"Critters" (part 3)

I could probably share hundreds of photos of our horses, dogs, and cats, but we'll save that for another time. Today, I introduce you to the world's most entertaining pig..........



guinea pig, that is!            

 This is Ema.  We've had her for nearly 2 years, now.  She is a very social creature!  Whenever you enter the room where she's kept, she "talks" to you.  In fact, if we are sitting at the dining room table having a conversation (just around the corner from her "bedroom"), she might just throw in her 2 cents.  She even has different little noises for each member of the family!

                                                                                                               
Ema must be quite the conversationalist, because we regularly find Lady and Mac visiting with her.

And, finally, we have our chickens:

At present, we have one rooster and 13 hens.  We've had a backyard flock for about 5 years now.  We like having a colorful variety, and have kept several different breeds from bantam silkies to leghorns to jersey giants over the years.

At this time, we have barred rocks, Rhode island reds, buff orpingtons, black austrolorps, one leghorn and one americana.

 We don't keep our own chickens to save money on groceries, because we really don't.  Our desire was for our kids to continue to have a direct connection to their food, even though we were no longer beef or dairy farming.  Our last home was less than ideal for gardening, so chickens were our best option.

Will is our resident "chicken whisperer".  He can calm and catch even the most flighty and frazzled bird in the flock!




Below, I am holding my beautiful rooster.  We actually raised him from an egg.  He is a cross between one of our buff orpingtons and a silkie-cross rooster.

My goal with the chickens is to double our flock by spring of 2016, and sell our free-range, farm fresh eggs.  We actually have an ideal location for a little farm stand.  We'll be getting our vegetable garden going this spring, too.....but, I digress........Let's get the maple syrup going first!

Very soon the conditions will be right for the sap to flow, so stay tuned.....

"Critters" (part 2)

You've met the dogs and the cats, now for the horses!    We've owned
horses for the past 11, or so, years.  Not always the same horses, mind you.  We have bought and sold, adopted, bred (once), and yes, had to lay a couple of equine friends to rest in that time.  We even operated a boarding stable for a few years, and I mucked stalls, cleaned tack and "barn-sat" for other horsepeople so that we could afford this...passion  ....of ours.  Horses are a huge, expensive responsibility, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!  My family has learned so much from them.  Having a relationship with a horse demands that you look at life through another's perspective - a perspective totally opposite your own, most times. People make the mistake of thinking a horse is like a big dog - nothing is farther from the truth!  And, there's nothing like connecting with such a majestic creature!

This is Little Joe.  We call him LJ.  He is our 16 yr. old paint cross.  He is a super trail horse with a quirky "horsenality".  If he had a voice, I think he would sound like Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty!  Just about anyone could enjoy a leisurely ride with this guy.

And, to the right, is my girl, Reflections of Cinnamon, aka. Lexie.  She is our 9 yr. old APHA mare that I have had the pleasure of raising since my husband bought her as a yearling, sight unseen, 8 years ago!  We've had our ups and downs with this gal, almost sold her twice, but, turns out she is the perfect partner for Rosemary.  They love to jump together!

                                                                             

Dream (summer 2013)

This fall, we made the very difficult decision to sell our other two equine.  We knew we could not devote adequate time, energy, and resources to improving the farm, starting our new maple business AND maintaining our standard of care and training for four horses, so Selin and Dream went to new homes where they are getting lots of love and attention.  For the first time in quite a while, I do not have my own mount to ride and train.  At first, I felt like one of my limbs had been cut off and I grieved a bit, but God has given me peace about it and directed my attention elsewhere.  I know that when the time is right, a new equine partner will come into my life.  Until then, I have daughters to coach!

Grace with Selin. 2012

    I have so many great horse photos, so forgive me if I overindulge here a moment..... I hope you enjoy them, too...

Rosie driving Dream (Aug. 2013)

Schooling Selin (summer 2013)

Rosie and Lexie, 1st combined training show (2012)

Friends loving on LJ (May 2013)

 We love sharing our horses with friends!

Blast from the Past......

Rosie, leadline class with my fave mount (to date), Windsor (2008)

My girls at a Fun Show w/ Lobelia and Tenacity (2011)

Check in tomorrow to meet a few other interesting critters......

The "Critters" in Our Lives (part 1 of 3)

We've shared our lives with many animals over the years. I thought I'd take a couple of posts to introduce you to our current crew (for my fellow animal lovers!), because they are so entertaining and appear in so many of my photos.

We've been blessed with everything from dairy and beef cattle to a goat to guinea pigs in the last 18 years, but the "staples" in our lives have been dogs, cats and horses.  We believe God calls us to be good stewards of all that He shares with us, including the animals in our care, whether they are for food production or companionship.  And, so, with that in our hearts, we always strive to take the best care of our animals that we can!

Standing with me, above, is Ginger, our nine year old yellow lab whom we adopted from an Amish neighbor in Lancaster County, PA.  We first met her the day after she was born, and took her home 9 weeks later!  She received her little orange coat for Christmas this year because she can't quite handle the cold like she used to, but she's determined to stay outside with her family, no matter the weather.

 This is Macadamia Nut, aka. Mac.  He is just three years old.  While checking out a pony we were considering purchasing in Chester County, PA, Don and I fell in love with this guy, who was a pudgy little tank at just 10 weeks old. Needless to say, we left that stable with a dog, instead of a pony!  He will be in lots of my photos, because he LOVES to pose for pictures and he's always with us.  He's a hunting dog that missed his calling as a model!

Ginger and Mac (Oct. 2013)

 I cannot imagine my life without dogs.  They are a constant source of companionship and entertainment.

Ginger and Mac (Feb. 2013)

Currently, in our "rodent-control" department, we have our feline companions:

Lady, the youngest at only 9 months, is our female.  Adopted from the shelter where my daughter, Grace, volunteers, she has proven herself a mighty hunter. (And, quite photogenic!)

Bugsy, our largest cat, is 6 years old.  He got his name because his favorite past-time is chasing flying insects in the summertime!

Leo has been my long-time companion of 11+ years!  He was born behind a bush near the front door of our home while we were dairy farming.  His mama abandoned him there at 3 weeks of age, so I adopted him, and the rest is history!

Stay tuned to meet our horses and more......

Family introductions (part 3)

Now for our daughters:  First we have Grace:

  My sweet-n-sassy girl is an avid animal lover and trainer with whom I enjoy hiking, horseback riding and watching movies.  She volunteers at the animal shelter a few miles down the road, and hopes to be hired there in a couple of years.

And, finally, the child I met in a dream before she was even conceived (honest-to-goodness truth!), Rosemary:

She is my die-hard horse girl, destined to have a future in the horse world.  I just love to watch her ride.  She is usually the first to volunteer to help when I announce that I am baking something sweet!

 I'm so thankful that my daughters are great friends, as well as sisters.

Grace and Rosie, summer 2011

I'm blessed beyond compare.....

 Stay tuned for more adventures with us, as we approach our first maple run.....