We have had a happy week upon the farm. In addition to our late-born new lambie of tiny proportions, one of our ducks has finally hatched out a clutch of eggs! Five tiny little ducklings have been seen waddling after mama everywhere, and paddling about on the pond nibbling the duckweed while she watches protectively from the shore.



The geese still do bully the ducks - and now ducklings - away from the food, so it requires a careful eye and a bit of oversight. However, the geese haven't been having it all their own way - an owl was seen last night being bullied by ravens and crows and jays until it moved further away, from tree to tree. Whether it left entirely or not we're not yet sure. Hopefully so, for the sake of our flocks.


An eagle was seen flying over the main road today, being similarly bullied away by a raven, and a cottontail rabbit and a wren were having a bit of a pow-wow on the side road. The pow-wow was broken up by the arrival of cars, and mister or missus cottontail headed into the deep brush while the lady wren fluttered away.




Little lambie kept having trouble keeping up with the flock, requiring a helping hand from time to time from a farmer - especially during the heavy rains. Lambie is doing quite well by now, however, and we've figured out how the older lambs were escaping - a temporary fix has stopped that for now, although too late for one lamb foolish enough to stick its nose quite literally into the fence of the neighbors' dog paddock. One eye was destroyed and it had to be culled. Sad though it was, at least the meat has proven delicious when properly cooked.

We may be able to finish the newest paddock this weekend. If so that will give them a couple of weeks of fodder, and hay delivery begins on the first of August, which should save us time and wear and tear on vehicles. Hurray for hay!