The Canada Geese Stopped By ~

A breeding pair of wild Canada Geese made their

designated rest stop in our pond this morning....

I was outside at the time letting our free-ranged ducks and chickens out of the barn when I spotted them. The female was very vocal when she saw me and our border collie. At that point, I thought they would fly away, but they didn't. They are sharing the pond with our ducks, Lucky and Squirt....

I managed to get a bit closer....

They swim by the rest of the ducks and chickens....

 

And, we cannot forget about Skittles....

he is our very friendly Barred Rock rooster!!

And there they go.... they will make their way to their nesting area and hopefully have a successful brood in about a month....

It's a Blizzard!!

....Not a good day for a photo op!!

Next Christmas I am asking Santa for some ski goggles !!

".... Ok, I am out of here... !!!!

After a quick ''pee'' and "a photo", it was back to

curling up by the woodstove for me!!!!"

Kiss and Release

This goldfish was caught in our outdoor pond.  We have hundreds of them that live here year round and can easily be caught with a net (as seen in the photo above).  In the spring, we watch as the males chase and ''bump and nudge'' the females which prompts them to release their eggs.  The eggs then attach to the aquatic vegetation.  With 48-72 hours, they will hatch.

During the winter months, the goldfish stop eating and often stay on the bottom of the pond.  Plants are essential because they raise oxygen levels in the water and are part of the filtration system.  The plants are also a food source for the fish.

 

Ever since Skye was a puppy, she looks forward to 'kissing' the fish before it is released back into the water :-)

 

Goldfish are very hardy and colourful and make a great addition to any pond.

Happy Birthday Skye !!

Three birthday cheers for our loyal sidekick and soulful companion.  How can anyone live without woofs, purrs, quacks or tweets in their life.  Our Border Collie turned 3 today!!  Thank you for gracing our life with so many wonderful memories of love. Happy Birthday Skye!!

Skye

Skye is our devoted border collie who deserves to be shared with the world.  Skye is 2 years old and a very smart dog. And I'm not just saying that because she is ours, she really is!!  (The Border Collie was on the cover of the National Geographic in March 2008.. Studies have shown that some border collies know and associate up to 340 words and counting) Sometimes we have to spell words when she is in our presence, otherwise, she is patiently waiting to do that job from the words she hears.. She will, on command, ''pick up'' items and bring them to us, or if we say "recycle", she knows to look for a water bottle to take to the recycling area!! One of my favorites is saying "slippers".... She is off on a mission, looking, looking, looking, and within a minute, she is back with my slipper and then, off she goes to get the other one! One time, she brought the two of them together.. (that was just luck).. Since a puppy, she loves playing with "sticks" and the bigger, the better!  "Ball" and "frisbee" are on top of the list as other favorite games.  She loves the camera and poses for me on any occasion.  Here, she is out on the farm keeping a watchful eye on her large family of ducks and chickens who are free-ranged during the day... Come dusk, and she hears the words "chicken bedtime", she is up and ready with her tail wagging! When everyone is accounted for and tucked in for the night, she is a happy dog and knows her job is done for another day!  See you tomorrow.  Love Skye <3

Farm Yard Family Photo

Our furry and feathered friends keeping each other company!!

The Snake Won

Our Border Collie alerted us to this spectacle. I don't like snakes or frogs.... Ok, not that I don't like them, but I am not fond of them....but know that every living creature has a purpose on this earth and it is definitely survival of the fittest here! We were amazed and never saw anything like this before. It was a sad day for the frog.