Bunnies, Pigs, Family, Work et al

The Great Medley Hunters and Bryon's 8 pt. buck rack. He shot it opening morning.

Regardless of my lack of blogging lately, life has been rolling along out here in Niangua. Surprising I know. Last week I spent four days in Rolla for the Missouri S&T blood drive which is both a blessing and a curse to me. Those kids really turnout and roll up their sleeves to give blood which is wonderful but staying up there four days in a row, four times a year is brutal. Driving home and back each day is worse. So there you go... rock... hard place.

I came home once again to an immaculately clean house, all my animals and family members still alive and kicking and flowers on the table. I have a pretty swell family.

This week I decided to get my flu shot on Monday at Walgreens. I almost got it last week when I was up in Rolla but just didn't have time to schlep over there. Boy am I glad now I didn't because I spent Tuesday of this week nauseous, Wednesday in bed with with chills, aches, nausea and a killer headache and Thursday recovering. Let's just say I'm real glad I got that flu shot now.

Grace is supposed to get hers Nov. 30. I hope she fares better.

One night this week the chickens didn't get locked up so they spent an entire night exposed to potential predators. Thankfully, nothing got them and they are all still fine. I still have two roosters which is not really going all that well. I'd like to find one of them a new home but I'm afraid one of them, let's just call him Mr. Red Eye, is about to meet the crock pot. He's flogged everyone in the family now except for me. I don't know why he hasn't taken into me but he's knocked Grace down (of course she was running by him and then just flailed on the ground while he flew at her). I told her she was going to have to be tougher than a chicken. Was she tougher than a chicken? She said yes, but she's still scared of him now.

Mr. Red Eye pretty much attacks Bryon every time they meet.

Yes, Mr. Red Eye's days are numbered.

I still have no eggs from the little moochers. Every morning I have a little chat with them about that but so far no progress. They were born May 17 so it is time! I may have to put a timer on the light out in the coop to get them kickstarted. Apparently they need about 14 hours of daylight a day to produce. Well don't we all? I hate daylight savings time. Pick a time and let's stay there. Seriously.


All four of the baby bunnies are still alive and kickin' which is actually pretty surprising to me. They are getting really cute. Now the next thing is going to be finding them all new homes soon. If you are interested in a very cute Christmas bunny... I'm your girl.

 

The little charcoal ones are my favorite... just like Mama Bunny, Cocoa. Of course how can you deny the cuteness of any of them really?

I was shocked when I went out to inspect the pigs. Bryon has pretty much been seeing to them lately and when I went out there, they (especially the red one) were huge! Her little eyes just keep getting beadier and beadier because her head is so big. She's actually sort of comical. I wish I could get a good face shot of her. We need to get a date with destiny set so they can get in our belly soon. 

 We got the gardens all put to bed for the year last month and Bryon planted rye grass in them which is supposed to be a good green manure. We'll see how that turns out.

Bryon found some Nebraska Red Spotted historic turkeys in my Backyard Poultry magazine he would like to try to raise. So if I can find some for the spring, we'll build another pen for them. 

I'm going to go help my friend Lynsey butcher 24 turkeys Sunday for her Thanksgiving customers. 

Bryon is still off work until Dec. 1 recuperating from his shoulder surgery and bicep reattachment. He's been off since August 20 but was limited to only a five pound weight limit until two weeks ago. Now he's up to a whopping 25 pounds and the Doc said he could hunt if he didn't lift or drag on a deer. He has to be released to lift 50 pounds to return to work. We hope he can go back to work by Dec. 6. 

Right now I'm content not to start any new projects for a while.  I'm feeling better though because I have the urge to clean, straighten and throw out clutter again.

Another blessing and curse.