Mild Night

I just got in from feeding everyone. First out to the horses with a little bucket of grain and apples , then i go into our new hay shed and get there hay for the night. Dior and lacy were both in the barn , warm and dry on nice fresh shavings. The horses have a huge walk in barn that allows them to come and go when they please. I have to come believe this is a healthier way of life giving them the ability to move around at will 24/7. This also causes a ton more work as they use it as an out house as well. Hopefully next summer we can raise the funds to put a nice shelter up and off of our new shed for them to stand out of the rain . It will save us both shavings and the extra labour to keep it clean . Lacy was a snuggle bunny today when i was in cleaning . She stood waiting for me to scratch on her and stroke her soft neck. She reached her head down to mine and held her face into my cheek , she is a lovely horse.

We had a great show of help today with Roxane , Alicia and Theresa arriving. Alicia tackled the waters and we opted to hand pail then drag the hose out, we all chipped in when we got to the big pigs waters. The pigs had peanuts in a shell for breakfast and i have noticed they are all now starting to spit out the shells where as before they all ate them. A tad spoiled me thinks... thanks for feeding the kids Roxane and Theresa and filling up the pails for tonight.

Nick was here, getting his hours done so us girls had a few things we needed him to tackle. All the gates on the paddocks i had built here are braced wrong. One by one they are starting to fail , the first one that needed reinforcing was Roscoe's. Yesterday when i went into move snow and free up ice water I couldn't get the gate to swing open so i had to climb over the fence to get out. So to my disappointment we have already had to micky mouse something on this expensive build when i moved here only two years ago. Eventually every one of the gates will have to come down and be rebuilt correctly.

Everything is still under snow and there is some deep icy patches so i chose to not let the farm pigs out today as they are so rambunctious and i sure don't need any of them falling down on ice here, especially our Rose. While sitting watching my senior herd eat tonight i could see in the snow pile a perfect water tub icicle 5 inches thick, hard to beleive it is so mild out now. And there is going to be a ton more work next week-end as the snow melts as we could only pick up what we could out there today.

Well i better go get Mouse out as she hasn't been out of here all day and then feed my inside crew, oh and then me.

Will leave you with a picture of a gate built incorrectly. The long brace should be coming from the lower hinge up. You can see the long brace is done opposite so those two pieces going from the lower hinge up may look pretty but structurally they do nothing. I have added a picture of a gate built correctly..

Winter Has Arrived

Awake at 6:30 i could already see the winter robins feeding on the seed and the multiple suet cakes i have out.

The wind is up and the snow continues to beat down on us. My sister is still here helping relieve the load as i am scared to death of another painful attack . I still have all my pain meds given to me by the emergency doctor so if it does happen i will have them to get me threw .

I went out to my horses and got out there winter coats and both mares took off , silly girls its to keep you warm. Once back in there walk in barn i got them on and i am sure they are both grateful now.

Amber and Brady just left as it is Brady's birthday and he wanted to see his pigs who are being boarded here threw winter. They helped both Nancy and I clear paths , smash out ice and fill up the waters. The water is freezing over in less then two hours of putting it out there so I quickly came up behind and started feeding.

There two kids came racing for the big house and melted into the blankets so how could i put them back out there again..so i have a barricade up and wish Mouse would stop charging it. Truffles, Olive and Mouse please lay down and go to sleep for a while now.

I leave you with a picture i only took a few weeks ago...

Getting Stoned

Friday at work i had to leave at noon as the pain in my side had be doubled over. Never in my life have i ever had that kind of pain and can pretty well push threw anything but i couldn't stand more then 20 minutes. I got home and took to the couch .. i could relieve the pain by drawing my legs up while resting on the couch.

Saturday Roxane and Nick arrived and pushed threw the 1 1/2 ft of snow here to clear paths , de-ice water tubs and top up waters and then feed the pigs. I stayed on the couch and started writing out a log book on how to feed every one here. Then Roxane took me into town as i was unable to get into my doctors we went to a walk in clinic. The doctor there thought it was a kidney or bladder stone and while he was telling me the pain is comparable to child birth i was thinking i knew all about stones as i did extensive research for Willy for years when he was crippled by this same ailment when he was here.

Sunday i had a decent rest and felt good so i was up as Roxane had returned and i did some menial stuff while Roxane tackled the waters again. She fed and medicated all the animals before she went home.

Yesterday i got up and took an hour here , looked on Craig List for a snow removal guy and then went out to feed the horses. The pain returned and normally i would sit down and it would leave but not this time so i came in the house.

An hour of brutal pain that i could not push down i called Carol who told me she was going to come and get me. I hung up the phone not able to wait and called 911 for an ambulance. Carol got here before they did so off too emergency we went . I can't begin to tell you the incredible unbearable pain i was in. It took me to my knees and i was throwing up as my body reacted to the pain.

I spent all day in emergency being given rounds of morphine..thank God i drifted off to sleep and away from the pain.

The Doctor there too thought it was a stone but the xray didn't show that but did show some sort of cyst on something as i was still out of it when he told me .. i can't/don't want to believe that what i wet threw yesterday could hit me again so am waiting for the specialist to return my call this morning.

My sister stayed over night and is out there in now 2 ft of snow doing what i should be doing for the kids here .

Thank God for good friends and family under brutal weather conditions coming to my rescue as well to the animals here .

Happy New Year

Well we have started off with a bang as supporters from all over the world have really rescued us right back. WEE were in a ton of trouble with me not being able to find work but WEE are back on track. I borrowed a ton of cash to get us threw and thanks to my Mom as well for writing those cheques month after month for the mortgage. So many wonderful donations came in for Christmas and add up big time , big donations in memory of two great dogs and another amazing one from two awesome freinds in Ontario who have supported us since 2001.

With our Pub Night being a huge success , WEE have half filled the new hay shed with hay and won't have to worry about that for a few months here. Its still incomplete and a ton more finishing touches but is working out great so far. I need to get some more pallets but in the mean time we still need a working space inside to provide a covered area for the balance of the work needing to be done. I still need Sherman's paddock fixed and stepping up from the horses side to get hay is a tad hard to muster the strength after working hard all day. I need to figure out stairs there or get that fence removed so i can get to it easier from the other side now.

Amber and Brady's two pigs are still being boarded here as winter is no time to be moving and so this goes for the rest of the world too and finding accommodations is limited at best , especially when you have two pigs. I sure don't mind the surprise dinners as they are really a nice young couple. Last night Amber was here with a vegan sushi and i got home late and fed the kids even later but a really nice evening.

In our third winter here now as we moved here in Dec of 2009 and with the support we have received, the fundraisers , the B.C. Corrections work crew, the grant we received from The Vancouver Foundation and of course our rocking volunteers we have really accomplished so much.

Yet the thing is when your a caregiver and doing rescue work it is an on going quest to do better , help more and find a way to accomplish it all. I try really hard too be happy with how much we all have done here so far as the set up is so great but i always fall back on how it could be better for them if i just could this done or that added and like any women we all want it done now.

For this morning though all i ask is for it to hold off raining until we can get our work done and so the pigs can enjoy there time out when i am home.

I leave you with a picture of Lenny that Karena sent me . Lenny is one of our and one of two pigs that Karena adopted , clearly this pig is very happy and cozy!

Thank you all for helping is make it so.

Popeye

I've been working at SAINTS for almost three weeks and i am enjoying it, i find myself eager to get there and see everyone and get the work started.

My first day i was being shown the chickens and found myself with Dionne in the shops bathroom with a chicken over the laundry tub removing a poop ball with warm water.

And because each animal there is not only a different species but they are unique in there own rights. Ziggy a little donkey, loves the cows and got the zoomies when i let him go in with his cow herd tonight. Chewy a little goat closes his eyes when you stroke his soft fur. Pete , another goat can be sneaky and can fit threw the narrowest opening if i don't get that gate closed. He has a built in natural smile, just like our pigs. Carl , the Llama does look at me like a predator anymore and has accepted my presence. He no longer walks the pasture in front of me giving me his buck toothed evil eye. And Ellie the first farm pig there is a Princess but you should of seen her duking it out with Carl the other day. A little frail goat who i am told was such a brat when she was young, is now a shop goat getting special care. She likes oatmeal cookies the best. The horses sing to you when you get there in the morning and open the barn doors.

Every day i am there i learn something new about someone and i watch over them like a mother watching every one of her kids to make sure they are okay. Hours and moments can change drastically when looking after special needs animals.

You know "they" say cows are dumb but let me share with you what i saw today. It was not a unicorn but he is to me. Popeye is but a very old white horse and was laying down much like the unicorn in this picture. A horse perhaps not long for this world and there a cow - holding her giant head into this old horses side was Emily. It was a gentle face pressing so lightly only just to make contact with her freind. And yet another giant of a cow pressing his nose to this horses nose was Percy. Were they comforting old Popeye ... were they saying we love you. It was truly one of the most endearing pictures that will forever be in my heart. I wish i had of had a camera , perhaps i will draw it one day.

Edited to add that Popeye was not any better today even after the new strong pain meds he was given.. tommorrow morning he will fly.

Merry Christmas

Well many of you must be wondering if i dropped off from the face of the earth. Its been while since i blogged as its been a crazy last few months. Projects on going and unfinished all the while under a tremendous amount of stress with out being able to find work. Thankfully My Mom covered the mortgage here month after month while i kept believing everything would be okay. Two weeks ago i was at Moms crying as i was at the end of my rope and only a month left in the bank for the both the pigs and the house.

The phone rang and it was Carol from SAINTS also a rescue who gives home to senior animals in need with many cats and dogs and a barn full of farm animals. Her full time gal had given notice and asked if i thought i could take it on. Farm work , 8 hours a day Monday threw Friday scared the hell out of me as it takes a huge amount of physical strength to do what i must do here. Would there be anything left of me to care for my own when i got home??

Its been two weeks and i survived, because after the first two days i thought i would die LOL .

And today only Roxane and i were out here today in the pouring rain trying to do clean up for the 45 aniamls here and we were both dragging our feet. I am beat as i am sure Roxane is , but we managed.

Its Christmas and its been a ritual for years that I shopped for the animals here for there big Christmas feast on top of getting gifts for my family and the my volunteers. But because of the financial crisis WEE were in , i will have to make it up to everyone.

But Christmas not about things , its about love and there is plenty of that to go around here. And the cupboard is not bare as we have been provided for and we give our thanks !

Blessing to all my freinds and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

PUB NIGHT DEC 16th

Short Blog Post or what!!!!!!!!! Trying to get newsletter ready and ready for year end tax receipts for all the donations we received this year !!

Hope you can join us!!!!!!!!

Coffee Time

I was just sitting down by the pond having a cup of coffee and enjoying my quiet time but alas my mind races. So why not put those thoughts to my blog and up date my friends.

The intended hay storage, quarantine and volunteer shelter we won the funds to build from The Vancouver Foundation is not going as planned. The job was to start July 25th and even that was a month from my meeting with my friend and carpenter. Getting our hay for winter and at a good price is long gone and with only three walls up, and not designed the way i wanted it by late September my patience popped. He will not be back.

I got three days of work in last week and that has been my only income in over a month now. Mom is helping me pay the mortgage with the little she can afford on a pension. Resumes go out daily here .

Pam and Dave were down picking up there son to bring back to Sorrento so we were fortunate to spend a few days together again and spent the nights talking about pigs to the WEE hours. They brought there helpful hands and a carload of buckets filled to the brims with apples. Dave took a look at the build so far on the shed and between us he drew out what i needed and wanted. He has offered to come back down to do the build , how so very kind of them. I just hope they are not reeling back home with there own projects to finish before there much harsher winters, I don't want to ask too much from such wonderful friends.

B.C. Corrections finished up the drainage at the front and it has really kept the areas free of standing water, yay!! All the guys wear a red uniform, decked out in red pants , t-shirts and caps. The cook gets the stove going first thing and macaroni and fried baloney is in the wind. So when i came out wearing red joggers they all laughed as i was almost dressed like them. The next thing you know one of the guys is walking toward me with a red t shirt to put on. Ten guys waiting for me to put it on had to be told " i'm not putting in on in front of you" This of course brought guilty laughter so off to the house i went and put it on and then came outside asking "wheres my baloney?" . We all had a few laughs that day. And no , i'm not afraid of these guys there all polite and very much gentlemen when they are here. And they work hard! Too bad they didn't have any inmate carpenters on there crew at this time. ;o)

A young couple moving here from Alberta with there two pig kids in tow are in between housing so the babies are here much to everyone's delight. There complete time wasters as you can sit and watch babies all day as they are so full of life as they explore there big new world here. And of course as cute as a dickens. And Amber and Brady are really a very nice couple and have already contacted one of the pubs in town to do a pub night for us. More YAYS!

Yesterday was a busy day as we all worked to clean up the Sanctuary. All the pools have been collected and need to be put away for the season. Roxanne is one awesome volunteer and friend and she didn't leave here until almost 5 last night. I should of just fed the pigs dinner before i came in but I hadn't eaten all day and was whooped. So i took a break and ate and then went back out and got back in about 9.

Today we had visitors all the way from North Vancouver and i know they had a good time. So cute the way they gifted up two baskets of goodies for the pigs and even some apple juice for our Penny. Fresh tomatoes , crackers and popcorn they didn't miss a pigs favorites.

My boss called me but immediately told me he didn't have any work for me but they had a crab apple tree and wanted to come out this morning and bring the kids. Come on over and they did arriving with two huge tubs full of granny smith apples! Grandma came with them at 89 years and talked about the feral pigs she saw in the forests of Germany where she grew up.

Funny how life is as i was just saying on facebook we never get goodies from folks apple trees or gardens and they would prefer it to rot on the ground then to give it to us to feed pigs. I have a good weeks worth and more off apples in storage now , this is such a huge savings at 16.00 a case here in town.

Oh and Roxane came after work one night with a friend and a van full of apple and plum tree's. So while they dug and planted, Dave went around and wired them to protect them from the pigs. It may take a few years before they produce but one day the kids will find there own treasures as they used too before moving here.

Now really the best part of today started off with feeding the pigs donated fancy bread and underneath a pile of raisin bread was a lemon pie. How can one divide a pie and who would get it?? DYLAN was so cute and so very happy diving into that pie and i hope Amber and Brady share those pictures.

Two weeks ago was a hoot as Kasun wanted to have his birthday shared with the pigs here and brought a huge vegan cake with the words "Pigs like Cake too" on it. We all shared a piece and sang him happy birthday and then he went around with his Mom and spoon fed his cake to every pig here. Now that was a ton of fun, we all had such a great time.


In between the jam packed days here are two pigs in Kelowna who will be moving to Duncan on the island. Thanks to Jean over there doing the home check for these fosters who hopefully will adopt. And a 700 lb pig call needing to get off the callers property , a message is left but the call is not returned and the next thing you know someone else is calling asking me to come over and access there new 700 pig captured by the SPCA out of a river out here. Another email comes in about two more and they are big pigs too we must find them a good home at least we know they won't end up in a river. I will share a picture here of where they were , this person thought pigs liked mud and the excrement they were laying in.

Why does this world think so little of pigs? They are no different from your cats who love to lay on fresh laundry , they like clean too. They relish in soft cozy nest of hay or a cozy bed like our dogs do. There heads will come down to your leg and hold themselves there like our horse do. And pigs give good kisses too.

She Wants Us To Move This?

Vancouver Foundation's awarded Grant for our hay storage , shelter and storage has started to be put to work now. I ordered a load of gravel/dirt for my carpenter to use to level the area . The left overs will be be moved to areas in the piggy paddocks for dry footing in our winter weather.

Rene has been back and forth a few times with truck loads of wood and more will be needed as we go here. Justin laid out the gravel and Rene started framing in the floor.

And true to my women hood when i saw how it was placed I wanted it moved. Rene, i am sure wanted to shoot me but with the help of Kasun and his two brothers Kamil and Shev who arrived the following day we all moved it and now it is perfect.

Of course now that we moved it there was gravel left where the floor isn't anymore and enter Justin who arrived to help move it again. Geeshhhhhhh women!!

Today was a GREAT day, Justin arrived to help with that gravel and by the time he got here i had already done the barn and had picked up the manure around it.

I had a freezer in the basement i never wanted and saw someone on Craig list looking for one. With Justin's help and Martin removing the doors they got it out and yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy its gone finally!!!

An hour or so later Diane arrived to trim my horses and both girls were so good for there hoof trim.

Just as we were finishing Lee arrived with a car load of fancy bread for the pigs and five boxes of big tomatoes for the pigs. YUM!!!!!!!!!


After getting lee unloaded and on her way i started to do the waters for all the pigs , filled up wallows and Justin moved the gravel to some uneven areas under the mats for the horses in the barn and used the rest to create a ramp up for them .


Can it get any better then this? It has been non stop all day here and i can't be happier !!

Victoria Yard Sale!!

Lost in the chicken catch and landfill pick i am so late on sharing this awesome fundraiser put on for the pigs 100's of miles away from us.

Jenn an all around animal lover as her family and freinds pulled this together for us in Victoria on Vancouver Island. I only wish i could of attended as I love treasure hunting and it looks like a ton of treasures were there to be had.

Jean also there adding treasures , shopping and manning a table she set up for Hearts On Noses and traveling from Duncan!

Jenn and her Mom , Marie not only shared our story and gathered all these goodies we also received donations on top of the $600.00 they raised there!! WOW in one day!!!! Georgia and Lundyn, nieces of Jenn proves love is hereditary in this awesome animal loving family. One day, but weeks of hard work gathering the stuff , packing and sorting and setting up is a ton of work ! The pigs and I can't thank you all enough as we so needed this boost in our bank account.