Welcome to the craziness that is Triple T Pittsford Farm

Welcome to my daily dose of craziness.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Letting Go

I'm not sure how many of you know, but I have been asking for prayer for one of our lambs. She has had a rough life, and it's now coming to an end. Her name is Puddles, and it's time to let her go to the lord.

Puddles was born at the end of March this year. The ewe, who is experienced, but not very smart, had her lambs outside on the snow and ice. She was in the barn, but as most sheep do, escaped. I was busy with other ewe's so I decided she was still a few days away from lambing and I would get her put back in when I had some help. Well as nature would have it, "Sophie" didn't wait on me. She had two jet black lambs outside on the ice. I was on my way to town when I found them. I rushed Puddles and her brother into the house. Felicia (my eldest daughter) and I went right to work to save the lambs. They were both frozen. I was sure they were both dead, but using my stethoscope (I'm trained as a Medical Assistant) I could still hear a faint heart beat. We tubed each lamb, and gave them warm colostrum, to warm them from the inside out. Then we placed the lambs in front of the heater and began rubbing them to get their blood flowing. The little ram lamb was up and back out on the ewe in about four hours. But poor little Puddles was a different story.

Puddles was so close to death I told Felicia that we couldn't save her, but Felicia just wouldn't give up. She gave Puddles warm colostrum every hour, and stayed with her on the floor, in front of the heater, rubbing her little body for 18 hours. Finally, the next day, Puddles began to come around. She got to live in the house for three weeks. We had to teach her how to lay down, she would just get someplace and fall over. Then, when her nap was over, she couldn't get up. We spend hour and days teaching her how to be a sheep. The physical therapy worked. She soon moved back to the barn, but this was after she left little puddls on my dinning room floor. Thus her name, Puddles. She would go right at the instant we would take the diaper off.

Puddles wasn't much to look at when she first went back to the barn, but we decided to giver her a year to grow, then decide if she would join the other replacement ewe lambs, or be sold. Puddle grew nicely, and even went to our county open sheep show and got third in ther class. She has continue to grow since July, and was looking really nice, but then two weeks ago, disaster struck.

Some how, while everyone was at work on Monday, September 26th, Puddles got both of her front legs caught in a wooden gate that led from the barn feeding room, out to the market lamb lot. We have no idea how long she had been hung up, but her front legs were in bad shape when we found her at feeding time. Dustin (my son) and I called the vet, then loaded Puddles into his truck and took her to Kyle's for surgery. Nearly three hours later we were headed home. The good news was that no bones were broken. The bad news is she had 50+ stitches, the main artery in her left leg was severed, and there is lots of vein damage in both legs. If the bill is below $1200.00, I will be in shock.

For the past two weeks we've spent hours giving Puddles shots, changing bandages, doing physical therapy, and praying. My husband, Tom, would come home every night and get Puddles up for therapy. Every time anyone walked past the barn, they went in to get her up, give her food and water and get her on her feet for therapy. Even though we have worked hard, hoped and prayed for Puddles to recover, but it's not looking good. Now we are stuck in those hours of asking ourselves when is it time to just say "we gave it our best shot, but now it's time to let go, and put Puddles down?" 

We'll be praying about what we should do. I know that in God's wisdom, there was a reason we have had to go through all this pain and suffering with Puddles. Maybe it was so we buile the new gate we should have put this spring. Maybe it was to teach me how to be a better "home vet" and learn better management practices. Only God knows for sure what the lesson is in all this. I sure it will come to light someday soon.
 
Maybe God simply gave us a lesson in "letting go."

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Sunday's

Good morning all. What a beautiful week we have had. Harvest is in full swing here in the mid-west, and the dry weather has been a blessing. Plenty of sunshine and dry weather have helped make the beginning of harvest get into full swing quickley. But all this busyness has made me wonder if I'm the only one who feels like their Sunday is getting away from them.

Sunday's used to be that day when everything slowed down. Families would get up, go to church, have family over for dinner, and spend the day doing as little as possible. But all that has changed. Of course we all know that all the stores are open on Sunday now. And that most of us work a six day work week, and that Sunday is usually the only day we have to get our shopping done, catch up on laundry and get everything put back in order, so we get up and start the work week all over again on Monday. But, I don't like this. It's Sunday! Things should be moving slow, right?

I started thinking about this off and on a few months ago. I was all ready for church, and the whole day started falling apart. Just as I was ready to leave, the sheep and the horses got out. Then just as I got them put back in, my husband called and said he needed help down at the other farm. He promised that it would only take a few minutes, I wouldn't get dirty, and that I could still make it to church. Right!!! The "few minutes" turned into three hours, and I missed church. Then just when I thought the worst was over, and could sit down for a few minutes, Tom called again and said that he needed me to follow him to Anderson. He was moving equipment from one farm to the other. Then I needed to run to the feed store for feed and other supplies, then return to pick him up and take him back to his dad's. Oh, then I was informed that I was making supper for them. That meant a trip back to town for groceries. The next thing I knew, it was time for me to do my feeding, and do the load of laundry that some how found its way into the laundry room, via our daughter with a note that said "I need these washed, I'm at Ben's". Wait a minute! It's 10:00 p.m., Sunday is nearly over, and I am still doing things for other people. When do I get my time?

My plan for Sunday was church, lunch with the grandkids (I was going to surprise them) stop by the feed store, then home to work in the flower garden, sit in the sun, read my book, do my evening chores and maybe go for a ride on my horse. Just a relaxing Sunday. What happened? The next thing I knew it was mid-night. Then the work week started all over. I miss the Sunday's that were spent with my little ones. (Their all grown now). I miss sitting on the porch swing. I miss just sitting and doing nothing for 30 minutes.

The Amish have the right plan. The veiw Sunday as the Lord's Day all day long. They even skip cooking chores on Sunday. They only do the most basic work, like feeding the livestock. They plan meals of cold cuts so no one has too cook. They go to worship, eat dinner and then spend the day visiting family and friends. Whay can't we do that? They work hard all week long. They have breakdowns. They have meetings to attend, and children. Where did we go wrong?
I have been more agressive about telling my family my Sunday plans. I'm the only one who attends church, and I'm going no matter what! Breakdowns and laundry will have to wait, at least until I get home from church. They are getting the choice of left overs or pizza for supper. I'm doing my chores, then I'm sitting and relaxing for the rest of the day. I even said all this out loud.
 
The only thing that has changed, is that I have been able to make it to church. I'm heading there in a few minutes. We are baling hay this afternoon. Moving the equipment to another farm, and I'm going up north to Marion to pick up my new puppy. Then it will be home for chores and pizza for supper. I still haven't gotten to slow down, but I'm still hopeful. I am keeping my fingers crossed that one of these days we will get snowed in. On a Sunday.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Fall Is In The Air

Fall is in the air.  The smell of damp leaves.  Pumpkin harvest is in full swing.  The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler, and soups and stews are on the menu.  Fall is my favorite time of year.

Fall is the lead-in to our holiday season.  What's not to love about fall?  Some, (most of the people I know) think of fall as the end of the year.  A time of dieing.  The gardens are finishing up, tomato vines are brown, the potatoes and onions are being dug up, and the leaves are turning brilliant reds, golds and browns.  Mums are in full bloom.  Crops are being harvested, and once the work is done, we tend to settle in for a "bleak", long winter.  I must be wired backwards.  I love fall and winter. 

For me, fall and winter are a time of renewal.  We get renewed by the vegetables and crops from the harvest.  We renew our relationships with family and friends at Thanksgiving.  We renew our faith at Christmas time.  We rest, and the soil rests', just waiting to spring fourth at the end of winter.
In the fall we think of fall crafts, buying or making gifts for Christmas, and making our homes a warm welcoming place to be.  We get out the warm apple cinnamon scented candles.  We wear our favorite thick sweaters and spend our Saturdays at the nearby apple orchard.  We plan fall gatherings, bon fires and soup suppers.  Friends and family gather round for pumpkin carving, and trick or treating.  Hay rides and scary stores are the order of the day.  As the moon rises, we look over our shoulders to see if we can spy a witch riding high in the sky.  Fall brings out the kid in us all.

This fall, when that depressing feeling of dread creeps up on you, remember that fall isn't a time of doom and gloom.  It's a time of renewal.  Get energized!  Think of all the fun the fall brings.  It's the kick off to the biggest and best parties of the year.  The holiday's line up, one after another from September through April.  What a great time of year.  Get out and enjoy it.