The vegetable garden is in full bloom. Daughter's Christmas gift was a book on vegetable gardening and I heeded the sage advice of going small. There is still a lot happening in the small veggie garden.
On a whim I bought seed potatoes and onion sets at the local supermarket. I planted all of the potatoes, about five pounds. They are red potatoes which we find yummy. I planted three hills at one end of the garden and then followed another suggestion and at the other end of the garden, dug two trenches and planted them in rows. All are doing well and we ate our first potatoes last week. Some potatoes are the usual large size while some are baby sized. I'm happy to leave them be to get bigger and dig them up later.
We ate our first tomato the other day. I was too excited to get a photo first; we ate it! There are six plants. Although they are supported with tomato cages a few were blown over in a recent windy rain storm. I managed to right them, adding an extra support to one.
We are inundated with zucchini. I made zucchini relish this evening, finally. I purchased a canning starter kit this past week for bottling things such as relish. I've never canned before. I carefully planted only three hills of zucchini. Visitors are usually sent home with some zucchini.
We have had one meal of bush beans and more are ready for picking. I only planted half rows of these and would have preferred more as they are easy to freeze. Onions are kind of everywhere. I had never planted onion sets but usually seed green onions. I thought I planted the latter too but don't see them so I guess not.
Lettuce we have been eating for some time. I mixed the seed packets of arugula, spinach and red romaine. The bugs like the arugula and when we eat it there is a strong peppery taste. The bugs do not care for the red romaine and we continue to cut that and eat it young. There is no sign of spinach.
The broccoli is developing heads while the cauliflower is not. The half row of mixed beets and carrots is looking very yummy but I'm just leaving it.
The weeds got quite out of control. Sister helped me to get on top of it recently. In cleaning out a stall which is mostly hay and bedding I put this down for more mulch. I'm now down to the hotter layer of manure and this is getting dumped on the outer edges of the garden away from the current plantings.
Today visitors offered us a free rototiller. "Yes, please", we said. It needs a servicing but should work out just fine. They have a trailer and will bring it down to us in the next few weeks.
What was really exciting for me today, was Millie. Actually we need to back track a few days... On Thursday the Vet came to see Millie. A four year old farm dog she had never seen a Vet, never had a vaccination or a check up. Getting near her can be challenging so getting her into the car and to the Vet clinic was not going to happen. We paid the extra charges to have the Vet make a farm visit, like you do for large farm animals.
When I fed Millie her breakfast I quickly and quietly closed the door behind her and locked her into the Small Barn. I put a net over the top of the door into the lean-to to ensure she didn't jump out there, even though I had secured the outer door. She actually took this well. She curled up in the mucky manure I was in the process of cleaning out of the one box stall and slept there for the morning.
The female Vet at the clinic arrived around lunchtime. I was pleased it was her as Millie can be more timid with men. Millie was as good as gold. The Vet said she forgot to pack a muzzle but I assured her she didn't need it. Millie was a little nervous but all went well. The Vet checked her out thoroughly. She has no concerns about the lump on her abdomen and will remove it when she spays her. All shots were given without any reaction from Millie. Blood was taken to test for heartworm and Lyme disease. Anal glands were blocked and Millie was excellent for this procedure.
The Vet commented that Millie has a fine demeanour, that we had done well to find her. Booster shots are needed in a month and the Vet suggested we bring her in for spaying and do the boosters then. I said I would know in two weeks if I can get Millie into the car and could call and book the surgery then. That lead time will work at the clinic.
There was a call later in the day from the Vet that Millie was negative for heartworm but positive for Lyme Disease. I had suspected the Lyme Disease. This area is known for many deer ticks and an outdoor dog it is not surprising she is positive for the disease. I picked up a month's worth of antibiotics the next day. The whole thing was costly but necessary. Millie needs to be well cared for if we are to have her a decent length of time and to do the high stress work we expect of her.
So, Millie works all night, barking and scaring off intruders. A few nights ago Beau woke us up with his barking which was a response to Millie's barking. In short she had killed a muskrat on the front lawn. She took care of this intruder that crossed the boundary.
What we want Millie to do is stay with the sheep. She has not been with the sheep since she was zapped by the electric fence. I have invited her into the field a few times. The other night she followed me and my pocket full of treats into the Front Field. She walked the fence line with me. I was thrilled. I left the field and she remained totally checking out the field, looking here and there, and marking her territory.
This morning, after eating her breakfast, I invited Millie with a pocket full of treats in to the Front Field, up behind the barn and out into the Middle Field at back with the sheep. She came. She did the Livestock Guardian Dog thing we want her to do. Now, she wants to be with the sheep but they are easily spooked by her. We are working on it. Millie has quickly learned that when I say "easy" she slows down and the sheep do too.
I was more thrilled when Millie came out from under the veranda this afternoon and followed me and my bag of treats out to the Middle Field again with the sheep. At one point she and I were on the deck at the cabin when the sheep scurried up the field and headed around the curve to the other end of the field. "We gotta go" I said to Millie and she was right there. I quickly walked up the field. Millie ran past me. "Easy" I said. She loped ahead.
When I got around the corner she was sitting in the middle of the field and the sheep were not too far beyond her. She had listened to the "easy" and then parked herself safely near the sheep.
It's all coming together. It's only day one and I am thrilled. Millie gets lots of pets. Yet, she walks the field edges with me and inspects and marks and sniffs the air, as she is supposed to do. I am working with her to accept that the sheep are not yet ready to allow her to be one of them. I am working with the sheep to allow Millie to get closer.
So, suddenly we are making lots of progress with Millie and I am a happy shepherdess because of it. There was the potential to take a few steps backward after the Vet visit day but that didn't happen. It was almost like Millie could see that this was for her, that we care and want her to be well and happy. And a Livestock Guardian Dog out with her sheep wears a huge smile like you wouldn't believe!
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