You know the cold is coming when Sheila my big fat pig starts building her bed. Last night she had gathered it all up high, she stands in the middle of her bed and goes round and round scraping the straw up with her hooves and her nose moving up into the centre of her bed as she goes round – building her house of straw higher and higher. Then satisfied and with a great sigh, she folds her front legs under then lowers her considerable rear end down into the centre with a grunt and she is so heavy she sinks straight down into the straw making a warm bed wit high sides. (She makes room for Poppy but you know Poppy – she does not really care).
Following Sheila’s lead I have built a warm Bat Cave hut for Tima and Tane.
In the old days the farmers would often make a bale house for new born calves to keep them warm. Two bales stacked on either side two in the back, a piece of board across the top and straw on top of that too. A lovely draft free hut. Straw is an excellent insulation. So I made one of these and stuffed it full of straw for Tima and Tane. It took a wee while to make, so I was very grateful when they huffed and whined like squeaky quarrelsome trains and chugged straight in the door, in under their straw blankets and snuggled down for an afternoon nap.
There is nothing like a grateful pig or a grateful chicken for that matter.
Chooks always look so STERN. On the left above – is one of the new roosters. What a beautiful boy. I hope he will breed us some lovely chicks next summer. The one above that is a sneaky Old rooster, he has the tell-tale frost bitten comb from the bad winter of 2014. Now we are facing another bad winter in 2014/15. But that is OK.. it IS winter after all.
I will tell you something else I have noticed. The older animals like Sheila and the peahens and elder chickens always go to bed before the younger ones. The older cats are in bed first. The older dogs. Though we lost a few of our elders in the last year – the next generation are stepping up to remind us that early to bed means early to rise. Though to tell the truth Sheila is never the first to rise. First to bed and last to rise is our Sheila. I will finish her Christmas calender this weekend do you want one? I need to work out how many I should order. Shall I set up a Christmas Calender page?
Queenie is doing well at her vacation home. Though things are very quiet and there is no sign of her being in heat yet. But soon I think. I will leave her there for a month just to be sure.
I booked the next round of tickets for New Zealand last night. I am going out to celebrate the nuptials of my Senior son and his beautiful girl in January. Though it will be a much shorter visit. January is peak – summer in New Zealand. Suffice to say I have decided to patch my old clown suit instead of buying a new one. I think the jacket is beyond repair but no new clown suit photos! We need to save our money for the new cows.
I love budgeting. I am pretty good at it actually.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
55 responses to “The Bat Cave”
As others have already said, your chickens do look healthy. Love the bat cave! I’m sure it will keep them both toasty this Winter. That Sheila has inspired me to go make my bed. After all, if Sheila, a pig, can make her bed, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t make mine. 🙂
Have a great day, Celi!
Yes I’d like a calendar too. Sheila has such personality. Like a housewife with a broom, sweeping sweeping. Very funny.
They will be snug as a bug in a rug as my mother used to say when she put me to bed. The chooks are just gorgeous.
They are saying snow for us this coming Friday. Monday Terry hopes to start the harvest of the corn…the snow needs to wait.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/?s=The+Adventures+of+Fuzzy+and+Boomer&submit=Search
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SNOW.. oh dear.. I was so hoping winter would hold off just a bit, there is still so much kale in the garden and i LOVE kale.. c
A house made of straw, I’ll blow and I’ll blow……. you know the rest!
Morning Miss C – x
how much are the calendars? a calendar page would be loverly!
Have not worked that out yet but they are not cheap.. They are sold to make money for Sheila’s winter feed. I will find out and make a calender page.. let you know.. c
Me too for a calendar 🙂 Those cooks look so healthy, and from what is discernible from a. cook -happy. The roosters’ colours are gorgeous, they look like they have been brushed by an artist or stylist. So many times I have made a bed for a furry-one only to have them look at it, me, and walk away, so at least Tima & Tane have good sense 🙂
I know, all that work and they decide to sleep on a brick by the cold door, i was so gratful when they walzed in and settled down.. good piggies..
I would love a Christmas calendar of our pin-up girl, Sheila. The new rooster is quite handsome. They are beautiful fowl, fully-combed or not. I’m glad Tima & Tane love their new home/bed, and Sheila’s constructions always amaze me. She’s just an amazing pig.
hey Celi…………..are you only doing a Sheila calendar? If there’s going to be a general Farmy calendar……especially with pics of Boo… I’d have one of them, but otherwise I’ll have a Sheila or two.
It is general farm animals. We call it the Sheila calender because it is the way we make the money for her winter feed.. It will have everyone in it from this year. esp your BooBoo c
🙂 xx
I’m enjoying the mental image of TIma and Tane charging into their Bat Cave at full pelt and flopping down in the snug warmth with a sigh. Eyes closed, Miss C, off to sleep, we’ve got a busy day tomorrow…
They are so sweet – you need one.. wish i could send you one .. they are so friendly.. c
Once all the medical nonsense is over, I’m getting my chooks, and they will be enough entertainment value. I’d love a Tima, but we don’t have enough grazing space…
oh chooks are even better.. lovely fresh eggs..
So Sheila has been teaching you how to make a piggy bed. I love your description of how she does it. Your winter will seem so odd, punctuated by a little smash and grab raid on our Kiwi summer and then back to the icy blasts. The bat cave looks just perfect and must have been fun to make.
Can I look out for a clown suit for you here? I’m worried about drafts getting into your patches 😦
I am looking at the weather and worrying about it too.. they are awfully expensive, i would rather put the money towards a cow so we are scouring ebay, looking for one there.. c
Ok but do send me an e-mail with your size and what you need and I can look out for a back up for you! Seriously 🙂
The coldest I’ve ever been was summer in Wellington.
Yes, I would love a Sheila calendar, count me in! 🙂