Cod Liver Oil Trumps Fear

I realized on Tuesday, in the midst of fear, that I felt run-down. I took a full teaspoon of fermented cod liver oil before bed, and awoke Wednesday morning feeling ready to take on the world: cheerful and capable. When Phil wanted to go down to try to budge the truck once again, I went along, did what I needed to do, and we got the truck unstuck! Our path to the lower pasture is unimpeded once again, for the first time in five days. Excellent.

In other news, I knew absolutely nothing about puppies. I wasn't surprised that their eyes were closed, as I think kittens also come out closed-eye. But I was expecting the physical waste from nine puppies to be a bit over the top (Bitsy has enough control that she waits until we let her outside). But so far, the puppies have utilized all their mother's nutrients to perfectly that they have not soiled anything at all. The little bathroom has started to smell like dog, since the puppies eat very regularly and are growing apace, but I certainly appreciate their current innate continence. May it long continue!

While Bitsy was out at one point, Isaiah laid down by the puppies and thought it amusing that they all nestled up to him, looking for a snack.

I'm amazed that they even come to eat while Bitsy is still sitting up.

Again switching subjects, Phil went down to set up the sawmill in the lower pasture today. At this point, after many iterations, we've decided to just pour the perimeter foundation for the metal building. To do that, we'll need wood for concrete forms. So Phil is sawing the forms.

Before he went down to the lower pasture, he loaded several pallets on the back of the tractor. Quite ingenious. (If it was up to me, I would probably have just carried them by hand.)

He started the first of the massive tulip poplars, and came up as dark fell, physically exhausted, and wishing, a bit, that we had the hydraulic lifts to get the logs up on the mill.