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Mabel Figworthy wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:52 am WONDERFUL NEWS WENDY!

Er, I mean, wonderful news Wendy

I am so happy for you!!!! Now you can easily hear all the sounds our smilies make ( even the ones you might not want to hear)

Carole

Unicorns are noisy eaters, that's for sure! At least the elephants and their rumbly tums are across the loch...!

I spent the week babysitting and farm sitting for my son & his wife. The kids were fine...but I’m not an animal lover. Every morning I had to let the chickens and roosters out of their coop and into their run, then get me out of the run without letting any of the birds out. If anyone had been around to record it, I’m sure it would have gone viral on YouTube. (Just think Tippi Hedren. ) I also had to deal with The Great White Beast. He’s a puppy (or as my grandson calls him, a peepee ). Because he’s a puppy, he’s yappy & snappy. I am terrified of dogs and I had to keep him away from all th8ngs not chewable....like the ducks and my grandchildren. He doesn’t want to hurt them...he wants to play, and he thinks that’s how. He is eventually to be a guardian dog, to protect the chickens & ducks from foxes.

I did not bring any stitching because I was afraid I’d drop a needle and either a child or a pet would find it. Instead I brought papers and pencils to design a beading project I never get around to designing. But....I was in bed between 8:30 & 9:30 and never once took it out.

This morning I was up by 6. Had coffee and started stitching. Then pulled out almost every stitch....I missed one row of 4 stitches.

Here’s The Great White Beast.

Glad to hear you survived the week. Sounds like you didn't have a minute for yourself. I can't imagine farm sitting when you don't love animals. I am assuming that you didn't have any others to manage? The "great white beast" didn't look too beasty in the photo, but looks can be deceiving. I'm sure the next time you see him, he will be very handsome and a bit more well behaved.

Good to come here for some recuperation. An easy chair and ottoman in the garden or the one by the fire (both are ridiculously comfortable) and your favorite drink and dish will be provided.

Carole

What an undertaking - and applause to you and lots of admiration for undertaking it when you are not an animal-person! I hope your offspring were suitably grateful.
Now get yourself into a nice quiet room at the S&G, and we'll make sure the unicorns and the puffins and the kangaroos stay well away from you while you have some relaxed stitching time!

How Brave...taking on Beasts and Fowl!!
I worked on a farm for a short while and had to put the geese into their pen at night then release them in the morning when the farmer's wife broke her ankle.
This had to be done swiftly in the morning and I had to climb over the fence....Before the geese came out of their 'house'
I was pecked on my retreating backside several times. OUCH!!

wendywombat wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 3:23 pm I was pecked on my retreating backside several times. OUCH!!

Not being unsympathetic but I feel this should be in Smile For The Day

Gee thanks!

You'll be having your Friday night tipple standing, then?

The original plan was that my son was going to let the chickens out before going to his course at work. However, the guy running the course decided to start earlier, which meant he had to leave at 4:30 which meant it was to early to let everyone out.

By the end, The Beast and I made friends. He really is a good dog….but he’s so big. Very smart though, learns fast.

Don’t geese fly?

Not if their wings are clipped. (There's a lesson there, I think...?)

Serinde wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:05 am Not if their wings are clipped. (There's a lesson there, I think...?)

Geese do fly but 'farm' geese do have their flight feathers clipped.
The geese I encountered were used as Guard Geese. Noisier than a Guard Dog and able to be left to roam freely.

Do not tell my daughter in law about them.

wendywombat wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:14 am

Serinde wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:05 am Not if their wings are clipped. (There's a lesson there, I think...?)

Geese do fly but 'farm' geese do have their flight feathers clipped.
The geese I encountered were used as Guard Geese. Noisier than a Guard Dog and able to be left to roam freely.

While on the farm at my parents' place in the 1980's I learnt a fair bit about Guard Geese. The owner of 3 fields inside the ring of our 7 fields had them. They were quite unpleasant. But not up to defending themselves from our farm cat. The cat 'Poppy' once came back dragging a dead gander that weighed more than he did. Heaven knows how he got it through the hedge but we first became aware of it as he was tucking in 10 yards on our side of the hedge. We ended up having to re-home the cat, as there was no way we could stop him doing it again, and the owner, 'Little Jane' was quite distressed. He was replaced by 'Poppy too'.

Regards,

Richard.

Friends had cat -- Katie -- who famously dragged an adult herring gull (injured, but very much alive) through the catflap and played with it with gusto in the living room until finally dispatching it behind the TV...

Oh dear.

Last weekend we had Rooster bring a live mouse, lose it in the conservatory behind the sofa and then when he finally caught it again, devoured it in the garden. And Ozzie. He did his 'I'm not allowed to bring prey into the house' trick again. He wrapped it in an ivy leaf before carrying it into the house (makes all the difference, apparently) and then yowled at us to show off how clever he is. Only when he'd showed it off did he finish his trot through the house to eat it out the back.

Regards,

Richard.

My cats have generally been limited to "wild" things that get in the house (small lizards and frogs, most of which I can save but a lot that I find when its too late). Years ago I was sharing an apartment with my sister and woke up in the middle of the night one night to my sister screaming. She had gotten up to go to the bathroom and stepped on what was a dead mouse. My big black cat (20 lb Bombay we think) had killed a mouse and left it in the middle of the bathroom rug, knowing that would be the first place we'd go when we woke up in the morning. He was sitting next to it pleased as punch about his trophy. Once I knew why she was screaming, I couldn't stop laughing.

Carole

Presents to appease the food goddesses. Or a little present for the servants. Take your pick.

Serinde wrote: Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:14 pm Presents to appease the food goddesses. Or a little present for the servants. Take your pick.

Carole