what a day!!!!

What an amazing day it was on the farm!!!! We started out with a visit from the farrier to trim the horse's feet. Everyone was quite good and stood like "gentlemen" to have their feet done. The only complaint that I get with the drafts, is that they can be "lazy" and like to lean on the farrier!!! Holding up a few hundred pounds can be hard on the back!!! so, there is the occasional "elbow in the ribs" to get them standing on their on three legs!!!!

Just to give you some idea of how big Duke's feet are!!!!

and just how tiny Mocha's feet are!!! we certainly have variety on the farm!!!!

I've been watching my bird houses pretty closely these days. Today I found out for sure, that both houses have "tenants"... because you can hear the babies chirping when the parents arrive. I think that I have a bluebird family in one house and a blue indigo family in the other house. Both birds are bright blue, but one set seems to have a reddish underside and the other (in this picture) has a bright white underside. I keep hoping that I can get a real good close up shot and see for sure what we have. But, it's fun to watch them go in and out.....

Today, we "took the day off from house work" and just did some chores around the farm. One which included turning over the manure pile and cleaning up the paddock area. I am so thrilled that we have this tractor...it certainly makes short work of it all... I don't know where we would be without it.

As Ed was turning over the pile, he called to me and said... "you might want to save that little fellow from getting squished"... and I looked and say this very handsome toad!!! So, I scooped him up and took him to a safe location... but not before getting some very cute photos of him!!!!

I can't tell is he is happy with his new place or just posing for a picture.... I really don't speak "toad"......

Now, there has been a great mystery around the farm with regards to the guinea hens. We are down to two, and I have been wondering if they were a "couple". For over a week, we have only seen one bird around and only one coming in at night. Just when I think that something must have happened to the other... "she" shows up for a little bit and then disappears again. Today, when I spotted her, I was determined to find out "where" she was going.....





And we have discovered that she is sitting on a nest!!!! It is so clever where she has made it... along the stone wall that boarders our field. When she is on the nest, she looks just like one of the rocks in the wall. I was a little mean and poked her with a stick just enough to see how many eggs she has... a quick count, I think I saw about 14 of them.

As much as I would like to take the nest and bring it in where it would truly be safe, my bird friends say "don't touch it"... so, I will leave it for now and just check it every so often. If we do get some "keets"... then I will catch them and bring them inside. This is very exciting...so stay tuned for baby guinea hen updates!!!!!

And if the day wasn't already filled with exciting things... this evening Ed was heading down to the fire station, and not two camps away from us...

this big cow moose crossed the road in front of him. Fortunately, he was able to get this picture with his cell phone... he said when he first saw her, he thought she was someone's horse and it took him a minute to realize what he actually saw!!!!

ahhh... a "real day" of living in the country...... wonderful!!!!!! and that dear readers should catch you all update on the news.... I know, I know... it's been a few days, so you would expect some "news"!!!!!!