Happy Halloween!
This year Kevin's going to be a Bonehead.

It's official, Kevin now has his Irish passport ! ! ! !



















Looks like an Interpol mugshot . . . . not his choice, theirs . . . . no teeth, no smile, no glasses!



















This week has flown. One day after another was filled with feeding animals, preparing for Science Week, and building timber tables by day then remodeling the Farm Safari website at night. Thank goodness tomorrow is Sunday - a day of rest from everything but feeding animals.

"We" changed service providers and hired a new creative force to update our website last month, and on Tuesday I was offered the opportunity to help administer our website, after the powers that be saw I was capable of becoming the administrator. I have been editing the content and will upload it all next Tuesday - so don't look 'til then, ha!

Wednesday my Mother, Dorothy, celebrated her 89th birthday! Yeah, Mom! Kevin and I found her the most beautiful present, an Irish knitted sweater. Mom looks so pretty in pink, I can't wait to see her wearing it.




















My dear little weanling deer are so cute. I can go out into their pasture now, call them to breakfast, and they will come to me. They follow me into the barn and wait while I pour the bucket of food into their trough.




















Yesterday, we had to stop everything we were doing and "treat" the group of deer that are out in the west pasture. When Kevin and I were feeding them breakfast we heard two of them coughing - a sign of lung problems. I'll spare you the nasty details of the disease (it's not all pretty on the farm) and tell you that IMMEDIATE measures needed to be taken.

Because deer need to be brought into the barn for treatment, and these deer were in the pasture farthest away, Brendan, Gregor, and Kevin had their work cut out for them. EVERY animal in EVERY pasture had to be relocated in order to safely move this group into the barn. Did I mention this was all done in pouring rain, and it was rutting season for the Red deer and being in the same pasture with the stags was dangerous? Oh, yeah!




















Two hours later, Kevin and I were able to help Brendan "dose" each deer, individually. I observed behavior of these deer about which I had only read. More than a few times, they reminded me of Lippizan stallions doing their flying kicks. One hinds (female) attempted to jump over the tall fence (from standing still), made it halfway, straddled the fence on her belly for a moment, then fell backwards into the barn enclosure. Whew!

It was dark by the time Brendan finished putting all the animals back where they belonged. We were all exhausted.

A fun project that we're all working on is making furniture from trees that were felled on the property. A farmer down the road has his own sawmill. Mostly larch pine, the planks are just beautiful. A huge table is planned for the upstairs room in the lodge and small tables are planned throughout the downstairs. This is the gorgeous new reception desk . . . .




































The "board" meeting for the planning and design stage.




















I hope to write on a more daily basis this coming week, but one never knows. Stay well and warm, my friends.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Turned the clocks back one hour on Saturday at midnight. Now the days will be shorter and become dark around 6 pm.

Bank holiday today.  And no school for students all this week.





















On Saturday, Kevin and I were enlisted to help retrieve two small sailboats at Lough Owel during the bad weather. They were out of the water on trailers but gusting winds were jeopardizing their safety. Of course, after they were loaded, the rains and high winds completely stopped and the sun appeared.



















We were totally soaked. I mean saturated!



















Seeing the conditions of these small boats prompted a ride out to Lough Ree to make sure Gregg's sailboat ("Crusty", a Stag 28) was secure in the marina. There are three lakes around Mullingar, none more than thirty minutes away.

Lough Ree is a beautiful 25 mile-long lake with many small islands throughout.



















The marina is an inlet on the lake, holding about a dozen boats.



















All was well here.


















Back at the Irish Farm Safari the weather was delightful and there were deer to feed.

Must mind the gates or all the animals will escape. Note the bag of Super Weanling Crunch on the back of the quad.


















Kevin feels like Steve McQueen when riding the quad. I sit behind him, riding side-saddle for a quick on and off through the gates.


















An old medieval looking watering trough, still working.


















Wow, a clean quad. Under all the mud it's green!


















If you look closely you can see Renee in the kitchen window of our old Irish farmhouse.

Friday, October 23, 2009

"Done and Dusted, Happy Day," the woman at the passport office told Kevin when he handed her the final, completed application for his Irish passport. Kevin should receive his new Irish passport in the mail within the next ten days. We drove to Dublin on Thursday, yesterday, just for the purpose of doing this. The new electric guitar, purchased from Walton's on Georges Street, was a bonus.


















The GPS was a huge help getting us into Dublin city center and we found an all day public parking garage near the passport office and other government buildings, right around Trinity College. We'll come back here to see the Book of Kells.

We enjoyed a nice lunch at the Kylemore where we created puddles on the floor as we drip dried. We had become SOAKED while walking around town in the pouring rain.

I can't believe how quickly this week has flown. I want to be writing in our blog every day, but alas, until the tech adds boosters to the property our internet reception will continue to be hit or miss.

Work on the wood pile continues, and will it seems, 'til the end of time. But we'll be warm this winter, that's the whole point. Plus, it's good exercise.


















We planted a beautiful flower box with pansies and placed it on the ledge outside our kitchen window. It is most lovely to look at while cooking or washing dishes. We also have a new rock garden outside our front door, planted with the remainder of the flat of pansies unused in the flower box. The rocks are gleaned from the pile of what's left over from the stacking of the wood.


















Preparations for Halloween and the Boy Scout pig roast are taking place. And we are also making ready for Science Week when Dale Treadwell (local TV celebrity) will bring about 5oo students through the property.

I am happy to report that my rapport with my dear deer weanlings has become very calm and trusting. We have a gentle routine. If they spend the night inside, they can watch me through the wire fence from inside the barn while I fill the bucket with their feed, recognize my voice and the sound of the gate opening, and actually stand still while I walk near them to fill their trough, no longer scampering out of the barn.

And the twenty-six deer that Kevin and I feed every morning greet us near the gate and prance circles around us while we walk to their feeder in the middle of the field. Sometimes I think they would eat right out of our hand if we let them. A delightful way to start each day!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Adventure day, today. Kevin and I were anxious to try out our new GPS. We really liked having one in the rental car. Our GPS voice has a British accent, since Kev ordered it from Amazon UK, so we named the voice Elizabeth. A little tribute to her highness. Anyway, what a nifty gadget, especially useful around the roundabouts. No more stressful exploring for us!

We headed towards Athlone Castle after breakfast, about a thirty minute drive, west, from the farm, to the big city of Athlone, where the swans live. The swans first greeted us three years ago on our way to Ross Castle in County Cavan.



















The River Shannon


















Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul














































We found the castle closed until May, so we scanned the GPS for directions to the Tibetan Gardens at Tullynally Castle, near Castlepollard. Also about thirty minutes from the farm - but east, in the opposite direction. Castlepollard is located on the other side of Mullingar.

So we drove in a large semi-circle back around the farm. Of course the gardens at Tullynally Castle were also closed, but we had a lovely walk around the grounds.















































The drive was very picturesque. Kevin and I actually explored an area near here when we visited Fore.

We enjoyed a delightful outing, arriving back home around 4:00 pm. in a light shower of rain. Heavier rain is in the forecast all week for the entire country, we heard.

Dinner and a DVD movie tonight.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Haven't had internet access all week. Hope all is well with you and yours . . . . The weather here has been unseasonably warm. Remarkably sunny, beautiful days.

We now have a GPS for scouting the countryside and a Skype phone. Our number is: kevinandrenee44

Kevin and I have settled into a nice routine. In the morning, when we rise, we circle the property feeding the animals. Kevin feeds the two dogs, and one cat while I feed the weanling deer. Then we stoke the wood fire for the furnace. We then drive to the pigs, hoping the electric fence will contain the four heifers until we get to them with their food. If not they will break out and come to meet us and then we will have to rangle them back inside their area, which is not always fun. The geese are next, along with the other poultry (chickens, turkey, guinea hens, ducks). And the mother hen and four baby chickees. Then after my rowdy girls, the heifers, the herd of deer is next to be fed. Then we return to the house and feed ourselves. It's a nice way to start our day. What follows is anyone's guess. No two days are ever the same.

Today there were two safari parties, followed by our having to retrieve a runaway pony who escaped through an opened gate, much to our surprise. We were actually safeguarding the emu at the time and not giving the pony a second thought when he bolted. Kevin told me "Finn" was galloping away in delight and never looked back.

Kevin and I were a little apprehensive about finding Finn because three hours had transpired before we even had a chance to go look for him.

We jumped in a farm jeep with a bucket of grain and the only rope I could find, and set off. We searched the farm safari property, then up and down the neighboring roads and farms, to no avail.

Then we went out the gate, turned left onto the main road and then took a quick right to the horse farm, where Greg assured us Finn would be found. Twenty minutes of looking and NOT!

Soooooooo, we drove back to the farm gate and tried to think like a shetland pony stallion. Driving out to the main road, we drove across it and along that road. Sure enough, someone had lured Finn into their fenced paddock and there he was, grazing away. Two horses were with him but one was obviously more of a playmate than the other. When I entered the pasture, Finn and the horse both romped away, kicking up their heels in defiance. As Kevin opened the gate for me, the horse approached, wanting the grain in my bucket. Then little Finn wanted some and I was able to "catch" him.

Kevin drove the jeep and I walked Finn back to the pasture, behind the lodge, two or more miles easily. The little stallion whinnied and pranced the entire way, practically dragging me. When he did stop it was only to sip from shallow puddles in the road. It was there that I noticed blood swirling in the water. It was coming from under his chin. He must have been kicked one good one.




























































When we released him, he was greeted by his friend Commanche and all was right with the world again.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Recovery from exhaustion was the order of the day, today. We would like to share photos with you, of the creation of the Limosine Draisine. So enjoy our labor of love. Double click on photo to enlarge, then back arrow to continue.

























































































Louis's home, where we did the woodwork.




























































Sarah, daughter of Louis, surfing on the draisine, with a little push from Kevin.


















The Unknown Welder
























































Is this going to work?






















Yeah man, this is going to work!

































































Midnight again, already . . . . ?
































Going to the tracks for a test run.  Stay tuned tomorrow for the test results . . . .