Stillwaters Farm

Come be restored.

November 15, 2006:  We Broke the Frost Barrier!

Well, today at 7:00, we hit a new low for us “Florida Folk”...11 degrees.  Yep, you hear me right—ELEVEN DEGREES!!!

 

Actually, this morning was much more pleasant than it was yesterday at 35 degrees because we didn’t have the winds to go along with it. 

When we awoke this morning, the hot water line to the kitchen sink and the regular water line to the refrigerator were both frozen, though not broken, thank God.  All the water troughs were frozen over with about a 2” - 3” layer of ice.  Thankfully, the swift application of a hammer solved this little dilemma.  Cisco, the mini jack, decided to make the carport his nighttime hideaway—since it shields him from the cold, wet, and wind.  Smart boy.  Everyone else fared much better than I’d expected, given that they are, for the most part, FLORIDA animals...

December 31, 2007:  Our First Guests

Christmas has come and gone, and we have hosted our very first guests at the farm.  All the way from Los Angeles, Rich Jr. and his family came to spend a little time resting and unwinding from the fast and furious city lifestyle.  We are proud to report that “farm therapy” has, indeed, helped.  And, they were willing to be the guinea pigs for the guest house—which Aaron and I put the finishing touches on just two hours before their arrival...talk about cutting things close!

While they were here, the grandkids couldn’t get enough of the wide open spaces, splashing in puddles on the way to “grandpa’s house”, teaching the new kitties how to play, and petting all those puppies.  It was a kid’s dream-come-true! 

Cisco was his ever-patient self while receiving his “instruction” on how a good donkey behaves (according to one eight year old’s opinion…), and the dogs surely enjoyed having two kids to guard.  Thankfully, the temperatures were kind—cold, for sure, but not unbearable.  It really did fell like I always imagined Christmas should, and we were able to cook our holiday feast without needing to turn on the air conditioner, as was the custom when living in Florida.  It was a nice change and a memorable visit.

February 2, 2007:  Our FIRST Tennessee Snow

We waited all winter long—and very patiently, I might add—for this light dusting of powdery snow to materialize.  Aaron was beginning to doubt that snow even existed, considering its legendary proportions equal to that of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or perhaps the Tooth Fairy.  However, all his doubts were dispelled this morning, as he was able to actually put his hands into the “deep drifts” of about an inch of snow.  A few more inches, and I’d be willing to bet he would have skipped class to wallow in it.  Thankfully, there hasn’t been any ice on the roadways, as we Florida transplants are not accustomed to driving in icy conditions.

February 20, 2007:  It’s Miller Time!

Our first “mystery guests” hailing from Oak Hill, Florida—the Miller family—came for a visit this week.  With temperatures in Florida dipping down into the upper fifties at night, they felt the need to get away from the chill…

 

How’s a 20 degree night instead?!?

 

During their visit, they enjoyed basking in the 30-40 degree highs during the day and 20’s at night.  What a change!

 

We made the best of it, though, and they had a chance to check out some of the winter scenery and local haunts.  It was a most enjoyable visit, and we’re looking forward to seeing them again.  Besides, they haven’t tried a “Bells’ Burger” yet...and that’s the highlight of the town!

March 25, 2007:  Oh, Lord—Cisco’s on the Loose!

It FINALLY happened.

 

Last Saturday, after trimming a grand total of 28 little hooves, I turned Cisco loose to chase Suzy, Clemmie, and Emme in the big pasture.  It took patience on his part—tied to a post while all the girls got their pedicures, but he’s a trooper...especially when he knows he’s getting something good out of the deal.

 

Since Saturday, at any given time, I can look out my back windows to see a donkey girl frantically tearing up the turf as she

desperately tries to escape the hair-pulling grip of Dr. Love, a.k.a. Cisco.  We’ll see what comes of this move in the long run.  Short term?  Cisco’s having a blast, and the girls are mounting a “hai karate, heels a-flyin’, kick a-landin’, let’s-beat-Cisco-to-a-bloody-pulp defense.

 

As for Gigi, Bella, and Biscuit?  Well, they’re the new yard guards.  Bella and Gigi are quite content to munch grass unmolested by other critters.  Biscuit, however, is more than a bit “put out” by his new incarderation.  No falcon or Dixie?  How could we?!?  No Buster Brown to rough-house with?  Heaven forbid!!

 

Biscuit has worn a path along the fence line, whinnying his shrill little whinny, letting all the world know the true extent of his unhappiness.  And, according to the little stud, “If THAT donkey sets his hoof inside the yard, he’s t-o-a-s-t...

April 3, 2007:  The Springtime Report

There is SO much to report...I just don’t quite know where to begin.  But, here goes:

 

Cisco

Cis is back in the yard all alone—again.  He was just TOOOO rough on Suzy, and we’ve had to put “Hannibal Lechter”, as we now call him, in quarantine until we can get a breeding muzzle to keep him from chewing the girls to shreds.  He, of course, is not very happy about this change.

 

The Weather

We got a light dusting of snow in the middle of March—although none of it stuck on the ground.  Now, it’s probably about the most perfect weather I’ve ever seen.  We’re in

the low 70’s during the day and somewhere in the 50’s at night.  Pollen?  Of course.  Everything around here is yellow.  But, our allergies aren’t really kicking up like when the live oaks bloomed in Florida.  Good thing.

 

Gigi & Emme

Well, it looks like Gigi had nothing more than a hay belly.  No baby.  She’s out with the rest of the girls munching and having a wonderful donkey time.  Emme, however, is a very different story.  She was in with Cisco before we left Florida.  As I hugged her last Friday during breakfast, her belly was hiccupping—although she didn’t have the hiccups herself.  “Hmmmm….,” I said to myself.  So, I patted her belly with one hand and felt with the other.  The baby—YES!  SHE’S PREGNANT!!—kicked back right into my hand!  She’s whiling away her time with the doggies and two goats in the barnyard nursery.  She doesn’t seem to mind.