Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

Denim Deb

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Oh no! Hope others don't get it as well. And I hope you feel better.
 

frustratedearthmother

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Slowly coming back to life, lol. I didn't miss any work, just complained a lot while I was here. I love the folks I work with!

Red's triplets are still keeping her sucked down so this morning I offered a bottle to the biggest of her babies. There was no 'training' her to take the bottle - she latched on and sucked it down like it was manna from heaven. If you're a hungry baby - it probably was!

Noticed that while this baby's umbilical cord has fallen off, the stump looks swollen and infected. I'm a bit torn about starting her on antibiotics when it appears that she feels fine. A healthy baby is hungry - a really sick baby doesn't care so much about food. This is a hungry baby. But, because I don't want to have to play 'catch-up' if she does start showing more symptoms I'll probably start her on some antibiotics tonight.
 

goatgurl

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glad things are slowly getting back to normal at your house. at least DD and SIL will have a wedding story to tell forever.
 

frustratedearthmother

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They definitely will never forget that wedding day, lol! They've been crazy busy too - wedding last weekend - moving this weekend. Geeze, that girl is busier than I am. And I am pretty darn busy these days.

I started early this morning by moving K'ili and her buck kids back up to the front barnyard. The buck boys went into a smaller pen for weaning and K'ili is back on the milking list. I think she's been trying to wean her boys because she's not making tons of milk for me. Hoping that with some improved feed quality she'll pick back up... if not she'll get dried up sooner rather than later and be ready to breed again in the fall. If her milk picks back up I'd like to milk her through to spring and skip breeding her until next fall. I'll just play it by ear and see what happens.

Moved Sparkle, Splash and their babies out to the pasture. That'll only last a couple weeks before I have to separate those little bucklings out.

I've been milking Spooky about every other day. Her doeling nurses mostly on one side... so the other side slowly fills up and needs to be milked occasionally. I've got no problems with that... right now that's all the milk DH and I need. BUT.... since I'm supplementing Red's triplets, I can use the extra milk from K'ili. K'ili has turned into my nurse doe. I bought her last year at the same time I bought a bottle baby buck and used her for his milk. History is repeating itself and I'm using her milk for Red's babie(s).

I mulched a couple of rows in the garden. Planted a couple rows of bush beans in rows that I already had prepared. I'm running sooo late on planting this year. Stoopid rain has really thrown off the planting around here. Couple weeks ago I threw some winter squash seeds out behind the barn and put a little wire cage around them. I'm happy to say that they are up and looking pretty good. The tomatoes in the ground like awesome. I got them staked today. The tomatoes in the big tubs aren't looking so wonderful. They're blooming and I see itty bitty 'maters on them, but the plants just aren't as healthy looking. I added a tiny little bit of organic blood meal to the tubs today and watered it in. Hope they perk up.

Almost mowed the yard today - but - uummmmm... somebody forgot to put the charger on the battery and the stinkin' mower refused to start. Ugh! Tomorrow, maybe...
 

Denim Deb

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We're way behind here because of how cold it's been. We still don't have full leaves on many of the trees!
 

creativetwinszoo

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You sound busy busy busy!!! Glad to hear things are doing better and most everyone's back to 100% :D
Tomatoes love cold coffee, if you or your hubby drink it and have some leftover (no creamer or sugar) just pour it cold in a circle around the base!
 

frustratedearthmother

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That's a great idea! A lot of times I use leftover coffee on an ivy that I've got in the house. This ivy is about 15 years old and it's as much of a coffee-holic as I am, lol. I do use the leftover grinds in my compost, but maybe I'll start sprinkling them around the base of the tomato plants. Couldn't hurt!

We were supposed to go to a b'day party for one of the grandsons this morning, but DH is just not up to it. He has so many challenges and just about the time he gets past one, he's got another one. He's having some terrible muscle spasms in his neck, shoulder and down into his chest. I think it has something to do with sitting in a car for such a long trip last weekend when we went to the wedding. He's pretty bummed, but I think he needs to stay on his muscle relaxers and curl up with a heating pad instead of getting back in a car for another ride.

I'll use the extra time today to work some more on the gardens. I might even throw up a quick fence out behind the barn (where the horses lived for several months early this spring) and toss out some more winter squash and maybe some pumpkin seeds. They could sprawl to their hearts content out there.

Guess I better get started, it looks to be a beautiful day!
 

frustratedearthmother

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Got lotsa things accomplished yesterday, but was too tired to write about 'em at the end of the day.

I got all the tomatoes that are planted in the ground staked and tied up to their stakes. I still need to build framework around them to attach the insect barrier to. I haven't YET seen a stinkin' stink bug this year, but I know they'll be here eventually. Maybe it just hasn't been hot enough for them yet. I can't let that slow me down though - I have to get them protected!

Weeded the strawberry bed also. It's 4 x 8 and it was quite overgrown. I managed to get most of it cleaned out and mulched with wet newspapers covered with pine bark. Found a few tasty little berries while I was at it.

Also got the lawn mowed and trimmed. Sounds so simple and easy when said (or typed). But - dang! - it's a big ol' job and my trimmer is quite bulky and heavy. My arms were still vibrating at least an hour after I finished, lol. I don't mind the mowing - but that trimming is a back breaker!

After that I decided to go ahead and fence off the area behind the barn. I had a couple of the older cattle panels... the really big 20ft long and 60 inch high panels with 4 x 4 openings just leaning up against the barn waiting for a new job. I've gotta tell you - those buggers are HEAVY! So, I used two of those and I had another piece of another one that had been cut in half to use for a gate. And - voila! A squash/pumpkin vining garden area has been created!

Had, had, had to disbud Red's triplets too. Just couldn't put it off any longer and I really hope it wasn't too late to do a good job. Their little horn bases were a lot wider than I had anticipated. I really don't want to have to do them again in a few weeks. Sigh...

Showered and went to bed not long after that... still tired today but it's a good kind of, "got a lot accomplished" kinda tired!
 

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