What A Winter!

Hey! I haven't forgotten the blog! I know I have been slacking, and part of my 101 list is to blog consistently, and I am already failing! Boo! But, in my defense, things have been so crazy around here and with our oldest son Joshua moving to Virginia, 12 hours away, with two of the grandbabies I am having a hard time finding my emotional center. We do wish them well, but here on the Backwards Homestead we are feeling the loss to the core.
Also, I am afraid that there may be huge changes here on the backwards Homestead this summer.  Hard decisions are never fun, but things are getting to be more than we can handle. As much as I love all that this farm has to offer, letting go of some of the animals may be in the cards. I cannot keep on letting my passion make things harder on those who are in this with me. This last winter was exhausting both emotionally and financially. We are in this to live simpler and it has become a much different venture than our original plans. Do not get me wrong, I love every part of this farm. Every animal is loved and it will break my heart if it comes to that at some point. But numbers do not lie, and no matter what, it has to be fulfilling for everyone for this lifestyle to work!
On a positive note, we have had some awesome things happen in spite of a brutal winter. Flossie had her calf, and Charlotte also blessed us with six little oinkers! Although, getting to this point was rough, the weather was not kind, and milk fever reared its ugly head here on the homestead for the very first time. Many days we were unsure if we were going to make it to the end of winter with all the animal residents still here and healthy.
First off I will give a short update here, and later I will go more in detail later in separate posts.  Here we go!
Flossie had a little bull on February 3, 2015. He is quite the fireball! We named him Elmer, Awwww!

Such a good Mama!

Slurp Slurp!

Missed a spot!

Elmer now!

Here he is now, at a mere 7 weeks old. Yea, he's got a little something dangling for the nose area...darn straw!
Flossie had a very hard time after the birth. She had milk fever, (low calcium) and we thought we might lose her. We had to raise her up with a hip lift several times a day as she was just DONE. Even though she SHOULD get up, she was tired, felt bad, and was just a bit depressed. That lift, was awful. But she would have died if we had not forced her to stand. Sometimes we do what we have to do here on the farm, but Lord knows I cried many tears here in the barn over this cow. We prayed so hard, and thankfully the prayers were answered and Flossie did stand, and she is doing much better. yay!

Poor Mama!

Shout out to Mineral Wells Animal Clinic AGAIN for being the best as usual. Dr. Chad and Cody were awesome and went above and beyond. I am not sure what we would do if we did not have such a close relationship with everyone in the practice. They are always willing to answer questions, and do what it takes to make sure our animals get the best care possible.More on the exciting birth and Flossies struggle in another post. Stay tuned!
Ok, Charlotte. Where do I start?! She decided to have her babies the night of the worst snowstorm with subzero temps that we have had in years. Her pen is too far from the barn to even have a light for warmth. With a lot of hard work, and Gods grace, we managed to get her hut covered with anything and everything we could find to hold heat. We filled it with straw, and prayed for the best. She initially had 10 babies, then we counted 8, then 6...Then For days, we had no clue as the temps were still bitterly cold. THEN we had yet another snow storm. Finally, we get a peek and we still have SIX little wiggly piglets. Whew!!

Cuteness!

Charlottes little fortress, lol

Peeking out for some supper!

Aren't they tiny! I tell you, Charlotte is an amazing Mommy! Stuck in her hut, with her babies, and she was still so very careful not to squish them even in total darkness. Go Charlotte!

Out and about!

Charlotte!

So Cute!

Here is one of the last litter! WOW! So big!

Last but not least. Thanks and much love to my Pud'nin. He has never failed to be by my side through all our animal/personal drama. Letting me cry, kick, flail and flap like the emotional mess that I am. Without all his support, I would surely be wearing a straight jacket by now singing Ladybug Picnic at the top of my lungs...I love you Pud'nin! You are indeed a strong man..
 Well, that is a quick peek, a sort of overview. More later, I promise. I just need to get myself together and focus, focus focus! Feel free to leave a comment to let me know you stopped by! I love reading comments! Ok, Till next time, may you be blessed in all that you do. :)

Looking a lot Like Fall

Fall on the farm is almost as busy as summer. We have to get all the animals settled and make sure they will have what they need for the cooler temperatures. Not to mention getting things squared away for the people here on the Backwards Homestead! As busy as it can be I will say, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The temperatures are much milder and the colors of all the leaves are just amazing!

Fall Sunset

This Fall we have two expectant mamas. Flossie is due in January/February and ClaraBelle is due anywhere from October to, well, we aren't too sure, lol Both girls are getting all round and although Flossie is not due for a while she looks massive!

Little herd of girlies!

Flossie having breakfast

ClaraBelle getting a little nibble of hay

We did manage to get the roof on the side shed off the barn, but still have to get the end boxed in for the expectant girls so they can stay warm and dry when the weather gets nasty. When you have animals it seems the winter preparation is never completely finished. There is always something that needs attention. Like hay, which Pud'nin has been baling like crazy!

Trusty Tractor

Square baler and yet another trusty tractor

The little piggies are growing like crazy. We only have two left that we will be saving for ourselves. The rest have gone on to their new homes and from what I hear they are getting fat and sassy. Charlotte is enjoying the smaller crowd and in November will go back in with Wilbur for a little couples time, lol

Wilbur

Charlotte and babies

Baby piggies having breakfast

Hard to believe that before we know it snow will be blowing and we will be looking for the coveralls. I know that it is coming, and I sure am hoping that it will not be as icy as last year! But no matter what the weather, we will be out and about making sure the Backwards Homestead is running smoothly!

Let There Be Ice!

What happened?! This has been the craziest winter! One day it is like 55, the next day it is in the negatives and the wind will blow you away! I personally think winter can be cool. I like snow, like the last huge one, where we all played outside and had a blast. But I like it to be here a day, then when I wake up I need it to be gone...totally. Snow-Play-Gone. Done! It seems that Mother Nature is not on the same page, not only have I NOT gotten my Minute Snow, I have gotten instead a thick coating of ICE! I do NOT like ice. Older, shall we say fluffier people do not like ice. It makes us pull muscles we had forgotten we had, and flail around like we are trying to signal a rescue plane just walking to the mailbox. It hurts me to walk on ice...I am so tense, I even clench my teeth. Falling also hurts more when you are old and crickly! How do I know this...Just ask the frozen waterhose...Also known as the deadliest thing in the barnlot..

Just look at it! Laying there all innocent! Well let me tell you, step on that puppy and you will side down it like a teenager on a half pipe. Only way less gracefully, and you will not look nearly as cool...Plus, will not land as smoothly either. It took about a nanosecond for me to be laying on the ground, looking up at the sky, wondering what happened. Of course my Pud'nin, who witnessed my swanlike fall to the icy ground, was quick to point out that he was sure that hose would never be the same, it was crushed beyond repair. Gee honey, thanks alot! LOL!
The ice always makes me think of a story my MeMaw used to tell about winter. Seems she was going outside with a bucket, in the snow, and as always, in a dress. She falls, sits IN the bucket, and slides all the way down the hill riding a very cold, and by now snow coated bucket. She lands at the bottom of the hill, picks herself up, and looks back to see her kids laughing at her from the safety of the house I am sure! I am almost positive that her mood was probably as icy as her hiney for the rest of the day!! This is the first story that made me realize that I indeed had MeMaws gift of grace. Or lack of, lol
Even though I really do not like ice, it can be pretty. In a totally freezy, look out for falling branches, "Whoa that's slicker than snot!!" kinda way. The ice kinda adds a shimmer on everything making the whole world sparkle. It looks clean and fresh. Which is a little deceptive. One step outside and then getting nailed with a icicle falling at warp speed, quickly skews your view from clean and fresh, to a world filled with icy daggers just waiting to fall on you at every step! So yea, do not like ice, no matter how pretty!

So, I will be counting the days until Spring, hoping that somewhere there is a light at the end of this icy tunnel!