Tux

Tux is still wobbly in her back end and doing some head leaning so we took her in for a vet follow up. Dr. B says she's definitely in recovery and not to worry about a brain tumor at this point and that aside from the Pannus, arthritis and Valley Fever she's in very good health. He kindly told me I've been doing a good job caring for her which I greatly appreciated.

Bob screwed down the roof panels on the sheep shed overhang in case of high winds with the rainy weather moving in. Gutter goes up this weekend, flashing next week, then wood chip bedding on ground, I think. 

Timmi is first to shed, trailing ribbons of wool that drop everywhere or get rubbed off on fence posts. It will be good if the crows clean that mess up again. Two pairs of crows appear to be nesting in trees overlooking the yard and ate two duck eggs yesterday. Not happy about that, but they do chase off predator birds, protecting the ducks, so I won't evict them.

I can't recall what this bush is, but it's blooming at the front of the house and giving off the most lovely fragrance. 

The Shed

It's cold again but work continues on the shed overhang. 

The boys inspect everything and give their approval. Rubbing posts are of particular interest at the moment. 

Signs of Spring

We're getting some warm weather. Finally. It's the time of year when you can't quite figure out how to dress, but signs of spring are popping up all over the yard. 

Every year crocus bloom in the raspberry beds. I don't know how they got there but they are a welcome spot of color right now.

I cleaned out the raspberry beds and cut the stems back to about six feet. Maybe this year it won't be quite such a jungle. 

Tulips  survived the snow with their leaves looking just slightly worse for wear. No flowers yet.

But daffodils are beginning to bloom.

These are small ones. Jonquils maybe? 

I've had little luck growing cilantro. Last summer I just let it flower and tossed the plant from the pot when it died. To my surprise seeds sprouted in the greenhouse floor during the cool of winter. This is the best cilantro I've ever grown! Who knew it was a cool season crop for the greenhouse?

More work on the sheep pens. We bumped out the holding pen to make it a little longer so Bob can walk the boys into the sling seat for hoof trimming. We're also adding an overhang on the back of the barn so the boys have more shade and area to keep out of the snow and rain. They are fussy about staying dry. The posts on the left will support the roof although right now they are serving as rubbing posts. The boys have begun to shed their wool and rub against everything to get it off. 

Midday nap for the duckies. They are huddled in the shade of a huckleberry, safely out of sight of hawks and eagles flying over.

The leaves of my beautiful hellebores took a beating in the heavy snow but the flowers have recovered. 

Tux Update

The old girl is better but  still not out of the woods. She's a little unsteady at times and is reluctant to shake her head. I don't know if it's because she loses balance or it is painful. This thing, whatever the cause, has taken a lot out of her.

Trials and Tribulations

Old Dog Syndrome. That was a new one on us. Tux woke yesterday morning unable to stand. We thought her time had come. The vet was able to get her in right away and after a thorough exam and history thought it was Idiopathic Vestibular Disease, commonly known as Old Dog Syndrome. It's something like vertigo and is sometimes caused by an ear infection but Tux's ears are fine. So, cause is unknown. If it is the syndrome it should clear up on its own within two weeks. If it doesn't, she probably has a brain tumor. But she clearly shows all the symptoms of Old Dog Syndrome.

Here she is yesterday afternoon not interested in eating at all. Notice the head tilting and disorientation.

Here she is 24 hours in - standing and swaying for ten minutes before finally managing to circle and collapse. You can tell her world is spinning like crazy. Once again she refused breakfast food but did eat pieces of sausage and a slice of bacon. Later, outside, she was happy to gobble down a can of salmon so there is hope. She's taking Cerenia for nausea for a few days. Hoping things improve quickly.

More gloom than the weather

Hattie went to the vet for dental cleaning yesterday with the expectation a chipped lower canine might need extraction. It was her first such torture session. She came home minus two upper molars instead. She is not a happy camper today. Soft food and no balls or chew toys for two weeks on doctor's order. No sheep poop, either. What's a dog to do? We were lost without her for just one day and are happy to have her home safe and sound, even if looking somewhat gloomy.

Snow Melt

Happy day! A warming trend and much needed sunshine. Now Hattie gets to keep the sheep out of the barn until I finish laying out their hay. 

Soaking up some sun until she can talk me into throwing that ball. It might be melted enough tomorrow to take the boys out to find some grass.

The ducks have been hunting for bugs and plucking grass too. They'll get lettuce with their tomatoes tonight.

We Move On

A few warmer days makes for easier chores but I have had enough of the snow. Where is spring? 

The ducks are back to making a ruckus when I come out. I suppose they think this weather is all my fault.

The boys are moving out from under the tree a bit looking for fresh grass but not having much luck, so it's back to the barn for hay.

Asking for a cheek scratch. Who can resist this sweet face?

Is there any way to read a duck?

This is Tux's favorite spot even if it's covered with snow.

Hattie's ball was getting lost in the deep, fluffy snow so we switched to throwing the foam frisbee. 

Now it's crusty enough to support her weight without breaking through. There is no working sheep when it's like this so a dog has to get her exercise where she can.

Respite From the Storm

Clear and cold this morning. Thermometer showed a notch or two under 10 at the lowest. But the billowy snow is bright against a blue sky and it's Alaska-pretty. I put warm water and food in the duck house and left the door open but the girls hunkered down in a sunny spot and didn't bolt out like they usually do. The sheep wandered up to the barn for hay. There is one trail in the snow from the spruce tree to the barn. They aren't enjoying the weather any more than the rest of us. Our ranch neighbors thoughtfully plowed the driveway yesterday and I was going to walk Hattie down to the road but she was lifting paws in pain. She would have liked snow booties I think. A few more inches of snow is in today's forecast and potential for another foot Tuesday or Wednesday.

Snowmagedden

Snow is still coming down steadily this morning. It was close to knee deep getting to the shed with drifts well over my knees.

I left the ducks in their house last night and had to dig them out.  This much snow is so unusual here that we don't even have a snow shovel, but a leaf rake works in a pinch when the snow is light. The girls were cozy and comfortable when I opened the door. They're sharing meals with the wild birds now so I leave extra food for them. Towhees and white crowned sparrows mostly. They all appreciate warm water, too. Here are the girls waiting for Bob to finish clearing out an area next to their house. The snow is deep and dense enough they sort of float on top.

The boys were finishing up last night's uneaten hay so I topped it off and said my hellos with a few cheek rubs. Crusty snow clung to their backs and the barn was clean so they must have spent the night under the blue spruce.

I wasn't about to try getting down to it with the wagon for a clean up. That chore will have to wait.

Meanwhile Hattie focused her attention on the boys from outside the barn. She's not too happy with this interruption of her herding time.

Tux dug in by the trees while we worked, happy to stay out all day if she had her way. She's clearly becoming dotty in old age.

Snowpocalypse

It's been snowing all day. Like an Alaska snowstorm. And now the wind is blowing. I went out to check on the ducks. It is so deep I feared they were buried somewhere not to be found until it all melts. What a relief to spot them plowing through, little heads floating above the snow. I'm trying to decide if they need to be put in the greenhouse overnight in case the drifting snow covers their house. 

This was about 9 am, the boys hoping we will come and rescue them. They finally gave up and retired to shelter under the blue spruce. They are fair weather sheep.

Below is about half an hour later.

And a few hours more snow accumulation.

These two show the scene from the front door with a few hours between. It's coming down about 2 inches an hour.

Here is something cheerful to end with.

Winter White

Snow fell last night. I look forward to it melting. I think the ducks would agree. They are huddled under the little madrone next to their house, close to food and water so they don't have to wade through inches of snow to get to them. One of the girls was limping, a cold foot. I spread hay under the madrone to provide insulation for their feet. For whatever reason they won't go into their straw filled house until night so that is the best I can do. Even the boys are spending the day huddled under a tree to keep out of the biting wind.

This print. It's Hattie and me (not really, but the dog does have Hattie's markings). I've been admiring it online for a long time and finally bought it. The framing cost more than twice the print but was beautifully done at a shop in Port Angeles. The colors of the photo aren't quite true, but close enough. It's the pose, a moment of silent communication before working the sheep, the connection between woman and dog very simply expressed in this picture that moves me.