Gentle Giant Meadows Ranch
  • Home
  • "Almost" Daily Diary
  • Maureen's 60th Birthday Trip to England
  • Gertie and Quest: A True Story - The Book
  • Foresaken Love
  • The Gentle Giants
  • Photo Gallery
  • WWOOFER Program
  • John & Jean Hudson Wedding Nov 2013
  • Lambs
  • Poo Time
  • Memories of a New Cattle Rancher

The first Winter snow falls.

1/16/2012

3 Comments

 
It snowed !! Tiny little icy white crystals floated from the sky……and there is CHAOS out there in the real world, spin outs, rear enders and abandonment ..and that was all by 6am. Here on the ranch, changes in the seasons and changes in the weather don’t get us too excited. Each season gives us different challenges but the livestock don’t forget to eat / drink  or poop ‘cause it’s cold….though the chickens do appear to forget that they are obliged to provide eggs in exchange for food. Egg production has dropped to an all time low and according to chicken guru Ginger,there is no significant decrease in grain consumption. Apparently it is too cold to lay….but not too cold to eat, Ginger has had harsh words for the indolent birds, it would be advisable for our feathered friends to ramp up production…Ginger loves chicken soup !  .   Yesterday I watched from the kitchen, warm and dry as the reserve team went to work.  Wood smoke hung in the sky, a lazy grey curl hanging above the barn kitchen and the composting manure pile quietly steamed. Horses, warmly blanketed were taken out to the pastures white with ice and snow.   Hol-ley’s,  first experience of the fluffy flakes was met with caution, little white crystals settled on her nose, initially pensive, suddenly she erupted into a faultless imitation of a rodeo bull, bucking, twisting and bucking some more that little calf hurtled round her pasture in the falling snow. Poor Lamb Chop, no match for the power of the excited Hol-ley retreated to the field shelter and, up to his knees in warm dry bedding he safely waited out his pasture mate’s strange behaviour.      

Poor Bran. Over the past few days the border collie has been enthusiastic for his milk bone treats but wasn’t actually eating them. I’m almost certain that, if there is such a thing as recreation, Bran was a man in his other life. Bran is a sulker. Leave Bran behind, give him a bath or even just forget that he believes he is number one and that dog will sulk. It isn’t a “ he’s a bit off” type of sulk, it is a full on I’m finding a corner, I’m turning my back and my ears will be flat on my head type of sulk and we are used to it ( that’s my reasoning for him having been male in at least one of his pre lives.) It hasn’t quite been the same over the past few days. The dog hasn’t eaten his treats and he has been strangely clingy and unusually dejected looking. Last night we examined Bran’s mouth and discovered that one of his canine teeth has apparently lost the battle, chewing  just one boulder too many. One of today’s projects is going to be to find a vet that is open. Typically for our household, everything happens at the weekend or on a national holiday. What’s today ? ..a National holiday ! It is tough to think that the dog has a toothache, it must be bad if he isn’t taking his goodies !

Well, it is snowing again, the pond is already frozen over, looks really cold out there….think I will go and snuggle up in my “must have”, national craze ( so the advertisement says !) snuggle blanket. Take care, keep safe, M

Ps. Please visit the Hope for Georgia page and if you can find it in your heart (and cheque book) support the effort to help find money for  research into Dravet Syndrome, we would really appreciate your support
3 Comments
Annie x
1/16/2012 04:51:44 am

Aah snow - it's Ok when you are already where you plan to be.....and you can ski on it !! Poor old Bran - hope that he is feeling better. Hope that your improvement continues apace Maureen.
Love you tons
Annie x

Reply
mum j says
1/16/2012 06:12:10 am

hi all get your ski boots out, maureen and i are warm lol. hope brain is ok, love you all , kyle is on his way 2 get me a coffee, yum. by mum j.

Reply
Sandra Hayes link
1/16/2012 04:42:00 pm

Maureen, I'm really glad that you are on the mend, the snow sounds lovely but somewhat cold, but all the stuff with that bloody eagle bothers me..........

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Its me, Maureen, (the Boss)

    Archives

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.