Fancy Girl

Everyone knows my mini donkey Patches loves attention, but Fancy has always been skittish. Until today that is. This evening, she decided she wanted my loving and adoration. Of course, I have her tons. She was happy and I hope this becomes a regular thing. 

Even Patches was amazed and actually allowed the love fest without getting her big snout in there. Once Fancy was done though, I made sure to give Patches her normal amount. Neck scratches are the best they say!

In fact, all of my animals love the neck scratches. From cats to dogs, goats to cows, that throat and neck rub are the perfect spot!

Breathalyzer

I think I got away with it tonight. Rob and I had steaks for dinner and while the goats were very curious about my breath, the cows fortunately paid no attention. Whew! I always feel especially guilty when we have steaks for dinner, which is rare. Any other cut of meat, not so much, but steaks are different for me for some inane reason. 

Progress continues to be made with the barndo. The beams were put in today making us vertical! Tomorrow, the plan is to get the sky track out to put on the rafters! So exciting. 

Lately, Rob's been on vacation this week and yet we haven't done anything. Tomorrow is a full day of errands, but maybe Friday we'll do something a little different. At least we've caught up on all our napping!

Fluffy Dance

Brogan is still being fed by bottle twice a day just to make sure he gets all his nutrients. He's such a character when he's gobbled down his bottle and wants more. He'll rub all up on you, do this little fluffy dance, try to suck the shirt off your back, etc. I use that time to really give him about to tail scratches. Just like Reggie, he loves the bum rubs. He'll just keep dancing for you if you do that. 

The workers managed to weld different bits of metal together today and we could see the front pitch and the back pitch all laid out. I think tomorrow the beams go up! I'm not sure, I've been trying to stay out of their way. They always smile and wave when they see me, so that's a good sign. They even allow the pups to hang around which is great. 

We also picked up all the animal feed for the week. I'm not joking when I say our animals eat better than we do. But just seeing their fluffy dance makes it all worthwhile!

Christmas Miracles

Thank goodness we have water again! Our builder put us in touch with a well service and they came out this morning. They replaced the pump, replaced a few pipes, and we were back in business! Truly, that was a big weight off my shoulders. You try telling Fiona to conserve water, I dare you. 

We also had some guys here working on the beams for the barndo. What?! It really is a Christmas miracle. Progress, I like it!

Other than that, we spent the day driving all over creation to find a heat lamp to cover our pump for the last night in awhile it's supposed to freeze. This farming thing ain't for the weak y'all!

To All A Goodnight

Merry Christmas everyone! Every day is an adventure for us and some adventures are better than others. As I mentioned in the last blog, we lost water almost immediately when the cold front came in. Well, it fractured the pump and who knows when we'll get water again. This is why I tried to have the well house built in time. Nothing we can do about it now. 

Fortunately, we have a Gator in our lives. He came today and delivered water to our animals. We had been doing our best with gallon jugs, but Fiona alone drinks a bunch. All the animals are doing well now and for that, I'm eternally grateful. 

I missed so much about Christmas and the traditions I hold dear, but there's always next year. For this year, I'm content with the friendships I have, the family I love, and of course, all my beautiful animals. 

Merry Christmas

From our little family at Fur Real Farms, we wish y'all a happy and safe Christmas. We've already lost water from the cold front and the fun is just getting started. I'll write again Christmas evening if we survive. 

What Do We Do?

It's the eve before the polar vortex, or whatever it's called, hits us and we don't know what to expect. We live in RVs for crying out loud! I'm getting over the flu, we've got an almost 89 year old, and all we could do was wrap pipes and fill up everything we could. What else can we do?

Texans are weird about weather phenomena. If we flood, we hoard water. If a tornado is coming, we get out our shotguns to blast it away. What about wind chills in the single digits?! Do we open the freezer door or something? I joke because truly, what else can I do?

The animals have all their pine shavings, food and water. Well the livestock animals that is. We're hoping the domesticated animals don't have to resort to pine shavings, but you never really know. Stay warm, stay silly and let's have fun!

Next Year

Next year, I'm going to try sooner to get Christmas pics of the animals. With the frisky weather, the animals are friskier than ever. 

This evening, Nutty tried to head butt Flora, which made Fiona mad and she tried to charge me. I screeched for her to stop, which she did immediately, but my high pitched alarm sent Brogan and the donkeys off on a wild goose chase. 

Fiona decided because of Nutty's behavior, the cows should be given their oats before the goats are even corralled to their stall. She wouldn't take no for an answer, y'all know how she can be, so they got their oats. 

Order finally resumed and everyone calmly went into their respective stalls where Brogan then slammed down his milk like it was a party keg. He gave me tons of cuddles though, so I'm not complaining. 

So no pictures of them in Christmas gear, but they're a gift to me daily anyway. 

Fog

I've seen fog plenty in my lifetime, but the fog on the farm is more dense than I've ever seen tonight. I'm not even sure Rudolph's red nose could blast through it. The pups went out just a few moments ago and heard, possibly even smelled, something nearby, but none of us could see it. Once the pups ran off ten feet from me, I couldn't see them either. 

Luckily, we don't actually have to see anything tonight. We're nice and snug in our RV with fully replenished propane to keep us warm. Soon, we'll have a Christmas movie on to enjoy before getting a long winter's nap. 

In the meantime, take a gander at the only other Christmas animal pic I've gotten so far. Sundae always aims to please and she rather enjoyed her bandana. 

First Kiss

As we're preparing for an Arctic blast, my animals are doing anything but giving me the cold shoulder. Tonight, all the animals got some fresh pine shavings, which was a first for Brogan. All the other animals knew about the stuff helping them keep warm, but he was highly confused as to why it suddenly smelled like a pine forest in the barn. The goats frolicked like it was fresh snow. Meanwhile, Patches and Fancy got spooked when Rob tore open the plastic bag of the shavings near them. I had to stay behind and calm them, but that's what a mama does. 

The biggest shock of the night though was Flora giving me her first kiss! Granted I tricked her with a treat, but she enjoyed how happy I was from the affection. She even let me give her extra cuddling tonight and to pick out a burr matted in her fur I've been working on for a couple of days. I might not be the best farmer or rancher, but by golly I'm really good with animals! 

Also, I'm trying to take Christmas pics of my animals. I've only gotten two so far, so enjoy the first one of Flora. 

Better Late Than Never

We've trained the animals to come in at sunset. They get their food and locked in their stalls like clockwork. Well, until tonight they did. 

Tonight, we were a little late (an hour) as we got delayed shopping. They've seen Senior, they know he doesn't move quickly, but some of my animals did not care about our excuses for being tardy. No surprise, Fiona was moody. Nutty have a little head bump to show his displeasure. Fancy, Patches and Brogan bucked around like broncos. Flora refused to give me cuddles and the girl goats while not upset, were less warm with their welcome. Lesson learned guys. 

It's ok, they'll cool off tonight. Literally. I don't know how low it is going to get, but the air is already frigidly crisp since the sun went down. At least we eliminated the wet spot in the cow stall. You're welcome Fiona!

Ten Months

We've lived here on our farm and in our RV for ten months now. I don't recommend this style of living for anyone and who knows when the end is for us? Here's some things I won't miss:

1. The smells. Just so many smells and none of them pleasant. 

2. The inability to stretch. Rob and I are tall and I can't sit up in bed without bumping my head, we can't stretch inside without hitting walls and ceilings, etc. 

3. No bathtub and one very tiny shower. There are parts of me I'm not sure have been adequately cleaned in ten months!

4. Not really a kitchen. Forget baking, making an entree with a hot side, or anything like that. Not going to happen. 

5. No closets. We have something that is called a closet, but only toddler clothing could fit in there. 

6. The elements. You feel every temperature change, you get to rocking with the winds, good times. 

7. No privacy. I learned I mutter rude things under my breath to Rob which used to go unnoticed. Oops. 

8. No comfortable furniture. This goes with us being tall people, but geez the furniture in these things are reminiscent of school bus seats. 

9. No ceiling fans. Fifth wheels have these. Should have gotten a fifth wheel. 

10. ........

You know what, I should stop now. This is just getting me more depressed. I could also go on forever. Bring on the barndo, I'm more than ready!

That's New

Warning, this blog talks about cow urination. If you're squeamish, stop reading today's blog and come back tomorrow. 

Ok, the last couple of weeks we've been more wet than dry with our weather. Coupled with that, we have clay soil which doesn't allow water to drain quickly. Then, we have a small hole in the roof of the barn over the cow stall. So, we have a little pond in one small part of their stall. What we didn't realize is that our cows have been keeping it moistened by urinating on it. Ugh. 

I researched ways to allow a more sanitary flooring for our cows and because Google can read my mind, it showed me articles about how you can train your cows to urinate in one spot. Huh, didn't know that was possible and furthermore, it looks like I've inadvertently taught them already. Good to know. Now, I'll get that spot sorted and see if they'll keep using that area. It will actually help if we only have to treat one area. Oh and side note, they don't defecate in their stall. Everywhere else, and I mean everywhere else, they do, but not in their stall. They're fascinating creatures!

No, I wasn't going to share a pic of the cow potty lol

Jackpot Show

This past weekend, we watched our first stock show. It was called a jackpot show which meant several entries of animals could be in each class, first place won money, and no animals were auctioned. Animals shown were swine, boer goats, and cows by future farmers of America. 

It was a great learning experience for us. We saw new panel ideas for stalls, saw some very well behaved animals, and that even as small a town as ours, people run in different circles. Meaning, we had never seen most of these people before! Where have they been hiding?

And no, we're not going to show any of our animals. We'll be milking the goats and selling some of their kids. I hope to get a few more highland heifers for breeding down the line to sell their offspring. And, if by some miracle I figure out how, I'll also do some sort of petting zoo or animal therapy visits for any animals I can fully train. Sundae and Patches are the closest to being somewhat trained, but that's not saying too much!

Back to Schedule

Ok, last week I got off kilter on the blogging, but back to the regular schedule. Let's update about the farm. 

The barndo now has electricity and the steel beams have been delivered. Hopefully this week those beams will be erected. 

All the animals are doing great. We're going to have to overhaul the stalls and make them ready for winter here soon, but we haven't figured out when we can yet with our schedule. 

The humans are still alive, but we're not thriving as we once were. Rob turned a year older and already now he's tweaked his back. I had a wrought iron table fall squarely on my foot with the help of some goats, but I'm hoping it's just bruised. Senior has his good days and bad. We're determined to make it through the barndo build though! 

This week, we've got chores to do and errands to run, but we'll see if we can get some fun in there, too. 

Rob's birthday cake. So good!

Humpty Dumpty

I'm back! You know the nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty? It never explicitly says Humpty was an egg. I actually think it was a forewarning about cell phones. Yep, I broke mine and had to wait for a replacement. 

What did y'all miss on the farm? Unfortunately, not much. No work has been done on the barndo. In fact, nothing has been done around here. It took everything I had to stay sane while Rob was working and I not having a phone. I read a lot. I played with my animals a lot. And I slept a lot. 

That's all done now. I've got a phone and I'm lighting fires. But Christmas, the barndo shell better be put up with the windows installed or the new year is going to bring about a less friendly Jen. I used to do warehouse builds many years ago and I've never seen things move so slow as I'm seeing now. I'm going to think positively though. I've got my phone and good things are going to start happening!

Round & Round

Do you know what happens when you live on a farm heavily infested with mesquite? You get flat tires. Lots of them. Luckily, we found a local guy who is going to help us out. With our tires, that is. 

Our town has less than one thousand people, but I've found that most of the people who live here are quite skilled. Gator with metal, David with electrical and plumbing, Jaime with concrete, and now Bruce with tires. Poor Bobby Sue, our tractor, needs a fix on a flat and Bruce is picking up the tire, taking it to his shop, and putting it back on for us. He's also one of our volunteer firemen, so a great guy to know!

Do you know how many people we knew who did things where we used to live? None. We were just outside the city, but couldn't find anyone to come out and do work, let alone good work. Here, everyone knows someone who does what you need. I'm claiming the highland cattle knowledge as I'm the only one who has any here! 🤣

This was over the weekend, you wouldn't know there was a hill past the tree with all the fog and mist 

Worth Waiting

Last week, it was overcast and rainy every single weekday. Saturday, the rain stopped, but the wind was blowing strong. Finally today was a beautiful, sunny, perfect day! It was worth waiting for. 

We are grateful for the rain and are hopeful it helped the area. Drought was becoming a big concern before we got these 3-5 inches. We don't have a rain gauge yet, so I'm using the numbers from the news. It felt like a lot, that's all I know. 

I also did some figuring this weekend, and the earliest my does will kid is January 20th. I doubt anyone but possibly Cocoa will deliver in January, but I'm sure getting excited! All the animals were so happy with the weather today and all let me love on them. If my barndo doesn't get built soon, I might just make the animal's barn my home. I'm even getting used to the smell! 

Happy Thanksgiving 2022

He thinks I forgot him in yesterday's blog, but really I was saving him for today because he's special. Rob, I'm so thankful for you. You go along with my crazy schemes and now share my love of livestock which you didn't think was possible. You're an excellent mother hen to all our chickens, an excellent provider for all of us, and best non-furry animal (human) I know. Happy Thanksgiving Rob, I'll weather any storm with you. 

PS I say the last long because we're getting pummeled by rain. 

Looks like I'm getting a swimming pool in addition to the barndo!

Fur Really Thankful

For our first Thanksgiving on the farm, I want to say how truly thankful I am. I'm thankful for the land, my animals, the friends I've met and the community that has welcomed us. 

I'm thankful to you (my readers), my parents, Senior, Ali & Gator, David, Justin, Curtis, Jaime, Albert, and others who have helped develop this farm. I'm thankful for all my animals: Reggie, Kenzie, Flurry, Mango, Scotchie, Cocoa, Sundae, Cookie Doe, S'mores, Sugar, Spice, Caramel, Nutty, Patches, Fancy, Fiona, Fergus (rest in peace), Flora, Brogan, all the quail we lost and all the chickens we've managed to keep alive (10 for 10 there). Without my furry babies, I wouldn't have survived this RV living. 

Lastly, I'm thankful for continuing adventures in life one day at a time. There's always something to learn, a smile to give, and a memory to make. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Expectations

I'm getting so excited watching my girls fill out with their pregnancies! Judging from their sizes, Cocoa was impregnated first, Scotchie second, and Sundae third. I could be totally wrong on the order, but those three are definitely showing. 

The other girls are a little more difficult to tell yet. I thought S'mores could be, but then she slimmed down and I realized it was her winter puffer effect Caramel must have taught her. She could still be pregnant, just not showing yet. I keep trying to look more closely, but Nutty tends to get in the way. Nutty is aptly named, that's all I can say. 

Also, we picked up the hay today and learned some premium alfalfa is coming in the hay rolls next week from Colorado. Rob and I are going to figure out if we can manage it, that would keep us set for awhile!

My pregnant Sundae 🥰

Don't Be Hayful

If the feeder ever runs out of hay, don't worry, Fiona will be the first to tell you. I have never met an animal with as demanding a personality as her. Tonight, she literally herded me to where I keep her oats. When I opened it, she bulldozed her head into it like a deserted man would come upon an oasis. After she gulped down a couple of mouthfuls, she then allowed me to dish out the remainder of their evening share as she casually went into her stall. Yes, Fiona is in charge. It works best that way. 

What's cute, is Brogan then started mooing for his milk. He saw how Fiona got prompt attention, and he wanted the same treatment. Sorry kiddo, you have to wait your turn as normal. Hopefully by the time you get to be her size, you won't be as demanding!

Sweet Flora and all the others were gentle and patient. Maybe because with the weather they haven't moved much, but I'll take it!

Wintery Weather

Let me preface this by saying, I'm not complaining! This weekend, we've been under wintery weather. Rain, sleet, light snow, we got a little of everything. Other than doing the barest minimum for our animals, we've stayed indoors. That comes with it's own challenges. 

Thursday night/Friday morning, I woke up to my nose and cheeks absolutely freezing, while I was wrapped in the biggest bundle of blankets and animals possible. Yep, we ran out of propane!  It was only for a couple of hours, no big deal. We got the tanks refilled and were back in action. 

Tonight though, we found out Senior's tank is bone dry of propane. Despite our warnings, he used up his massive tank in just a tad over a week. So, we're about to head to Walmart and get him some space heaters. He refuses to spend the night in a hotel. At least, my Highlands have been loving the weather! Each time it started to rain, they came out to stand in it. They look like drowned rats, but after how much they suffered with the summer heat, they deserve this!

Land Lease

It had been forgotten for awhile, but Gator is serious about wanting to lease some of our land. We talked through some terms today and scouted out the area he wants, and now Rob and I are going to discuss it. We want the land to be used and we don't mind helping him out, but for those who know me, I always like to make deals. There's probably a disorder for my compulsion to do that, but you never know unless you ask, right?

In other news, the front fence is essentially done. There's a couple of panels that need a little more welding to make it ultra secure, but they are up and the pups are free once again! We also have a wash out area that Gator and I discussed making it secure for animals, but allowing water and small debris to go through. Kinda like a grate, but vertical. 

I also talked with our builder and the metal should arrive next week! Yes, Thanksgiving week. I will be so very thankful for that!

Flora and Brogan deciding laying down by the hay was much more convenient for when they get hungry again

All Alone

You know, all of our animals get along for the most part. True, Fiona gets a little testy when hungry, but then so do I. Patches may get a little horsey at times, but she is part horse. For the most part, they all live together beautifully. But then, there's Nutty. 

As we've never had a goat in rut before, we truly don't know if his erratic behavior is normal or not. He'll love you one moment then try to bash his horns into you the next. All of us, the animals and Rob and I, stay on our toes around him. That's why it didn't surprise me tonight when zero of the female goats wanted to go into the stall with him at first. I get it girls, hang in there! 

At least, we've learned one way to calm him. We give him alfalfa with his feed. The girls get it, too, but he gets his own portion. This somehow makes him focused on eating and then he goes to sleep. Don't worry Cocoa, Scotchie, Sundae, Cookie Doe, S'mores, Sugar, Spice and Caramel, we'll always give him alfalfa!

Side Note

While this blog is about our farm, sometimes it will bleed over into our personal lives as well. After all, we are the farm. While I would love to spend all the time with my animals doing all the things, I'm also a caretaker to my elderly father in law. It's trying at the best of times. Today, it's been a bit much. 

He suffers from dementia which causes a fog over certain thinking skills and memories. Somehow today, he lost one lens of his glasses, but I only realized it after we'd been to various parts of town. He didn't even realize it was missing and therefore, there's no telling how long he's been missing that lens. We immediately went to the eye doctor and not only ordered replacement lenses for his current glasses, but also new glasses as well. Trust me, we've dealt enough with these glasses. 

Anyhow, the poor animals didn't get to eat until late. They weren't happy, we're not exactly happy, but that's life. Here's hoping tomorrow we all see clearly and I can share happy farm moments instead!

Musical Stalls?

We had to take a road trip today to handle some stuff for the farm. As it was lightly raining when we left, and weather reports said the rain would clear, we thought everything would be good at the farm. Little did we know the animals decided to play a game. 

Shortly after we got back, we heard Fancy hawing her head off and we couldn't find Brogan. After slopping through the mud and muck, we found both in the barn. Not where we thought either of them would be though. 

Fancy was literally locked in the goat stall by the goats laying in front of the stall door. Brogan was locked in the donkey stall as that door is built differently and he couldn't get out. You'd think we had placed both of them in an isolation cell in prison the way they were upset! Once freed and mollified, they quickly forgot why they were ever upset. Always fun on the farm!

More Fur Please

At Fur Real Farms, we love all the animals with fur. With our frigid cold snap, those animals appreciate their fur, too. In fact, cute story about our tiniest goat, Caramel. 

Caramel is a dwarf Nigerian goat with a great emphasis on the word dwarf. She stands half the size of the other goats and normally cannot easily be found in the herd due to her size. Well yesterday, as the weather had died below freezing, we learned she may also be part pufferfish as she ballooned up with every individual hair of her fur as outreaching as possible. No, I didn't get a pic, but sometimes the imagination used is even better. 

Today it warmed up some and she deflated a bit. I think for her, I'll be pulling out the pajamas during these cold snaps. And yes, then I'll get a pic!

Our sunset this evening. So cool!

Slabby Dabby Do

The slab for our foundation was poured today! At 3:30am, spotlights came on and trucks rolled in, it was like waking up to the close encounters of the third kind. By noon, they were done!

It looks beautiful. All nice and smooth and shiny. While many have suggested we do a stained concrete floor, we're holding to our decision for wood vinyl laminate flooring. There are pros and cons to both styles, but the flooring style we're choosing fits our lifestyle best. You'll see once we get to that point. 

For now, enjoy our beautiful slab and in a few short weeks, the metal is coming!!!

Silent Hills

The last few mornings and evenings, we've been having tons of fog. In the morning, it's peaceful. In the evening, it's somewhat spooky. It could also be because of the full moon in the evenings bringing all the creatures out. It's an intermittent, "what's that sound?" thing going on. 

Regardless, my animals are loving the weather. Did you know donkeys roll around in the dirt not only because of flies, but also because they're happy? It's so cute to watch them and then Reggie do it. Two donkeys and a dog about the size of the donkeys all rolling around in dirt and mud. It's not clean fun, but it's fun nonetheless. 

The cows and the goats are also still loving the flakes of alfalfa we give them each night. Honestly, it's the only thing that calms Nutty down!

Kenzie doesn't roll in the dirt much, but she enjoys watching the others

Rainy Sun & Sunny Rain

Every ten minutes around here was something different. Quick storms, quick sun, a mixture of both, all in all adventurous and unpredictable. It was tiring somehow. 

I took a nap, Rob took a nap, and Senior most likely did as well. I've been told the concrete is coming to be poured at 4am Wednesday. I asked three times if my builder was telling me the truth and he assured me he was. So it looks like it was good I got some extra sleep today!

Not much else to report for this murky Monday. Here's to a more energetic Tuesday!

Roll Back

The older I get, the less I enjoy the twice annual time changes each year. This is our first fall at the farm and honestly, we didn't know what to do with the animals and their feeding. Some people said to just feed them whenever, others said to slowly start switching the time, we chose to go by the daylight. It worked for most of them. The cows were ready, most of the goats were ready, and Patches was ready. Good enough. 

So, one thing that has been helpful, is we've introduced alfalfa to everyone except the donkeys. It's too rich for them, but all the others absolutely love it. The donkeys would love it too, but I'm keeping them healthy. This helps the troublemakers get into their stalls quicker and the nighttime feeding so much more enjoyable. 

As for the rest of the farm, the fence was worked on some and the shed was worked on some. I'm hoping both get done here soon for both the pups and colder weather!

Stars At Night

Figured I'd use this blog to talk about the friends of the night sky non-profit group Rob and I joined. While we don't live in the darkest of skies, we are fortunate to see more than we used to since moving to the country. When we went to the winery a few weekends ago, it was for a stars event party and that's where we learned what they're trying to do. 

Basically, it's cutting out light pollution. If you don't need a light on outside, turn it off. If you do need one, there are better bulbs and directions of those bulbs to use to cut down the ambient light. Now why should this matter? Besides being able to see the stars better, it's also to benefit all living creatures. We all have circadian rhythms with daylight and darkness. Too much light for us affects our sleep. Too much light for deer affects their antler growth. Too much light for bugs attracts them and their predators to the lit areas. There's more, but you get the idea. 

So now, I'm the online person for the group. I'm responsible for the website, Facebook and Instagram accounts. It's easy for me and let's me help in a way I'm comfortable with. Remember everyone, stars up and lights down!

I don't have a camera for the job and stars, sorry

Losing Pressure

We seem to have created an issue lately. Due to all the mesquite thorny bushes we have, tires are getting punctured around here. First a tractor tire on Bobby Sue, them a tire on the mule, and lastly, the plumbers work van as soon as they rolled up to fix the issues. I think the van though was caused by something else prior to them arriving here, but they had to take care of that as soon as they got here. 

It's ok, they came back and finished it up. While we were in town, some magical fairy dropped off rebar at the barndo, so it looks like pouring is right around the corner!

This is somewhat about the farm, but Rob and I went to our first meeting for the Friends of the Night Sky for our county. We love the dark skies and have decided we want to help keep them dark around here. I'll write more about that later, but thought I'd mention a bit now. Stars up lights down!

Predators

Done people have joked with me about my fencing and the amounts of it I've had done. It's all for my animals and their safety, and today Rob showed me my overprotective nature is justified. 

This morning, as he was walking the dogs, he came across what was left of a deer. By this evening, when he showed me, all that remained was the skull attached to the spine and a few ribs picked clean. I wouldn't have thought it was a deer as it was a small skull and spine, but Rob said a hoof with the fur was there that morning when he first saw it. This is why I'm adamant about fences as I don't want any of my animals to become prey. 

Speaking of the fence, Gator is doing his best to get the front fence up by this weekend. His plan is to get it all spot welded by then so our dogs can run freely. Then next week, he will come back and fortify it. This is why we love Gator, he knows how much the animals mean to Rob and me. 

Happy Halloween!

We were blessed by the cutest vampire tonight trick or treating. Yes, it was Gator's soon and I finally got to see his wife and their new baby to boot! Definitely a treat for me. 

The animals enjoyed some pumpkins today as a special treat for them. A friend of mine mentioned a place in Leander was giving them away and hopefully next year, we can take them up on it. It was too far of a drive for us today with work and Senior. 

Our builder stopped by and assessed what the plumbers did last week. They have to adjust three spots and then we should be ready to pour! While the pouring is exciting, I really want to see those walls come up. Can't wait!

Great Weekend!

Wow, the weather was awesome this weekend! We tried to enjoy it as much as we could. Friday, Gator burned our largest burn pile for us, but we've got lots left to do. A little at a time with the piles though, don't want to deal with too much smoke at a time. 

The rest of the weekend, Gator worked on the fence while we acted like lords and a lady of leisure haha. We took care of our normal farm chores and enjoyed watching our animals play. Whoever said black was slimming didn't take in account pregnant goats. Cocoa is showing her pregnancy the most!

And exciting news, I've started selling eggs! One woman in town, a baker, is going to be a regular customer as she bought five dozen of our eggs today. I also immediately took that money and bought a dozen homemade tamales from another woman in town we'll be eating for dinner tomorrow. I can't begin to tell y'all how much I'm loving living out here. Should have done this years ago!

Happy Dance

Today was a great day. First thing this morning, the electricity company came out and our builder came moments after and the electrical plan is in action. We'll be getting the quote soon (this is separate from our barndo loan intentionally) and then we'll be underway with that. 

As they were leaving, the plumbers showed up! They got the whole house plumbed today and once we get electrical in, we're able to get going on steel. 

Gator worked the whole day on the fence as we're supposed to get rain tomorrow. Hopefully he'll continue his great progress this weekend and the pups will be free again. 

Lastly, this gringa tried her hand at chorizo and eggs tonight for dinner and it was a hit! Yes, any new way I can use these eggs the better. Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the spectacular sunset we had tonight. 

Horse Play

All my animals are loving the cooler weather! The pups hung out with me in the pavilion for a good portion of the afternoon while we watched all the livestock frolic. The donkeys ran one way, the goats danced another way, and other than a little trot, the cows laid underneath the tree and let the wind blow through their hair. 

I didn't have my camera at the time, yes I know that's unexcusable, but Flora looked like a shampoo/conditioner model with her face up and the wind blowing her locks beautifully. Brogan doesn't have much hair yet, but even he had as little tickle of wind on his ears. 

That meditation time did wonders for Fiona though. Tonight, she let Brogan eat (take his bottle) before she got fed. She even gave my hand a little lick and bowed her head for me to pet her. We're wearing her down to be a softy yet!

Biggest surprise though, Caramel, our tiniest goat, finally ate from my hand! I just love all my animals. 

Gator Sighting

We had a Gator sighting today! Between helping his wife with a newborn, a sick toddler, and farm chores, he was able to come by for a little bit to work on the fencing. You don't know how relieved I'll be to get the fence up! Never again will I get one fence taken down without another new one immediately coming up behind it. 

I was also told by my builder that the plumber is coming Thursday now instead of tomorrow. I'm trying to be patient, but really, let's get this barndo going already. With all the winds and rains lately, I just hope the trenches are still open. 

What else? Oh, we managed to combine three days worth of chores into one day. We normally like to take Senior on an outing once a day, but this week doesn't leave much wiggle room, so he got a big burst today. I'll just have him do some farm chores for the next couple of days to get fresh air! 😉

This was last night, the moon trying to peek through the immense thunderous clouds. I thought it was cool. 

Cats & Dogs

We finally got rain, and cooler temps are on the way! It rained really good this morning. The afternoon was nice and sunny where all the animals got to run and play. Then back to raining big time tonight. We're under both a thunderstorm and tornado watch, which we can handle thunder. Absolutely no to tornados please. 

Someone this week, Gator says he'll be working on the fence. Justin will be back this weekend for the shed. The plumbers are supposed to come on Wednesday. Should be a productive week!

Senior made a beef stew for us tonight and I was proud of how much he could do himself. He finally learned what I've been complaining about all this time, it's so difficult to cook in an RV! Let's hope he remembers that valuable lesson. 

Farm Break

This weekend, stove only our shed got worked on, we decided to take a break ourselves and go to a night under the stars wine party at a winery nearby. It was great to sit and relax, enjoy the sunset, the wine and the food, but alas we had to come home. Because when you have a farm, there really isn't a break. 

I don't mind, I love everything about it except for the RV living. Truly, I'm so over living in an RV. Watching how much water you use and how many times you use the bathroom because you have to empty the tanks. Done with it. Watching how much fuel you use to cook with because then you'll have to go get your propane tank refilled. Over it. Being 5’9" and having to go outside to stretch. Also over it. Having to go to the laundromat ever week to wash clothes with others who you never seem to see around town. Like ever. Could do away with that. And lastly, having to really concentrate on your weekly meals that you don't get too many refrigerator items because RV fridges are tiny. So sick of that. Let's get this barndo built already!

News on the barndo, the plumber is scheduled to begin work on Wednesday. Thank goodness! Them things will start happening again. I hope!

Lil Bugger Brogan

The last couple of days, Brogan has been testing his independence. When everyone dutifully comes into the barn for their feed and bedtime, Brogan decides to see how much longer he can stay out. 

Last night, I had to chase him halfway across the pasture to get him in the barn. Tonight though, he made me chase him completely around the outside of the barn! Yes I'm getting my exercise, but this is not the way I want my exercise to occur. 

If he keeps this up, I'm going to have to find the tiniest halter to start training him. I don't think either of us wants that!

Fur Coats

As y'all know, we currently live in an RV. It gets cramped at times, especially like last night. We knew it was going to get cool last night, but we're Texans, we sleep with the fan on. Well, come the middle of the night, I woke up freezing because each of my four indoor animals took a little bit of my comforter to warm themselves. We got in the low forties, which with the RV conditions means about freezing, and all the dogs and cats were creating their own warmth. With my comforter! They've got fur Coats, c'mon!

Needless to say, it was a long night, but it warmed back up to shorts weather by this afternoon. And before y'all suggest I get dog beds and cat beds and blankets for them, let me assure you they already have that. Trust me, I considered getting into Reggie's dog bed last night. He would have just followed me anyway though. 

Don't worry though, nothing happened again today on the farm. According to our builder, the plumber is "making his list of supplies". So, I guess any day now?

Small Town Living

A little history on our farm. Before we bought it, there used to be a small farmhouse on it. The only story everyone can collectively agree on is it burned down. The reason why is murky, but at least no one was in it at the time. 

Anyway, today I stopped by the volunteer fire department to buy tickets for their annual BBQ fundraiser. When I was filling out the raffle tickets (everyone does raffles here btw), the lady saw my name and knew instantly where I lived. Yes, we're the people who bought the burned down firehouse. No, we didn't know anyone associated with the property before us. And it's great meeting you, but let's keep visitation where I'm coming to your fundraisers and not y'all visit us to hose something down, ok?

That's small town living for you, and we love it. These people know all about each other from generation to generation, but we're there new mysterious people. Soon they'll learn, we're normal except for my big love for animals!

Hot Fudge Sundae, she's the best dog goat I've we're had lol

Nothing Monday

We got rain last night and wonderful cooler temps! I guess because of this and probably other reasons, absolutely nothing got done around the farm. We didn't throw out anymore trash from the barn, our fence and shed and barndo weren't worked on, and no animals were trained today. However, we all had a great day. 

Brogan scarfed down his food tonight. Fiona and Flora were extra affectionate with me. The goats were the most well behaved I think they've ever been. And the donkeys, well, they had fun running around when it was time to go to bed!

Maybe tomorrow some progress will be done. Either that, or I'll get a nap in. I'm good either way!

See-Saw Weekend

Pretty much everything that was planned for this weekend didn't happen. Instead of Gator building the front fence, his wife had their baby over a week early! Mom and baby are doing great, but now it looks like our front fence will be delayed for awhile. 

Our farrier was supposed to come up today to work on the shed for our water tank, but he didn't. I would have appreciated a text, but really I did tell him it wasn't a rush since freezing temperatures aren't anywhere near our forecast yet. 

Now, Rob and I did work on clearing out the trash in the barn. It appears though that we underestimated how much trash we had. We'll finish filling it tomorrow or Tuesday, and then have them dump it so we can fill it again. 

The great news is that now as I type this, at 7:30pm, we are finally starting to get the first drops of rain! Bring on the moisture, we need it!

Weekly Wrap Up

A little progress has been made on the barndo. The animals are all doing well. Our front fence is slowly being built. Hopefully this weekend, we'll have a lot more accomplished. 

Rob and I rented one of those dumpster haul away things, so we're taking this weekend to clear out our barn. Whoever lived here before us, left a ton of old doors, moulding and paint cans, among other things. While we can't throw away the paint cans, everything else is going. No, the doors aren't salvageable. No, the moulding isn't repurpose worthy. If we ever had enough rain, we could have a nice bonfire, but that's all that stuff is worth. 

Speaking of rain, we're supposed to have a good chance both Saturday and Sunday. While awesome because we desperately need the rain, I'm fearful this will delay the fence for even longer. The dogs are getting restless and I don't blame them!

Not the most flattering pic of Flora, but she had so much hay in her hair!

Perhaps

Perhaps the animals were acting up last night because they knew today was going to be hotter than the middle of October has any right to be. Mid 90s with no clouds to dispel the heat. I get it, that makes me cranky, too. 

Tonight, they were much better behaved. In fact, the cows all came in first calmly and orderly. Fiona allowed Brogan to be fed first and then she wanted brushing before her meal instead of during. I talk about her the most only because she's the most challenging, but I love all my animals. 

Nutty and Rob are still butting heads, but I'm not getting involved. Rob's a big boy, he can handle Nutty. I laugh because only I seem to be able to keep him from going full rut mode at night. If you've never seen full rut mode, I'll try to come up with a way to explain it another time. Let's just say all the brain cells disappear!