Jest Another Day in Pear-A-Dice - Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm in Alberta

[drumstick diva]

Thank you muchly for the Fixins photos. I don't remember those particular ones.She was always keeping an eye on you and Rick - probably in her sleep too. Love ya forever Fixins r.i.p.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Thank you muchly for the Fixins photos. I don't remember those particular ones.She was always keeping an eye on you and Rick - probably in her sleep too. Love ya forever Fixins r.i.p.

For sure she was diligent...she's only lightly napping...love the EYE I caught in the second photo. The look of "I might have my eyes shut but I'm still WATCHING you!"

Her spirit lives here with us forever & ever after like the fairy tale dream world reality we share ...it was Fixins' pioneering attitude that set the bar for all the Cattle Dogs before and to come after.



Hmm...never did get to stow away my 120 bags yesterday...no less busy either...likely busier!

Three pallets of poultry rations; covered and secure till I can get to them​

So my last stop was to let the swans and Ruddies out...well that never happened.

​

CHIMO!!!!!! ​

Yup...warring battle cry of the Canucks...indeed...bring it on eh!


How DARE predator varmits EVEN attempt to breech the sanctuary of the swans...how dare they!

So an attempted attack on one of the buildings ... met with full forces right back in their faces!!

Three wheelbarrow loads of gravel later and secure again (how DARE they!)...thankful ever so much we are always (and will always BE) diligent about watching & protecting what is ours. Tested...tried and ever true Northerns!

​

Grrrrrrr....yeh.... sure...take that and that and that again!

You showed them when duty calls...we step up! ​

Still unsure exactly what it was...a fox perhaps, mink, skunk even (but no noxious scent, so unlikely a skunk)? Something sly and slithery enough to get thru the triple fenced perimeter. Not likely a coyote or the neighbours' dog...whatever it was, good luck now!

Just as we have always said...what creatures will the predators target? The most expensive & most difficult to replace ones you own.


So I was doing my last wheelbarrow load up when Rick screamed into the yard. Had our metal order on the back of the 1989 one ton (gone to town to get it while I did up the last of the chores) and stopped by a field of bales he had been eyeing since July. Yup, fifteen bales...three loads of five bales. Off he went, I got ready to join him on the second (and the third round of rounds).

Sep 30 2017 - Fall time indeed...put things by time!​

Ten foot feeder, needs a cleaning
and got the metal out to begin fixing the hay feeder portion to it​

Rick comes back with first load of bales, two down by the rams' barn on the pallets I got put in place for his return.

Then off we go to get ten more! Whee hee hee...what fun!

Gorgeous field...lots of alfalfa!
The perfect feed for sheeps​

Second load and headed for home! ​

Off to make up a well deserved homemade breakie with my Hero...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

Wow - good humans you and Rick work really hard - you both should get a loser lap and ice cream cones.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Wow - good humans you and Rick work really hard - you both should get a loser lap and ice cream cones.

Thanks DD...but we both have to take a SNOW check on that loser lap, eh.

Oct 2 2017​

All buses in this area are not running today...gee, wonder why? Weather predicted like two to four centimeters...HA HA HA...try maybe inches and more like six to eight with some melting! Wind is up to 90 k an hour...so not exactly pleasant...

It is that sticky kinda cold Coast Snow...again!

Good thing we got enough lasagne left from yesterday to have steak AND lasagne...should keep our internal furnaces burning HOT!

One of those days I am very glad I got those pair of muck boots (nfi) as I never even had to change socks once...yippee ki yay, eh!

​

Gotta get use to new views...well OK, fur a day eh!​

Snow is not staying, er as per weather persons, so as well as you can believe them...

Suppose to be room temperature again outside by the end of the week.

Young Ruff Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)​

I do now these babies are most welcome to keep dropping by...

Rick says the momma grouse flew out of one of the crabapple trees last night...she's brought us another set of her babes to enjoy seeing ... wonderful !!

​

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

OH MY!!! all that white is making me snowblind. Maybe the dogs should wear snow glasses.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Thank you muchly for the Fixins photos. I don't remember those particular ones.She was always keeping an eye on you and Rick - probably in her sleep too. Love ya forever Fixins r.i.p.

Bwa ha ha...I went back in this thread thinking...sure I posted these, if it was 2015...ah but I looked again...the photos are from 2013...darn it all. Thought it was 2015.

Here's a few more then...

Feb 23 2013...Fixins and her forever with her TOY​

"Toss the toy...toss it...! If you can't toss a toy, you are too tired and need to rest... Oh yeh, and if you are lump lazy larding it...resting...you can surely TOSS A TOY too!"

Mar 29 2013 - work should never stop...

even if the inspector dog is getting some shut eye

It is called shift work...
When Fix takes time out...there is always another dog
to take over...like Foam Dome!​

Tote that pail, lift the load, fill that bucket...snell snell...hip hip, get on it already...day is never long enough to be slack...get it done!

​

Funny Fixins...she'd be SO excited when one of the totes
was emptied...ROLLY POLLY time​

Dogs make any kind of chore or work FUN!

Oct 18 2014 - oat straw squares​

I do NOT miss getting our feed in squares...we still get some of the oat straw bedding in squares...but use round oat straw bales for filling up pens. The squares make for nice sitting places for birds to perch on. You had to load the squares ON and then go home and OFF load them by hand. Only one place had an attachment for the tractor where it lifted up groups of squares and loaded them.

Oct 20 2014 - Here come the inspectors!
Note the dog bed in the foreground...and the TOY

Sniff sniff...inspection of the one bale completed...
Only 300+ more to go...​

Nov 6 2014 - sometimes the pallets had to be hand balmed off
note the loose OSB sheets
the railed chute works fab!
​

The loose sheets would move and such...
so much happier with what we have now​

OH MY!!! all that white is making me snowblind. Maybe the dogs should wear snow glasses.

Only have glare from the snow when the sun shines...no real sun yesterday...ah but today, it is melting and there is sun. Yes DD...the season of WHITE is upon us...bye bye to the GREEN season soon!


Thomas Earl Petty...he's gone. He just finished up a 40 year tour...like what, coupla weeks ago..
Gone?? Way too soon in my opinion...agh.

He is Rick and I's age...the good ones are all going...sigh.

We start out our loser lap tunes with ... now we'll keep doing that but more solemn!

I Won't Back Down
Songwriters: Jeff Lynne & Tom Petty

Well, I won't back down
No, I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down

No, I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down

(I won't back down)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
Hey, I will stand my ground and I won't back down

Well, I know what's right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I'll stand my ground and I won't back down

(I won't back down)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
Hey, I will stand my ground
(I won't back down)
And I won't back down

(I won't back down)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
Hey, I won't back down

(I won't back down)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
Hey, I will stand my ground
(I won't back down)
And I won't back down
(I won't back down)
No, I won't back down

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Won't_Back_Down

"I Won't Back Down" is the first single from Tom Petty's first solo album, Full Moon Fever released in 1989. The song was written by Petty and Jeff Lynne, his writing partner for the album.

I don't do videos, so hope this link is of the music video...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvlTJrNJ5lA

Rest in Peace great man...rest in peace and rock on...we'll keep you alive in our hearts listening to yer tunes...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[getaclue]

Looks like you will be fully prepared for winter, as usual. So much work!

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Looks like you will be fully prepared for winter, as usual. So much work!

I am fighting it this year...because I did the books for the company for the first year end (new task for me but was great fun and very satisfying to do) and Rick was working SO much...we could have done with another two months of summer...but not to be. I am glad for what I did get going...hard pressed to see all I want completed but every fall is like that...you go and go until the white stops you cold. And what you got done, is done and good enough for another season over.

Lawn ornaments, not even done...with snow twice now on the ground, must be careful because we have had snow show up in September and buried everything till spring the next year. That is nasty all to heck.

I am allowed some wiggle room this year because I know there will be a big melt from today on...but next week is a whole unknown...so no rest for the wicked and I need to get things tidied up. Much nicer to have all summer things put away safely than to be tripping on them all winter. My concrete ornaments can flake from freezing and get ruined...I want them to last my lifetime at least...so many other things to be attended to. If I think too much on it, could overwhelm you into complete unable to do anything...LOL

Hmmm...as far as prepared for winter, we are also preparing for an entire year also. Harvest means we get all the straw, feed and whatnot's in for the year. Not just winter prep but hoping for the entire year too. That I guess explains why we are so ding dang busy, the race is on to see how much you can get completed.


We have one more load of 90% alfalfa 2nd second cut bales to bring in...trying to line up four big squares (huge at 1500 to 1600 pounds...never brought home the big squares...should be fun new discovery time). May transpire or not.


Great news for Rick...we have committed to a vehicle hoist, four poster with a hydraulic lift (I truly know very little about these past I am SO excited he will get one!). Working on lining that up for this weekend perhaps...so another busy busy one to fly on by.

​

In the morning yesterday,
Fired on sour kraut & pork ribs in crock pot...​

As mentioned, doing alot of comfort foods... Got a chicken in the crock today, talked to Rick...roasted or BBQ...he chose BBQ...into the crock she goes, eh.

Wonderful to come in, put on some taters and CAREroots...
Like an instant supper (but not--planned ahead!) ​

First time I let the two little ram lambs out to share a fenceline with Boss Man...so down the Girls and I went with camera yesterday evening...click some of the wonderful good times in progress.

October 3 2017​

Love my boys...

Eldad has turned out ever so fine...not done growing by any means for either ram lamb, but how cuteness is this...plus we can compare the growth expected for when the two ram lambs become RAMS...still baby boys, still on the grow.

Sweet sweet Eldad...what a looker he is...and so happy to be a bud for our ram lamb...sweetness... ah what a gorgeous boy...and I am such a suck for a sheepy face...

All the Dorpy rams have these little buttony horns...very masculine -
suppose to be very desirable in the Dorper males!!​

Sharing a fenceline went off without a hitch...I mean the boys are sharing a barn rather gentlemanly nice nice...so a fenceline visit out and about, sheesh....no worries, eh.

Oct 3 - sharing a fenceline...building compatibility for the future
DORPER RAM FLOCK!
No where near the size the baby boys need to be...
but can you SEE the future
no divider between...just boys!​

The two young fellas figured if Boss Man moved, so should they. Cuteness...in a triage...had fun clicking pics of the boy folk and the girl dogs.

As always, these two boys are stuck like glue...Eldad and Èder are bestest budsters.

​

No surprise as off they head (into the sun setting) with the Girl dogs meandering behind them...time to tucky tuck the boys. First the lamb boys, then Boss Man to the ram barn...what a great way to end their fabulous day.


We go back on down to look see how the hair sheep ewes are doing...ever so happy we got those hay feeders (the ten footer is still covered in snow...just waiting for a bit of warmth and time to put it together)...Been a mess of fall weather with the rain, snow, melting and mucky. So great the hay rack holds the feed up and out of the mess. Not completely perfect by any means but way way better than not having one period, so I am pleased!

All good with the girl sheeps...but where is Duro?​

Where indeed is that big bratty ewe Duro?

Yup...there's Duro!
as close as she can possibly get to me
So no photo of her with the other ewes... ​

She's sucking up and getting face scritchies..."You need to pay attention to me! I am a special one...special ewe!"

Bloomin' Duro is near as bad as the dang dogs... It is not like I can help liking this ewe...she prefers to visit with me over eating...a rare commodity in the ewe world. Forget the food...I want bonding!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[getaclue]

You make Canada look sooooo inviting, but you have snow, and I HATE snow. That's partly why I live in Florida.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Lined up four big square bales of 90% alfalfa...four = five of the rounds I am use to weight wise. Likely stack nicely on trailer and here at home...may learn to love these kinds.

Beef stew in the crock.

Asked Rick, chili or beef stew...stew it is and he'll pick up some bread fur dipping with on his way home.

The ram lambs are Velcro'd together, eh! ​

Make a great sheep wagon hitch...already one and the same in body and minds.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada