When you feel like life is getting the better of you I always find the best antidoteto the overwhelmed feeling is some good hard work. It has been cold so I broke out the clown pants, hauled them on and got stuck in.
In the last two days I have shoveled out and cleaned most of the north side of the barn, over summer the cows creep in on occasion and the sheep find their way in through the broken north door, someone is sick like Queenie with her sore eye and before you know it there is shoveling to do.
I hauled the chicken ark all the way around the exterior of the farm and into the gardens. When Our John got home he helped me place it over a small area of the vegetable garden. Covering a couple of tomatoes and the brassicas. This is going to be a great development.
Yesterday I completely rearranged all the furniture in our big room. I do all my best housework when I am mad
The Middle Kitten did die. Apparently we have been struggling with a massive infestation of worms in their wee organs. Even though they were wormed when they first came, the worms had already gotton into the bloodstream of the first two. Round worms are hideous. And very hard on tiny weak kittens. The dogs have had an extra dose of worming stuff too just to be sure.
But the little Marmalade kitten is getting stronger I think. He is the toughest little cat and hates to have Boo out of his sight, so we have been taking him for walks outside to get his body moving hoping his bowels will follow suit. He just plods noisily along behind Boo, with me walking backwards in front of them to make sure that Boo does not pick him up.
I have to say that Boo is a lot calmer now that there is only one to mind.
I think Daisy must be about four and a half months pregnant now. Time is flying past!
Apple Upside Down Slice.
So, things are back on a more even keel. Today I am going to cover the ark in heavy plastic. Then continue with the cleaning of the barn. After the barn I will start the chook house. I hate cleaning the chook house, so I am hoping that I can run the laying chooks across the fields as well, next year. I will happily drag two arks if it means no chook house to clean out. This winter maybe I will find someone to build me another ark, with laying boxes. Then all the fertiliser goes straight onto the fields, without the need of a shovel in between. From now on the chook house will only be for the winters!
What an excellent decision.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Getting Stuck In”
Glad Boo still has a kitten to look after. You are working like a Fury. I am lounging about in comparison — finally got a diagnosis for my right wrist: two hairline fractures, a sprain and tendinitis, all at once. No busking for me for awhile. I am doing some easy one-handed chores for a friend a couple of days a week. And I have a nice, bright blue fiberglass cast.
Oh, poor little middle kitten. Safe, now….joined her sibling at the Rainbow bridge.
When we were growing up, if we became frustrated or cross, mammy set us to some physical task such as cutting grass, cleaning windows or for the boys – chopping wood. By the time we were finished, we were calmer and the world a good place to be!
I still work off frustration with a physical task.
A shame but now Big Nitten can fight the god fight with Boo. Hope you are ok…don’t forget to breathe!
Oh how sweet. I just love to see a dog loving a little kitten.
Had you thought of plastic buckets for nest boxes? They would be lighter than wood or metal. It seems to me I’ve seen kits to make them though you could just cut the lid in half and mount it sideways. You might be able to make the framework out of plastic conduit or small pvc pipe, That would lighten it quite a bit but you might have to stake it down in the wind. Mere, as far as lymes vaccine, I quit getting it for our dogs. I put either Frontline plus or Advantix on them every month from early spring til late fall. I’ve never found a tick on either dog even though we live out in the country and one of them is a bird dog who regularly goes to northern Wisconsin. That slice looks sooo good!
Thank you Sherry! I think I will look into that instead! 😀
Well, you and I certainly have different ways of taking a break. 🙂 All that matters, though, is whether it works for you. It looks like it did and I’m glad. Worms are nasty business, especially for the really young kittens and pups. Sounds like the Marmalade kitty, though, will make it — and that’s good. Great pics of Boo and the kitty. Wonder if they’ll remain best buds when grown. Now that would make a pair! Have a good evening, Celi.
Does Boo need the extra food for his nannying duties? He must miss the two little ones. Are you able to get a night’s sleep yet? I worry more about you than the animals – if you get sick who would look after them? I agree there’s nothing like a good bottoming session to blow away a bad mood (bottoming = Yorkshire for cleaning).
Luv, ViV
PS I’m going to make that apple cake tatin if it kills me. I do miss cooking and quilting in my enforced idleness.
In desperation I crocheted two beanie hats this week!
The Ark has been a great success, and you have worked like fury. Sounds like it did the trick. Greetings from the wild west coast where I am now, about to have a working bee at the bach.
Now I’d love a slice of that apple upside down cake!
Methinks when bits of life collapse around one, getting stuck into what is next is the mentally healthiest way to go on ~ I so agree with Roger! Am doing exactly the same myself at the moment as you would know!! Did you ever see ‘Gone with the Wind’? Quite a ludicrous comparison which always makes me laugh: when I get mad, really mad I can just see Vivien Leigh with her fist in the air against the burning sky having as good a swear as the censors then would allow! It works for me!!!!
Aaah, that a girl C! I had myself a meltdown here too just recently and nothing like a good hard cry, then some good hard work, preferably outdoors to clear the soul.
So glad little marmalade is still doing well…I think that would be a good name for her?
We just soldier on, don’t we?
Sorry about the kitten
Sounds like a plan I hated cleaning the coop of poop 🙂
Sometimes it’s about showing the world’s who’s boss. I clean therefore I am.
excellent! c
Great post! You are inspiring me to get up and get something done. 🙂
What a sweet photo of your dog and kitten. Scrumptious apple upside down slice. Thanks for sharing.