It was Gregs idea, it wasn't mine....I had nothing to do with the planning ( was there any planning ??) It was chucking it down with rain, it had been all day, sometimes torrential and sometimes light but always VERY wet. The wind had started to whistle around the barnyard and dusk was falling, the chickens were hiding in their coops, we hadn't seen the goats all day and the horses were more than happy to be put to bed. No one wanted to be out in the rain...least of all me !!! so Greg had this inspirational idea...lets round up the ram lambs tonight and move them into the ewes pen. The ram lambs are the outcasts on the farm, once testosterone took over those little boys only had one thing on their minds...and it wasn't food ! The ram lambs have been living in splendid isolation in Barn Field, at the back of the barn, as far away from the ladies as possible. Rodney the Ram had been with them as mentor ( boss ram) until his unique services were required in the honeymoon suite, judging by the relative lack of activity in the love nest, Rodneys job was done and Greg was returning the outcasts to the main pen ( hopefully too late to be of any consequence if  they get the urge !!!) . I wasn't given forewarning of this plan and have to say mutiny did spring to mind, I didn't have my plastic bag on my hair, my boots were leaking and my makeup running, how much worse could the day get ? I was soon to find out ! Bran was in heaven, he anticipated the chase, Greg as usual, confident...me, wet, miserable and very pesermistic trailed behind working out all the "what ifs". The lambs wanted to play, ring o' ring'o roses round their shelter, Bran happy to oblige chased and Greg still looked confident. I was increasingly pessermistic still miserable and getting wetter by the second then things started to change ! Greg took control, Bran heeded and behaved like a real sheep dog actually working the lambs, we got the through the first gate and on through the second, I held my breath, surely we weren't THAT lucky. Bran had the bit between his teeth and he meant business, those lambs were going to listen, he bobbed and weaved behind and round, he listened and he obeyed. I was still wet, my hair had gone frizzy, my makeup run more but it was GREAT. What a team, ram lambs all safe and happy in with the ladies ( who are hopefully already "expecting") hopefully testosterone wont be an issue because Rodney the ram wont tolerate any messing on his patch. Bran was happy, Greg was happy and no, I wasn't miserable any more...but I was still WET !! Goodnight God bless and take care, M

Winter brings new challenges down on the ranch, the horses go through a process of metamorphis, gone are the sleek shiny horses that trot out to the pastures, swishing tails tossing heads and attitude...lots of attitude. In the summer, getting the horses ready to go out is like a fast food process, head collar  on, food, head collar on, food till all our 4 are done then its 2 by 2 out and there they stay till almost Sunset. Winter is a whole different ball game, still like a conveyor belt but head collar on, night blanket off waterproof outdoor blanket on...then food. Hay needs to go out to the pastures, ice needs to be broken in frozen water troughs and water is moved with 5 gallon containers to make sure fresh water is available. Horses stand motionless butts turned to the wind and rain, they look miserable standing  in frozen puddles, blankets wet and heavy. In the evening, the horses are waiting impatiently at the gate, the sheep and goats gather in a big clump of wet hair and demand to be brought in from the cold. Dripping wet blankets are put to dry around the barn, steaming and smelly its become part of the barn smell. The horses also change, sweet little old gray mare Destiny is turning into a fur ball, soft and fluffy beautiful dark eyes peep out from under her blanket which keeps her snug and warm from the tip of her tiny ears to the tip of her tail. The shires are changing too, they are turning into woolly mammoths, their huge bodies look even bigger when they grow their winter coats. Everyone suddenly wants to roll, everyone wants to roll in the biggest wettest muddiest puddle they can find. Destiny covers every part of her that isn't covered by a blanket, sticky nasty mud....and she so enjoys those rolls !! The big horses look like hippos, grunting groaning and rolling their huge bulk in a lovely deep puddle they have created in their pasture. Yes, Winter is a challenge, someone once said that we could take it easy in the Winter.....NO !!! it's just a different season. Time to go, cuckoo clock has cuckood, Greg and Bran are moving. Take care, M

I LOVE CHRISTMAS !!!  I love sparkly things, I love christmas lights twinkling, I love houses all dressed up for the season. I get excited going to Cosco....I love their Christmas displays....I used to love the store windows all bright and glowing with Christmas goodies, I say" I used to".....I don't get out to shop that much anymore, every shopping trip is an olympic marathon, a 40 yard sprint and every shopping trip is timed to the second. I've got great at transforming from "country bumkin" with my rubber boots, hay in my hair ( plastic bags if its raining !!) and 10 layers of winter woollys. My shopping trip starts as the truck parks up at the house, Greg invariably looks at his watch and says "how fast can you be...we have to be out of here by...." Why ask how quick I can be....he's just told me ! I have got it down to five minutes and I can reappear all scrubbed up and smelling almost human. Actually maybe I should correct that...looking human and smelling sweet ! (ish). Shopping is a zip zip zip to get home and back to the barn to start the second shift. No more window gazing at things I couldn't afford, now I still can't afford them but I don't get to gaze either. So, It's time to bring up all my Christmas "stuff", my annual treasures, each one of them a memory sometimes a tear and sometimes a smile. It's time to put up the Christmas tree, well, Greg will, it's a bit like a chinese puzzle and I'm not a natural problem solver. Gregs great at that stuff !!! (thank goodness ). The garlands, the velvety red bows I got for cents on one of my goodwill trips ! and the Christmas Crib. I love Christmas. If you would like to call round to the barn during the Christmas holiday , we  will have some lovely hot spiced wine to toast the season with friends, old and new. I love people.....and I love hot spiced wine !!! Well, I've rambled on, emptying my brain bin and now it's time to start putting on the layers and get ready for another day at the barn, which incidently WONT be decorated, Greg's being a ba humbug and wont put lights on the barn...but I'm working on it...mmmm, watch this space. Take care, have a great day, keep warm and dry.  M

Who'd have thought that a trip to the chicken houses could be so eventful ?! There I was with my little straw basket with the blue gingham lining tripping into the "Roost with a view"...our new 5 star chicken house when all the commotion started. I wasn't looking for trouble, I went bearing gifts ( 2 buckets of perfectly balanced nutritional chicken food) and all I wanted in return was the warm eggs lying waiting for me in the nest boxes. Not too much to ask...? The troop of girls waiting in the yard raised the alarm and before I got the Roost door open I knew I was in trouble, there they were, waiting for me. Beady eyes under quivering red combs lined up on the perches, a gaggle of puffed out feathers watching my every move, daring me to challenge them. The big Rhodie rooster pretended he had no part in the insurrection, not looking for trouble he took advantage of a little barred rock hen that was too distracted to notice his attention. Too late she recognised the diversionary attack and set up screeching and flapping a storm around the hen house, that set every one off,  feathers were flying, and the volume raised to a cocophany of chicken noises all trying to be louder than the next bird. I seriously contemplated retreat and wondered (1) if there is such a thing as a chicken counciler and (2) Just how much soup a whole roost of mutinous chickens would make. One Rhodie hen got so excited that she dropped a warm wet egg into my hand as I passed, (serendipity or just pure good luck) The ladies on the advance warning party all tried to get through the little door at the same time voices raised to a crescendo, wings flapping they were 5 abreast through a door designed to take 2 at a time....they popped through like peas out of a pea pod, but a lot louder ! Startled, I looked out into the pen from whence they came and there it was, sailing around on the thermals, barely moving but its shadow threatening over the hen pen. An eagle, a beautiful fully fledged  bald eagle, its white head and tail shining in the sunlight and it was looking for a snack or three. Silently it flew over and around the hen house looking for a "takeaway",....Kentucky Chicken, not on my watch !! Suddenly the chicken house went quiet, not a feather moved,not a beak quivered, not a squalker squalked, it was like everything stopped breathing and then just as suddenly, my girls were back to normal, the cluckers started to cluck and the roosters got back to roostering and I, with my little straw basket lined with tiny blue gingham squares could go ahead and steal their hard won eggs, their unborn babies, beautiful brown white cream and green orbs lined my basket. The eagle had bored of the hunt and had moved on to a more lucrative and less noisy dinner site. Everyone was safe ..till the next time. I made my escape and wondered at the instinct that can make a domestic bird so aware of the dangers in the sky.  Oh well, I survived, Bran is out for potty time, the cuckoo clock is cuckooing and its time for bed. Good night, God bless and take care. M

Ok, so snow is really pretty...at first, but today as I looked around I realized that I'd had more than enough !!! All the horses stayed in their stalls yesterday, I spent the day trying to keep hay mangers loaded  and frozen water buckets full ( a full time occupation in itself !!!)  Horses restrained in stalls for 24 hours = big trouble, when you are talking Shire horses.......mega attitude looking for an outlet. This morning dawned bright,  clear and REALLY cold. Dressing for the Arctic temperatures is sort of an art form, today I had pantihose, thermal long johns and woolly tights to compliment the 3 pairs of woolly socks, T shirt, fuzzy fleece top ( actually fuzzy fleece top under T shirt which was a major inconvenience because it kept riding up and giving me a spare tire )(tyre for us Brits)...not done much for my image have I ??!  I bought gloves in bulk, 36 pairs that way I aLWAYS have a dry pair. My biggest issue at the moment is my rubber boots, they have no traction and today I have spent the day trying to stay upright as  I constantly upended on a sheet of ice and gravity took over . Poor Dolly the mutant cow with the 18" bow legs is having a real problem too.....her udder is painfully close to the snow.....God wasn't too kind when Dolly was created, her head is too big for her body and her legs are too short for her head but what she lacks in perfection she more than makes up for in attitude.. bless her .  Oh well, its past 9 oclock and time to say goodnight and God bless, another day behind us and hopefully tomorrow will be a little warmer, ..we live in hope ! Take care, keep warm, M

Mj (Fox 13) put the fear of God in me last night, her weather forecast sounded like the arrival of Armagheddon, we snuggled up tight under the comforter and anticipated with foreboding the brutal temperatures that would try us physically mentally and emotionally !!! Physically.....I can't feel my fingers / toes, Mentally, What in the world persuaded us to be farmers  ? and emotionally, WE ARE CRAZY, when did crazy happen ? !!!!  Layers of clothes piled on top of layers of clothes, ( honey, do I look fat in this ???) fashion out the window. I had seem something on street people and wrapping my feet in plastic bags suddenly seemed a great idea ( I think I watch too much tv !!) Hair up in another plastic bag, saves the frizz...I'm sure there has to be some ethnic blood somewhere ! I must have looked a sight but I was ready for whatever MJs' forecast had to throw at us ...and it was bad !!! I think I qualified as a world class gymnast, I guess I did about 6 double summersaults and backflips on the ice, International ice skater as I glided ( very ungracefully...but with attitude) across the ice and Ice sculpture, every time I stood still for two minutes,... everything froze ! Because Greg is feeling less than his usual self, I offered to help him process the turkey, ( big mistake ) The agreement was that it would not look like a turkey when I was introduced to it....somehow, a headless torso and two attached feet did not disguise Tom the Turkey. The whole process got seriously out of control when something in the lifeless body started to twitch . My scream was worthy of Most Haunteds Best and my leap in the opposite direction was Olympian. I don't do "dead" and Gregs explanation of the scientific process of residual nerve  action was no consolation...he will pay !! ( Two trips to Goodwill out of this one, smile). So, tonight, the world ( well, the Penninsula ) is still white, the roads are like glass and the forecast for tomorrow not much better. Goodnight and God Bless from the Ice Granny. Take care.  M

WELL....what a day !!!! This morning there was a dusting of snow when we cautiously poked our noses out the door, have we got enough layers on ? how bad is it ? how bad is it going to get ?...we found out pretty fast, and it wasn't pretty ! Well, from an artistic point of view and looking through the window of a centally heated room with a cup of steaming hot tea and a ginger biscuit, it WAS pretty but slipping and sliding down the road on our commute ( all of 5 minutes on a bad day ) it was not looking too good. Locks on the gate were frozen solid and resistant to all attempts to open them. Greg looked like he was going to expire before he even got the gate open and all he was doing was heavy breathing on the lock ! ( mental note...heavy breathing isn't good for Greg !!) As the morning progressed, the snow clouds got heavier overhead and  snow flakes  the size of quarters started to fall. All the horses were snug in their winter blankets but two hooves out of the warm dry stall and we got the "you CANNOT be serious" look. The Shires spent their day butts to the wind and perfecting the look of animals under the care of the ASPCA.  Dolly and Molly Moo were seriously unimpressed by the white stuff that froze low riding udders and the goats weren't seen all day, just in case we had any intention of banishing them to the Siberian climate. Oddly, the cold temperatures seem to inspire the chickens, we had a good day, judging by the baskets of multi coloured eggs I fought the girls to bestow on me. I swear some of those chickens are descended from pterodactyls  ( flying dinosaurs... I checked with google !) They are vicious, every visit to the henhouse I say "thank you" and "excuse me ladies" as I snaffle their eggs but some of those little feathered friends are not about to part with the fruits of their hard work and put up quite the fight. Soup chicken comes to mind. ..those birds had better beware, never peck the had that feeds , and that is me ! Oh well, 9 oclock and I'd turn into a pumpkin if they hadn't all been carved up for Halloween. Time to put this weary body to bed, still snuffling and still with a toothpick in my foot, but apart from that, I'm FINE !!! Good night God Bless from a snowy Gentle Giant Meadows Ranch. We'll see what tomorrow brings......Take care, M  

So now we've got snow, that cold white stuff that you love as children, snowmen, sleighs, snow angels and s'mores. As a farmer its "OMG" ...frozen water troughs, ice in hooves, snowed up gates and COLD. Destiny is getting smart, I can see her little grey nose peeping out of her shelter, The sheep have taken refuge under the trees, the goats have the option to go out to play......they haven't taken it . Molly and Dolly are buried in the bedding in the cow barn, chewing their cud and watching the wet white stuff fall,...outside. Smart cows. Lamb Chop is hiding behind Daisy Mays bulk and Daisy May doesn't care as long as there is food ! Poor Bran, he wants to chase something so badly and no one wants to play !!! Bedragled chickens are lining the roosts, only the hardy and the foolhardy venture out in the pen. Lady and Quest have turned their butts to the wind and the blowing snowflakes and Charm just carried on munching, not much disturbs his routine. I mucked out the stalls with frozen leaden feet and found every opportunity to retreat to the wood stove keeping the kitchen toasty warm. Greg has some "good stuff " to go in our hot chocolate...it's holiday time isn't it ???? ..well, if it isn't , it soon will be ! Still snorting and snuffling and my foot still hurts but hey, things could be worse...I think !!! Well, Greg's had a tough day and is asleep and snoring on the recliner, Bran is on his blanket chasing sheep in his sleep, the eggs are washed , it's the end of another day ...and still it snows ! Good night, take care. M

Sniffle snuffle snort sneeeeeze...oh my goodness, I knew that I should have made time for a flu shot at Dr Finklemans !!!! I feef Baaaaaaad ! I'm taking the hot toddys,...they may not do me much good but they sure taste  good ( maybe I'm a bit liberal on the whisky ???? oh well, it's 5 oclock somewhere !)  The turkey choral society is dwindling...can't imagine why....mmmm Thanksgiving, Christmas ?. I'm going to be yowling to myself shortly and with this croak it will not be musical !
My cold is in my head, then there is the foot issue, no hoof no horse, no foot no muckerouter........I think things are coming to a head but no time. It's great being a farmer, there's NO sympathy from cows sheep horses or goats, the weather doesn't  cooperate ..IT'S FREEZING ! I've got so many clothes on I don't know where I start or finish. I'm going to give myself 5 minutes notice for the bathroom...now thats a challenge ! Then there is Greg ( ah, bless, makes me smile) struggling on, uncomplaining....well, on a man scale uncomplaining....ok, so he is complaining but with the state of his spine he has plenty of cause. Between the two of us you can't make a whole....but we'll get there. Where ??? So, another day starts. Outside, the glass on the deck, Clearview glass is not clearview, they are iced up, opaque. the fields are showing white before daylight even breaks...I think I'm going to go and find another pair of socks..gloves..hat, it's going to be brutal. Take care, Mum hugs ( don't worry, I'm fine, I'm English, smile ). M