Wool

The boys will not leave me alone about plucking their wool so I bought scratching pads for them to take care of themselves. It was disappointing that they were too big to wrap around the 4x4 posts they scratch on now. I had to attach them flat to the barn wall and hope they figure out what the pads are for. Of course, the boys were ready to help whether I needed it or not. They stick to me like velcro.

Tux spends most of the day outside, rain or shine, usually sleeping soundly. She always preferred being outdoors, even in the heat of the desert as long as there was shade. 

Clever Hattie. She knows how to work a crowd.

It's all about the flowers

 Work on the orchid pots goes slowly. I'm using porcelain so there is a lot of waiting for the clay to be just right before going on to the next step, and with the humid weather it takes days or weeks even. This little pot will get some holes when it's good and ready. I'll have to be extra careful not to break the dish part off when I'm cutting the holes like I did to the pot in the second picture. Orchid pots don't really need holes but I like being able to keep an eye on the root growth.

I'll have to throw a little dish for this one now and put them in the glaze fire together. The glaze will fuse them into one piece. They're a little rough at this point but when they're bone dry I can refine them a bit.

This is the coil built asymmetrical bud vase I worked on forever. Those deep cuts might split wide open in firing but I'm living dangerously.

The garden is coming to life, mostly weeds of course, but this rhododendron is a pretty sight at breakfast.

Peonies are taking advantage of the rain and growing fast. They don't look like much yet but will be fabulous soon. 

I hate cleaning up after bulbs, but they do so well in my horrible sandy soil that I can hardly NOT grow them. And they bring some much needed color into my life at this time of year.

April Brings the Busy Time

I've been busy with all the stuff that needs doing around here and haven't had the energy to take pictures or post anything. My good knee has been bothering me, too, but I'm not ready to even think about surgery again. I'm toughing it out and hoping it's a temporary thing.

The barn overhang is finished and the boys make use of it all the time. They do not like being rained on or getting too much sun and they are quite spoiled now.

With such pampering you might wonder why they look like ratty old wool rugs. 

Hattie is quite bored with my busy stuff. Working the sheep or chasing a ball or visiting with neighbors is more to her liking.

Part of my busy stuff is fixing the snow damage around the yard. I was afraid the hellebores were ruined beyond repair but even with their leaves trimmed off they roared back to life with a flush of flowers. 

I plan to start throwing orchid pots today if I can muster up the energy. I wedged the clay last night but I've been dragging all week and really just want to do nothing. 

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.