one. I'll try and get one tomorrow, cause as you know I always do what Gramma tells me. Really.

Rocks and other stuff

Well I just realised that I didn't post about the rocks in a week like I said I would. It's been two and a half weeks. The last polish did not turn out. I now have them going through the second grind again and then back to the polish. Keep your fingers crossed. Always worked before.

The other morning a doe and fawn were feeding behind the house. Then yesterday they were out there again. It's so much fun to see them.

Here is Aksel taking a nap by the scratching post.

 Here's Heidi relaxing on the couch, she likes to sit like this and sometimes just lays her head on the back. Goofy dog.

Yesterday I found these tracks coming from the West woods, across the yard ten feet from the front windows, and down the driveway and into the woods on the East side. Big deal, just a rabbit, right?

No. Not a rabbit. I got out my mammal book and my animal tracks book and went online searching. I believe I can say with some conviction that this is the track of a Pine Marten. Cool. It's been visiting my varmint pile and may be staying in one of the brush piles at the edge of the woods. Look them up, they're cool.  I let Heidi outside this afternoon and when she didn't come back to the door in her usual pokey time, I went to see what was up. Well she was standing there at the fence holding a perfect point towards the woods on the West side. At first I couldn't see anything, but then I saw something move in one of the small popple trees, so I got the critter scope and there was a grouse in the tree. Good Dog! Yay! There's hope. We are happy.

BRRRRRR! II

Well it was a "Two Dog Night " last night. (It was actually a three dog night, but we only have two dogs.)

Gramma snuggling for warmth.

We BBQ'd some steaks last night. 6 below and snowing. We BBQ all year round. I don't believe in pan frying beef steak. It's just wrong. I also believe it can only be properly cooked over wood or charcoal. Had a gas BBQ once, didn't like it. No flavor.

 It's only 9 below this morning, so things are improving. Got a good fire going and the sun is out, so it should warm up to about 77 to 80 in the house. That's when Gramma takes off one of her extra flannel shirts and thats when I put on my shorts and go in the back bedroom where it's cooler.

The dogs like the stove. Some times they lay so close I expect them to burst into flames.

 One of the bad things about the cold is the chickens get frostbite on their combs. They all have it, but Antoine's is worse because his comb is so big.

Here you can see he has some on his wattle as well. It doesn't seem to bother them, they don't act any different or scratch at it or anything. They have an insulated coop with a heat lamp, but only go in there at night, so I don't know how else to help them. When I look it up online, some people think it's bad and some people say not to worry about it cause chickens have been getting frostbite since there were chickens. There was one amusing post by someone who said it would make the chickens sterile. I don't know what their comb has to do with fertility, as some chickens don't have combs, but hey I'm just a dumb old hay farmer, so what do I know? Anyway stay warm.

BRRRRRRR!

Sorry no pics. Don't know how to take pics of cold. 29 degrees below zero when I got up this morning. Coldest it's been since we moved here. 46 below at International Falls. You know it's cold when you go down to the barn and the hair in you nose freezes and icicles form on your mustache. Ouch that hurts! It's only supposed to last a couple of days and then next week back into the 20's. Nice having the wood stove. When there's a good fire going the furnace never comes on. Anyway, I feel real bad for you folks down South where it's down in the low 30's.  :-)