redpinemountain.com

Ah, Frustration!

I had so many photos to share, so much to tell you until a trojan horse virus wiped out my computer last Friday. I know how I got it (from dropping Entrecards) and I spent two days fixing it. In the end, because the virus had done such extensive damage and converted everything to hidden files, I decided to use my restore discs but by doing so I lost everything on the computer. Oh, well. Lesson learned. From now on, I will faithfully backup my documents and pictures and no more Entrecard for me.

I had pictures of the damage here to show you. Crews are working around the clock and making amazing progress but when Mountain Man and I ventured out the first time, we saw incredible destruction. Not only were bridges and roadways taken out but also driveways to many houses.

One of the driveways destroyed belonged to a friend. She asked if Mountain Man could give her some advice about fixing it. Unfortunately, we couldn’t be much help because she lives a distance from us. Not so easy to get it fixed either because crews are all busy and the cost of materials is quite high. The best advice Mountain Man could offer was to keep working at it with her small tractor.

On the way home, he said “It’s going to take her forever with that tractor. I wish we lived closer.” We went about our afternoon. I didn’t mention it further because I didn’t want him to feel I was pressuring him for my friend.

At dinner time, he said “I can’t leave her like that. She needs help. Tell her I’ll be over there tomorrow morning.” So Mountain Man hooked up attachments to his 85 horse power tractor and headed off over hill and dale traveling miles to fix my friend’s driveway. He’s definitely my hero. Those pictures were destroyed but it was something to see Mountain Man on his big old tractor heading down the roads.

Here, I’ve been busy with chicken babies. Mother hen successfully hatched two chicks who are doing quite well. Seems as though they are a mixture of my Cochin hen and my Ameraucana rooster.

There was some question who was raising the babies.

But both Moms and babies seemed content so I left them alone. For a few days. Until I found my turkey hen off her nest for hours at a time.

Despite her valiant efforts, none of her eggs were viable and it was time for her to reclaim her life. But how to get her to leave the coop? I read on the internet a sure fire way to get a hen to depart is to put ice cubes where her eggs were and then when she sits on the ice cubes, she’ll be out of there in a flash. Hmm, I wouldn’t like it if someone made me sit on ice cubes so I didn’t go that way. No, once again I turned to snack treats and I lured her outside. It took her a while but she’s settled in again to her life beyond the nest. I still have one turkey hen sitting on eggs and I’m hopeful those will hatch.

Beyond taking care of chicks and moms, I’ve been hanging out with my best friend, Midnight.

Mountain Man has been busy with a million projects one of which is finishing the siding on my barn.

So as you can see, computer crash or not, life here goes on under the beautiful Vermont sky.

Have a fantastic weekend one and all.