At least we are getting closer anyway. What an old grouch I have become! I apologize for the previous post, not enough sleep or something.
We have had warm weather and then snow and then it melts and then it freezes and then it snows again. I think this week we have rain in the forecast. This means that when it is not frozen, the ground here is about two or three inches of slick clay muck on top of another two or three feet of frozen clay and rock. Not much I can do with the garden yet although I have been moving the compost when the weather cooperates. I’m still trying to plan what I will plant and where. My failure to complete the clean up of the old milk barn and grainery has made me rethink using the garden space Jon cleared when he was here that year.
I was out in the “orchard” (guess I can’t call it a jungle any more) looking at a tree that did not do well last year. None of them did really well, but this one was worse than most and I thought I would lose it. I noticed that it had some bumps on the trunk and branches and wouldn’t ya know, I have a scale bug infestation on the peach and plum trees! I have to now spray with dormant oil to get rid of this junk. Good news is I found a 4 gallon backpack sprayer at the local Home Depot for about half price. I think it must have been last year’s model or they changed the box or something. I could not see any difference in the full price model VS the one they had on clearance. So now I wait for the temperature to come up to 40 degrees and hold there for most of the day. Also little or no wind. I need to get the trees sprayed before they bud out.
The goats are doing well, Rosie is still cycling in and out of heat as is Abby of course. The rest are just being pregnant. Connie is due first and I should be able to feel the babies in her belly. Have not been able to yet though. All except Loretta are showing, but I could not tell with Loretta last year either. She has not come back into heat since I had her in with the buck so I am assuming she will deliver like last year. Both Loretta and Skeeter have an abscess on their neck. I took them to the Vet. and Loretta’s had already burst, so he lanced it. Skeeter’s was not “ripe” enough to lance at that time, so I am waiting and considering if I want to lance it myself to save the trip and the $40. The trip is short, but as Skeeter is pregnant and transporting her is stressful, it might be better to try it myself. I was able last year to overcome my dislike of needles when I had to vaccinate Rosie, maybe lancing this abscess won’t be as bad as I fear. I need some way to hold her still while I do the cutting. Any volunteers?
Speaking of goats, I received a call from my mentors down the road offering me their buck for no cost if I wanted him. I said yes after thinking about it for a day. I have the space for one more boy and I would have needed to replace Buck-O this year anyway. I offered to trade, but they don’t want another buck just yet, and Buddy (his name) is trying to re-breed their does right after they gave birth. I think this will be like having a Frat House on site. I will probably need to pick him up tomorrow. I should have done that this last weekend, but got real busy with first of the month grocery shopping and the concert we got free tickets to.
concert, Yeah!
I am converting the “mobile” chicken coop into a shelter for Abby and Rascal. That work is going slowly as well. I need to get it done before I spray trees since Rascal is out among those trees all day. It is still just so dang cold that I can only work for so long before my hands refuse to work at all. And all of the mud and any wind just makes working outside just miserable right now. Still I get a little bit done when I can.
So, I have been on this Primal Blueprint since December 1st. My blood sugars and my blood pressure are both down to where they should be. I have now lost just over 20 pounds (from 245 to 224.8). And the thing that hasn’t happened EVER before for me….. I went from a 42 inch waist pants to a 40 inch waist pants. These things feel like they only have half of the material of the old ones. They feel kind of odd right now because I don’t have to continually pull them back up or cinch up the belt to keep them from falling off. I can get used to it though. I continue to fix the dinner meal so I can stick with this diet/lifestyle. If you know me I don’t do fancy cooking and I don’t like to spend time in the kitchen(especially this one). I don’t count calories, or measure too much. I don’t even have to count carbs. since I don’t eat them, much. I don’t get hungry either. All I do for exercise besides hauling hay bales and feed sacks, is walk with the dog. I originally set a deadline of April 30 to see if this would work for me. I think I have that answer. This is for life.
Update: Buddy is in the buck pen and Abby and Rascal have been moved to the old chicken yard. I’m still working on converting the chicken coop to goat shelter, but it is usable for now while I finish. One month until the first kids!