Howdy!
It has been a busy week - a good week around a long weekend full of family and friends - but a busy week. So much to update.. but I'll start today with Krista's FOURTH birthday.
What do you get the little girl that LOVES mermaids and kittens and play-doh?
Seeing as it was near impossible to find a real life mermaid nearby, we opted for the other two wishes on her list.
A princess playdoh set to add to her collection was a quick find as was a kitten or two..
A neighbour down the road had us over one evening to meet his wife, his horses, take a peek at his chicken coop set up and to see his litter of barn cats that were looking for new barns to call home. These little kittens were very shy and almost feral! I was a little unsure about adopting kittens that NEEDED socializing.
However, my heart melted when the next morning, our neighbour arrived with two little kittens he had brought with him. A little black cat with a tiny streak of white on her chest who became known as Trayorus (Krista chose this name) and a little tortishell tabby that Nicole named Smores.
It has taken some work to get these little two used to our smaller, quieter barn as well as the regular visits and cuddles that our girls love to dish out. The first couple of days, we needed to extract them from their hiding places wearing gloves just in case they became so scared they bit or scratched. Gradually they have become less and less fearful of us and this morning actually sat and ate their breakfast while we tended to other tasks in the barn. YAY!
So we have cats now to keep away any rodents from our barn and livestock - what about the coyotes that have been seen (and heard) in the area?
Derek had been reading about livestock protection options. From donkeys to dogs - there are a few animals that do a fantastic job on a farm at keeping away threats. I think Derek took the information he read; looked at the size of the animals and went right down the middle. Not quite as large as a donkey but much bigger than an average dog, we welcomed a
Great Pyrenees puppy into our family.
We named her Ghost (as in Jon Snow's dire wolf from Game of Thrones) and she has fit in very nicely - though our housecat Micro hasn't made up his mind about her yet.
Ah yes. Back to midnight potty trips, puppy chew toys and obedience training (before she is large enough to require wearing a horse halter. :) )
Happy Wednesday,
Jeanette
