Friday, February 8, 2008

Food, friends, and foolishness!

The barn is restocked with hay, straw, alfalfa and alpaca feed, there’s another 30 pounds of kibble and three cases of canned dogfood in the cupboard, and tomorrow I head into town to pick up the pig feed. Keeping all these tummies full is a big job – it seems I am continually buying feed for one animal or another.

Thankfully, my friend Ellen brought out two big garbage-sized bags of greens tonight for the piggies. They had finished off the carrots and were getting low on apples, and the greens are the best choice for them anyway as apples and carrots are quite high in sugar for piggies. They had a blast eating lettuce and cabbage and carrot tops and watercress and even fresh mint. Martin the alpaca got his share too, and there is lots more for the next several days.

Martin eats his veggies

Ellen brought her canine family, Kinley (a young whippet) and Toby (a senior Maltese), who are frequent visitors to our house. Kinley and Toby haven’t quite learned their manners around the pigs or cat, so Auntie Jean did get a wee bit angry with them, but then Belle and Charley took over the role of supervising the unruly guests.


Belle protects her friend Allie the cat

Charley has always been the “cop dog” around here, tattling on anyone doing anything she knows isn’t allowed, but Belle surprised us with a very spirited (and LOUD) yapping in Sire Kinley’s face, telling him to mind his d*mn manners and settle down!

Sire Kinley, Esquire - and chief troublemaker!

The five dogs and two hoomans shared a couple of pizzas for dinner, and then Toby decided he would really like to stay the night and kept running back into the house when it was time to go home. Silly Toby! You would miss your mama if she drove away without you!


Toby, the guest who wouldn't leave

At last, the dogs and cat are all sleeping, the piggies are buried deep in their straw and blankets, and Martin is snoring in his shelter. Another day over, another week closer to spring. Goodnight everyone.

Belle, asleep in her bed

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey look Bro T... we're pictured on the "B L O G", you'n me. Auntie Jean calls me a "trubblemaker" and you the kid that didn't wanna go home. What's up with that? She fergets to mention that Brindlebutt hopped in OUR vehicle and wanted to go fer a ride in OUR car all the way down the driveway, and in the front seat to boot. Talk about bad manners.

OK, I be good now.

Dood Kinley

Anonymous said...

I love your last photo, Belle sleeping -- a little old gal who has had big changes in her life these last few months, and looks very happy and comfortable with where she has landed!

Sharon

Jean said...

Ah yes - Belle and the bed. That's the bed that Charley has had from the time she was a pup.....her nose is a little out of joint that the newbie in our house has taken it over.

Fortunately Charley is very gracious and has taken over MY bed instead (at least during the daytime). At night they all change places....usually Caleb on my bed, Belle in her crate bedside my bed, and Charley on the couch - and no one in any of the other five dog beds in the house! LOL

Belle's arthritis is acting up again (I had to take her of Deramaxx because of the pancreatitis) so she is walking like a little old lady again. I'm looking at some alternative solutions for her. Doesn't stop her from enjoying our walks in the pasture though.

She and I just hobble around together first thing in the morning until the joints loosen up - we make a good pair!