Week 10

 Follow along on a busy week.  Whew.  I realize now that there is a reason I'm a bit edgy and it has nothing to do with the 'springing' forward, but all to do with a lot happening. 

 The main house cattle came home and wanted hay,  before meandering away. We figured if they were hungry the others might be as well, so we drove around the ranch and  fed hay  two times this week. 

 The grass and clover are growing, but they are still real short.  The Kubota, our do it all little RTV, started smoking and Mark suspected it had a cracked head and so we hauled it down to a Kubota dealership in the neighboring county to do a compression check.  Unfortunately, Mark was right.  Boohoo!

  Neat thing was that there was a gathering of small farmers taking place nearby at the Ridgewood Ranch.  The conference was a learning experience and it was also really cool for me to be where Seabiscuit, the little racehorse with a big heart, lived.  There was lots of photos and memorabilia in the main dining room of the facility. A fun, fun day.

Then we had guests.  Some friends from down south.  It was fun catching up on old times and showing them around the ranch a bit and sharing rustic, worn out barn wood.  I think they may have been on Pinterest a little too much!

We did kind of make a error in judgement while they were here and the Landcruiser kind of gave us an exciting ride part way down to the falls.   The next day, I'll have you know Stacy and Dave, Mark drove it right up the hill.  Of course, he did have to put chains on it.  LOL.  I have no idea what we were thinking trying to drive down there this time of year.   Crazy!

 So we walked.  This is the way the falls looked this week.

 This is them early summer.  

 The Indian Warrior is blooming.

 So are the Calypso Orchids.  I can't help buy think of fairies when I view this tiny 4 inch beauty, especially because we just started a  fantasy by George MacDonald that has lots of fairies in it.  "Phantastes", it is entitled.  Wonderful read so far.

 Jo and Eric went on a fishing trip, so we were in charge of their 'kids' too.  Quite a lively bunch. 

 This little guy is called a bummer lamb because his mama decided three was one too many.  She takes care of him in all other ways, she just won't let him nurse.  He is sure a cutie and we enjoyed feeding him especially.

 Another sign of spring is this antler shed.  We often find them laying around this time of year.  As the bucks new horns grow in the old ones fall off.

 We built a simple new run for the ladies.  It is about 150 feet long and 10 or so feet wide.  They love it and they are safer.  In the past I just let them free range around the house during the day, but they kept going further and further and then they started eating my broccolli, so they were really getting into some hot water there. 

 Last, but not least, we got some piggies.  Three Red Wattles and one Large Black.  Heritage Breeds.   I christened this one Rosy.  She is super sweet and the only gilt (female) we've purchased so far.  The other 3 are all castrated males called barrows.  (New words for me not for Mark!)

Red Wattles have been chosen as tastiest in some blind taste tests and their demeanor is gentle.  We thought about getting Tamworths, but they aren't supposed to be as easy going as the Red Wattles.  I like easy going.  These pigs are our a new little enterprise on the ranch.   Until we get them used to us we are keeping them in the barn.  I'm hopeful that within a week or two, they will follow us and come when called and then we can let them out. 

 It was a local man who had them, but due to life circumstances, he couldn't keep them anymore.  They all were bred in the area and have been fed Nilsen's organic pig  feed.  We will keep them on it and let them forage a bit.  They seem pretty darn content so far.  We will keep you posted.  Nighty Night.