Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Farmfresh]

Of COURSE the flash spooked him ... he is an Amish pony and not used to such modern things!

You just need a small pen in which to ride him the first few times. I would have one of your Amish friends help you the first few times. People should be afraid of horses they are dangerous animals. But you can get comfortable and have lots of fun with them while still respecting their power.

 

[Henrietta23]

Happy Birthday!!!
Hmmm, goat names.... Lily? Lana? Ludmilla?
What can I say, I have a goat named Donki! And she came with the name.... not good at naming goats.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

So the white death is here. brr! unfortunately I think it's here to stay - and I'd like it to leave.

I had put some Australian shephard pups on BYC for my neighbor. I got ONE pm about them - a screeching pm saying they are not pures, that Aussies only come in certain colors, and I should not be advertising them at the price I had them at because they are mutts. Said it was the same thing as selling EE's as pure Ameracaunas. I'd rather not have the "it's a mutt" debate with anyone over there, so I closed the listing.

I don't know anything about the breed, I just went by what my neighbor said about them and had no reason to disbelieve him.

Anyway, there's a beautiful black tri colored female in the litter that I just love. I keep telling myself we cannot keep another dog LOL especially not a GIRL dog!

The goat is apparantly going to continue to go by Fattie. There's no other good name for her, really. She is smaller than my red bone coonhound Zoe, and twice if not three times as wide! Tankeberbelle might be a good name.... HAHAHAHA

The kids get 2 full weeks off from school for Xmas this year. I'm sure I'll be ready for January to get here by the end of that two weeks! lol I'm planning that they'll be helping me do a lot of baking and fudge making to keep them occupied.

So far, for xmas the kids are getting a brand new pony bridle, a brand new pony saddle, brand new pony halter with matching lead rope, and a curry comb. Noticing a pattern here?? That's for all of them. Plus they'll be getting a few smaller individual gifts.

They's spoiled!

 

[Javamama]

Tankerbelle Is there any chance she's bred? I know pygmies can be wide, but she's in a whole new category.

Speaking of wide - you should see my goat girls Starting to resemble beach balls on legs.

 

[Farmfresh]

She beat me to the question... preggers?

 

[lorihadams]

OOOOOOOO...a twofer!!!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Okay girl, Fattie really does look like a potbellied pig! Color & all!
Belated birthday wishes! Hope you had a great one
I wanted a pony when I was little. Never got one. I still want one, so I'm jealous!!

 

[Denim Deb]

Okay girl, Fattie really does look like a potbellied pig! Color & all!
Belated birthday wishes! Hope you had a great one
I wanted a pony when I was little. Never got one. I still want one, so I'm jealous!!

I had to wait until I was in my 40s. My parents were sure it was just a phase I'd outgrow. :/

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Snow-mageddon 2010 - 2011

Day 1 Battle with Carhartts
Carhartts - 1 Me - 0

It would seem that the White Death has already reared its ugly head this year. All of those prayers floating heavenward begging for a White Christmas in typical Bing Crosby fashion are on the fast track of being answered this year.

For me and the chickens of Chick-topia, its the most horrible time of the year.
I hate the White Death. Snow-mageddon came earlier than I had anticipated this year. I like those green and dry Christmases and I dont mind waiting until January for the first flurries. February would be even better. Or, just one day of the White Death December 25 would be perfect!

But, alas, as it is, were in the midst of the beginnings of Snow-mageddon 2010 2011. Howd we get so lucky?

Not only are we battling the angry swirling white flakes that mockingly skip, twirl, and pirouette their way to covering our corner of this precious earth, but the deep freeze has settled in for a long stay. Frozen pipes and poultry water are all I have to show for the Devilish Deep Freeze. The Thaw seems far off in the distance.
To truly appreciate this weather, one would have to be born as an abominable snowman. This short chubby woman doesnt do well with the cold. I have secret desires that my husband doesnt share to move south to a warmer climate. But not so far south that wed be near the water.

I had to brave the unbearable and wicked elements of December today. I knew my precious poultry and other critters were depending on me to drag my frozen carcass out there and relieve them of some of their misery in all this mess.
I completely dreaded it.

Its been so bad, in my mind that is, that Ive threatened to sell every Critter off the whole place just so thered be NO outside chores. But, alas, I cannot bring myself to part with the goats who are so full of personality it isnt funny! And of course none of the chickens can go! (Ok, 6 gals received pink slips today, but no one else is going!) I almost evicted the lop rabbits - aka The Dukes but when push came to shove, and they turned their big beautiful eyes on me, I just couldnt bring myself to do it.

So as I was trying to psych myself up to go out and freeze, out of the corner of my eye something caught my attention. It was brown, and lying in the corner of the kitchen in a heap. Hmm.is that my other halfswhy yes, it is! Mens coveralls!! Carhartts at that!! WHOOT!!

A hair brained scheme began to form in my mind and I snatched those bigger than I am coveralls off the floor, shook them out, and proceeded to don them. I shoved my left foot in first, then my right, pulled them up to my waist and quickly jammed my arms into the sleeves. With great pride and feeling quite pleased with my ingenuity, I padded to the bedroom where I found my red thermal Taz socks complete with slip proof stuff on the bottom of them!

I then padded back to the kitchen where I pulled on my rubber boots. It was at this point I decided that maybe putting on two layers of clothes before the coveralls wasnt a good idea. My arms were so thick, and the coveralls, being larger and not made for me as they should be, made it difficult to bend down and pull my boots on. After several frustrating tugs, the boots were on, and I was out of breath. I bent over one more time to zip the pant legs over the boots.

Thirty minutes after I started, I was out of breath and felt like Id already done a days worth of chores. I hadnt even made it out the door yet!

The finishing touches of my perfect winter ensemble were two pairs of gloves, and the mans Case Farms Chicken toboggan where the best chickens come from. Try explaining to your chickens what Case Farms is! I totally lied to the girls when they questioned my wearing the hat. I explained to them that its a farm that thinks they house the best layers in the world, but we know better because the best girls are in our yard. (Im hoping they bought it, but a couple of the gals looked skeptical! Especially after I handed out the pink slips to the light Brahmas!)

So proud of my ingenuity to wear my other halfs coveralls, I excitedly called out to him, Do you see Im wearing your coveralls?

He replies, Yea, will you go get me a screwdriver? *rolls eyes*

As I trudged outside in midst of the White Death, it became increasing apparent that those coveralls were definitely NOT made to fit me. I also became aware of why people like them so much they definitely kept me warm! The problem was trying to successfully walk in them while rotating out frozen waters for fresh and filling feed pans. The crotch of the coveralls stayed somewhere around my knees making it difficult at best to walk. My dear other half said I looked like a penguin waddling around Antarctica.frankly, thats how it felt!

Somehow, I made it work. I trudged back and forth to the barns filling water, feeding, and making sure everyone was dry and warm. By the time I was done with the chores, I was overheating. If I hadnt known better, I would have thought those coveralls were forcing me into early menopause with the heat wave running down my back and legs. Sweat was running down my back, and I was so warm I couldnt wait to get to the house and remove the now offending garment.
I honestly believe the body heat radiating from those coveralls melted a path from the barn to my house.

I stumbled in the door, nearly tripping over the too long pant legs that had fallen down under the heels of my boots. I ripped off both pairs of gloves and yanked up on the pant leg zippers. I grabbed my boots and huffed, tugged, and heaved until they both came off and I fell backwards. Then I unzipped the front of the blasted heat wrap and tried to pull my arms out.

Panic! I couldnt get my arms out! I knew there was no possible way the stupid things had shrunk at least I didnt think they could have. I tried to shrug out of the sleeves, but they were so tight across the shoulders I couldnt get either arm out at least not without help. I tried to reach my right arm across to tug on the end of my left, but again I couldnt reach. At this point, standing in our too warm kitchen, it was beginning to feel as I was wearing my own individual sauna. I was slowly roasting to death! I could feel my first shirt beginning to shrink wrap to my body, and my pants were sticking to places they should not have been sticking. My temper started to rise right along with my body temp.

At that moment, my wonderful other half came in. I asked him to please pull on my left sleeve and to help me out of the now suffocating, offensive coveralls that I had excitedly crawled into. He gave one hard jerk, and I stumbled backwards into the wall. Sputtering, I started to yell at him for not being gentle but wait! My arm! Its been freed!

I scrambled out of those coveralls as fast as I could and tossed the offending garments into a heap in the corner, totally convinced they were some evil device created as some sort of torture device.

The truth of the matter, though, is that I was warm! I didnt come in from chores chilled through the bone and its all thanks to those cursed coveralls. Just dont know if I dare attempt it again..

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Tankerbelle Is there any chance she's bred? I know pygmies can be wide, but she's in a whole new category.

Speaking of wide - you should see my goat girls Starting to resemble beach balls on legs.

I think it is possible. They asked that question at auction, and the answer was they don't know.

Won't hear me complaining if I get skip poppin' kids!!