Its that time of year again

When I begin to feed the goats in their stall.

Even tho Finley isnt quite sure what to make of this idea.

And when Toni waits very impatiently at "HER feeder" for hay.

And then proceeds to give me the cold shoulder when I dont get out there quickly enough.

You see, about this time of year, the irrigation system has been shut down for the winter. All the sprinkler valves have been blown out so the pipes dont freeze. This means that the pasture no longer gets watered on a regular basis. So, as you can imagine, its pretty picked over out there. Dont get me wrong, there is still plenty for them to eat out there, but the most select areas of the pasture are no longer to their liking. 

Dolly doesnt seem to mind very much at all because she still has her hay bits.

However, Toni...she doesnt like Dolly quite that close.

So yeah, the goats.

I have begun to feed them in their stall now.

Only because they tend to get underfoot pretty readily and they dont take heed of one very important item. PERSONAL SPACE. 

Just ask Toni.

And the llamas, well, they really like their routine. Every morning, when the hay makes its appearance...the llama ladies rush to their favorite feeding spot.

4 llamas 4 feeding spots. Makes sense right? 

Then tell me, please, why this one feeding spot is always left all alone....

I just cant figure it out.

Silly llamas.

She may be small in size

Meet Sarah.

She is super sweet and loves to be held.

Shes also the first of my 16 hens to have laid an egg.

She laid it right there. Can you see it? In the far right nest box. Even before I had the chance to add pine shavings to the boxes.

I got the girls on March 26th and Sarah laid on July 19th. She would have been 16 weeks and 3 days old at the time. That delightful little egg weighed in at 1.375 ounces. Not bad for her very first one.

The great thing was, that aside from being totally ecstatic that I had gotten my very first egg ever in my life from my very own chickens....was that she laid it 4 days before I was due to head out of town for 17 days. Thats right. I was going to be gone for 17 whole days. I was so worried that I was going to miss the very first egg being laid that I took all the girls aside and had a little talk with them. I told them how happy I would be if they decided to lay before I left....and then that sweet Sarah...she just got to work. 

Sarah is a gold sex link and she also happens to be the smallest of all my 16 hens.

Which is how she manages to show up in there.

There is where she should not be.

But as you can see, she is oblivious to that fact.

She should be contained like the goats.

And the little guy.

And yes. Like the other chickens.

But no...she thinks she just has run of the farm.

Look at Niko giving her the stink eye because hes inside the fence and she is not.

Im pretty sure she thinks that since she laid the very first egg that she can do whatever she likes. Well, I think not. 

But it totally could be because she loves me and likes to be next to me...even if that means right at my feet.

Now that was a long walk.....

So, after the inquiries and comments of many wonderful friends and family...Im beginning to think that maybe some of you think that I got lost on that walk I took way back in June with Prize and Allie.

I could totally see how one could think that since it HAS been 4 months since then.

Well, after I returned Allie and Prize back to the pasture we decided to go to the coast.

Okay, fine. Not right then that minute. But, we did really go this summer. And it was amazing.

I mean, take a look at this awesome fort we found on the beach.

Thats just one of many, many things that took place during the summer.

And now... its Fall. Can you even believe it? Honest. Look. We all know that mums are a sure sign that Fall has arrived.

And if thats not enough proof, well, look at these pansies. Another Fall flower to be sure.

As you can see, Allie

and Prize fared very well on their walk. The two of them have settled in very nicely here on the farm.

Niko and Kip are still mamas boys.

The goat boys are beginning to get their winter coats. I love this because it makes them look all fuzzy and chubby.

And Dolly still loves her hay bits.

She has even begun to share them. Even if its only Finley that she will allow to eat from her pile.

My ma is in town.

And she adores the chickens.

All the girls are doing really well.

Were getting about 14 eggs per day so I cant complain.

Oh, and guess what? I also got pretty new blinds for my bay window. After being here for about a year and a half and having the sun beat down on us in the living room...it was probably about time dont you think?

And see? Things havent changed too much around here.

I still have post it notes all around the house. They are a necessity, you know? Especially when you forget how to work the blinds.

A sequence of events

Sometimes two











Is just enough