Today  – my daughter, her partner and wee darling Evie headed out on their very FIRST road trip as their new family unit to PEI.

Naturally – as the Helicopter Parent that I am – it’s ok – I’ve gone from being a Black Hawk to a much more family friendly model – that I checked in frequently in their travels to see how 1. They were faring and 2. How baby was handling the road trip.

Having had a test run with Baby to a family reunion in Southern Ontario last weekend – sitting in a car seat and not knowing why for such a long period can be trying for her young mind.

Safe and sound at their first hotel stop in Grand Falls NB – Baby “settled” for the night and Mum and Dad having eaten most likely “road food” for dinner – I remembered a significant road trip in our lives.

Back in 2002 – our first year as a “new family”  – Hubs joining our unit after my separation – we embarked on a 10 day road trip up through Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.

The kids were young – my daughter 11 or so and my son just 6.

In our land yacht of a car – a Caprice – we set off on our grand journey.

The trip was awesome – we of course did not have the luxury of cell phone or interweb to pre-book hotels and had to find the CHEAPEST possible as cash was tight.

I will have to say our favourite stop was by far Portland Maine – the shipyard and Popham Beach and we actually stayed in the hotel for 3 nights. Can’t remember the name.

Funny thing is that that damn room phone kept ringing  and we made up all these freaky scenarios as to why.

Messaging with my daughter – moments ago – I recalled that memory to her and her response was – and I quote…

Oh.My. God.

I was just literally thinking of that!!!

How WEIRD is that?!?!. I literally unplugged the phone about 30 mins ago because I was thinking if someone called and woke up the baby  I’d be PISSED! Then I though of that exact time.

It is so incredibly amazing how those most excellent memories from so many years ago can just hit you like a freight train.

I know they will have an awesome trip and that years from now – when maybe Baby takes her first trip  – that Mum will remind her to unplug that damn hotel phone – if they even have them then!!!

Safe travels darlings.

 

A moment if you will – as a grandmother.

Grandmother sounds so stuffy so I prefer the “hipper” GG if you don’t mind.

It’s be over 10 months since our wee Evie June graced our lives with her effervescentness! (made that word up).

And while I love and cherish my children – there is just something about that wee red headed cookie that just makes me gush with joy.

Yes yes – I can gush with joy- I am not totally soulless you know (shhh – don’t want to tarnish my rep)

I try and see Evie at least once a week – so she recognizes me and remembers who I am.

That is very important in our lives as she grows and becomes more aware of the world.

I am fortunate enough to work so close to where my daughter and her partner live that I can pop over at lunch if/when I am having a craptaculate day and just hang out and get punched in the face when she hulks out OR even better get there just after nap time.

After nap time is the best.

Evie wakes up smiling and giggling like the lunatic she is so happy to be awake and pointing at everything and grabbing my hair – my nose – my face – it just makes me realize how loving the human spirit is.

My daughter and her partner are just stupendous parents – keeping her silly and goofy.

I can remember as a young woman that all I ever wanted was children to have me feel like whole in life – no no – not that I am not – but just the missing pieces – now that we have Evie – it’s like that tiny little “click” of that last piece that has that puzzle complete.

Am sure those two will add another grandchild (or two lol) but until then – Evie June Brady is the apple of my eye.

Now to find her a PONY!!!!

 

 

To all farm owners  – hay is liquid gold!!!

Well not exactly liquid but small/large or round bales of sustenance for their livestock.

From what I understand – hay for cattle is still hay but does not need to be the most excellent nutritional quality (I have no clue) that horse owners demand – not ask for mind you – demand. (me included)

Some info – credit to – http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca – read at your leisure.

“Horses consume 2-2.5% of their body weight in dry matter daily. Forage in the form of hay and hay cubes will comprise 50-100% of the dry matter requirements. Therefore, a 1000 lb. mature horse can be expected to consume 22-24 lb. of hay daily on an as fed basis. (1000 lb. x 2% or 1000 lb. x .02 = 20 lb. of dry matter. Hay is 90% dry matter; therefore, 20 lb. of dry matter is equal to 20 x 100/90 = 22 lb. of hay on an as fed basis). Assuming that a small square bale of hay weighs 50 lb., this represents about ½ a bale of hay per day per mature 1000 pound horse. (For the purposes of this article, the term “bale” refers to a 50 lb. small square bale of hay. However, there is a large variation in bale weight from as low as 30 lb. up to 60 lb. Therefore, it is best to weigh a number of bales and get an average for your hay.)”

Needless to say that horses can be somewhat delicate in their palate and horse owners -well we are a crazy lot of people that feed their equine partners better than we feed ourselves most of the time.

Four words come to mind – “Horse Owners Be Crazy” .

While my pasture puffs don’t need the nourishment that the “athletes” need – I still do look for good quality. Think of it as the difference between a fast food meal and a home cooked meal. You still get full but you don’t get the nutritional balance that you need.

Ok moving on.

Last couple of years have been a struggle to get a source – let alone the quality needed.

Weather has not been kind and drives up the price of this commodity. Watching these farmers struggle as they have these past couple of years and wondering will I have enough to see me through is a stressful and sleepless night dance. When that pile gets smaller – one tends to panic.

This year was shaping up to be a “famine” year but fortune favours the brave and the weather decided to cut us some freakin’ slack after the monsoon season (not lying – we broke a rainfall record).

I am extremely fortunate to have an excellent hay supplier to feed my hay burners.

The quality has always been excellent – he’s a hard working young man with a family to feed and I thank my lucky stars that he can supply our puffs.

For this – I am very thankful.

Hats off to all the farmers that are racing to get off that gold that we need to feed those animals that bring us so much joy.  They work their asses off and for some of them – cropping is their source of income.

If you see a tractor with trailer hauling hay or any other crop for that matter and they are driving slow – don’t be an asshole and get impatient – they are harder working people than a lot of people in this world.

Thank a Farmer today!!!

(photo credit to my good friend  who has the same supplier as me 🙂 )

 

 

I cannot believe it has been since May that I have actually sat down and put thought to words and posted.

Time flew!!! – is flew a word? Meh I’ll look it up later.

I have had thoughts and musings pop into my head for epic posts – usually just before I fall asleep and don’t have a paper and pen to jot notes so I can remember them the next day.

THEN! the next day comes and by the time I sit down to write the damn post – I can’t remember those oh so magical words.

ZING…

What’s new?? what’s new??

Well – we lost one of our old hennies Maria to age – RIP Maria -she was a good bird.

We sadly had to say goodbye to my dear Georgie. He was the Roo I actually took to the vet and spent like actual money on…at the vet…ya that damn bird meant alot to me. Unfortunately he just kept sliding downwards so we did the humane thing and sent him to chicken even after. RIP Georgie.

The little duck ducks and chicken/ducks are doing well and growing like wee weeds – please be hens – please be hens.

Our neighbor found us a “ditch chicken” wandered onto her property- we snagged it and brought her home. She is NOT friendly!!!

Most of our hay is “up” for the winter months which is a huge relief – we are broke BUT horses will eat.

OH baby barn swallows nested under our overhang and we are watching the magic of mama swallow care for them.

Italy was great – amazing food, wine, people and architecture.

Off to Newfoundland this coming week for 3 days – never been – am super excited.

Hmmmm…what else?

How dull it has been here at Orange Acres – just regular same old same old life I guess.

I think I’ll put a pad of paper near my bed when the AHA moments strike so I can write an epic philosophical and worldly post.

Summer is here – something exciting is bound to happen I’m sure!

Dear Georgie – RIP… XXOO

Sorry all -it’s been a bit…

So much going on – mostly the craptacular weather as of late.

Rain – again – and again and again.

Throw in a weeks trip to Italy (I know stop complaining) a busy busy work environment and life. – HELLO!!!!

So – my son – what a kid – one of the many great loves in my life.

The love of his life – she lives in Arkansas City Kansas.

Drove up to Canada to visit only to be denied entry to  our wonderful country – which was very upsetting but shit happens and I will not comment further. (still in shock)

Full on Mama Bear mode – drive son to border – to meet up and stick him in a car with her for the grueling 22 hour drive BACK to Arkansas City Kansas. Really short explanation to a long story but meh.

ROAD TRIP….

Of course that Mama Bear in me is thinking “what have I done??” I put my son – my baby in a car to drive across the universe (not really) and was freaking out last night.

But then my fat stupid head realized – he’s not a baby anymore. Dammit!!!

He’s a grown ass human that can take care of himself and hey…road trip with his love!!

I’d have killed for that experience at his age.

Where am I going with this???

Well – life throws us curve balls – all the live long frikkin’ day.

We can sit and wallow with the poor me OR we can make shit happen!!

So that is what we did – we made shit happen!!!

They are safely right now in Cleveland  – a nice spot to land for the night to soldier on tomorrow to Arkansas City.

Will I worry about them – hell ya.

Will they be ok – hell ya.

Will I sleep tonight – hell ya!! UM NOPE!!!

I will sleep when they arrive in Arkansas City.

Some people call me a “helicopter parent”. I can guarantee I have NEVER gone on job interview with my children (extreme but it does happen).

Do I hover? Hell ya!!!

It is not because I don’t trust in their ability to get by – it’s because I love.

Train of thought train of thought.

So to recap – shit happens – we fix it – and we have chicklets being raise by a duck.

What more could I ask for?

 

 

I’ve been on vacay this past week – and I was really trying to “unplug” and for the most part successful.

My boss knows – if she needs me and texts or calls me – I am there.

I am not sure why I bother with a week off in April as the weather is typically shitty – this past week was no exception except for Wednesday – which was amazing!

We used to go South in April but running a farm has kept us pretty close to home.

It’s hard to get away when you have so many lives depending on you.

Like I said above – Wednesday – wow!!! sun glorious sun!!!

I cleaned chicken coops and sat outside – even got a wee bit of sun to which I thought nothing of until later that day.

Went to bed all chilled from sunburn and woke up the next day feeling like I had drunk a bottle of Pinot Noir.

Dehydrated you ass hat – I thought and powered through.

Until Thursday when I could not shake that craptacular feeling.

And then….it struck!!!

“Campylobacter is a bacteria that infects the intestinal tract, and very rarely can also infect the blood stream. When a person gets sick from this infection it is called campylobacteriosis”

I am my own worst enemy in this case. While I do practice good bio security – the rains of the past few days coupled with the fact that chickens and ducks are disgusting and dirty creatures – well – clearly it was not good enough.

No shit!! I could sell tickets to mud runs in my paddock!!! Surely I can bottle it and sell it as the next big face moisturizer?? No???

Soooo – no more eating sandwiches while mucking stalls (I’m not kidding – have totally done that) but not this week LOL!!! –

I am now back to somewhat small portions of very bland and boring foods – so no big Easter Feast here at Orange Acres – we will save that for when my stomach decides it likes food again.

Plus side – lost 4 lbs? Silver lining – silver lining.

And now – here I sit – last day of vacay.

Coops are clean and almost have all the carpet ripped up off the stairs – oh ya did that too.

Back to work tomorrow – road trip/work trip Tuesday/Wednesday and then OFF TO ITALY on May 4th for work!! (I’ll get in that later).

I do long for the sunny white beaches of Cuba – but that would cost a years supply of hay.

To jet away and leave it all behind and sit and worry the whole time I’m sure.

We chose our life on the farm  – it has been our dream for years – perhaps with downsizing we will get there again – who knows.

Right now what I want is my stomach to settle – easy stomach – the sun to shine and this God forsaken rain to just stop already and a nice cup of tea.

(Good Lord I sound old!!!)

Happy Easter everyone!!

Early night for this old gal!!!

They say that April showers bring May flowers…

Am pretty sure they meant the soft little rain misting showers where one can prance around in a cute little sun dress holding their lady bug umbrella in flowered rain boots.

Not the deluge/weather watch/end of the world/GET YOUR ARK rain showers that we are apparently in for.

The constant whirring of the sump pump  – hey its doing it’s job.

Oh the wind is picking up – wonder what that will bring with it.

Vacation started Friday at 3pm promptly.

I typically take a week off in April – clean out some chicken coops – kick back – clean up this dump – hopefully get in a ride or two and just relax.

This weekend started with a wonderful Saturday morning. Picked up dear Evie June to spend weekend fun with her Mum and GG at Orange Acres.

That kid slays me. Evie is so funny and smart and delicious!!!! and currently – at 707 pm EST kicking up a storm in her room – fussy girl tonight! (update at publish time – finally asleep)

This morning saw an “adventure” of another kind. Not gonna lie – it was heart stopping!

Boomer scared the hell out of us! Boomer is Big Yellow and I oft complain that he is an ahole extraordinaire BUT he is my family and quite frankly my best friend.

I slept in  – as I have many Sundays. Not getting fed at 630 is typically not the end of the world.

Got up – went downstairs and looked out the front window – Saw Rip (Big Horse) and B (Boomer) lying down.

Went to living room asked Hubs if he’d been out yet – no was the answer.

Yawned stretched and went outside – it was actually quite nice.

Something was off though.

Boomer was lying down still – I’m calling him and he ain’t moving and my heart stopped. The closer I got to the paddock the more my gut just sank.

I ran into the house screaming like a banshee (Ok that might be a little exaggerated) yelling to Hubs that Boomer is hung up on the fence.

Pulled the electric fence plug out it’s socket and ran like the devil himself was on my ass.

Calling him the whole time and he’s not moving.

Hubs comes crashing out the door and I take a deep breath preparing myself for the worst because I was sure he was dead.

As I was walking towards him halter in hand – I checked his rear end (dead animals typically – well  – discharge all internal waste) he was clean so that was good but still not moving.

Stepped thru the fence and he looked at me – I mean really looked at me so  I slipped the halter over his head and shhhhhh it’s ok Bud.

Boomer had rolled in his rolling spot and got his two back feet tangled in the only mid size tree in the entire paddock. A small apple tree.

Oh good Lord – Hubs is soooo calm and I am trying not to lose my shit because I do not know how long he has been down but he is not struggling so that is good. But his breathing is getting a little laboured and he’s sweating.

Now – how to right him??

Running like hell through the muck of all mucks (and this I am not embellishing I HAULED ASS) grabbed two lead lines.

Trying to break the branches because we dare not leave to get a saw – we loop one over the back feet and one over the front feet.

ONE!!!! TWO!!!! THREE!!! AND HEAVE!!!

Over he goes and scrambles up to his feet BUT not before  clipping Hubs in the shoulder. (nothing broken – just bruised)

Trembling on legs that I am sure are numb – he exhales and coughs a couple of times to clear his lungs and I start bawling like a big old girl!!!

Fully inspected with a couple of abrasions on his back legs at the hock and I am sure his hip is sore from where he lay noting a small puncture wound in his sheath area.

Deciding to wait to see how the day progresses and consulting a friend – we don’t call the vet immediately.

Noting a small ooze of liquid near his puncture would we make the call BUT unfortunately our usual vet is not on call this weekend so we call a very realiable and respected vet in our area who we have never really dealt with before (but will in the future for sure) who gave me sound advice on what to do and to call tomorrow with an update.

We will call our usual vet first thing and have him in to just be sure all is well.

Needless to say that Boomer is now lounging in his stall with his hay net and two buckets of fresh water changed hourly and me checking on him every 30 minutes.

My alarm is set.

What a roller coaster day!!!!

Boomer is fine I am sure and I can add another experience to our ever growing repertoire of fun on the farm!

I do NOT want to go through that ever again!!! EVER!!!

Huge shout outs to Hubs of course  – my anchor! – to our consultant of course and to Big Horse (Rip) who stood over Boomer protecting him until we got there.

I need a drink!!!!

 

A friend of mine got her first ever chickens.

I am so happy for her – there is nothing – to me anyway – that is more fun than owning our flightless children.

Descended from Gods they are – dinosaurs actually.

If you’ve ever seen Jurassic Park (no copy rite infringement intended) you’ll get it.

When those velociraptors are walking about??? Dude – I see my cranky hennie every time.

That brings us to Chicken Math.

Chicken Math is not like regular math or advanced math. ie. if Hennie took a train going southbound at 45 kms per hour while Roo took a northbound at 35 kms per hour who would cross the road first math.

Nuh uh – this is special math.

I  – for one – started with 3 chickens. One Roo – Two Hennies. Well Hennies hatches some chicks and then we had more.

Foxie came in an stole some so we had to reinforce and start again.

Add a couple more.

Go on vacation – get wiped out save two hens.

Start over – hit up a couple of auctions – hatch a few more and before you know it your rocking 30 plus dang birds!!!

You cannot just give them away (will not is more appropriate) because you have become so damn attached to the freeloading non egg laying slackers.

And while you think you can just rehome a Roo – nope they have a name too and again see above – attached.

Winter hits – less than hearty birds just don’t survive  we lost two this winter  – BUT the math is still solid.

OH and that does not even take into account the rescue bird that simply will not survive  the cold that is literally living in my office – no shit – Ima lookin’ right at her.

The ladies get too old to lay – nope – can’t just off them – they have names and are so much fun to hang out with.

See – chicken math.

Bottom line – I do love my birds. It is my every intention for them to live out their dinosaur like lives – I keep them fed and safe and warm.

They are like that name brand potato chip that everyone talks about that hens do – Lay’s you can’t have just one!!!!

Oh   – FYI – this is Darling Diva – she is a battery rescue who was completely bald  – our first cold snap last December left her shivering and freezing in our coop. She has spent her winter convalescing in MY office in an extra-large dog crate- she gets out frequently to roam our home – the cats don’t mind her much anymore. She will rejoin her flock soon but I think will always come home inside at night-time. Right now she is snoring away.

 

 

 

Oh the dreaded Sunday blues.

Back to the punch clock (not really) workaday world of the dreaded Monday.

This weekend saw hay pick up/delivery with new tractor accoutrements and precision driving.

Coupled with of course household/barn chores and fun times with friends.

Sunday to me is the “reset” or the “reboot”.

End of the old week cusping the beginning of the new.

The weather while still not stellar brings the breeze and smell of the future weather to come.

The song of the birds we have not seen in months – little red squirrel with bad attitude is yelling at me from the yard and mysterious tracks of wandering wild life.

Spring – boing boing boing – ahead into the new season.

What’s to come – what’s to start?

Do not know but am anxious to find out.

I am often torn on my favourite season.

I love the newness of Spring and the life that comes with it but do love Autumn and the change.

Maybe we all need to learn and appreciate all seasons of change?

I – for one – do not relish change or anything out of the norm.

I’m a fixer – I fix things – situations – crap – puzzles – things.

If it’s broke – well I fix it – I will exhaust all my resources to fix it – and when I have done that and it still ain’t fixed – well I keep trying to find a way to fix it and then I break down when I cannot fix it.

BUT then I get up – and go on and hope it fixes itself but am there to pick up or clean up and be there to assist in fixing/patching/supporting it.

Season’s of change or simply Sunday – you decide.

What does International Women’s Day have to do with life on the farm?

Sit back a wee bit and I’ll try to explain in the squirrel like style my posts typically take when I get passionate about a subject.

I was not always a farm owner – hell when we first moved here I did NOT know a soul in this area.

BUT – a trip to the feed store quickly turned that around.

Met a women – Audrey Rooney – owned the local feed store. Tough as nails but soft as cotton.

We became friends through my weekly trip to buy  feed and bric a brac and roped me into doing stuff here and there – hell she had me rapel off a 13 story building for a Make a Wish.

In that  – I met Tash – then Manon – then Katherine – then Tammy and another Tammy and a Carrie and I am sure I’m missing someone – sorry.

Then I needed help with a lame horse and met an Amanda who then introduced me to her tribe of women.

And then I got into raising chickens where I met a Jo and a Donna and a Kelly and a Melinda and  Melissa and Jen – still missing some I am sure.

And with this I grew my farming family.

OH!!! and I have Sue and Chrissann – geez the list goes on.

In fact – truth be told – my entire life has been predominately female centric.

Grew up in a family of 8 sisters (and 1 brother and don’t go all AWWWW poor boy  – he’s fine). Cindy, Stacey, Johanne, Lynda, Diana, Patricia and Catherine – we survived!

Strong women – warriors all. Most of them have no idea how fierce they are. I see it every time we are together in a pack or one on one. If we see each other everyday or once a year – still the same.

Me Mum – man – what a grand woman – truly – a product of strong women.  Gramma and Gramma Gramma (that’d be my great-grandmother)  – unwavering and strong.

While I was driving into work today the discussions were encouraging people to discuss and “nominate” a woman who inspired you or changed your life.

I cannot pick one – dude that is so hard to do because all my sisters of blood and of happenstance inspire me daily.

BUT… if I had a gun to my head and had to pick one.

I’d have to pick my daughter.

Sure – we did not always see eye to eye – in fact she drove me batshit crazy through her teen years and college and the constant flitting here and there. Settle down already!!! – and she did – and has and it is a constant amazement to me.

My daughter is grace and dignity and style in a tiny little package. Educated and silly and fun.

A new mother who embraces the new age method but adheres to the old school values.

A true role model  – a better mother than myself (although she has had great teachers) and truly one of my greatest accomplishments.

Truly – no bullshit – my best friend.

AND HELLO!!! Gifted our family with our dear Evie June!!! Our next generation.

Secret – children are great – truly – Grand children – well that is a whole new level!!!

Wrap it up – wrap it up…

This post is dedicated to all my kindred woman warriors.

Darlings – thank you for being my sister, my daughter,and my friend.

I can only hope that I can be as good a mother, sister and friend to you all – as you all have been to me.

XXOO