Saturday, January 12, 2008

January Thaw

Yesterday, I spotted a red fox sunbathing in the hayfield. It quickly realized I was eyeing it through my binoculars. Unlike some other wildlife, which would immediately bolt off in the opposite direction, the fox just stared back boldly. They do this every time. After a minute or so, it trotted off in my direction at an oblique angle, eventually crossing the driveway and going up into the next fenced pasture and up toward the house.

If I'd had a gun and knew how to shoot, I could have shot that fox a hundred times during this little swagger.

Foxes are beautiful animals. I made the mistake of telling workers on the farm not to kill the first pair we saw strolling through the pasture. The next Spring, they killed all my ducks, save one. They didn't even eat all the ducks. Some were left hanging in the fence when they didn't fit nicely through the spaces.

It's been very cold, very warm, and every temperature in-between the past few weeks. We've had a little rain, mostly at night. I hear that Winter is returning with characteristic cold this coming week.

We've had three new calves born since Christmas. In the warm afternoons, they lay on their sides to soak up the sun.

The last batch of goat kids are fat and happy. They've gone out with the herd this past week, successfully following their mommas. They are getting too heavy to pick up and I see that the next bunch are getting ready to be born, so graduation from the maternity barn is imminent.

On three warm days this week, I did Spring cleaning in the barns, managing to wreck my back in the process.

Seeds are ordered. I've also started herbs and perennials in the greenhouse. We installed new fluorescent lights under some of the potting benches. The vegetable garden will be fenced and surrounded with electric wire prior to Spring planting. The post holes are dug.

We are moving along.

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