Summer Days

 The lazy days of summer are winding down and I'm looking forward to transitioning back into our regular rhythm and picking up our school books again :)

We have packed our days full of camping, exploring, playing and enjoying the special moments that summer provides with nights spent on the beach in our cozy camper, collecting buckets full of shells and other treasures that I know we'll find a use for somehow, watching little ones fall asleep in front of the campfire and become brave little swimmers at the lake, trips to the aquarium and special dinosaur exhibits, watching our baby calves grow and making wishes on every dandelion gone to seed in sight.

I think we made good use of our days *grin*.

Hugs,

Rosina

Meet Our New Babies

We picked up our baby calves this morning and they are adorable! We had thought we were getting two little bull calves but actually ended up with a little heifer and one bull calf which is even better :)

They were little troopers on the long ride home, laying down nicely in the back of our horse trailer under the little shelter we had built for them to keep any wind off of them so they didn't catch a chill as they are only two weeks old and still quite susceptible to the cold and damp.

As soon as we had them unloaded and into the barn the kids were right in there with them petting and brushing them and falling hopelessly in love with them *grin*.

They seemed to settle in pretty well but they're still a little skittish and unsure of us...

but I know that as soon as we bring out the milk bottles tonight we'll win them over :)

Hugs,
Rosina

Nosy Cows & Potatoes

Come now... don't be shy! *grin*
My baby just wants to get a closer look at you and perhaps snuffle your pockets for some treats and lick your hand as a light hearted gesture of friendship LOL.

I just love this guy :) We picked him and his brother up last spring as 2 month old bottle babies just starting to be weaned and he is such a sucker for love. Never makes a peep unless you go by and don't pay attention to him and he loves to get a good scratch. Beware though he's a licker teehee.

All three kids headed out first thing this morning to lend a hand with the massive job of hilling the potatoes. I think perhaps someone was a wee bit hungry when they planted this year *grin*. They're growing beautifully though. Very healthy and if all goes as planned we're going to have a bumper crop!

I think they got the majority of the work done before it rained so hard late this afternoon that it soaked you in less than 10 seconds! The kids rather enjoyed the downpour and brought me a lovely fresh batch of grass, dirt and whatever else happened to get stuck to their boots today into the mud room. I swear with all the wet weather we've been having I'm going to start calling it the 'muddy' room! *grin*

No matter how much mud I had to clean today I had this beautiful quote on my mind:


Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust

Oh how I just love that as my children bring so much joy and laughter to my days :)
~ Rosina

Hay Run

Hooray for hay!!

After an hour of phone calls, four farms later & about two hours of waiting we got the call. We had finally found hay :) I was actually starting to worry that we were going to come up empty after I dialed the last number and with the snow falling this morning it was starting to look like a dire situation if we didn't find some fast.

Luckily the little snow squall didn't last long and just as we were about to eat lunch we got the address of a farm an hour and half from us that still had some hay for sale. We saddled up the truck, hitched the horse trailer to the back and hit the road *grin*. I'm really happy with the beautifully big bales of 2nd cut hay we bought. Our cows are going to be super pleased with us this winter :)

~ Rosina

Meet Our Newest Family Member

Say hello the 'Bee' :)
The kids and I took a trip down island yesterday to pick up a couple of little calves and they are the sweetest little things. They're Ayrshires, a good hardy Scottish breed and I am so in love with this ones cute little doe eyes *grin*. Yeah, I know all babies are cute but we just love cows around here with their whiskery noses and inquisitive nature :)



The fellow we bought them from had named the above one Bee because apparently when he was born he had huge bugged out eyes that reminded him of a bee and the other little guy (don't have a photo) was named Appy because his coat looks like an Appaloosa but the kids changed his name to Bumble so now we have Bumble & Bee *grin*.

They took to the trailer really well and were quite content to spend their time peaking through the crack between the doors while they waited to be unloaded. I don't think we've had a quieter pair before either, not a peep out of them! No mooing or bawling from the change, just happy to be piglets in all of the lush green grass that has sprung up finally :)

I think we're going to make them into a nice 4H project for my oldest and he can spend time halter training them and learning how to care for them. Should be fun!

~ Rosina