Mama, itz WET out here!

The rain continues, both inside and outside the barn. The dogs took one look at the weather this morning and refused to step outside; with coaxing I got them over to the pasture gate. I was only able to get them a third of the way up the pasture before they staged a mutiny and all headed back to the house without me. Some companions!

(Charley: Yeah, but SUMBODY had a great big umbrella, and us dogs didn’t!)

The pigs didn’t want to go outside either – as much as they love mud on a hot day, they avoid it like the plague on a rainy day. However, tummies won out over the need to stay dry - I put their fruits and veggies out in the pigyard as usual and all except Scotch, Soda and Lizzy tippy-toed over the mud to reach them.

(Fizzy: Ewwwww, it waz slippery!!!! We waz afwaid we wud slide right down the hill!)

Ever hopeful Scotch just gazed at me with his big brown eyes, checked his dish to see if he had missed a kernel of grain, and snuggled back into his straw and blankets.




The amount of rain pouring into the barn all over the carefully tarped straw and equipment prompted me to post on craigslist for a handyperson to repair or retarp the barn roof, so here’s hoping I get responses from some competent people.

Janice from Hearts on Noses, our friend Tracey from Katie’s Place, and I spent Tuesday and Wednesday evenings pulling together the last of the items needed for a gaming fund application and met on the lunch hour yesterday to package it all up. I must say it looks awesome, so fingers, toes, paws and trotters are crossed in the hopes that Hearts on Noses will get a much needed grant to help cover the ever increasing costs of feed and vet care for approximately 40 abandoned, abused, or neglected potbellied pigs. One more thing off the to-do list, and a great learning experience (Thanks, Tracey – we couldn’t have done it without you!!!). Now we also have a model to follow for future applications and a better understanding of the whole process.

After I dropped the package off at the post office (thank heavens for priority courier service), I checked out Cythera Thrift Store in Maple Ridge – a great little shop that is clean and nicely laid out, and which raises funds for Cythera Transition House for abused women – and I found a lovely, cheerful lightweight jacket in just my size and nearly-new condition for $4.50.

I ended the afternoon with my monthly visit with my dog Emma. Surprisingly, it was not raining on the other side of the river, so our thirty minutes of play outdoors was not the soaking wet experience I anticipated. Rain or no rain, spending time with Ems always puts a smile on my face – she is such a happy, happy, happy lab and always so glad to see me.




Charley and Sadie, however, are sulking. My doldrums of earlier this week seem to have been passed on to them.



Fortunately, they are just as easily won over with liver treats as I am with chocolate fudge brownies.

In the wee small hours of the morning, I noticed the flood lights on the barn come on. I couldn't see anything that might have triggered it and went back to sleep. But this morning I found a large pile of very black berry-rich bear scat (or blackberry-rich bear scat!), so we are now on high alert around here. Normally, bears don't come right onto my property as there are easier paths for them to follow without climbing my fences. However, neighbours have seen a mom and two cubs recently, as well as a large male bear frequenting the area. Between the blackberry bushes and the hazelnut and fruit trees in the area, it is a cornucopia of delight for bears trying to fatten up for winter. They better stay away from my critters!