and then there were none...

Dear Icicle, Lulu, Breez, Casper, and Darlin Jr.,

I'm so sorry we weren't able to care for you like your momma would have.  We loved your momma, and we wish she didn't have to leave you.  We did our very best trying to feed you, take care of you, and love you.  I wish you could have talked to us and told us what you needed, because we would have done anything to help you survive.  I hope you are with your momma now, and she's taking good care of you.  Soon, she'll teach you how to hunt for mice and lick your paws and nap in the sunshine.

Sweet dreams, little ones.

Love Always,
The Chiasson family

Life and Death

I knew that farm life was going to be filled with both.  I just didn't know it was going to happen so often.

On Friday, we were leaving to go to town for Peyton's Girl Scout cookie booth at Wal-mart.  We turned out of the driveway and started down the road.  Right away, I saw a something in the road, something little and orange.  I said, "Oh no, that's a cat."  I pulled over, got out, and walked over to it's lifeless body in the road.   I was hoping that it was a different orange cat and not our moma cat "Darlin".  My eyes immediately filled with tears when I realized that it was "Darlin".   I moved her still warm body out of the road and started back to the car wiping the tears from my eyes and trying to figure out how break this news to the kids.

My heart broke for them as I watched them trying to process this horrible news.   We turned around and went back to the house to get her babies.  I couldn't leave them all alone in our open, detached garage.  We went straight to the feed store for bottles and milk replacement powder.

Trying to feed them for the first time was much harder than I anticipated.  They were so tiny and hungry and confused.  They were all crying for their moma and had no idea what to do with a rubber bottle nipple.

With some trial and error, I've found that the best way to feed them is to wrap each one up in a wash cloth like a taco, kind of like swaddling a baby, so their little arms and legs aren't flailing all around.  Hold them tightly, sit them almost upright, and squeeze drops of milk slowly into their mouth.  It's going to be a long, hard road.  I know it will be worthwhile for all of us though.  Nurturing tiny helpless week old kittens will be something that we'll never forget.

I've even found a suitable "replacement moma" to clean them. 

Funny how things work themselves out sometimes.  Just another obstacle to teach us something about life.  That's what it's is all about really.  Looking at every situation, whether good or bad, and asking "what is it that I'm supposed to learn from this?"  I have a feeling that we are all going to learn a lot from this.

Even after tragedy,  the sun still rises the next day and it is just as beautiful as always.

This might take awhile...

I finally can breathe easy about my internet usage.  I was NOT paying .25 per MB or whatever crazy rate it is.  I am so thrilled that I can share photos again!

I've got lots to catch you up on, so I'll keep my words brief and commence with the pics!

Last weekend was our 4th annual Daddy/Daughter Dance.  Every year Peyton and Dad get all dressed up and go dancing while me and Reece get our own date night.  Peyton looks so forward to it, she talks about it all year.  I mean, what little girl doesn't like dressing up like a princess and dancing the night away with her daddy?

Here she is getting her hair done:

Here's the final product, sugar and spice (can you guess which is which?):

While she and daddy were dancing, Reece and I went to 1984, a 1980's style arcade.  It was fun, but 1980's video games are only fun for so long.  We also had a very nice dinner downtown.  I loved sitting across the table from him and talking to him, just him. 

Our weekend got even more exciting when we discovered this in our garage:

 

 Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen:

I was not a cat person before, but this just makes my heart go all fluttery.

Winter is on it's way out finally, hopefully.  Oh winter, you were fun at times, but I really will be glad to see you go.  A wise man once told me, "Winter is just something to get through."   Now I know what he meant.

Anyway, we've had a few days of sunshine lately.  It actually got warm enough for me to take my camera outside and stay for a while! 

 Hello, little guy.  Yes, I know I've been slacking in the suet department.  I'll try to do better, I promise.

Check out the belly on her.  This was obviously right before the birth of the aforementioned kittens.  I remember those last few days of pregnancy when you just feel like a watermelon about to explode. Darlin, I totally understand why you feel the need to lay down and take a nap in the middle of the sidewalk.

Anyway, back to my bird watching.  Everyone was thrilled that I finally filled up all the bird feeders.  I swear they eat more than the horses.

 

  

  

It was so nice outside, the kids had a fun little game of golf.  

 

  

Although, I don't think Babe was thrilled about the golf balls flying around.

  

In fact, I'm pretty sure they were totally freaked out by it.

They took off in a hurry.  Thank goodness they didn't step on a chicken.

Today, we took the dogs outside rabbit hunting.  It's Buddy's favorite activity, until it's all over and he has to have a bath.  He's too slow to catch anything, but he has a blast trying.

Look at those ears.  Otto must be able to hear every rabbit out there, but he is content to just chase buddy around.

Can you see the smile on his face?

  

Serious boy, listening for rabbits...

This is fun mom!

Sorry Mom, I didn't mean to get THIS dirty.

A Present from Snowflake

Can you imagine our surprise when we found this on our doorstep this morning?

 

Nice, huh?

Country life.  I love it, no matter what gets drug up to my doorstep.

Cast of Characters-Part 3

I love that it takes three posts to introduce my family.  Some would question that chickens and all the other animals running around outside are not "part of my family".  I disagree.  I believe that all animals are unique individuals that are not meant to be "owned" by humans, but to be willing participates in sharing their lives with us.  It's mutual co-operation.  I want them to all enjoy being in our "pack".    I may have to change my story when we have to butcher our first animal, but I'll cross that road when we get there. 

Anyway, when we moved here there were 5 horses already here.  I didn't have the heart to kick them out of their home, so we bought them all.  I've questioned my sanity many times since then.  You see, I knew absolutely nothing about horses.  I've always loved and admired them from afar, but have never had the opportunity to really get to know a horse on a personal level.  I was and still am determined to learn how to develop a relationship with these beautiful animals.  In the last couple of months, I've read every book and watched every video I could find about "Natural Horsemanship".  It's all about building a partnership between horse and human that closely resembles the relationships that exist between horses.  It's about getting the horse's respect so she will do what I want because she trusts me, not because she fears me.  I have made a little progress with these girls, but still have a long way to go. 

Like I said, we started with five mares.  Unfortunately, we lost our sweet "Maggie", a 30+ yr-old Shetland pony, a couple of weeks ago.

 

Here is Pokie, our big, beautiful, pregnant paint mare. 

This is "Star", Pokie's  9 month old foal. 

  

  

Here are my "wild girls"

They didn't really like having their picture taken, they took off with all kinds of attitude.  

The mare with the darker mane is Babe.  She is a sweetheart and the leader of the pack.  The one with the lighter mane is Honey.  That's about as close as she'll come to me.  She refuses to let me touch her.  She is my biggest challenge.

Okay, so that wraps up the horse introductions!  Last, but not least, our barn cats!  They have the hardest, but most appreciated job on the farm -catching mice.  They do a fabulous job at it, too!  This is what I usually see when I stand on my porch.  The black one hiding in the back is Lily.  From left to right on the table are: Isabelle, Darlin', Fluffy, and Snowflake.  There is another male black cat named Oreo that comes over to hang out occasionally, if you know what I mean....

 Snowflake and Isabelle

I love this picture because Snowflake is hanging out with our rooster, Fred.

 

Snowflake's, biggest fan:

  

Fluffy looking so sweet and innocent, but don't let her fool you.

She has no intention of making friends today, or any day, with Buddy and Otto.

Here is our sweet Darlin', who's belly is growing bigger by the minute.  I think we should have kittens any day now.

 

Darlin' hanging out with the chickens

and here she is again thinking about making friends with Buddy and Otto

So far, so good!

Snowflake and Isabelle

Snowflake up a tree

Isabelle eating scraps and telling Fred, "I dare you to try something!"

 

Showdown over cheese

Beautiful Isabelle posing for the camera

Lily participating in the hen gathering on the porch

Well, that does it for our family introductions.  Now comes the fun stuff, the day-to-day adventures of a city family trying to figure out country living.