What Next?

We returned from our Thanksgiving vacation last evening. Chloe the dog stayed at the Bessettes, and when we left their house sometime after 10pm, she was asleep by the fire, and didn’t follow us out to the car. She is 12 ½ years old, tumor-ridden, now hard of hearing and seeing, and, we think, was just happy to sleep in a warm, dry place. Apparently, though, for the first 24 hours after we left, she stayed out by the car we left at the Bessette’s. Faithful and heartbroken. Abraham says, “I think Chloe’s the best dog in the world.” He may be right.

Our November rainfall broke records. We woke this morning to more relentless, driving rain. The children happily played together all day, as they rediscovered toys and played new creative games. Phil and I both experienced re-entry shock a bit from all the little and big things we want to get done. This day, the pigs were the fortunate two: Phil created a new pasture for them to plow, and he moved them without even calling me. They were ready to go.

Somehow the pigs’ water was turned off while we were away (mischievous children, perhaps?). Michelle mentioned that they had called to her every time she would come over, so she fed them. I bet they were thirsty; I am thankful the rain fell and made them puddles to drink from.

Phil wonders if we lost about 20 chickens. They aren’t quite big enough to stay in their netting; perhaps an animal got them on the ground; perhaps they are too ignorant to stay indoors, away from a winged predator. Or, as I hope, perhaps all 50 are still there, with some simply hiding.

On our vacation, I had some opportunity to read. The Barefoot Beekeeper excited me: a simple, do-it-yourself frame, stocked with some bees, then left alone, is about all you need. That is quite do-able, I think.

We also talked about the next stage of our farm-building. Some things take precedence over a house: we want perimeter fencing and cows, all 400+ trees planted, and pasture seeded and garden growing. Then we’ll re-evaluate.

We were all set to buy a backhoe: good for planting our trees and clearing pasture, as well as making ponds and clearing land for all future buildings. But Dennis said he would never buy a backhoe unless that would be his livelihood: the maintenance costs are too great to make it worthwhile. But, if he were to buy just one piece of equipment, it would be a backhoe.

Humph. Where does that leave us? Uncertain and researching.

And it is good to be home.