Sweetie had kindled by early Sunday morning (I was out there at eight in the evening Saturday, one in the morning, and again at six to make sure no babies were out on the wire in the cold. This time, they were all snuggled *in* the nesting box, and we have visually confirmed eight babies, with minimal intrusion - we've taken the nesting box out of ( Read more... )

Darla was collecting hay in her mouth yesterday, so I decided to 'go with it' and move her to a clean cage with a nesting box and a big pile of straw to encourage her mothering instinct. No change in Sweetie, who was bred a day earlier, but I will transfer her by tomorrow or Thursday at the latest regardless. There should be babies this weekend ( Read more... )

The girls are both halfway through their (assumed) pregnancies, and aside from being occasionally skittish or growly, are happily eating their greens and snatching their apple slices, both seemingly content with the world. Sweetie is notably less agressive than during her last pregnancy. Everyone is getting outside time on the weekends at least - ( Read more... )

ThatGuy and I had to stop and grab a handful of groceries on the way home from our guitar lesson last night, and stopped at Superstore (where we never shop). They're clearing their shelves, and we got canning lids (the non-reusable part only) and several sizes of jars at less than half the regular price. Our trunk was filled, and we loaded the back ( Read more... )

Realistically, it didn't mean as much to the Birthday Boy as it did to me, but we had ThatGuy's parents over to celebrate Dad's birthday, and served cubed, pan-fried potatoes, along with a big bowl of fresh-picked cherry tomatoes, and a sautee of garlic, onion, yellow zuchinni and bright green chard, all from out garden. The ribs were store-bought ( Read more... )

Two weeks, three sick days, non-related raw throat, sinus infection, anti-biotics, possible medication allergy? (Can't know if the nausea, sweat and terrible dizziness was related to the meds or the sinus infection), days of working while over-medicating and slathering balm on my forehead, patient husband, stupid weather, harvest business. So tired

Oy, and what a disappointment! I knew the haul wasn't going to be big this year, as the plants never really took off. We still have 'volunteers' lingering in another bed, so I will clear them out soon (and the finished bush bean plants above them) and add them to my meagre box of spuds (maybe 20 pounds? I should weigh them just to have an idea). I' ( Read more... )

We left the nesting box with mom for several days - all readings suggested interfering as little as possible (especially since we'd already had to handle them). Taking everyone outside into the shade of the apple tree, we found the babies had all died in their nesting box. I had quickly felt warm little bodies on Tuesday, and hoped that mom had ( Read more... )

All four of the babies seemed quite plump, warm and healthy when we got home last night. We shifted them into the nesting box we had left with Sweetie for the day, as she had pulled more fur from her belly and we felt it would seem more familiar and smell more like her. It also gave me a chance to check them over. We did use vanilla extract on her ( Read more... )

Sunday and Monday were very productive canning days - there are more than 150 jars (assorted 1/4, 1/2 and full pints) of jam, berries, fruit butter and fruit syrup taking over the kitchen and dining room table. I fell into bed after a ten-o'clock dinner following a final five-hour push to pack everything away last night, and used up all of the jars ( Read more... )