Sunday, January 21, 2007

Have You Seen My Time?

Where does my Sunday time go? Whiskers wakes me up crying to go outside and the minute my feet hit the floor something or someone starts stealing time from me. Others seem to accomplish so much with their Sundays why can't I? After telling the cats good morning and letting the cats outside and feeding them, I check the fire in the stove and add wood so we can stay nice and toasty. I turn on the TV to catch the local and world news while I check my emails for soap orders. I head out the door to care for the animals. Lady, Tramp and Sheba are waiting at the corner of the dog lot for their morning biscuit and their good morning wish. The teen chicks are crying for me to open their door so they can go in the chick yard and then start fussing at me to feed them. While feeding the teens and talking with them the bigger chickens have started their own noisy musical for attention. I get their bucket, the ducks bucket, goat buckets and fill them with their own special feeds. Grab a loaf of bread and toss in a few pieces for the dogs as it seems their dog biscuits aren't the only treats they like in the morning then go in to face the gathering crowd of feathered friends. They start pecking at my boots, trying to peck the fed out of my hands as I scattered a little on the ground and tell them good morning so I can make my way to fill the feeders. While they are eating I crumble and scatter some of the bread for them to eat later and then head to feed the ducks who have been quacking their impatience. I put their corn and oats in their pan and scatter a little bread crumbs for later while talking to them and head on to the rabbit condo. Thumper and Flower are very nicely waiting for their breakfast. I fill their feeders and break up a carrot to divide between them. Give them a few good rubs and a good morning. Check to see if there are any baby bunnies while in the background I can hear the momaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa cry of Diva. Nitro is standing at the gate waiting for his breakfast. I put away the chicken buckets grab the goat buckets and milker and head for the goat pen. Have to say good morning to Diva first or she pouts and then tell Nitro good morning and please move so I can open the gate. Nitro tries to beat me to his stall so he can try to eat the grain as I pour it from the bucket. Diva waits for me to feed Nitro then walks with me to her stall. She waits outside till I pour her feed in her feeder then comes in and starts to eat while I sit on her upside down bucket and get her ready to milk. When she is ready and the milker is on that is my time to rub her back, scratch behind her ears and talk to her. Sometimes she will stop eating and turn to look at me but most of the time she continues to eat while I rub and milk. Its about the only time I get alone with her without Nitro butting in for a rub or scratch. After milking I gather the buckets and put them away, get a couple of Nitros cookies and some alfalfa or hay and head back to the goat pen. Nitro comes for his cookies and Diva eats on the hay as she isn't a cookie eater. I then take a little alfalfa in the chicken pen so the chickens can peck and scatter it for the seeds. I put some alfalfa in the rabbits hay racks and scatter some for the ducks. Time to give the teen chicks some crumbled bread as they have finished their feed long ago! Grab the water hose, the bleach and scrub brush as its time to do the weekly water bucket cleanings. Scrub the dogs buckets, rinse good then fill with fresh water. While in their pen check their automatic feeder and make sure its full and clean. Move on to the teen chicks water . Bleach, scrub and rinse those while watching them and checking for anything that might be wrong or need attention. Move on to the big chicken lot. Empty, bleach, scrub and rinse all their water dishes. While filling them I watch the chickens, turkey's and guineas to see if any of them need attention. I then bleach and scrub the roosting poles and move on to the ducks water dish. Theirs is always a mess and takes a little more scrubbing while they play in the mud puddle from emptying their dish. They seem to be in good health and don't need anything. I had wormed all the animals last week and they all seem to be doing good. I go empty and clean the bunny water bottles and check them out... still no sign of babies. Take the hose and move on to the goat pen. Empty their bucket and clean it while trying to keep Nitro out of my way. Goats usually don't like water but he loves drinking from the hose. I let him drink from the hose, finish filling the bucket, check his hoofs. Give Diva a little loving and check her hoofs while keeping Nitro from knocking me over while he rubs against my leg. Put the hose up and head to the house to strain the milk and for my own breakfast. Try eating while 3 cats who should have full bellies are crying for bites. After we all finish my breakfast I straighten up the kitchen and clean and fill Buds water and food dishes. Put down fresh paper in the bottom of his house and then clean the litterbox and water dish for the cats. Check the fire again and bring in wood from the woodpile. Sweep the floor and start making cheese. While the milk is cooking I put on a pot of pintos on the wood stove to cook. I have soaps drying on the dining room table so I turn all them over then go back to the cheese making. Have the cheese hanging in cheese cloth to drain and wash up the items from making cheese. Sit down for a few minutes to read my daily devotion and pet a cat while reading. Try reading in a book I got at the thrift store yesterday but Groucho keeps walking on my book. I put it away and play with him for a few minutes then check the fire and put another log on. My neighbor Fran calls and I talk with her for a little while as she is feeling lonely. Go out and make a list of what I need to get from the feed store in the morning and come in for a bowl of soup for lunch. Had 3 cats watching every bite and finally put a little soup in their dishes for them and laugh as they try to eat it before it cools. It finally cools and they clean their bowls and I finish mine. Wash up the few dishes from that and decide to sit at the computer for a few minutes and catch up on my friends blogs and forums. After posting this it will be time to gather eggs and start the afternoon feeding and milking. This evening has a desk full of paperwork waiting on me. I will work on that while trying to watch a couple shows on TV and finish up my seed orders and keeping the fire going. Will shower, eat supper, clean up the kitchen, close up the teen chicks and goats for the night and talk with William on the phone about my day and hear about his. Will try to read while drinking a cup of hot chocolate and then move the cats over so I can have a little bit of room to sleep.......... where does time go? I have crafts I didn't get to, new soap scents I didn't try to make, phone calls I didn't get to, the rest of the kitchen needs pack away before the remodeling can start. The guest bedroom I was going to start on today didn't even get touched. Does anyone know who took my time or did it get lost on its own? If you find it let me know as I really really need time!

9 comments:

Emily said...

Sorry, Peggy, can't help you! I'm too busy looking for that extra couple of hours I need in each day. I enjoyed your description of your morning barnyard chores. I always have to laugh at the guineas when I show up with a bucket of treats. They like to peck at the laces on my sneakers until they're untied! We have a hen we call Scarlet who tries to bully her way into the house every time we open the door. On colder days the other chickens all try to follow suit and get in where it's toasty! Have a blessed Lord's Day! :)

~Nancy~ said...

Wow, what a schedule!
Weren't you getting some help? I seem to remember a post about a woman coming to help you out. Did that not work out?
It cerainly sounds as if you need some help. While I love animals, you have a HUGE menagerie to attend to and you love them SO well.
I think someone needs to spoil YOU with cookies and ear rubs. Tell William I said so.....;-)

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see the bunnies! How CUTE! And yes, you need some help but I doubt I would be much help. I am one of those who would rather play with the babies. Don't get me wrong I was a farm wife (geese, chicken, pigs, steers, cows, turkeys we even had rabbits for awhile and I had a cattery for persian cats. Guess I am enjoying my two VERY spoiled cats here in the mountains now plus the grandbaby ☺ Hugs! Looking forward to those baby photos!

Rosa said...

What a Sunday, indeed! I forgot to tell you, I treated Bethy (on my list) and her mom to some of Miss Diva's soap! I think they're hooked!