Whew... this weather is brutal for me. I’m not a cold weather gal and looks like my animals aren’t either, but who could blame them?? The water bowls are frozen in the mornings but I am able to bust it up and they are fine with that. These guys are taking it pretty well. They just bundle up in the shelters together to stay warm. Of course they only come out to eat and go back in. They are troopers for sure. I’m praying the whole winter isn’t like this. I’m freezing my tail end feeding them and making sure they have water but I wouldn’t change it. These guys make me so happy. I was out of the home 12 hours today so they weren’t happy with me, but they got over it as soon as I fed them. They let me love on them. That’s all I needed.

Update on Maggie. This poor girl is miserable but is eating and drinking. She is warm to the touch and still uncomfortable. I was able to use more antiseptic spray and she is taking her antibiotics well. She let me exam her wound and it is from her chewing on matted hair after getting a bath. I am going to start cutting it away as soon as she lets me. She was better about it tonight. She was laying in my lap so I could look and feel the area. She is still feeling terrible but she is better than yesterday. I’m still concerned and if she isn’t better, I will be taking her to the vet. This poor girl. I feel so bad for her. And pepper, one of my other dogs is really concerned and won’t leave her side. They have been together since they were just a few months old. They are 9 years old now and still inseparable. I’m hoping Maggie continues to improve.

Maggie didn’t eat tonight. She did eat this morning. I noticed last night she wasn’t getting around well but didn’t think much of it. Tonight she didn’t eat. When an animal doesn’t eat, it usually means something is wrong. I noticed her in the dog house outside and brought her in... all of my dogs are inside dogs, they were only out to eat and do their business. When she crawl out of the dog house, daisy got close to her and she cried out. Again, didn’t think much of it. I went on and fed the outside animals. Came back in and Maggie was laying down and I could see a huge raw spot on her. I got close and she jumped up and screamed. She then started pacing the floor. This poor dog has been through so much lately. This just adds to it. She has a seizure disorder and a few months ago, her eye started looking like it was going to pop out, that is much better but there is obvious something is going on. The vet didn’t give us much info but she is on meds. Then, this summer she had a snake bite or something and I really thought we would loose her, it was awful. I just sat with her in the floor and cried. She made it though. When I first looked at the wound, I thought it just looked raw. I still haven’t gotten a good look at it. She was at the vet for a few days while we were out of town. She was given a bath there and I see a lot of matted hair in the raw spots. Wondering if the soap didn’t get washed out. Regardless of what has happened, she is raw and bloody. I put some blue antiseptic on her in the wound and she was screaming in pain. I started her on some antibiotics and she is now resting. She did finally come to me and let me pet her. Poor thing is so miserable. Say a prayer for my sweet old dog!!! If she isn’t better in the next day or so, we will be headed to the vet.

All the animals made it through the night. I knew they would since they have those shelters. Not sure they would without the shelters. Poor little things might freeze. I got up a little earlier today since I knew it was going to be so cold, I figured the water bowls would freeze. And that they did. I knew I couldn’t go to work with all their water frozen. I don’t think they drank much of it though, it’s so cold. I was able to bust through the ice so they would have that water today. Came home from work and fed the animals. That’s the only way they will come out of the shelter. They get finished and go right back in. I still don’t blame them. I didn’t want to stay out either. I did get to pet all 7 pigs tonight as they ate. But that was it. Even the donkey and goats didn’t want to be bothered. They just wanted back in the warmest corner they could find. Hopefully tomorrow is warmer.

All of you reading this know how much I care for every one of these animals here on this small hobby farm we have. I put a lot of time and effort into caring for them. Tonight the low is 20 degrees and it has dropped from 55 degrees this morning. It is so cold. And it normally doesn’t get this cold around here. Either that or I just choose not to remember the cold temps. That could be possible. I’m not a cold weather person. Regardless, this isn’t about me. So, Ronnie did get the rest of the shed finished for the donkey and goats. Not a minute too soon. I’m sure they are still a little cold because there isn’t a front on it, but it does have walls on both sides now and is deep enough for them to get in there and get to the back wall to stay warmer. I’m so grateful and I’m sure they are also. I was able to put more straw down yesterday as well. I got home tonight and the pigs didn’t want to come out of their shelters. I can’t say I blame them. They did come out to eat. I was able to get more straw in their shelters tonight also to keep them warm. I really want to go out and just cuddle them in their shelters. I know that would sound nutty to some people but not to me. I hate the thought of them being cold. I know they are all cuddled together in the straw and out of the elements of the weather but I absolutely hate it. I worry about them being cold. I know they will be fine but those are my thoughts today.

I see people on pig sites that can teach their pigs treats. I’m over here like, mine won’t even let me pet them. To clarify that, I am still trying to socialize 3 out of the 7 that we have here. They are so much better than they were, but still are a work in progress. Today I went out to give them treats. I was a bad pig owner again because I gave them bread. Yes, I realize it’s not good for them but I only do it on occasion and they absolutely love it. I haven’t been spending much time with them lately because it’s been colder and I’m now feeding in the dark day and night because of the time change. They have not wanted much to do with me because of this. Today is a nice day and I felt like they deserved something special that they love. I don’t hand feed my big ones much because they try to take my hands off but I noticed Treat would jump for it. So, I tested a theory I had. Apparently all of my pigs now will jump for treats except Spam. So working with them for 15 minutes and all of them will do it, except Spam. Made me pretty happy today until Brutus jumped up and got my thumb instead of the bread, but it’s ok. No blood was drawn and my thumb is still in place.

I am sitting outside soaking up the beautiful sunshine. I’m sure we don’t have many more nice days like this until spring. I am out here watching my husband build onto a shelter we have for our donkey and goats. It really does warm my heart that he will do this. We spend quite a bit of money on our 16 animals every month and we put a lot of time and effort into caring for them. My husband isn’t home often and there is always something needing to be done that I am unable to do myself. He doesn’t complain, he just does it. I am so blessed to have him and the animals are also. They get the best care. The temps are dropping these days and the animals probably are not as cold as I think they are, but the goats are taking up most of the straw and Cracker Jack has no where to go except out in the cold. Truth be known, he knows he is bigger than the goats and could get in the shelter, but he doesn’t. So, my husband is adding on a spot for him to deal with the cold weather. I’m grateful and he will be, too. Cracker tolerates me, but Ronnie gives him peanuts so Ronnie is his person.