No Baby This Year

   It is with much disappointment that I write this post to say that Charlotte my two year old Old English Southdown Sheep is not pregnant, nor was she ever. My veterinarian was here on Wednesday to give her a booster shot for the impending birth of her lamb, so that the lamb would receive antibodies from the mother sheep to protect it from some fatal diseases. We decided to do a sonogram just to make sure that she was pregnant and no baby! Nothing! No baby, no enlarged uterus, no placenta, nothing. Apparently her increasing girth was a little weight gain do to her recent increase in grain consumption necessary at the end of  a sheep's pregnancy, and mostly her thick wool due to such cold temperatures this winter. I am so disappointed, but slightly relieved since I was getting nervous and stressed about assisting with the birth. Then, when I emailed the farm where I took her to be bred with the news, I found out they had successful live births where the lambs then succumbed to hypothermia and died do to this frigid spring weather we have had. My disappointment of no lamb this year would not even compare to the devastation I would feel if I lost a lamb after being born. I guess this was meant to be. I will try again in the fall during breeding season, and will also have Martha and Francis to breed as well, since they will be old enough too. I will look into breeding with a ram closer by though since the drive to New York State was just too stressful for the sheep (and the owners).
   On a happier note, I saw two bright yellow goldfinches at my feeder this morning. Seeing them in their spring plumage was so uplifting. The birds are really singing in the morning while I am doing the barn chores now. It is just so great to know we made it to spring! Now we need to get rid of the snow and mud and we will have something to celebrate. The barn has had a bit of water coming in this week due to the snow melt, but as long as we don't get any heavy rain we will manage. Have a great weekend, thanks for reading the blog!

The sheep, and their duck mascot, have made a path through the mud and snow to their favorite spot, but no grass yet to their dismay!

Although the ground is frozen, the chickens still love to look for bugs and worms.

Happy Birthday George and Martha

   Today is George and Martha's first birthday. They are now officially sheep and no longer lambs. Wow, where did that year go? The breeder I bought them from named the twins George and Martha. What else would you name lambs born the day before George Washington's birthday? We knew immediately we would keep those names. They are the friendliest and sweetest sheep we have, and they always seem to be into something to make me smile.

Martha (cream colored) and George

 

   I am starting to feel the excitement of spring preparations. First off I ordered 6 new day old chicks to add to our flock, 3 silver laced wyandottes and 3 golden laced wyandottes. They will be arriving on April 11th.

Silver laced wyandotte chicken

Golden laced wyandotte chicken

 

Secondly, I have been starting some flower and vegetable seeds. Most of my garden seeds are direct sown outside in the spring, but I do start tomatoes, peppers and some of the cutting garden flower seeds such as the celosia, stocks, delphiniums, and johnny jump-up violas inside weeks before they will be transplanted outside in the spring. I reuse my plastic seed starting pots and trays each year. I prefer plastic pots to peat pots, because they retain the water better and do not have the tendency to get moldy like the peat pots do. I first sterilize the pots and trays with Clorox to kill any bacteria from last year's plantings. I just do it in the sink and spray them with Clorox clean-up spray, being sure to rinse the Clorox off completely. I then just air dry them and then they are ready for the seed starter potting mix and new seeds.

 

   Use a bucket and mix water and seed starter potting mix until you get the desired consistency of damp but not soggy soil. Then fill pots and plant seeds according to the directions on each seed packet. Some seeds need light to germinate so they cannot be covered with soil, while other seeds require darkness to germinate, so they will need to be covered with soil. Be sure to carefully read the packets!

 

   All trays should be covered with clear plastic wrap (such as saran wrap) until seedlings emerge, then it is important to remove the plastic wrap so the seedlings are exposed to the air and can grow. At first misting the seedlings with a water bottle is acceptable, but as soon as they start to develop leaves and begin to form roots, watering from the bottom tray is advised. A fluorescent light hung closely over the young seedlings is a must for growing strong healthy plants. Depending on a sunny window will yield spindly plants which always strain towards the light. I know this first hand!

   A very weak liquid fertilizer should be used in a couple of weeks after seedlings emerge, but again follow directions very closely so as not to burn out the tiny plants. Now just sit back and enjoy the miracle of nature. Have a great weekend and maybe start some seeds!

 



 

  



 



Valentine's Day

  

 

   I love Valentine's Day! I guess I love any excuse to put out some holiday decorations. This year I missed my Christmas tree so much that I created a "Valentine's tree". On one of our warmer days, (When was that? You are asking) I went outside and pruned off some of the gnarled branches from one of our ancient apple trees. I placed the branches in one of my antique crocks, put on a strand of white lights from our Christmas tree, decorated the branches with some glass heart decorations and there you go... a Valentine's tree. I put it in my dining room a couple of weeks ago and it really has cheered up these frigid days.

 

   This year my husband will receive some homemade treats for his Valentine's gift. I baked some homemade sugar cookies this morning and decorated them with little hearts. It gave me a reason to use a red rolling pin my husband bought me for Valentine's Day a few years ago. I know, a rolling pin for Valentine's Day? How unromantic, but when you have a penchant for rolling pins, it's a great gift. I saw this rolling pin in a King Arthur catalogue and wanted it so badly, but I didn't want to spend $40 on this "guaranteed not to stick to dough" rolling pin. Guess what? It doesn't stick! After a cup of coffee and a to die for danish at the King Arthur Flour's cafe, with beautiful classical music in the background, my Valentine bought me my red rolling pin. I have a small collection of antique rolling pins, but there is not one that I use to make anything with, so I really love this gift and always remember that Valentine's Day when I use it.

 

The Valentine's Day rolling pin.

Collection of antique rolling pins.

My biggest antique rolling pin- from a Brandon,Vt bakery .

 

 





   My husband will also be the recipient of a huge box of handcrafted dark chocolate mint truffles, which I have come out of retirement to make for him, courtesy of "The Chocolate Moose", my old chocolate shop. I will be more than happy to help him eat both of his gifts!

        Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

The recipe for the sugar cookies is as follows:

 

 



 

It's homemade, if you make it at home!!!