The last two weeks have been a rollercoaster of weather. One week, we’re battling heavy snowfalls and tree-felling winds. The next, it’s +9°C, and the melting snow turns our roads into muddy messes. We’ve quickly learned two things we’re not particularly fond of: first, the intense winds (which the locals jokingly call a “gentle breeze”) can take down trees and knock out the power—we’ve already had firsthand experience with that. Second, the mix of melting snow and rain creates dangerously slippery conditions, making even a short walk outside feel like a balancing act, especially after dark.
Addy quickly discovered that after a day of above-freezing temperatures, our sunporch steps turn into a full-on slip ‘n slide. One wrong step, and down he went! He’s okay, but he’s definitely going to feel it tomorrow. It’s time to break out the salt and sand before it happens again!
We installed a new security camera to keep an eye on the dogs. As an unexpected bonus, it ended up capturing the storm one night, letting us watch the wind and snow whip through the property in real time. It was both eerie and fascinating to see just how intense the weather can get.
For Shogun and Ronin, keeping their run escape-proof has become a bit of a challenge. With snow and ice piling up, it can add an extra foot or two—just enough to boost them over the fence. We only need them in there for a few hours to charge their collars every other day, but since they’re still puppies (and undeniably mischievous), they see every snowbank as an opportunity. This week, we had to add a few more planks to the fence to keep them from climbing over. Hopefully, that holds… at least until the next snowfall!
They’re giant and completely clueless—but lovable all the same. They’ve mastered sitting when asked, especially at dinner time, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead when it comes to teaching them to stay and back away from an area or animal. At this point, we’re seriously considering professional advice. With their boundaries under control, just a few more solid commands would make things far less stressful on the homestead.
An update on our Silkie coop—turns out, we completely forgot about the seasonal lake that forms in their run and around their door when the snow melts. So, we had to dig a small trench to divert the water away. Since it freezes at night and melts during the day, we end up re-digging it whenever the weather does its usual yo-yo routine.
In true Silkie fashion, one of the hens decided that the puddle in their run was a perfectly safe place to lay an egg… proving once again that we don’t keep them for their brainpower. (But hey, they’re adorable, so they get a pass!)
We finally got around to naming a few of them. Our white Silkie rooster is now Killer, the cream-colored hen is Latte, and the two Silkie mix roosters are Kernal and Riker. As for the twin black Silkie hens? They’re officially The Donnas—a nod to Don King, thanks to their wild, fluffy head feathers.
Our main chicken numbers have dwindled in the big coop, with the weasel being our biggest problem. So far, it hasn’t returned—fingers crossed it stays that way.
But even without predators, the chickens still manage to find new and ridiculous ways to get into trouble. Lately, a few of them, along with some of the turkeys, have discovered that the snowbank makes a perfect launchpad to hop right over the fence. Thankfully, we’ve been there to catch them and toss them back before disaster strikes.
To Ronin and Shogun, they’re basically squeaky toys—so a chicken wouldn’t last long if it ended up in “playtime.” That meant another round of snow removal, digging down the snow wall to keep our feathered escape artists from climbing up and over.
The goats are getting wider as they approach their respective due dates, and they’re as cute and funny as ever to watch. It’s only about two and a half weeks until Tessy is due, and before we know it, we’ll have bouncy little kids joining the herd. Time is flying, and we’re excited to see the new additions! But Cosmo and Ally still like to give us a shove with their “murder sticks” whenever they get the chance.
Surprisingly, Johnny has developed a healthy respect for his “fenced” area, even though he could easily walk out whenever he feels like it. Bron, on the other hand, not so much. He’s figured out a clever way to use his horn to try and pry off the top plank of his pen. So, we had to reinforce the wall a little more—sigh.
The bunnies are proving to be very hardy. Luke Skyhopper and his ladies, Mara and Jade, don’t complain too much—though they’re probably most excited about the prospect of a new bunny hutch come spring, and of course, Sexy Time! We’ve got breeding plans for 2025 since they’re our meat rabbit breeding trio. We hope to raise their kits for ourselves and, of course, for our giant dogs.
In preparation, we’ll need a new hutch to separate the does, so each can have her own nesting box and space. Plus, we need to build a grow-out area for the baby rabbits once they’re weaned. Did I mention we have no idea what we’re doing? Thankfully, we’ve got online resources and our niece, Bella, to help guide us through the process!
We did a lot of interacting with people too!
Kristel and the girls came over for a visit and to do some laundry. Their house build is coming along nicely, and fingers crossed, the girls should be moving in soon! We had some great meals and spent quality time hanging around the house. Mandy and Kristel even went for a shopping run. The girls got us to watch Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2 & 3, as Mandy had never seen them, and apparently, you can’t watch the third installment without the first two. It was fun spotting places filmed on Vancouver Island, and Vancouver. Sadly, the girls had to head home after a couple of days, but we’ll be visiting them next time and hopefully checking out their house build!
After what felt like an endless cycle of flu bugs running through the family, we finally got to have our local potluck get-together in Stanley (minus Michelle and Mike, since Owen was sick—poor guy!). As always, we all brought delicious food to share and snacked while catching up on life. It was such a good time! This round, Aqua and Taylor managed to make it too—though I kind of threw the invitation at them last minute.
Stefan and Amalie were gracious enough to host this time, and their home is beautifully decorated with their art, antiques, and classic art deco pieces—it’s basically our dream aesthetic! We’re already planning a paint/craft night and have even started brainstorming activities for the summer!
We also made time for a late Valentine’s Day date—better late than never!
I started off by getting Mandy a few treats. Normally I would’ve made a card, but our printer isn’t working, so I picked up some chocolates, mini eggs, and a plastic rose (because, hey, it won’t die!). I also grabbed a 20 oz. travel mug from Timmies, which, by the way, works amazingly well. What a great gift for me—err, I mean Mandy. 😆
We drove into Fredericton and parked downtown, just a few blocks away from our favorite East Indian place. Honestly, I forgot exactly where it was, but we got a great walk out of it, both to and from the restaurant.
This past Wednesday morning was a rough one. We were jolted awake at 3 a.m. by what we initially feared were seizures from Marigold. She couldn’t stand, her eyes were darting uncontrollably, her body shook, and she panted heavily. We tried to comfort her, offering water by syringe and holding her close through the tremors, but there wasn’t much we could do in the moment. With no emergency vets open until noon and our regular vet closed until 8 a.m., we could only wait and do our best to keep her comfortable. Those hours stretched endlessly.
The moment the clinic opened, we secured an appointment for midday. By then, she had calmed slightly, but the symptoms persisted. After a thorough exam and some tests, we finally had an answer—and thankfully, it wasn’t seizures. Marigold was diagnosed with Canine Geriatric Vestibular Disease, a sudden and disorienting condition that can come out of nowhere. There’s no clear cause, but the vet assured us that with medication, she should start showing improvement within a few days, though full recovery could take weeks or even months.
At 13 years old, she’s been with us through so much, and seeing her struggle like this is heartbreaking. For now, she’s resting in the puppy pen—safe from falls and away from the bustle of the house. The vet advised us to watch for signs of improvement over the next 72 hours, and we have a follow-up appointment scheduled for next Wednesday. It’s tough seeing our sweet girl like this, but we’re holding onto hope that she’ll be back to her usual self soon.
It’s been a busy time on the homestead, full of ups, and downs, and plenty of snow shoveling! From keeping our mischievous Great Pyrenees contained, to reinforcing fences for our ever-inventive goats. Even dealing with surprise springtime puddles in the Silkie coop run, there’s never a dull moment. We’re counting down the days until Tessy’s due date, as the kick-off to kidding season. As well as looking ahead to rabbit breeding plans, and enjoying time with family and friends—whether it’s catching up over potlucks or hanging out at home watching a three-movie marathon. Of course, the biggest scare and down of the week was Marigold’s health crisis, but we’re hopeful she’ll be on the mend soon. As always, thanks for following along on this wild journey with us! Stay tuned for more updates, because with baby goats on the horizon and spring just around the corner, things are only going to get more exciting.