Welcome to Fern Valley

Here in central Alberta prime farm country,my husband Martin and I work together raising beef cattle and Appaloosa horses. Fern valley appaloosas have long been known for their quality of temperament conformation and color.I have recently rediscovered a love of writing and have published 2 collections of poetry. "Telling Tails" and Tails Trails and Campfire stories" . I look forward to a future spreading my wings as an author and as a horse woman .

Friday 20 July 2012

Gonna be a wild Westie & Benadryl Weekend!

And then some !
I am babysitting/dogsitting Mac, my sister and brother in law's West Highland White  terrier  for the weekend . And also the neighbor up the road is away and asked me to  keep an eye on things and  feed her critters. No sweat  right?

(OK Winston , here is the plan ) 


 (we will lay low till she is not looking)
 (Scoping out the  options) 
 (Busted by Skeeter! "Mom, Mac is trying to  make a break for it !!!) 

 ("Who me?? In the white fur coat?")
( "Wouldn't  dream of it ")

Actually Mac has been very good, anyone who knows terrors    I mean terriers, knows they  can have a streak of well defiance. But with the A Team of Winston and Skeeter hanging out and playing Mac is able to be off leash for  quite a while and really run and play . (the pocket full of cookies I am armed with  probably does not hurt)

So that is going OK, on to the other job, I am caring for 23  pot bellied piglets, 2 geese and, well a bunch of chickens. 
It would be wrong to say I hate chickens and pigs , because I don't hate them , but if I am to be truly honest,how do I like  my pork and poultry?? Well done thanks! 
I realize pot bellied pigs are a pet, but you get my point . Anyhow , I did take a picture of the piggies, there were two wrestling , but I missed that shot , they are kind of cute  I guess. 
The chickens, well first of all I am allergic to  feathers and grain dust, so between the birds, and the laying mash , I may be a while before I lose this nasal  tone in my voice . Also when I was in the chicken house , there were several overhead in roosts , and dang ! that creeps me out ! Meanwhile the geese were in the next pen hissing at me !Yeesh! 
But this is the neighbor ,who very often steps in and watches the dogs  for me and the horses, she is sweet and kind , and I would never turn her down , she deserves a break too. 
And for my efforts , any eggs I gather this weekend are mine, and I am allowed to raid the pea  patch!!!!Not sure she has thought this through, or she doesn't know just how much I like fresh garden peas! 
Anyhow , between , my side jobs, and my own stuff, I am gonna be a busy gal this weekend! 
Stay safe everyone! 

7 comments:

aurora said...

Mac looks like he's having a ball, running & playing! Too funny that your boys are helping watch over him.

Good luck with all the extra chores, enjoy those fresh peas ~ mmmm!

kden said...

You are too funny today. What critter wouldn't want to hang out on your farm? Love the pictures. And I always thought of you as fearless, now I have this image of you watching out for roosting chickens ;-) Pot Belly pigs are cute ♥

Crystal said...

You are a good neighbor. I help put my neighbor when she goes away too and she always gets me to check her chickens and eat the eggs. Luckily she doesn't raise turkeys anymore, they are way worse than chickens, pecking at you, icky. But she never said I could eat her peas, you must be a special neighbor!

Cheyenne said...

Egads! I flippin hate pigs! I am with you---I like pork well done. Chickens aren't my fav either after helping pack & vaccinate in high school-um, no thanks. Your photos of the piggies are pretty danged cute, but I can still remember being scared as all get out and carrying a croquet mallet in my hand to go feed the freaking pigs were given in our barn when I was little. Oh, they would shove us girls around, eat our rubber boots...and were mean as sin. My sis & I didn't shed a tear when they got butchered. The hound dog is pretty cute too---you are a gem helpin out like you do!

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Busy, for sure. I always think that taking care of neighbors' pets will be quick and easy, but it never is.

GoLightly said...

Talk about a full house, jeebers.
Love the pooch pictures, westies are such funny little guys:)

wide open spaces to blast around in?
They're all over that!

Rinse out your nose after being in the hen house, just sayin'..
I think you watched the movie "The Birds" one too many times;)

Oh, and get some rest in there, somewhere...

Nicole said...

dang that's a bunch of piggies, but I'm not real sure what you do with pot-bellied pigs. I know livestock piggies though :)