☮ 2020 is coming to a close in a couple of short months. For the farm, it's been business as usual mostly. For us, we've adapted to masks, new rules, safety being a priority and understanding that 2020 has brought out the worst in people - and the best in people. We have all struggled and we have all persevered. We have all gone through all these same things together, but just in different places. The feeling of collective support feels good. No one is left out of this covid fun we live. I have to say it's fun to keep reminding myself it is what I make it. David and I make it as fun as possible. After fun, it's definitely a lot of learning. I'm grateful we are all here going through it together.
New Edition
Brooks has certainly been a bright spot in our 2020. His sparkle and shine are contagious. He'll be 1 month old this coming week. We are blessed that he's doing well, and equally importantly, that Lauren and Ryan are making it through the newborn transition and into the next arena of more stability.
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| Out in the world with Brooks |
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The happy couple heads to the store while
Nana holds down the fort. |
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| Our happy place together 💙 |
Lauren and Ryan are doing wonderful and the usual things that new parents do of figuring out how to "go out" with your baby. Whether it's a car ride, a visit to the doctor or maybe even a trip to a store/mall - it's all new and different with an unpredictable little one. Freedom to get out and about with a newborn brings new challenges, but also brings a certain feeling of normalcy back into a once home-bound newborn phase. Ahhhh, the learning never stops. I remember it so well.
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Fancy hair already
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1 week old / 3 week old
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Sir Winston
Do you ever watch The Dodo on instagram and wonder what it's like to rescue a neglected dog? A dog who has been living on its own, malnourished and scared? David and I came upon this exact opportunity a couple of weeks ago. I was driving back from Sherman to Gunter, and saw a dog on the side of 289 wandering into traffic and back off the road. Without a thought, I pulled over. I could see he was not able to run away from me, and in fact, was asking me for help. He was skin and bones, seemingly hurt on his back right leg and weak. He caved into my arms, and willingly went into my truck. He stunk, was matted, and exhausted with nothing left. It was 2 Sunday's ago that this fateful event happened - and although still not at a peak point, he's so much better. He appears to be an irishwolfhound-aussie-lab (?) mix whose mostly black with silver eyebrows/facial hair.
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| Time to work on gaining some weight, bud |
David named him Winston, and we begin with 5 meals a day. We used our portable fencing to make him an area of his own, along with an open crate to sleep in. Inside the crate, we placed two chicken warmers and plenty of towels to help keep him warm. He had no reserves to keep himself warm, and the night we got him, the cold rains came. Unable to keep himself regulated, we did it for him. He was a long way from healthy with runny poo and very little energy. His bark was weak. He begin a regimen of lots of catch-up sleep, pumpkin puree and yogurt with his dog food which all enabled him to turn a corner. But it took a couple of weeks, as I did load him in the car initially to have the Vet take a look at him. The Vet basically said 'if he lives, then we'll........'. So I took him back home to see if he would make it. He did. Next up? Get him fixed. He's an approx (per the Vet) a 8-10 year old male - still intact. As a (try to be) responsible dog owner, he needs to be fixed. Whether he stays with us or finds a home - being neutered is a must. It's likely not possible for him to be someone's dog and find his home, as the Vet said she thinks he's been living on his own, rummaging for food for a long time. He was at a breaking point when I came across him. We were meant to be that day, as I feel he was placed in my path.
This video is of us getting him settled into a holding space, while Levi was supervising, and you can hear Tula in the background barking (at the donkeys as usual, it's her favorite pastime). All while Winston is taking it all in and just happy to be there. Like he's finally home.
On a brighter note, today was a big day for Winston! His poo is starting to form into real looking poo. We introduced him to Lucy and Marley with the sheep, in case we decide to have him stay and live here (which is highly likely). That's where he'd likely be on a more permanent basis. Winston is all about the chickens and not in a good way. I imagine he had to find his own food for a long time, and that might have been part of his plan in his former life. The Vet also said he has a slug in his right hip area, and encapsulated by scar tissue, so I'm thinking at some point, he's been shot. The Vet will see if he's healthy enough this Thursday to get neutered, and we may have that removed while they have him sedated?
Overall, he's a sweet old man dog who can't run too much and certainly not fast. This senior guy may have his final days here. I can't imagine who we could rehome him to? So for now, he's still in recovery-mode here on the Graves Farm. He's easy, enjoys his fenced area and crate. He has just enough room to roam in it, and spends a lot of his time watching the chickens in the periferiary.
His "trial run" up with the sheep/Lucy/Marley looked something like this, as the sheep were unsure of this new visitor.......almost like they were watching a tennis match.
Lucy protected the sheep, while Marley made sure Winston knew she was Boss Lady. After 3 hours up there running around, acclimating and getting to know everyone, Winston was brought back to his familiar "home" and super-happy to be back in it. He laid down and was exhausted from that adventure. He's not ready for all that just yet. That was merely a taste to what life is like with the sheep.
If anyone needs me....
Envision a Friday night, just off work and you're ready to relax. A walk to the barn to feed everyone quickly showed me that would not be the case for me - or the Vet on-call.
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| Faith should not be doing this 😟 |
Okay, so I see Faith separated from Hope and Dora in their pasture. I see Faith lying down, head down. I see her rolling violently around the ground - and upon my prompting to stand, standing like she's going to do the splits. I suspect colic. A quick call to the Vet, and before we knew it, they were at the farm trying to see what they can do to help. Colic and Horse = Badness.
The Vet and her trusty assistance came to the farm that Friday night and saved the day! Although not anyones optimal Friday night, they did save her life. Medication, IV fluids and lots of good advice about what to do next (after they leave and the next day, and so on) put Faith back on track. Although there's no good explanation about how these things happen, what I know for sure is they never happen at a good time. Or is there a good time for a horse to have colic? David did make us all hot chocolate, and brought it to us in the barn. Much appreciated!
Faith slept in the barn that night, with molasses in her water, hay given in warm water to encourage fluids - and this went on all weekend, along with banamine (medication) to help decrease the swelling in her belly. By Monday, Faith was back in the swing of things and feeling better. Whew, never a dull moment.
Louder for the chickens in the back
Good news y'all! Listen up, for all you chickens who are not allowed first dubs at fresh feed, there's something special in store for you. Fresh feed. Thank you, Ashley P for sending me this idea, and thank you David for making it happen.
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| Chicken feeder in process |
There's several goals with this new chicken feeder. One, to have less chicken food waste. Chickens are masters at scratching at their food and knocking it everywhere. Two, to allow all chickens to have the same fresh food. Unfortunately, pecking order is a real thing and those deemed less fortunate by the higher-ups are relegated to leftovers. It's the way of the chicken world, peeps. Doesn't mean it's right, so as human beings, we can help all chickens have access to the same food. But really in the grand scheme of things, it's less feed waste and I'm all about that.
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| Ah yeah, help yo self |
David is the Best Lamb Dad no doubt but he dabbles in the world of Awesome Chicken Man who happens to be married to Chicken Lady #1,094,583. Did you know there were more than 1 million chicken ladies? Truth. And did you know Nov 4 is/was National Chicken Lady Day? Yuppers. Truth, my sister, and I'm over here killing it.
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| Poppy checking out the swing |
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| Yes, we even have Graves Chicken Farm merch |
I believe all chickens should have access to a chicken swing and don't forget a mirror for them. It's one of their favorite things to do, is sit in front of their big mirror and dust bathe. Now the mirror gets so dirty as you can imagine, but they never complain.
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These long PVC pipe chicken feeders are
also great - which David made as well 💖 |
A good nights sleep is everything
This should be on my gravestone. I won't have one, as I prefer cremation, but if I did, please put that on it. We all feel better with sleep. It heals everything. Literally everything from illness to kitchen grazing (because you're tired) to emotional stability. I'm much more tolerable with sleep. I do have some favorite sleep pics to share though.
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| Night Night Sweet Cheeks |
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Hint, that's not Maybe's bed
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| Not Maybe's bed either |
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Tula's favorite place, with no bed needed
She's temporarily re-homed with us
while mom and dad settle in with baby |
Wherever it is, sleep is a necessity. I've slept in some really strange places in my life, but one things for sure. I can sleep. My own Nanny used to tell me that one of the things she's most thankful for in life, is that she could sleep. Insomnia is a &itch from what I hear.
Lucky for me, I am given the opportunity to be with little Brooks a couple of times a week to allow Lauren and Ryan to get some much-needed sleep at night. It's such a special time of life, when they are so tiny and need you so much. So what if it's the middle of the night. That's easy for me to say, because when I go back home, I get to sleep again. As Brooks and all the other millions of babies finding their sleeping schedule, and then redoing it to trick mom and dad, it's fun for me to get to enjoy that special time. Besides watching a sleeping baby, my next favorite thing is to watch my dogs sleep and rest. And now, Winston (who got a new real dog bed today) gets to rest and sleep in a safe place. He is loved, and I really do think he feels it. Our sheep can rest/sleep because of Lucy and Marley's sacrifice every night. The chickens sleep because of Levi and Whisper's diligence all night long. We are so fortunate that while some sleep - others protect.
And the fact we have a safe place ourselves with electricity, roof over our heads, food to eat and lots of love - it's really all we need.
And one last random thing to mention, when your (adult) child has a child, it's a weird circle-around of everything they once did.......coming back to them. I felt it happen when I had a child and my mom had that funny smirk on her face. Like she knew I was going to get all the paybacks I deserved. Now I'm wearing that same smirk. It looks a lot like my moms did, knowing my own Lauren will have a Brooks who will travel that same road of what child rearing is and reap all those same 'benefits'. Wink, wink. I've always loved watching what I call The Movie of Lauren. It's a wonderful thing raising a child. But this newest remake of The Movie of Lauren is just as great, esp watching it from the eyes of Nana. It's going to be a great movie, I just know it, staring a new cast member, Brooks.
Better go get my popcorn,
Cyndi
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| No truer words have been spoken |
