Eight things that have been on my mind

Small Dog, Big Forest.

1) The humans ventured to Baker Lake without me yesterday, and the chihuahua turns out to be the family's best hiker. Who'd have thunk? Gets me off the hook for doing serious day hikes—FarmWife does well to travel with a more nimble animal companion wherever narrow bridges, crumbling trails, and bouldery stream crossings are involved.

2) Jasper Jules has been bullying his mother and sister, and is therefore going to be relegated to the brushy front corner of the property. It needs fencing and tidying up first, and FarmWife had best get cracking if she wants it safe and habitable before the spring surge of vegetative growth. If she misses this deadline, I promise to help her by eating everything within my reach.

As an aside, Jasper will be sleeping in my trailer once he makes the big move. I hope I get a hearty thank you!

3) FarmWife has been irritable with everyone but me lately. She blogged about this over at Puddle Run today. She is sorry about having let that blog fall by the wayside.

4) Did I mention that the chihuahua is a really good little dog? Makes me reconsider my opinion that carnivorous pets are less mentally apt than their herbivorous brethren. When it comes to pleasing FarmWife, we hoofbeasts have always had an edge over her bests of claw and feather, but this one's giving me a run for my money in the "learns quickly and is pleasant" categories.

5) I've been switched from delicious Eastern Washington orchard grass hay ($13 bales, 100# each) to delicious Western Washington grass hay (still very nice, $10 bales, 70# each). FarmWife feels a little ripped off when it comes to the price, but she thinks the new hay is better for my metabolism. (Probably better for Mother Earth, too, seeing as how it wasn't trucked over the mountain passes).

6) I'm going to have a tack sale soon. Featured products: size 0 Easyboot Gloves, lightly used; brown leather breeching, Fenway sized; pony harness, cheap leather, newish but not high quality. There will be additional odds and ends. We are going to try to raise some portion of the money needed to fence in Jasper Jules. Photos to follow!

7) FarmWife needs to hire the neighbor guy and his John Deere tractor to clean out the deep litter bedding in my goats' shed. If you didn't know, "deep litter" means you just throw fresh, clean straw on top of the old after removing the most obviously soiled material. After a year or so of this business, you have one seriously huge job on your hands. This, unfortunately, is where FarmWife finds herself now.

8) As always, I love and appreciate you. Ears!

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