taking the good with the bad

After a month of fighting we lost our Targhee Crystal. I understand every Sheperdess or Shepard goes through this but damn - it is not easy. For a month I moved her side to side, gave shots subQ and IM, gave probios, gave molasses, gave drench, gave blucote, gave sleepless nights but in the end she couldn't give anymore. I went out one morning to find her gone - it looks as though (from signs I won't go into) she suffered from an embolism, had a seizure and died. Crystal was purely a pet - 5 years old, unable to breed and had the best next to skin fleece. I miss her.

Before she got sick she was pretty solitary - only wanting me when it was feeding time. The past month she became so friendly I knew all the scratching spots and when she was tired she would rest her head in my hands. Between the vet and I we couldn't find an easy answer - one day she was alert, trying to get up and baaaing, the next day lethargic and depressed. It always remains a question in my mind of when to let go - when is the exact moment euthinasia should come into play? This for me continues to be a struggle and yet understand it is what I have taken on as farmer, animal lover or however you phrase it. No matter which side you look at it from I despise it.

On a happier note leaf piles have become jumping targets here lately. Almost all the leaves have fallen and the mornings chilly and foggy. The pastures in early am when the fog is still around remind me of Ireland when I was there this past August and make me want to be back. Grapes still hang on the vine waiting to be turned into juice and jam and my kitchen is being overtaken by carrots, kohlrabi and the last of the swiss chard.

The cellar holds pumpkins, squashes and potatoes for winter use and hubby has done an amazing job of getting wood cut and split for heat this winter. He even managed to drop trees for use next year.

We are getting the pastures ready for winter. This year the girls (along with Able our son stomping in mud puddles) have been a huge help. They come out to the barn on weekends to help pick up and then spend the rest of the time chasing each other around.

Knock on wood we have had no foxes or coyotes show up this summer. The poultry has been free range but come early winter they will go into chicken tractors. At this point the chickens are game for skunks, coyotes, foxes and owls poor things.

We carved pumpkins last night and hubby toasted the seeds (great pumpkin seed toaster) - he also wins first prize this year for creativity with Mr. Blowfish who later on the sheep will also enjoy eating.