Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

Baymule

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I hope I can get a puppy out of one of these breedings. I understand about people waiting for years, but if I don’t get one, I’ll have to find one elsewhere. I’m down 2 LGDs and I can’t wait a couple of years. I have a ram and his paramour in the front yard with Carson (half Great Dane-half Labrador) standing in as a LGD. Carson is doing a great job, but I can’t expect him to run a pasture, keeping coyotes out.
 

Ridgetop

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Call him and talk to him. He is planning on breeding Dukat when she comes in season next year. (Which I suddenly realized is only a few months away!) Now that he had his back surgery and has recovered, he is becoming more active and is hoping to start breeding at least one maybe 2 litters a year. He loves raising and training puppies. He will hopefully be attending a couple shows too.

His health was really bad for several years. That is why people have not been able to book puppies - he didn't breed any litters for about 4 years. Eventually, the doctors figured out that it was a reaction to one of his meds, so they took changed it. Once he was feeling better, he was hardly able to walk from spine pain. Finally, the doctors found he had a huge cyst growing in his spine. Luckily, they were able to remove it before it paralyzed him. That was about a year ago and now he is just recovering to the point that he can drive and walk well again. Our prayers were answered. He is enjoying his dogs again and was able to go to the Anatolian Specialty show with 3 dogs. He won Reserve Winner's bitch with a puppy (her sister took Winner's Bitch) and placed in the classes with the other 2. He is super excited about these upcoming litters and the one he has planned next year.

I was thinking about you when @bethh posted about having to rehome her GPs. I didn't suggest them because I knew you didn't want any more GPs. Particularly ones that have formed the habit of escaping their fences. Those dogs probably should be placed on much larger acreage. I hope @bethh is able to place them.

Today I am doing housework, laundry, and office work. 🤪 I found some deeper (15-16") cabinet units for the dollhouse but some of them sound too cheap and won't hold up. I think DD1 will have to make a decision when she returns from her Girl Scout camping trip. They are flat pack pressboard cabinets (but we won't install the doors which were the items that were considered too flimsy) and they ship free from Amazon. She needs 2 or 3 of them which will make an 8 - 12 room Barbie abode with stable, garage, patio, and rooms for all the children. The nice thing about using deeper shelf units like these is that later they can be used for storage in DGD1's room. We have to go to deeper cabinets because 11-12" bookcases are not deep enough for Barbie size furniture. Just have to decide whether to have them delivered here for me to work on or DD1's house since they are sort of heavy. I don't want to work on them at DD1's house since I have to take all my tools there and it is hard to work in the confusion. If she gives me a key I can go work while the kids are in school but again, no access to my tools and stuff. Decisions, decisions . . . It may depend if DD1 wants to work on it with me.

Going to sew up some shopping bags for DS2 for Christmas to keep in his car. In California they got rid of paper bags to save the trees. Then they decided that plastic bags were polluting so they stopped the stores bagging in plastic. You were supposed to buy your own reusable bags and bring them each time. Too many people kept forgetting to bring bags. Ours are in the car and we never bring in enough bags. We end up having to bag as we load the groceries in the car. Then the lawmakers got too many complaints and brought back the plastic bags BUT the stores charge you $.10 for a flimsy plastic grocery bag. So almost as much plastic bag pollution as before but now you have to pay $.10 per bag. Environmentalists and lawmakers doing their bit to ruin our lives while congratulating themselves on saving the planet. Anyway, I have some fabric that I bought that is made for outdoor furniture cushions. Very tough stuff and not too heavy. (I made our first bags out of old drapery valances from the thrift store). I will make grocery bags for DS2 and DD2 this year. I have the fabric, so it is just time. Buying reusable bags will set you back $5 per reusable light weight bag that doesn't last and $10 for a better one. We have used our homemade bags for years now and they are usable for other stuff too.

I am trying to find stuff to do here while thinking about all the stuff I could be doing on the Texas house. I go to sleep at night thinking about what to do that house and occasionally get up in the middle of the night to look up stuff. :barnie

Still no more lambs. Stupid sheep.
 

Ridgetop

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ll/15/22
Another ewe lambed this morning. DH fed and came to tell me that she was just cleaning off lamb #2. I went down to the barn and cleaned 2 jugs. We will move her in one this afternoon when DGD1 comes from school. She is good with the sheep and loves to carry the newborns in from the field. DS1 said that he wants to move the other ewes into the 3 dry jugs and will shovel out the ones in use this afternoon. One is pretty mucky since that ewe also lambed in it (dead ram lamb after we moved her in). We will put 7088 with her twins in the larger jug, 123 with her single and the new mom with her twins in the other 2. I don't know who lambed or what sex the youngsters are yet. At least I know that Smalley wasn't shooting blanks though. He throws nice lambs. This is about the time a group of ewes are scheduled to lamb so maybe the ewes are all bred and just did not take the first time around. We'll see. Either way, we put a group of 6 or 7 in with Lewis after Smalley was removed.

Afternoon -
8192 is the ewe who lambed with twin ewes. Very small only about 5 lbs. I am thawing some goat milk now to give some supplemental bottles. I am wondering now if the sheep didn't eat much during the huge heat wave last summer. Or possibly Doofus and DD2 didn't feed twice a day like they were supposed to. At any rate, tiny as they are the twins are pretty lively. 4 or 5 others were due today as well so we may have another couple lambs tomorrow.
:idunno

Finished 4 of the grocery bags I was making for DS2 and wife. I'm making them from outdoor cushion material. I wonder if this material is waxed for water resistance. My thread keeps breaking and the needle gets sticky. I keep cleaning it with Not sure I want to try to make the other 2 I have cut out and ready to go.

11/16/22
Terrible windstorm all night long. Santa Anas are bad. Power went out at 4:45 am and didn't come back on until 4:00 pm. Poor Robert kept bringing us the remote and asking for his TV cartoons. LOL Wind finally died down around 10pm.

Josie the Mule started screaming this am at 9 am so I went out to see what was going on. Another ewe was in the process of lambing. Josie loves lambs and is always hanging around the ewes as they lamb. I went down and raked out one of the jugs. DS1 was gone and we needed extra people to move the ewe into the barn. We have started leaving the ewe and her lambs in the breeding pen until around feeding time. They are happier and have less trouble with lambing. We will let them lamb in the pastures in Texas. The other ewes crowd around the mama and I figure will help her clean up any lamb born. When he got home DS1 used a new tool he and DH bought - like a mini jack hammer - to remove a 4" layer of matted hay and manure from the jug before putting 332 and her single ewe lamb in it. He plans to clean out the last jug tomorrow with his new digger. Then he will start on the creep and ewe pen. Then work around to the other 3 jugs as we move the ewes out of them. One of the 2 month old ram lambs is huge. Looks like at least 50-60 lbs. already. We should weigh the lambs. Time for their second vaccinations and we need to vaccinate the new lambs and dock the ewes. 5 ewe lamb, 1 ram lamb (twin ram died) out of 4 ewes. Good job, but I wish we would get a few more rams otherwise we will have to eat them. Won't go to the auction with only 2 ram lambs (gas prices!)

Wonder if we will have more lambs tomorrow. I am also wondering why these lambs are small. I wonder if the sheep did not get properly fed while we were in Texas with DS1, DS2, and DDIL2. This has been a bad year for sheep.
 

Ridgetop

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GRRR! Getting really depressed about our Texas move. Fencing is a big stopping block. Thought the local guy might be cheaper but he is quoting the same price as the big company BUT with 5' sheep and goat wire instead of 6' deer fence. Will probably have to take out a loan for the fencing. Don't ask how much the fencing for 44 acres will cost. :oops::hit:hit:hit We planned to refinance the ranch but interest rates have doubled. We should have gotten a loan on the Yelm property before we sold. Then we could have just put a larger loan on the new ranch and had cash to use for improvements. I told DH we needed to sell stock before Covid to have a cash fund but he was in love with the dividends and now the stock is in the tank. We could cash out our IRAs but are leery of doing that in case we need more income. We don't want to sell our house in CA since the government would take about 1/3 to1/2 in capital gains taxes. If we have to return to CA we won't be able to afford another place. Plus our loan on that property is 2.5% interest.

Anyway, down to last jug. Then we will have to rearrange the ewes and lambs and put up another creep somewhere. I would like to leave the lambs and ewes in the front breeding pen and will possibly do that in Texas (if we ever get there) but that area is more vulnerable to coyotes even with the dogs.

Packed 5 boxes of books, mostly on renovating, building, and gardening. Also some cookbooks. I sorted out some cookbooks for DGS2 to go in his Christmas box. DGD1 will get the book abut foldng fancy napkins. She wants to try folding napkins in fancy shapes for Thanksgiving.

Looks like I will be stuck with Thanksgiving this year. DS3 and DDIL1 say they have no one to watch the animals so can't drive down. This means we will have to make a trip up to pick up the flatbed trailer. DS3 was going to bring it down and we were going to make the trip for the horses. At the price of gas, he can bring the horses down one weekend and we will go up for the flatbed.

DH keeps mentioning that I need to load the stock trailer with the stuff to take to Texas. Since our truck is still in the shop (over a month now) I can't do it yet. The mechanic dropped the fuel tank and said the fuel pump was totally clogged and needed replacing. Now DH learned that there are 2 fuel pumps in the truck. DS3 told him that and that he has replaced both f his twice. I guess with the truck being over 20 years old, we are lucky to only now be replacing ours. The truck is still running rough though and the diesel mechanic can't figure out why. BUT the shop never mentioned that there is a second fuel pump - does the so-called diesel mechanic even know there is a 2nd fuel pump? This has been a bone of contention between DH and me for some time now. DS3 told him that the diesel mechanic at Galpin may not know enough about older diesel trucks to fi things. DH accepted this as truth from our son and told me like I had never questioned the ability of the diesel mechanic at Galpin before! Men! :somad:smack If we ever get to Texas we will be able to find someone who can work on older diesels, I hope. All Texans can't be driving new trucks!

This will be a lean Christmas. I won't spend as much and have pared down the gifts. The grandchildren will all receive a gift to open and a check for their college fund. The children and children-in-law will get one gift. DH and I will gift each other with fencing. :hitThe tears are for my bank account and empty checkbook. Maybe we should ask the children for fencing money. LOL Actually, lean Christmases are good. The decorations are just as pretty, the food is just as good, and the grandchildren get spoiled by aunts and uncles with gifts just as much. We still enjoy being together and have a good time.

DS1 and 2 have decided to make the dollhouse cabinets for DGD1 for Christmas. They will cost less than half the price of pressboard cabiniets. They will be sturdier and lighter weight made from solid wood. We will paint them white to match her bedroom furniture, and eventually can be used for other storage. The boys are getting too ambitious now though - talking about putting in drawers for her dolls and doll clothes. I vetoed that due to the level of work and time involved. DS2 took 2 years to build a dresser (originally for himself but in the meantime he married and had a baby who now has the dresser). DS1 has taken 5 years to build a display cabinet for his brother's antique rifle. This required some special measuring for the rifle and antique pistol that are going to occupy it but really 5 years? The child really needs the dollhouse before she graduates from high school! Both boys are off work until after Christmas so they need to get to work on it. After it is finished, I need to do the wallpapering, flooring, etc. before DD1 and I can unpack the furniture and the 3 of us can begin to move in Barbie, GI Joe, and their 6 children (or is it 8?). Barbie can't keep her hands off her macho Joe! Gay Friend Ken can help with the move in. 😂

Got to go now and find the fence money.
 

SageHill

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NO!! TRAGIC!!! If you were closer I could've run a few cups over. ;)
Yay on the new lambs. That's got to put a smile on your face.
Lean Christmas - only in your eyes - it's family time and all that goes with it - can't wrap it in a box, but it's wrapped in your heart.
You WILL get to Texas, you WILL get to Texas! [can that be wrapped in a box?] - but 100 ft of deer can be put in a box! ;)
 

Ridgetop

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AAAAAH! Coffee maker purchased, installed and 1st cup drunk, starting on second. :clap

The caffeine has calmed me down and I realize that yes, I AM a caffeine addict. There is no 12-step program for this addiction and if there were, I would not be on it! Caffeine is the only substance that keeps me going. I used to drink 3 pots daily and needed a soothing cup at bedtime to sleep. Now I am only drinking abut 2-3 cups a day. maybe that is why I don't get as much done and worry so much before falling asleep. My family say I am just a natural worrier.

11/18/22
8189 lambed this am, split twins. Dry, clean, up nursing at 6:45 am. Allowing the ewes to lamb in the breeding pen with the flock seems to be working better. Moving the ewes while lambing or just before lambing upsets them and I am beginning to think makes for more lambs pulled. We will move her & lambs into the last jug tonight. Today we will set up scale and weigh the lambs in the creep pen. They are a week shy of 3 months and need to be separated from moms. Ram lambs go in new weaning pen, ewe lambs stay in creep pen, moms go onto main field. 7088 and 100123 have lambs that are 2 weeks old and can be moved into the vacated creep pen. The older weaning ewe lambs will train the babies how to use the creep. In a couple weeks those older ewelings can go into the field and mamas will go into the breeding pen. This is beginning to seem like a production line operation. The teeny-tiny twin ewes seem to be doing ok. They are vigorous and nursing. I might try giving the teeniest one another bottle as a supplement to help her grow.

At least the ewes are starting to lamb now. They seem to be lambing according to their second breeding dates, so recycled. Looks like a couple more will lamb this week, while a couple will lamb later in December. We will see. At least lambing in with the flock, the other ewes are there to help. It is interesting how the entire flock surround the lambs. The ewes and ram do not harm them in any way, except if the flock moves away too fast and accidently knocks one down. LOL

When (if) we get to Texas I will let the ewes lamb in the pasture except in very bad weather. In severe weather I will move the entire group into a smaller pasture that connects to the barn so they can be under cover. Then move the ewes and lambs into jugs if necessary. The older ewes probably won't need to be confined but some first-time mothers appear to be confused by their lambs. Jugging the first timers is probably a good idea.

Yesterday I went to get a haircut (and a touch up of my naturally blonde hair) but the hairdresser had an emergency, and I didn't get the message. I went to Burlington instead and just about finished my Christmas shopping. Only took 4 hours. :th Next Tuesday and Wednesday I have to do some returns - wrong sizes and returns where I found something better. Now I just need a couple T-shirts for DGS3, shirts for DD1 and DDIL1, and gift for DSIL1 who is very hard to shop for. Even his wife and children have problems shopping for him. Gift cards? Another 4-5 shopping hours and I will be done. 🥰 DH and I are giving each other fencing. I am definitely going to bring up the Baymule's White Elephant Exchange. However, I am afraid I have the only house full of White Elephant gifts. If I have the children shop in my cabinets, maybe I can pack less for Texas. :D =D Time for gifting from Mom's Cabinets. Maybe I can make some fancy price labels on the computer, and it will look like I shopped at a high-end boutique! Then I will write a huge price on the sticker, and lightly draw a fine line through the high price so the recipient thinks that I spent a LOT on them! I wonder if they will recognize the stuff. I won't wrap anything until just before Christmas. Otherwise, I tend to forget that I have already gotten stuff for people and buy more presents. :smack Bad, Bad, Bad!!!

11/18/22
We really need to move the ewes and lambs earlier in the evening. Both this time and last time it was dark. This time pitch dark. Moving a ewe and newborn lambs with a flashlight is difficult! Although this ewe stayed very close to us as we slowly carried the lambs away. We only had to put them down to call their mother twice. Good 8189. Just another 4 or 5 to go. If they are bred.

I guess I need to pack some more stuff to take to Texas. Most of the stuff we are taking on this trip are fencing panels, corral covers, rabbitry and livestock items. Some boxes of household stuff that can be stored. I think I have another new medicine cabinet in the Connex that I missed last time, a really good bathroom flight fixture, and 3 good oak cabinets sitting on the patio that can go back. And DS1's full set of dishes and glassware from his old apartment years ago. They have been stored in the Connex.

Speaking of rabbits, another friend suggested we look into the new TAMU-K breed. Everyone claims the variety has a great reputation of being very resistant to heat, but when I looked into different reviews, I found some questions about the breed's actual performance based on background. There isn't much on the TAMU Kingsville website either. I have written to the Rabbit Project of TAMU Kingsville for more information. Anyone breeding these rabbits let me know how you like them especially compared to Cals and NZWs. I started to post here but transferred the posting to the Rabbit forum hoping to hear from anyone with experience in meat breeding.

DS1 set up a large corral 40' x 50' for Skittles and Sage when they arrive on Monday. DH and DS2 are driving up to get them. more hay $$ expense. They need to go in a corral until they get used to the sheep and Josie the Mule again. No fighting or attacking sheep. In a few weeks they can come out and wander around.

We are having another couple days of heavy winds. 40-50 mph in our hilltop area. The Santa Anas are here. The only good thing is that they are here now when it is cold instead of in September when they are hot winds, and the fire danger is worse. DH and DS1 came in yesterday asking who had disassembled the wheelbarrow they use for feeding flakes of hay to the various pens. According to DS1 the wheelbarrow had nuts and bolts and the wheel scattered across the field! I guess the wind tumbled it around until the loosened bolts holding the wheel on came apart. Luckily DS1 was able to find the connections and put it back together! LOL

Tomorrow we need to weigh the older lambs and separate everyone so we can clean out the creep to transfer the first new lambs and their mamas in. The older ewe lambs will remain in the creep for another week or two. This helps the babies learn to enter the scary creep. The 3 ram lambs will go to the new lower pen until we take them to auction or slaughter or decide if they are good enough to enter Snowflake's 2 in the show and auction in May.
 

Ridgetop

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Another lamb arrived just as I was leaving for an appointment. I kept going out to check on her from the patio. she was safely ensconced out of the wind under the trampoline where the old Doughboy used to be. That area is surrounded by power poles which act as a retaining wall and wind barrier. She kept straining 45 minutes, then started to yell. I was a little worried watching the lamb's face appear, disappear, then reappear for about 20 minutes. Just as I was wondering if she needed help and instructing DS! to go check her in 10 minutes I went back out and saw a slimy lamb on the ground. I was able to go off to my appointment happy. Just back now and it is a single ewe lamb from BL18, one of the Grade 5 yearlings. :D =D So much less stressful to let them lamb in the big pen where I can't see them. LOL

Dinner is in the oven. DS1 is closing off the creep side of the older lamb pen. Too windy to do much tonight. She can go in the creep tonight. I wanted to move the 2 ewes with 2-week-old lambs into the creep but am letting DS1 do whatever he wants. He said he will move the mamas and 3-month-old lambs into the lower pen, clean out the creep pen, then sort everyone out. If he wants to move sheep and lambs around twice as many times tomorrow, it is his look out. I told him that we should just sort the 3-month-old lambs before moving them since the mamas go on the field, the rams go in the new lower pen, and the ewe lambs stay in the creep until mama are dried off in a couple weeks. He told me he wants to do it another way which entails more work but go for it. Tired of arguing with adult children. He will get it done however he wants to do it. We will bring the new mama and her little girl up this evening. I thought another ewe was starting to go into labor this morning too. She was laying a bit away from the flock. But I guess she changed her mind. 4 (?) left to go now. Count is up to 7 ewe lambs and 2 ram lambs. This is the lambing that I wanted all rams since they could go to auction in January/February when prices are higher. Instead I have 7 ewes = 7 new mouths to feed with expensive alfalfa. Wish they were on grass in Texas. I am never satisfied!
:smack
 

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