Yesterdays comments lounge is worth a look, if you have not already been. We had one of our magic Fellowship days. I love our discussions, wish we were able to have a coffee with that! I read through all the comments yesterday again and again, Kim and Esther read along with me, in our cyber worlds. Taking comfort. Comfort is such a small word that means So much.
Then there was the farm businness as usual.
Much to Boo Boo’s gentle delight the kittens have been allowed to come out and play.
He moves as slowly as a working dog with lambs. There is an innate knowledge about not spooking small animals. When he is inside with me he spends at least half the time with his head in the cardboard box, organising the kittens, cataloging them, washing them, fluffing them. The other half of the time he is laid down next to their box, sleeping within earshot in case someone needs him.
My good friend Bill is calling Boo the Dogfather.
The Matriarch is away at the moment and we have her dog here. Marmalade has driven him out of the main house. If he steps out of the Coop she rises up on her hind legs and boxes his ears with both feet until he runs crying back into The Coop. He is not even allowed in the same room as her kittens. Yet Boo is allowed to get into the box with them.
TonTon is not a Cat Dog. So he is always far away. No problems there.
The other day the Old Codger and I were talking about Sheila’s diet. She eats grass, I said. He laughed. I have never heard of such a thing, he said. Pigs eating grass!
But there you are, Pigs eat grass!.
The temperatures rose yesterday and her hip (where that nasty boar gored her) was not feeling the cold as badly – so out she went into the field and ate as much grass as she could. She limps when it is really cold. Our poor Sheila. Her T Shirt enterprise raised 346 dollars and 28 cents. Thank you. We both thank you. I am looking forward to my T shirt as much as you are! I even got one for Sheila though I am not entirely sure how she will wear it. Anyone who wants to pop down and help me dress her is more than welcome.
The calendars are here so if you did not get your details email.. let me know.
Good morning! I lost Tima and Tane for a while yesterday afternoon and eventually found them out the back under the baby Oak tree, eating acorns. Good little piggies.
With a few days ahead of ABOVE freezing temperatures (I am so easily pleased) I have taken the basement chickens out to the Chook house. They have feathers aplenty now and will have time to acclimatise before the cold comes back. And it will be back. But the chooks are ready. And as far as I can tell only one of the seven loft chicks is a rooster. That is an excellent result too.
Isn’t that a gorgeous looking bird?
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
36 responses to “Boo and His Babies”
For a t-shirt for Sheila you could take one and split it down the back . Then put something like apron strings on it to tie under her belly and throat. She would wear the front of the shirt on her back, hopefully long enough for a photo. From photos of her over the last couple of months I do not think Sheila is as heavy as she was. Her grass diet is getting her to a healthy size. Hmmm maybe I need more grazing in my diet.
I think she is looking better too, it is so much easier to get her to walk about in the summer too, once the weather turns cold she turns to her bed. c
The Dogfather and his kittens are delightful… but poor Joey although Mama Marmalade knows best it seems. I’m pleased Sheila’s enterprises are worthwhile financially and creatively, just goes to show there’s more than one way to earn your keep as well as keeping the grass down. Her b&w ensemble makes certainly puts the chic in chicken!
Dogfather…it’ll be the next big classic! Those pictures with the kittens are just too precious.
The Dogfather! I’m sitting here splitting my sides. I get my quota of weekly laughs (and sometimes tears) on you blog, that’s for sure.
Agree with you about yesterday’s post: something to appreciate, reread, file and share! My best girlfriend since 18 was here about a week ago and I showed her ‘our book’ – a now retired physician of some 40 years she quizzed me on the topic: ‘Menopause’, ‘What: no Estonian in the world earth would speak out on THAT?’ . . . . well, sorry, could resist sending her y’days post and asking ‘Well, would Estonians ‘speak up’ on deatht?’!! 🙂 ! No answer in a big mailbox as yet!!! Rare, true and sincere . . .Being Dogfather was inevitable and the photos are glorious . . . as you have not put a ‘stop’ sign on our ‘pinching’ your photos, I now open to the third one down to my computer . . .
I bet you give your fellow Estonians a run for their money! Bless. I am so glad you are here. and yes .. pinch any photo you like.. FOREVER! c
Do NOT do it on purpose but am too ‘old’ to be ‘polite’ just for the sake of ‘being polite’ 🙂 !! I was somewhat ‘shaken’ by yesterday but so, so loved it! I bloom when I see honesty . . . Sorry, Boo: love’ya really do 🙂 ! Tomorrow we’ll talk’about you 😀 !!!
Everytime come over to visit you I am just overwhelmed with joy and laughter. What in the world could be sweeter than Boo and the kittens? Not much in this world! Happy Thanksgiving.
There is so much sorrow here–but you know, that darling Boo and his kittens makes everything all right. Thank you beyond all measure.
Boo reminds me of my Charlie. He was the best baby nanny, he’d rock the swing so the baby wouldn’t wake up. He did that with 3 of my grandkids. He’s old now and not so steady on his pins but he’s still just a big love. Cute pics of Boo with the babies. I’m glad to hear Shelia is feeling better, the cold will aggravate old injuries.
I’m curious about animal memory. Do you think that Marmalade remembers how good Boo was to her? And if so, is that why she let’s him
so close to her wee ones?
I am absolutely sure of that.. not as a memory maybe but as an accepted family member.. c
Nanny Boo must be in dog-heaven with all his little charges. Please keep the camera on them–they make my day.
Glad to know I’m not the only one with late chickens! Although, a basement would be a wonderful, and much better place to keep them. They started in the barn with heat lamps, but then we got weather in the deep teens and I had to bring the brooders into the living room!!! They are finishing up their feathers, and we are finishing up the chicken tractor’s base tomorrow. Then, its out they go! (though still in the shelter of the barn for a wee bit longer).
[…] Picture of Boo and Marmalade’s kittens © Cecilia Gunther, stolen from The Kitchen’s Garden […]
One of your pictures, stolen and written on: http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/boo-and-babies-haiga/
[…] So, I’m wondering, is Thelma aware of her sister’s problem? Could she sense that she would be of more use to the newly hatched chicks if she stuck around to get to know them? You may remember that BB stole Louise’s chicks on the first day and six non-bantam chicks are a real handful for a wee silkie mum. Did Thelma anticipate this? You may think that I’m crediting Thelma with far too much of the grey matter, but there are stories out there of animals sensing ill health or vulnerability of other beasties, even of a different species! A certain dog named Boo, over on The Farmy in Illinois is just such a caring canine, relishing taking care of orphan lambs, piglets and kittens. […]