Everything Chester And More...

Yesterday was a perfectly lovely day on the farm
With temperatures finally soaring into the 20's I spent the afternoon outside,
catching up on extra chores that were skipped during the cold blast of the past week.


Chicken manure had built up in the chicken houses from chickens
that didn't want to venture outside, so I stripped their houses and filled them with new 
pine bedding.
Now everyone's house smells piney fresh!


The horses and donkeys spent a good part of the day out in the front pasture.


There is still a bit of snow on the ground,
but getting out and milling about is good for their mental health.


Animals get cabin fever just like we do!


A wintry mix south of us brought Amanda home from work a little early.
She still spends most Monday evenings here on the farm with us.
It was great to have some help with cleaning the front pasture,
and she enjoys the hands-on activity as much as we enjoy having her at home!


We've had no further duck emergencies since last week,
and their swimming hole has gotten smaller from the deep freeze.
It reminds me of a hot tub.


I am happy to report that Chester has become the consummate farm dog.


He has more energy than any dog I have ever known.


And although he is not quite as fast a runner as Annie,
he tends to run circles around her... burning off his energy.
I think we're having as much fun with him here as he is having being here!


He's definitely a pack animal and stays close to the rest of us at all times.

He has learned that manure is a delicacy and usually has a large chunk of something
disgusting in his mouth.


He'll tell you that his favorite is cat poop.
Yuck!

This weekend while we were out hiking, he found something wonderful to play with.
Everywhere he went... so did his play toy.


He'd toss it in the air and pounce on it, pick it up in his mouth and run with it,
then toss it once again and pounce.


Curious, we took a closer look.
What we had thought was a piece of cat poop was actually a frozen vole.
A treasure, for sure!


Like every dog that we have ever had,
Chester does have his quirks.
His happens to be a fear of the dark.
When it's time to go out for his final potty time, he plasters himself in his bed, 
rolling over onto his back and showing his belly in pleading submission.
"Please, oh please, don't make me go outside!"


And with that I pick him up out of his bed and carry him outside.


Begrudgingly, he does his duty and runs for the front door.
Silly puppy!

I am loving this quiet wintry time of year.
I spend a portion of each day writing away...each day a page closer to my eventual goal.
Knitting projects get started and finished.
Dreams are hatched.
Corners are cleaned.

To every thing there is a season, and I am enjoying this season!

PS...to Julia.... the little things that hold my knitting when I am blocking are blocking pins that are shaped like little combs.  They poke into the mats and hold everything very secure.
(Sorry, I just found your question from Friday.)

Comments

Louise Stopford said…
Chester is sure one happy puppy - lovely to hear he has his forever home and has settled in so well. AND .... to be carried out for his last duty, what a spoilt boy.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
i forgot how much fun it is to have a puppy in the house. we are entertained by winnie all day long! she sure has brought energy back to our house! a short reprieve from the cold and then back to frigid temps again!
Maybe Chester needs some therapy to get over his fear. Lol. Also, I love the donkey's "bangs."
Junebug said…
I have the opposite problem! Duncan will not go out in the morning until I turn patio lights on and stand out there waiting. Crazy dogs of ours!
No wonder "doggy breath" is always so bad!
This N That said…
Hopefully, the ducks swimming area got a bit larger today..Chester has all the delicacies...Mollie is in to deer poop these days.She's a little spooked in the dark as well..Who has who's number??? It's great that you get to see Amanda every week.xxoo
Anonymous said…
Thank you. I've never seen any blocking pins like that, but I will start looking. And don't worry--I didn't post the comment until Sunday. I may read your blog first thing in the morning, but I'm not up to coherent typing until it's really time to leave for work anyway.

Julia
diane in northern wis said…
Always such great pictures Bev...but my favorite today has to be the first one of your big ole dog and that puffy sweetie-pie cat. That is so cute. Does Chester's old owner ever get to come and romp around on the farm with him? Hope so. Thanks for an always great blog, although I really didn't need to hear about dogs loving manure or frozen voles! :( Never a dull moment at your place! :)