Tennessee

[Jenski]

Morning all! 14-15 here this morning. *Brrrrr!* I think it's more difficult to deal with the cold when the temps swing up and down like they do here in TN.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas weekend! I am trying to stay strong over here and not snap up all the cute birds you all are trying to move out of your pens. When I weaken I just get up and get another cup of coffee . . . by mid-morning I'll be having heart palpitations from all the caffeine, LOL! Some really nice birds out there. I like the look of those blue Brahmas. . . and anything mixed with silkie is just gonna be adorable.

Sorry to hear about the hawk problems out there. Holly, I am devastated to hear about your boy! Oh gee whiz, isn't it always our prized birds when something happens. . . what crappy luck. We are being hunted really hard by the hawks here, too - - had a close call right in the back yard when I had a couple of banties ranging on the patio. One of those little sharp-shinned hawks came whirling right around the pens, just a few feet from the ground. It scared the dickens out of the little birds - - but I guess it's good to keep them on their toes. My little roos are good sky watchers, but when the wild hunters get hungry enough, they will do anything to get to the food.

Rosebud, sorry to hear about your roo's frostbite. Hope he heals up. I worry about that with my roos, too, since their combs/wattles are larger than those of the hens. I just try to keep the coops super dry, and I put up windbreaks on the pens so they can stay out of that freezing wind. Let us know how your boy fares.


Well, we had a good, dysfunctional family Christmas here in MJ - - lots of food, plenty of confusion, and thanks to Crazy Auntie Jen, lots of NOISE, mwa ha ha ha haaaaa! This year it was kazoos and a nice, loud tambourine. The kids love it, and Auntie gets to go to her nice quiet house and escape when she gets tired. Torturing my brothers just never gets old.

The only downside to the holiday was losing my old friend Hobie. Hobie came here from California with me back in 2000, when he was still somewhat young and wild, and he finally succumbed to crippling arthritis a few days before Christmas. He was the best guardian and friend I could have had, and he will be missed. Here he is last fall chewing on a venison bone . . .

Hope everyone is staying warm this morning! At least we have the sun. . .

 

[NellaBean]

Sorry to hear about Hobie Jenski

Interestingly enough, I have a TOBY that I brought from California here with me a few years ago. He is old but made it through another Christmas.

 

[Jenski]

Hi Nella, thanks for the post. That IS interesting. What part of CA? Toby does bear a resemblance, though he is more slender than my guy was. And mine didn't have fine antlers either.

We were in Monterey, Central Coast. Hobie was a juvenile delinquent/repeat escapee I adopted. . .

 

[NellaBean]

Toby came from the Long Beach, CA shelter early April of 1998. He was about 3.5 months old at the time (making him 13 years old next week!). Other than the different ears, they look very similar! Toby is an amazing dog as well.

 

[Jenski]

Hobie came to us in the spring of 1998, too - - though we figured him to be around a year old. They sure do look similar, though.

If your Toby is as "sentient" and protective, gentle and intelligent as my Hobie was, you are lucky indeed.

 

[NellaBean]

Toby is a little "slow" but is the nicest, sweetest most gentle dog ever. He wouldn't hurt a fly.

He is covered in tumors now and has a heart murmur. But it will be a very sad day when he is gone. He is everybody's favorite.

 

[Jenski]

Well, looks like we may have found Hobie's long-lost brother/cousin/relation. What are the odds! Too bad we could not have gotten them together to play! Thanks for sharing those sweet pics, Nella.

And thanks to all of you for indulging us as we take over the Tennessee page this morning to swap doggie photos.

 

[SilkieTime]

sweet dogs, love the pictures

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Quote:
HA! I was thinking of that the other day. Those poor silkies stayed in the house until they were almost full grown because the weather just would not cooperate! Poor things were all crammed up in the brooder. And you are right, it was so much fun talking to them everyday that I hated to move them out. It always makes me sad when the brooder is empty.
I think I took last year's lot out in late January. There were more of them this time AND I had ameraucanas in there. Those suckers grow like weeds! I moved them all out a week ago. I figure if I can smell the brooder than the house must really stink!!
I let the last batch out into the general pen yesterday. The big chickens leave them alone unless the babies are in the way of the food bowls. Then they get a half hearted poke. I do love that so far my chick transitions in the silkie pen have gone well. Fingers crossed that THAT will continue.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Jen, I am so sorry to hear about Hobie. He sounds like a great dog.

on his loss.

Bring on more dog pictures. We do love dogs around here.

Just for giggles, here are my two mutts-