Barn Work

After spending so much time getting the barn scooped out, I decided I should give it a bit more attention.

Fionn’s few weeks in the barn last winter were very damaging.  He has a bad habit of head butting walls.

Fionn

My almost 120-year-old barn couldn’t handle Fionn.  He busted the wall.

I decided we should try to get this fixed and stabilized.

The same wall right by the door needs some work also.  The wall was coming away from the foundation when I first moved here.  I put some plywood on it to help keep it from getting worse.

It would be nice to get this fixed up a bit more also.

Well, it will be a start.

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They Aren’t Helping

We finally woke up to some rain on Monday morning.  We didn’t end up with a lot, but it was enough to keep the goats and llamas in the barn most of the day.

Aurora (a couple of bucks just before they left) and Maybeline in back

That means I didn’t get to do any scooping.  That’s okay.  I kept busy with making cheese and preparing and freezing beans and making zucchini chips.  Tuesday would be better!

But, Tuesday morning started foggy.  It was so wet that it felt like it was raining even though it wasn’t  That means the goats were in the barn again.

I can’t scoop with them in the barn because some of them act like I’m going to use the potato fork on them.

Cupid

Others want to know where their treat is or just rub their face up and down my backside (seriously Casey).

Harley and Casey

Still others seem to think the spot I need to scoop is a nice place for napping.

Mary with Tootles and Bubbles

Again, I kept myself busy with canning and preparing and dehydrating foods.

chevre draining

By late morning, they went out to pasture and I could get some scooping done.  Sadly, my deadline of going back to work is getting here faster than I would like, but it will be done! How do I know that? Yesterday, we had unseasonably cool weather and the critters went out to pasture early, so I took the opportunity to work on the last section.  It’s done!

All I have left to do is touch up the floor and clean out the manger in the second section (behind Hera and Gidget) and put down a layer of cornstalk bedding.

Hera and Gidget

I think it will fit on the spreader.

Seriously, theis is the second full spreader from the barn.  Those llamas really need to keep their poop piles out of the barn.

Walking Down My Road

Early Monday morning (or the middle of the night; I have no idea), before the sun was up, I got woke up by the lights and sirens of the fire trucks going past.  Because I live a mile from a main highway, most times when they go by, it’s because of an accident on the highway.  I rolled over, hoped it wasn’t too serious, and went back to sleep.  When I got up in the morning, I went out to milk.  I was immediately hit with the acrid scent of burnt wood.  I remembered the trucks from earlier, and got worried about what had burned.

Cutie

After chores, I decided to walk down the road and see what it was.  I have to admit that I enjoyed the walk along my road.

Edited: It’s partridge pea

birdsfoot trefoil

Queen Anne’s lace

Edit: It’s mullein

chicory

milk weed

Just at the end of my property, someone came out and thought about joining me.  I was a little surprised to see a deer this size without an adult.  Hopefully the little one knew where it was headed.

More wild flowers!

Queen Anne’s lace

milk weed

I don’t know–tell me what this is

wild parsnip

chicory

As I neared the end of the road, I was becoming optimistic that the fire hadn’t been one of my neighbors, but then I saw a wisp of smoke.  My neighbors lost one of their buildings.  The thought of fire on the farm is very scary, and I’m glad they didn’t lose more.

It really left me grateful to see my barn roof as I walked back home.

You can see my barn’s roof tucked between all the trees.

I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my barn or any other building.

Fionn

Hopefully, I never have to find out.