Emotions

 Peanut Butter and Jelly have been together in the same place for a long time. When Jelly took off, Peanut Butter was sad and depressed. When Peanut Butter went missing Jelly was sad and depressed. You cannot tell me animals do not have emotions. You can see it all over them when they are sad or even when they are happy. After Peanut Butter was gone 5 days, Jelly did not leave his side. Neither of them were out of the shop at all for a while. They stayed together. That is worn off now but when they are both in the shop, they do stay close to each other. They are like brothers. They love each other and fight also. I’m glad they came together but when one of them disappears for awhile, it stresses me more because the one left behind is really sad. It’s hard to watch. It will all work out though. They are more comfortable here now and come and go as they please. I am not used to it and don’t like it, but it will be okay. 

Could it be??

 There was a night not long ago where I had to run back to work right before it got dark. Not a big deal. Here’s the story. As I was driving home, I was getting close to home, but I live in a big rural area. I was almost there and I see something. It was a cat close to a house by our house. It’s not far but it’s far enough. I know there are wild hogs and other things that live out here. I wasn’t sure what it was. As I got closer I see that it’s a cat. Now, we had a cat that went missing in May of this year. I might have been wrong, but I swear that cat I saw was Rona. I swear it was her. When I got home, I was telling Ronnie about it, knowing it was a long shot and I was probably wrong. Maybe I was hoping it was her. Anyway, Ronnie said, I swear I have seen her, too. It looks just like her. I haven’t seen her again but next time I do, I am going to call her name and see if it’s her. She is the only cat I have even had that actually comes to her name when called. I look for her every time I pass that house. Maybe it is her. If it is then I know she is okay. 

Facing Facts

 Well, I started to write this when Peanut Butter was missing. I prayed and prayed for that cat to come home and he did. He was fine. Not skinny or a scratch on him. I have been loving on him more and making sure to give him plenty of attention. He was gone 5 whole days. That is torture for the people wondering where he is. This morning he was gone again. This drives me crazy and stresses me out. I know he is a cat and he does what he wants to. I’m sure he will come back and he was here last night. These guys are so funny. Jelly and Earl roam the entire property and I don’t worry too much. Jelly was gone for 24 hours one time but Earl had not been gone like that ever. Peanut Butter doesn’t roam around like the other two so I think I worry about him more. I’m sure he is fine and he will be home. I’m facing facts that these guys are independent and do as they please. It just makes me worry. 

Diarrhea Alex

 Alex has been having some diarrhea lately. Let me tell you, trying to give a cow meds for diarrhea is not fun. I got stepped on and he definitely gave me the run around the pen to get that halter on. He spit out that pill a couple of times, but we finally got it down him. It does take two of us to get this done. The pill did work finally. It’s the getting the pills down him that is hard. I wish I could video it for you. It’s comical to say the least. I know he is just scared and isn’t sure of what we are going to do to him. I hate that he is still struggling with being friendly but he is so much better than he was. It just takes time. Luckily, Alex is doing well now. Just another day in our life. 

Mad Edith

 Poor Edith. She has been a broody hen lately. Ronnie found a clutch of eggs around the first of September. Now, after some research, I found that eggs hatch within 21 days. Edith was in the sun on those eggs. She was going to stay there until they hatched but she found them too late for them to hatch. She sat on them for longer than the 21 days. I knew she would starve to death laying on them. Ronnie and I got her off the nest and I gathered the eggs to throw them away. Edith was so mad. She had ruffled feathers and was making all kinds of noise. She was trying to attack us but those eggs were not going to hatch. She is still mad at us and will not come near us. I felt bad for her but at the same time, I knew it was not good for her health. I did what was best for her. 

Depressed Cracker Jack

 Cracker has seemed depressed lately. I feel bad for him. He was bonded with the goats and with Noma and Pete in one pasture and then he was moved with Noma and the goats into another pasture. The goats then went back to the other pasture and he was in the pasture with Noma. Then Jeb came along. Jeb likes to chase Cracker Jack because he is a young horse. We tried to put Cracker in with the cows but he is nervous of the cows for some reason. I am trying to put him somewhere that he feels happier. I think we have a plan but it hasn’t happened yet. Cracker Jack will stay with Noma this time. He needs some consistency if I can figure out where he is going to be happy. It’s been trial and error with him. I can’t put him with the goats he has been with since they are with the donkeys that need to be fixed. Those guys would torture him since they are all standard donkeys and Cracker Jack is a miniature donkey. We will get it figured out. Poor guy. He does seem better the last few days and Jeb is on the other pasture, so we may have it figured out. Time will tell. 

Preparation

 Preparing for winter around here is not that difficult but it is time consuming. We have the 2 barns up and a lean to for the animals. We still need to stock up on hay, straw and pine shavings for the animals. We need to put up a gate in the barn to store the hay. We need to get some round bales for the animals. I’m sure there is so much more to do but I think we have done everything else. The barns were the most important things to get finished and we have done that. Around here we don’t know when winter will start. Sometimes it comes in October like I hear it did last year. I guess we will see.