Keeping a roof over our head.

This year, being good Canadian citizens we are once again spending a bunch of money to help keep our economy afloat. 


Our roof is approximately 20 years old and was starting to look a little tired. So last week we brought in the pros to give it a face lift. 


Day one, they showed up with the roof making machine. 

It was a nifty thing that took plain old steel and turned into roof panels lickety-split. 

Yes Bruce, I want you to do the "Evel Kneivel" of broad jumps.

Before:

After:

Incredibly, the new roof looks so good even the trees and grass look greener!

Spring lamb

After two weeks of unseasonably warm, dry, sunny weather it finally decided to start raining last night (and thank you for the rain, it is much needed) so of course the girls have started lambing.  
The ewe that I was SURE would lamb first is still very much pregnant and one of the ewes that I was hardly paying any attention to, has just had a nice set of twin ewe lambs.  Yep, I'm a sheep raising expert!

This was her first lambing, and she was smart enough to get in out of the rain, and lambed with no trouble at all.  When I checked on her this morning she had had one which was already up and clean and proceeded to have the second while I puttered around pretending to do "chores" so I could watch.  She's handling motherhood like a pro - she's a keeper. 

I know lambs are cute, but I forgot just HOW cute! The two of them are already attempting play and if it weren't raining so much you'd have to put up with a lot more photos. 


To balance out the cuteness, here are the drowned rats that I normally share my home with. 

At the moment I'm thinking that me and my home will do just fine with out them...

See you when you dry out guys!

Uh...Baa Ram Ewe?

In an attempt to fit in and earn her keep, Suzie introduced herself the ewes today and explained that she was the newest stock dog on the property.

After a brief discussion, it was mutually agreed upon that her talents lay elsewhere.

The grass really IS greener on the other side.

The grass is JUST starting to green up. This morning I thought let the ewe lambs and wethers out  into the yard to they could graze - even though it's really just recreational right now. 

This was their entirely ungrateful response. 

Let us back in to our little (compared to the yard) pen. The grass is much better in there thank you very much.

Eventually I got fed up with them and put them back in.  Next thing you know...

Five sad little faces pressed up against the gate, wishing they could get at all the grass in the yard...

Mid life crisis?

I think I know why men buy little red sports cars.


I'm 40. 


I needed a new bike. 


This is what I bought. 

I've been giggling like a school girl ever since!

The pitter patter of little feet.

REALLY little feet!

The size of my dogs has been shrinking over the years. I started out with Newfies, which are just lovely big dogs. Then I got Aussies - and quickly discovered how much more work the Newfies were, grooming wise. As most of you know, a couple of years ago I "discovered" Border Collies, and there's been no looking back. As an added bonus, Kate and Hope are about 15 pounds lighter than Bruce and have way less hair. 

Generally I'm a big dog person so really Border Collies are around the "low end" of big for me.  

Until Suzie. 

At somewhere around 3 pounds 4 ounces (according to our not so scientific kitchen scale), dogs Suzie's size have definitely flown well below my "I want that dog" radar. 

At 13 pounds, no wonder Antonio is more disgusted than worried about having a strange dog in the house.

However, Suzie is my Gramma's little dog and Gramma managed to fall and break her hip a few weeks ago and Suzie needed a place to stay, as well as a little bit of training.  

 

The plan is for Suzie to stay here until Gramma is back in her house and for  Suzie to return here if at any point Gramma finds that living in her own home is a bit more than she wants to take on.

All that running with the big dogs can tire a little girl out!

Boys and their toys.

Remember this toy? 

 Despite the voice of reason, the games have continued.

Here are the boys playing tug and having a great time.

and now here's a picture shortly after Bruce let go and the toy nailed Travis in the nose...