Doe a deer

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

It’s apparently wild kingdom week here on the blog, and I’ve saved the best for last.

For the past week or so, deer have been grazing in the back field. They show up every night around 8 o’clock and eat their bed time snack before heading back into the bush.

Some nights there’s been only one. Usually there’s a group of three or four. The high point was a herd of seven.

We can walk partway along the back lane towards the field without them bolting. Usually we just watch them with binoculars and try not to spook them.

Fortunately, Matt’s brother, who came to visit last weekend, has a better camera than we do–and is also apparently a bit of a deer whisperer–because he was able to get quite close and get the best pictures so far for us. Thanks, Greg!

Operation identification

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

While I didn’t see any ducks or geese at the pond this past weekend, there were lots of other animals. Red-winged blackbirds, a turtle, a frog, seven (!) fish, jitterbugs, waterstriders and this guy.

It’s been almost exactly a year since I asked for your help in identifying a pond creature. I’m pretty confident that last year’s was a beaver as everyone said. I’m also pretty confident that this guy is not a beaver.

I know the video is not the best. He was all the way on the other side of the pond, and it turns out that’s quite a ways away. But what do you think? Is he a mink? A weasel? The Loch Ness Monster?

For rent: pond (feathery young couple with family aspirations preferred)

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Our tenants on the pond seem to be changing daily. Everybody seems to be looking for the best spot to set up housekeeping.

Our usual guests are Canada geese and mallard ducks–or both as seen in this picture from a few weeks ago.

I went down to the pond to get a more up to date picture on Saturday and only succeeded in spooking a very large solitary Canada goose. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I also succeeded in catching a nap, as I got tired of sitting quietly on the shore waiting for a bird to show up and laid back in the grass where I fell asleep. I also succeeded in getting my first sunburn of the year as a result of laying flat on my back with no shade.

Anyways, back to the uncooperative birds.

They mostly show up in pairs, although we have hosted singles as well as three mallard drakes for a bachelor party–perhaps the word on the wing is that our pond is the neighbourhood mixer?

Everybody is pretty spooky. I can’t get too close without them springing from the water and flying away–as my Canada goose did on Saturday. I am hoping that a nice young couple comes our way soon and decides that our pond is the perfect spot to start a family. I promise, I won’t take anymore naps on their lawn.

A cat way to spend the day

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Home from work one day a few weeks ago with a bad cold (my third time being sick this winter–I am not impressed), I discovered how Ralph spends her day when she thinks no one is watching.

While I set up my laptop on the dining room table and went to work, Ralph blithely ignored her day job of keeping the rodents and other small animals in line.

She had a friend over to visit.

We’ve seen Cow Cat a few times, but he’s pretty shy. As soon as he saw me snap his picture through the mudroom window he took off.

Lonely, Ralph came to the dining room looking for company.

She napped. She sunbathed. She talked to me through the glass.

And occasionally I responded.

No screens for the winter mean we have a walk up scratching window.

What Ralph did not do at any point during her day was hunt. In fact, by late afternoon, she turned her back on me and focused her attention down the driveway, waiting for Matt to come home and feed her.

Ralphy, I think you’re going on a diet now that it’s spring. Agri-Cat kibble will be rationed, and you will have to put a little more effort into fending for yourself.

My displeasure at Ralph’s behaviour aside, I hope that you have a relaxing weekend.

A better mousetrap

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Living on a farm means there’s critters both outside and inside. Outside, my philosophy is live and let live. Inside, I want two-legged creatures only.

However, the reality of country living is that every so often in the house we hear the pitter-patter of little feet… or more accurately the gnawing of little teeth.

I’m speaking, of course, of mice. (The snake and the toad were one-time visitors).

If there’s a mouse in my house, he is not long for this world.

Matt is the resident exterminator, and he has found a highly effective weapon: an electronic mouse trap.

Ours is made by Victor. Matt ordered it online, and we received the rat trap rather than the mouse trap, but it’s just as effective–probably moreso.

It runs on four C batteries. There’s a switch on the top that turns on the trap. One end is open for the mouse to enter. The other end is for the bait. Matt’s favourite is peanut butter.

As soon as the mouse enters the trap, the electricity kicks in and he receives the shock of his life–in fact, the last shock of his life.

If we’re within earshot, we hear a quiet buzzing for about half a minute. A green light on the top of the trap starts blinking when we have a victim.

Unlike other mousetraps, disposal is no-muss. Simply up-end the trap to dump the dead mouse into the garbage.

We’ve found it a very helpful solution to our occasional unwanted visitors.

Anyone else have an effective pest control solution? We have feline mousetraps too, but their assigned territories are outside, not in. What four-legged creatures do you have in your house?

Gobble gobble

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

At the top of Matt’s list of animals he most wants to see at the farm is wild turkeys. Well, we still haven’t seen any actual birds on our property, but over the Christmas holidays we found definitive proof that turkeys come to visit.

(The larger tracks walking diagonally in from the left side of the picture are Matt-tracks).

In the deep snow, I have to look pretty closely to identify the tracks as turkey. They walk one foot in front of the other, and, if they plant their foot properly, I’m sometimes able to pick out their distinctive three-toed print.

According to the tracks, 11 birds came through our farm. In some spots, you can see where their wings dragged as they were walking along.

While lefty has to deal with droopy wing syndrome, the guy to her right obviously has his own problems. My diagnosis is likely too much Christmas cheer.

Back in the marsh, where the ice was covered with only a thin dusting of snow, the tracks were unmistakably avian.

I wish I had thought to put something beside the tracks to show their scale. These are some big birds.

Since the thaw last weekend, we no longer have snow to help us with tracking. Matt’s fingers are crossed that the turkeys weren’t just passing through and instead are ready to become permanent residents. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open for signs.

No chandeliers here

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Last week on the Art of Doing Stuff, Karen professed her love of chicken coops and shared images readers had submitted of their coops.

Her post inspired me to get out and investigate our chicken coop. I confess, this is a spot that I usually prefer to avoid.

Karen wrote, “some of the most dilapidated coops are among my favourites.”

Well, dilapidated is a good descriptor of our coop. If you’re feeling charitable, you might call it rustic. Usually, I tend to just call it gross.

Perhaps a chicken laid a very heavy egg and broke the concrete floor?

I’ve seen some coops with chandeliers and artwork. The leaky roof in ours has started to form stalactites, which I guess could be considered sculpture.

And in case you’re starting to wonder, you are in fact correct. The coop has not been cleaned out. Likely not for several years. (Warning: The next photo may spoil your appetite).

The coop is cozily tucked into the west side of the barn under the pines. The worn barn boards, old mullioned windows and generous size are appealing. The abandoned water and food dishes in the run, the layers and layers of manure inside and the overall dilapidated state both inside and out are decidedly not appealing.

I’m planning on adding geese, ducks and chickens to the farm someday, and they will need a home–a better home than this coop. My Dad (the general contractor) upon seeing the coop for the first time suggested that dynamite might be the best solution. We probably will end up starting over, but we’ll likely still end up more on the rustic side of coop design–I can’t see myself putting a chandelier in a chicken coop.

If you’re looking for some slightly more inspiring coops than ours (albeit no chandeliers), check out what Art of Doing Stuff readers submitted. And while you’re there, make sure to check out Karen’s own coop which completely puts ours to shame. Even though she says her hens don’t care how their coop looks, I don’t think Walnut and the ladies would be too happy if their home was anything like ours.

The 20lb creature in my fridge

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

While my American readers are celebrating Thanksgiving, we have moved onto Christmas already up here in the north.

Tomorrow we’re hosting Matt’s Mom’s side of the family for an early Christmas dinner, and in between vacuuming up drywall dust and supervising the carpet installers who arrive this morning–giving new meaning to last minute party prep–we’ve added a new animal sighting to our list.

Although our Butterball is not exactly a wild animal

Thanks to Matt’s parents for venturing south of the border and braving American grocery shoppers to bring us this turkey. In addition to the obvious Thanksgiving date conflict between Canada and the U.S. I think we may have inadvertently undermined 200 years of peace when my MIL’s friend Marg grabbed the last three turkeys in the store so that we could have the pick of the poultry.

Matt’s pick is for the biggest turkey he can find. At 20 pounds, I think this guy fits the bill.

I’ll post a full party wrap-up next week. Until then, I’m setting aside all cultural differences to wish everyone a good weekend and all of my American readers a very happy Thanksgiving.

Cozy kitties

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

A giant crate had been sitting in the burn pile beside our fire pit ever since Matt and I dragged it up from the end of the driveway at the start of the summer. I kept saying, “I’m sure we can use that somewhere.” However, it was Matt that finally had the vision of where.

Slice and dice with the sawzall

He sawed it in two, filled each half with straw, placed them in a sheltered corner in the basement of the barn and, voilà, cozy cat beds.

One bed even got a canvas tarp for extra coziness.

Cross task #3–fix up some winter beds for the cats–off our fall to-do list.

Our hardy, independent barn cats are living in the lap of luxury now. Easter and Ralph have each claimed a crate and made their own nests in the straw. Although they’d probably stay warmer if they snuggled, Ralph has put her paw down at babying her kitten any more. It’s in everyone’s best interest that they each get their own bed.

Documentation of their enthusiasm for their new beds was difficult to obtain.

Pictures of Easter look like this.

“What are you doing over there? I’m going to come see you!”

Or this.

“Treats! Oh yes, please! I like treats!”

We finally got Ralph to model for us, but even she looks like she wishes she was somewhere else.

“Are you done yet? Back scratches will only get you so far.”

The crates may be a little rustic for other felines, but our pusses think they’re just purr-fect.

Sorry.

For future photo shoots, anyone have any tips for encouraging cooperation from cat models? Is there anyone else who has four legged creatures sleeping in your barn, shed or garage? For other cat owners out there, where do your kitties sleep?

Adventures in babysitting

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Julia at Home on 129 Acres

Saturday was nephew day at the farm.

The festivities started with a tractor ride.

The two nephews in the tractor's front end loader

Two nerds in a bucket

Followed by a hike.

Three nerds in the forest

A lesson in talking to turkeys.

Calling all gentlemen turkeys!

And a test drive of a couple of the deer stands in the back forest.

Two deer were actually sighted in the woods

We also took advantage of having two extra pairs of hands around and put them to work on our fall to-do list.

The task of burning up the massive brush pile we amassed over the past two weeks of tree trimming (to-do #16) took pretty much the whole day.

The uncle seems to be putting more effort into tending the fire than the nephew

Also on the list was freeing our trees from rope, twine and stakes that have been tied around them (#10).

I am not sure who had the bright idea to tie metres of binder twine (and hang a plastic plant pot) in this tree, but my bright idea of a solution was an almost 13-year-old and a Swiss Army knife.

And finally picking up metal from the driveshed floor (#7).