Home on the Hill

The sunshine holds, barring several hours lost for trips to Burns Lake for chain saw parts, the Winter Wood project continues. After a new bar and a couple of back up chains we were back up at the pond. Using the skidsteer to drag the logs out to a flat spot for limbing and then "chomping" the logs, moving them to a cutting area where they are held up at an easy cutting height has certainly increased the productivity of the process. One problem we didn't realize we would have is the cows, and their insatiable curiosity. We have to be extremely cautious when falling.  Some of the younger calves follow the logs as they are skidded out.  Jo-Ann is not only in charge of the skidding operation but shooing the cows away. Another couple of days or so and Winter warmth is ours.

Xena likes to help with some of the chores. Making kindling is one of her specialties. We are now working on having her deposit the wonderfully chopped kindling in the kindling bucket. She also enjoys vermin eradication. She can smell the voles underneath the snow and does a headfirst dive to get them. She is surprisingly successful. The cats take care of under and in the sheds - the fields and snow banks are Xena's domain. Yesterday I moved Boose, the shop cat, permanently into the new shop. When I took away my heavy shirt she was using for sleeping and lounging purposes she looked a bit miffed - only to be right jollied up when I replaced it with her heated sleeping box. It has a small electric blanket that keeps it nice and toasty. But I think the big improvement was the litter box. Going out for a crap when it's Thirty below probably wasn't on her fun things to do list. Eventually her sleeping quarters will be up near the ceiling. I have to wait for a skidsteer ...