Bovine Shenanigans

 I know that by the calendar, winter technically doesn't start for another couple of weeks, but it has definitely arrived in Maine! We got our first snow yesterday, and today is cold and very windy. 

I decided to walk down to the creek for Homer's water today - it's been a little while since I've been down there, and it's fun to see the changes in the forest with snow on the ground. 

On the way, I spotted some deer tracks. I'm pretty sure the tracks were from a buck. The tracks continued across the creek, but I filled my buckets and started back. 

As I crossed the edge of the field, I saw tracks similar to deer tracks, but much, MUCH larger. 

I said, "Wait a minute... those look like Homer's hoofprints. But Homer is tethered!"

I continued on to Homer's pen, and sure enough, there was the end of the rope, still tied to the pen, but with no calf attached. That explained the distant barking I had heard while I was down by the creek - Thane and Breeze don't approve of Homer's escapades.

It wasn't hard to find Homer - he usually sticks pretty close to home if he gets out, and he has a bell on his collar. He was lurking behind the chicken coop, wearing a very innocent expression. I grabbed the length of rope that was tied to his collar (his tether is two ropes tied together) and walked him aaalll the way back to his pen, way over on the other side of the house and dog yard. He usually manages to squeeze a few shenanigans into a walk, and today was no exception, but I got him there eventually and tied him back up. 

And then I went and got him a pumpkin, because he likes pumpkins and because I'm nice. :P 

This picture is from before there was snow, but here is Homer enjoying a pumpkin. 😊

Happy Friday!!!

A Tale of Two Kitties

 These cats crack me up! 

Bartholomew is sleek...cool...collected. He's an athlete - graceful, powerful, an excellent hunter.

He glides through the forest, unseen and unheard, blending in perfectly...

Until...

With a noisy crackling of leaves and twigs, his faithful orange, fluffy shadow gives his position away. 😂 Bartholomew gives up the hunt and chases Purrcy up a tree instead.

Seriously, Purrcy is like the caricature of the clumsy kid brother trying so desperately to follow in his cool older brother's footsteps. 😂 

A couple examples: I keep the cat food on top of the wardrobe by my bed so the dogs don't get into it. Bartholomew makes the leap from bed to wardrobe in a single, graceful bound. Purrcy, on the other hand, clambers awkwardly onto the headboard, balancing precariously, and then jumps from there. 

Also, I keep a 2-gallon bucket of water in the house for the dogs and cats to drink from. Right from the beginning, Bartholomew has been able to drink from the bucket, carefully balancing his front paws on the rim and reaching down inside to drink. Purrcy, though, can't figure out how to balance, and if the bucket is less than half full, he tips it over - EVERY TIME. A GALLON of water... spilled all over my floor!!! Not only that - if there is a bucket anywhere outside, he will tip it. 🙄 

The two cats are good friends, though, which is fun to see. They play, chase each other, wrestle, and occasionally even snuggle. ❤️ 

So there you have it - one cool cat, and his dorky "kid brother!" 😂

Update

 Hello! I've gotten out of the swing of posting...looks like it's been about a month.  It's been pretty much routine...most of the puppies are in their new homes now. I'm retaining Molly and Enna for now to assess which one (or two, LOL!) is going to stay in my breeding program. Winston, formerly Mac, is also still here until Wednesday, when he begins a cross-country trek all the way to the other coast!

I'm getting excellent reports on the puppies, which makes me very, very happy!

Here's a couple pictures. This is Enna in the foreground and Molly in the background:

Molly:

Winston:

I've got most of my firewood stacked...friends are helping install a new chimney...I moved most of my extra roosters to the old coop...

Oh, and I butchered my oldest rooster, who was gimpy and not recovering. I put this gray one in with his hens....he was quite delighted to wake up with hens surrounding him instead of other roosters!

Here's a couple roosters from the side of the coop with the younger birds:

Purrcy says hi:

That's about it for now! Hope everyone is doing well. :)

Puppy Photos!!

 The puppies are 8 weeks old, and can start leaving any time now!! They had their vet check today, and were a little stressed, but most rallied and were very brave. 

I still have Pepper, Marguerite and Pizelle available. I think Pepper and Marguerite would do well with moderately active families. Pizelle I'd like to see go to someone who will be able to give her a fair bit of activity.

Here are some photos. I think I covered everyone except Pepper - it's hard to keep a mental list of who I still need photos of when they're all running around!! :P

Spritz:

Mac:

Twill:

Marguerite (available!):

Molly:

Enna:

Snickerdoodle:

Itty bitty Gingersnap:

And big, hulking Chip - literally twice Gingersnap's size, LOL:

Pizelle (available!!):

Unless anyone claims any of the three available girls, Spritz is scheduled to be the first to leave me Saturday morning. As much fun as I've had the past 8 weeks, watching the miracle of puppies growing, I'm eager to see these sweeties become a part of their new families and grow and thrive as individuals. 

Happy Thursday!

Five Weeks Old!!

 The puppies are 5 weeks old today, and are thriving! Only 3 weeks left until they can start going home!

I do still have a tricolor male and probably 2 tricolor girls available... email me at dracaena@live.com to inquire.

And just to be 100% clear, I did test Thane's hips through OFA and PennHip a few years ago, and he does have mild hip dysplasia and mild osteoarthritis. I chose to breed him because he's 5 now and still jumps on and off the huge boulder in my front yard multiple times every day... still gets silly zoomies when I take him out into the field... and basically doesn't seem to have issues from his diagnosis.  If anyone wants to check their puppy's hips, I will be offering a partial refund of $150 to help cover the cost of the x-rays.

Anyway, on to the cute puppy photos!! :D

1. Gingersnap

Still one of my itty-bitties, Gingersnap is a sweetie pie with a little dash of spunk! I think she's going to be sweet and feminine, but will have a little bit of sass. She might be a bit more independent than some of her siblings.

2. Pizelle

This puppy cracks me up - I think she's going to be a riot! As soon as I set her down in the grass for her photo shoot, she was bouncing and playing. She followed right at my heels as I walked around. She is petite, and I think will be very "foxy" in type, especially with those pointy ears, lol. Pizelle may be staying on at Butterscotch Farm.

3. Snickerdoodle

Sweet and loving, Snickerdoodle is not the boldest in the pack, but enjoys a good snuggle. She is sturdy but feminine.

4. Marguerite

This girl is a sweetie pie, and seems to have a pretty balanced temperament. I think that, like her sister Snickerdoodle, she will be both sturdy and feminine. 

5. Enna

My second itty-bitty, Enna has been a little more reserved, but seems to be starting to come out of her shell. I think she is going to be a spunky little thing. She may also be a touch more on the independent side. She may be available.

6. Molly

Molly might be staying here at Butterscotch Farm. ❤️ She used to be a loudmouth, lol, but has simmered down, and is now a sweetheart who likes to snuggle. I think she will be sturdy and old-fashioned in type.

7. Pepper

This girl is a bit more independent - she likes to be near people, but doesn't seem to be super into snuggling. She is not the bravest of the puppies, but is playful and happy. I think she will have a moderate, feminine build. She may be available.

8. Chip

My tricolor boy, Chip is available! He is sturdy and masculine, and seems to have a pretty middle-of-the-road temperament.

9. Mac

This boy knows how to work his eyes!! I think he is going to be heartbreakingly gorgeous - in a masculine way, of course, lol. He may be a touch on the independent side, but is always up for a cuddle. 

10. Twill

This guy was the first to chase a ball that I threw into the pen! I think he will be of moderate size, but active and happy. He's also super handsome, too, of course! ❤️ 

11. Spritz

Last but not least... this boy looks SO much like his daddy Thane! ❤️❤️❤️ I think he is going to be very sturdy and handsome. He has a nice, middle of the pack kind of temperament. And he likes to nibble, lol. 

So there you have it - 11 little cuties. ❤️❤️❤️ Hope this brightens everyone's day!

Expect the Unexpected

 If there's one thing I'm learning about homesteading, it's to expect the unexpected!! 

Two examples from the previous 12 hours:

1. Waking up to Breeze whining and pacing at 1:30 am, discover that she is carrying a dead chipmunk in her mouth, which she seems to want to give to the puppies. Use treats and a small amount of force to relieve her of the chipmunk, toss it out the front door, wash hands thoroughly...go back to bed. 

2. Just a few minutes ago, a stranger pulled into my driveway and asked if that was my cow running down the road. Thankfully Homer comes running when you shake a scoop full of grain! 😂 

Happy Wednesday!! 

3 Weeks Old!!

 The puppies turned 3 weeks old today!! ❤️ 

They're becoming increasingly mobile, and are experimenting with little growls and barks, which is quite adorable. 

Here's what they look like now. The girls are the first 7 pictures.

Gingersnap:

Pizelle:

Snickerdoodle:

Marguerite:

Vienna:

Molly:

Pepper (she was VERY wriggly, and was definitely not particularly happy with me by the time I got a decent picture. 😂 ):

And the boys...

Chip:

Mac:

Twill:

Spritz:

Aren't they so cute? I feel like puppies reach peak cuteness around 5-6 weeks, so brace yourselves for even more cuteness in the future! 

Most of the puppies are at least tentatively reserved at this point... I have 1-2 tricolor (black, white and tan) puppies that are probably still available. 

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys the pictures!! Happy Thursday! :)

Introducing Homer!

 Butterscotch Farm feels a bit more like a real farm with this afternoon's latest arrival: Homer the Holstein! 

Homer is a 4.5 month old bull calf, and weighs about 350 pounds. 

Homer was being trained to pull alongside another calf, but flunked out due to a minor lung issue of some sort that makes him cough when worked. 

He seems friendly and pretty relaxed so far. Welcome to Butterscotch Farm, Homer!!