The Happier the Cat (or Dog)
This isn't really a giant water dish for cats, it's The Pool. Actually it's a 100-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank we stole from the animals, but when filled with cold underground spring water pumped up from our deep well, there's nothing more refreshing than plunking yourself into it at the end of a sweltering summer day.
It's the perfect size for two, and when accessorized with hanging citronella candles (oh, the mosquitos were bad this summer!), an icy bottle of homebrewed beer for him and a glass of chilled champagne for me, it's actually quite romantic—even with the dogs and cats circling around us.
Pool season ended months ago (and besides, we now have that luxurious whirlpool tub in which to soak our tired selves), but as you can see, I just haven't had the heart to drain it out.
Want to see more of Sarah Kit Kat Kate?
5/1/08: Welcome to the Farm, Sarah Kate
5/11/08: There's a New Supervisor in Town
5/26/08: Purr Where You're Planted
6/4/08: What Kit Kat Caught
8/24/08: You Can't Fence in a Farm Cat
© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the thirst quenching foodie farm blog where it doesn't seem possible (or right) that it's been 15 months since I've put up a picture of Kit Kat Kate, who I rescued from The Slammer two years ago next week (where does the time go?!). This sweet little five-pound feline is always doing something extra cute; apparently she's just not doing it in front of the camera.
Dolores and Her Baby Girl, About One Hour Old (previously posted photos here)
She's gone.
At first I thought she'd just caught a chill and then had become weak from not nursing for a couple of hours, but there was something else wrong. Something not working right in her complicated and miraculous little newborn system.
We thought Dolores had miscarried last winter because we found a large patch of blood in the snow by the barn and blood on her legs, and we were thrilled when she became so big it was obvious she was pregnant. But she could have been carrying twins and lost one. Twins in equines are almost never a good thing. The remaining fetus would have been weakend, and possibly harmed by residues that weren't flushed out during the miscarriage.
I saw Dolores pawing at her newborn baby, urging her to stand up. I've seen ewes do this before to their lambs. She meant well—and there was nothing I could do to stop her—but Dolores probably weighs 800 pounds. At one point, she put enough weight on the baby's side that I heard an audible expulsion of air. That can't have been good.
Or it could have been something else entirely.
Monday afternoon, in desperation, I tossed a bucket of treats onto the grass to distract Dolores (who is fiercely protective and could easily kill me with a single swift kick), hoisted up the baby, and carried her across the front field and up to the barn.
I then proceeded to do everything I could to save her. We spent the last five hours on the beat up old hardwood floor in the living room, next the the blazing woodstove, with Robin, Mr. Midnight, and Molly Doodlebug rallying nearby. Actually, Mr. Midnight, as cats are wont to do, kept trying to climb onto her soft, toasty body, but he finally settled for curling up on the other half of the pillow tucked under my butt.
When it became clear that nothing I could do was going to keep her from dying, I refused to simply abandon her. I wanted her to know she wasn't alone, and that during her short time here she was loved. I rested her head on my outsretched leg, folded my other leg protectively over her body, and proceeded to rub my hands gently across that oh-so-soft fur until she drifted into sleep and eventually took her last breath.
Her heart continued to beat. And then I felt mine break.
I'm no stranger to death here on the farm, and losing an animal is never easy, but losing this little donkey hurt more than most.
While we were sitting there together on the living room floor, I named her Flitta, because she flitted in and out of our lives. And also because it sounds sort of like an abbrieviation for The Flame Trees of Thika, a beloved book I've read numerous times.
When things are going badly on the farm, I often venture back to Kenya in the early 1900s, through Elspeth Huxley's Thika books about her childhood there, or by watching my all time favorite movie, Out of Africa, yet again. These women lived in a strange and beautiful and sometimes dangerous place, and the tales of their often difficult adventures always put mine into a comforting perspective.
I choose to live on this farm in the middle of nowhere, thousands of miles from where I grew up. I choose to surround myself with dozens of animals who depend on me and often become very close to my heart. The high points soar straight to the heavens. The low ones can reach down to the depths of your soul.
It's been a rough several days. Our sweet Zelda became ill on Friday and died on Saturday afternoon. Not long after we'd started naming all our new animals alphabetically according to the year they were born or arrived on the farm (last year were the 'E' names, this year are the 'F' names), I pointed to a ewe and said to Joe, "This pre-alphabet sheep needs a name."
"Zelda!"
"Zelda?"
"I doubt we'll make it to the 'Z' names," he said, "and if we do, she'll already be dead by then." It suited her perfectly. Zelda's death was unexpected, but at seven years old it was understandable. Chip and Chip, at 13, are considered pretty ancient by sheep standards.
About 3 Hours Old
Then of course came Flitta. Today is the first time it hasn't been raining or drizzling since Sunday. Joe has been out of town during all this, so I've been dealing with everything on my own.
Before Donkey Doodle Dandy unexpectedly came into our lives several years ago, I'd never had any experience with donkeys—let alone pictured myself owning one. Now we have a herd of six, and I can't imagine not being surrounded by these intelligent, entertaining, and very companionable animals.
My muscles ache, my heart is broken, and my darling little donkey girl is gone. Tears are streaming down my face as I type this, and I still wake up with a heavy thud of sadness. But despite the tragic ending, I'm still very grateful I was there for her beginning. That precious, amazing experience can never be taken away.
Want a bigger farm life experience?
6/3/05: An Unexpected Beginning (my very first blog post)
6/8/05: That Outfit Could Kill You
6/27/05: Chocolate Chip Sheep & Chocolate Chip Cookies
7/31/05: When? Soon (Living on Country Time)
8/10/05: Whoa! Farm Visitors
4/12/06: Hearts and Rocks and Numbers and Thoughts
4/13/06: Shepherd's Nightmare
5/14/06: A Tiny Tail for Mother's Day (the story of baby Cary)
6/15/06: How to Ensure a Happy Haying Crew
7/21/06: And Sheeeeeeee's SAFE!
7/18/06: The Tail of a Donkey and His Ratty Blue Halter
9/1/06: Happy Hour in the Garden
1/19/07: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is but a Stream
1/31/07: Sheep Shearing Early for a Change
2/3/07: Snowstorms and Sheep Shearing
5/13/07: The Tail of Two Mothers—A Mother's Day Story from the Farm
6/7/07: Farewell, New Cat
7/28/07: (It Only Looks Like) A Picture Perfect Walk in the Woods
2/3/08: Handyman Special
3/10/08: Broccoli Soup & Recharging Your Dead Batteries (Because Setting Them on Fire Isn't an Option)
3/13/08: Cary, No Baby
3/19/08: Flood Watch
4/20/08: Chick Days Are Here Again!
4/27/08: A Big Sunday Feast and a Mysterious Little Owl
9/18/08: Putting Up Hay and Losing Electricity
9/24/08: The Higher and Higher Cost of Farming
11/23/08: Heat Cheat
1/1/09: Happy Happy, New New
1/27/09: The Stuff of Farm Life—Losing Lambs and Lottie
5/6/09: Baby Cary is Three Years Old Today!
7/1/09: A Day in the Hay
9/19/09: Bye Bye Sheep Barn! (new barn photos coming soon—no, really!)
10/9/09: A Book, Building, and Bread Bakery Update
Lambing Season 2006 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2006 Part 2
Lambing Season 2006 Part 3
Lambing Season 2007 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2007 Part 2
Lambing Season 2008 Part 1
Lambing Season 2008 Part 2
Lambing Season 2008 Part 3
Lambing Season 2009
Lambing Season 2009 Part 2
© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the grieving (yet hopeful) foodie farm blog where it takes 12 months to make a baby donkey—and only a second to lose your heart to one.
Just Before Noon Today, Not Long After Being Born
Congratulations, Big Dolores! As you can see, it's been a very exciting day here on the farm. I was so thrilled to be able to witness this newborn donkey's first few. . . well, firsts—first moments of life, first time standing on those wobbly legs (Dolores literally helped and held the baby up), first drink of milk, first wiggling of the ears (they're so long!), first touch of human hands. Amazing.
I'll share more photos soon. I've already taken dozens, despite having to make a mad quarter-mile dash from the front field back to The Shack to replace the batteries that died after the first few newborn shots. It took a while before I could tear myself away (I didn't want to miss a minute!), and for once wished I'd driven out there instead of walked.
In the meantime, mother and baby are both doing fine—and have been fiercely guarded all afternoon by our hardworking, baby loving Great Pyrenees, Crazy Daisy. But the best news of all? I'm 99% sure our new arrival is a girl—which means I get to keep her. I love her dark coloring. And she already let me pet her and hug her and snuggle her all over (while mom was busy burying her head in a much deserved bucket of treats).
Life is good.
Can't wait for more? Get a fix with these past pics:
Fernando (born 7/09)
Evie (born 7/08)
Esmeralda (born 7/08)
Dinky (born 7/07)
© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the newborn foodie farm blog where you know I'm already thinking about F names. . . Felicity? Frances? Faye? Fanny? (I love that name, and my sweet Doll Face—who was born during my very first lambing season and whose real name was actually Fanny—just died this past winter at the ripe old age of 13). I guess we'll have to wait and get to know this dark beauty a little better before we make a decision—and after we confirm it is indeed a girl (they really tuck their baby tails in tight!).
Because It Definitely Wasn't Here This Morning
Wanna get wet?
3/18/06: Meandering By The House
3/26/06: The Bigger The Water Dish, The Happier The Dog
5/5/06: View from the Middle of the Creek after Six Inches of Rain
5/13/06: Morning Mist Rising off the Creek
5/13/06: Cat Fishing?
5/15/06: Sheep Crossing
1/15/07: Running Water, Rubber Boots, & Mud
1/19/07: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life Is But A Stream
2/25/08: A Rare Winter Sight—And Geese!
3/19/08: Flood Watch
4/7/08: Who's A-fraid of the Big Bad Creek? The Big Bad Creek?
4/8/08: A Fresh New Day Full of Morning Mist (and lots more hazy photos)
4/10/08: Surf's Up!
5/16/08: Splish Splash!
1/18/09: Crossing Over to Bigger and Better Things!
4/24/09: Creek's Up!
© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the flash flowing foodie farm blog where there's nothing like hiking out for a day of grazing in the far field and then finding a rushing stream of water has suddenly appeared between you and the barn (okay, maybe it wasn't exactly rushing, but still). Fortunately everyone is now safely back where they belong, the two loaves and dozen rolls of Honey Bran Whole Wheat I was in the middle of baking during all of this unexpected excitement didn't overrise, burn, or otherwise become inedible (though I did forget to grease the loaf pans—bummer), and I've now been thoroughly reminded that the big crack in one of my beloved rubber boots is even bigger than it was the last time the creek was up—and I never did get around to buying that replacement pair.
Hello, Girls! It's So Very Nice to See You
Hallelujah! Six of the eight baby chicks born back in April turned out to be hens! They should start laying soon, which will then more than double our current egg output. Usually our hen to rooster hatching ratio is the other way around (and we really only need one Rooster Daddy on the farm), but this time the egg-laying odds were definitely in our favor. Maybe it was all that pizza.
Want to see more chick pics? (some categories overlap)
Chicken Photos & Stories
More Chicken Photos
And Yet More Chicken Photos
Baby Chick Photos
Baby Chicks 2008
Baby Chicks 2009
© Copyright FarmgirlFare.com, the fine feathered feminine foodie farm blog where grown up chickens are still considered cute, right? And if they're not, then you can break the news to Whitey, who, at nearly 10 years old, now has her eye on making it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the Oldest Living Chicken. She and her attitude are doing just fine, and she definitely still considers herself cute (she just hasn't posed for any photos—or had any more longings for motherhood—lately).
It's Time to Get Up
And Fluff Up!
© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the scurrying around collecting green tomatoes in the garden while the squirrels gather black walnuts in the yard foodie farm blog where 30° temperatures, along with a widespread first frost, are predicted for tonight. Not to worry—little Fernando (yep, I've finally decided that's definitely his name, though I thank you for all the other great suggestions!) is all dried off and ready for the first really cold night of his life.
