Whose tracks are these?

This is not a rhetorical question. Are these from a rabbit? we3-046

Have to be a rabbit.

Our snow hung around for most of the day but it was one of those calm, warmish cold beautiful days that slowly melted into the afternoon.we3-002

Here is the Bobby Blanc.we3-022

Now I bet you wish you could do that with your tongue don’t you!

Hairy Maclairy has been banished to the back paddocks for breaking down yet another barn door, so he has gone to live with Queenie until Daisy is in the fields. He is the epitome of a Battering Ram!
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He is showing off his muscles for you.

Queenie Wineti is impressed on the inside.

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She is not a demonstrative cow.

The Coupe, our outrageously wonderful granny flat/guest house/ writer’s retreat, is we3-004

getting its first layer of roof this week. The Matriarch has done the maths and worked out that the cost of her little house is equal to just under two years of 24 hour care in a retirement home.  Looking after the elderly is very big business.  It costs a lot of money. We would prefer that she grows old out here on the farm where it is not so expensive. Two of her friends have recently sold their homes and cashed in everything they owned to pay for going into care. Their whole lifes work. And still they will be dependent on the state after a very short time.  That sounds scary.

The chooks (chickens) are laying NINE eggs a day. we3-032

Good chooks.

I thought you might like to see what goes on behind the scenes..
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when Kupa spreads his train. And yes I get that close.  He really is very tame now. we3-006

Sheila and Charlotte were allowed out to play in the snow.

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And Daisy as usual just stood about and watched the world go around. She gives an average of 25 pounds of milk a day. That is about two and a half gallons. we3-041

What a lovely day. Just a little sun and out we all go.

I have ordered two packages of bees from a beeman about 100 miles from here. Bees are sold by the pound which seems logical when you think about it. We will have two three pound packages of bees arriving with their own queen in April. I will take you with us when we go to pick them up.

Have a lovely, lovely day.

And don’t forget – if you see a picture that you would like to keep just grab it. You are most welcome. If someone admires it tell them where it came from.

Have a lovely day.

celi

86 responses to “Whose tracks are these?”

  1. How come your snow comes and splits and ours just keeps coming? They said it was due to an Alberta clipper. Alberta needs to stay home! That is some pose on Hairy there 🙂 Morning miss c…t

  2. Brilliant photo of Hairy Maclairy! Temp here dipping below freezing again, so I must shoot a piccie of my lone yellow crocus blooming before the frost and ice and snow turn it to mush. Bees: Yeah, can’t wait! Have a lovely day, and keep warm, c.

  3. All sounds good on the home front… and the photos show such good progress on the coupe… and some how your words just impart a feeling of happiness on your behalf, and that is nice to read…

  4. That’s very generous of you, Cecilia. To give your photographs like that. Thanks!
    Poor kupa, you have stripped him of all his pride… 😉 as for the tracks, I have no idea, but yes they look like rabbits paws.
    Have a nice day!

  5. The Coupe is looking great. I was so sorry to hear about your bees. There seems to be so much that can go wrong with them. It makes it feel daunting to try them. But someday I’m sure we will. The previous owners had bees at one time and a neighbor up the road has some although I’m not sure how they’re wintering. We had rain last night instead of the snow they called for and now most of our fluffy white is gone. Lovely fog this am. Your pics are beautiful as always. I’m off to vote for your desk! Have a fantastic day Celi! 🙂

  6. Love the picture of Kupa — Harry looks pretty impressive too! Back when I was still on the farm and the bees my father ordered came in to the post office we always got a call first thing to come and pick them up — as the rural carrier did not deliver them. Thanks for the memory

    • One time we went to the PO to pick up the bees and people were flattening themselves against the walls as we walked out carrying the buzzing box.. so funny! c

  7. Care for the elderly is so very costly. i checked into it for Mom at one point and was shocked.
    Thanks for exposing the not so ugly truth behind Kupa’s tail feather show. 🙂
    I cannot believe it but we’ve more snow than you do. I was away all day yesterday and one of my neighbors cleared my walk. More snow is expected today so I’ll return the favor this afternoon. If this keeps up, I may actually have to put more gas into the snowblower. Imagine that!

    • I told Our John that you might have to put more gas in the blower and he laughed!! We have not even had to scoop the footpath yet.. all we get are these low hanging heavy clouds.. c

  8. Love the pic of Ton imploring Daisy to play ‘Stick’ with him. Best picture of Hairy yet, love it 🙂 Laura

  9. All your pictures are so wonderful that we’re spoiled for choice! Hairy takes the biscuit, looking all haughty at being so naughty. Werry windy here today again but no snow.

  10. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” That’s what popped into my head when I saw Kupa from behind! Ha! Wonderful photos, all. Great to see the progress on the Coupe. The Matriarch is a fortunate woman to have such a daughter in law. I remember how shocked we were at the exhorbitant cost of care when my Mom had her stroke. I wanted so badly to bring her home, but her damage was so extensive that she needed round the clock nursing care. I hated it. Its been three years this Friday…

    • You are right that our plans all hinge on nanny staying relatively healthy, without any really major set backs, we can only do what we can do.. we will cross that bridge when we come to it.. c

  11. Dear Miss C, I begin my day with your lovely blog and the fabulous photos. I just read a blog called Lovely Greens (isle of Man) about beekeeping and the use of fondant rather than sugar water. Thought you might like to read it.
    It is snowing softly and lightly in SE ct this morning.
    A good day to all on the farmy.

    • Thank you Cheryl and welcome to the farmy comments lounge!! I really do need to do some research on the fondant that others use. I certainly don’t feel right heaving gallons of sugar water in there..I shall check out this site.. many thanks c

  12. Not a demonstrative cow? Had no idea cows can be demonstrative, but she sure does have a slight look of disdain.
    In Ontario (not sure about the other provinces) our Retirement Homes are private and therefore must be paid in full by the residents. My FIL and his wife are living in an assisted care retirement home and they were paying in excess of $8,000 per month. My poor, dear Mother had to be in a nursing home (fortunately she only lasted 2 years there, due to a degenerative brain disorder) and we were paying $3,500 per month for a private room, full care service. The nursing homes are government assisted, in fact, I don’t think we have any private nursing homes in Ontario. Because the care is limited to what the employees are able to give, we had to hire extra care at the cost of $20 per hour, which was also government assisted. You need not qualify for government assistance at that age, everyone can get it no matter how much money you have, which is a little crazy in my opinion.
    It is really lovely that you are able to look after the matriarch at the Farmy, and it must also give her an enormous amount of comfort that she will be family.

    • That sounds about what it costs here too. If you have nothing at all, no money or property the govt will take over, I am sure this can be better explained by an american, where the old codger was staying he had 3 months covered by his insurance, after that it was about 200 dollars A DAY. In the end he signed himself out, he could not bear seeing money gush out the door like that.. c

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