Spring?

What a shocking first day of Spring Break. Weatherwise, that is. This morning, it was cloudy and damp, a pretty much average spring day. That was what made us decide to go for a walk at the dam with Smudge. We thought it might rain tomorrow, so we went today. What we didn't know was that it was going to snow. 
Anyway, Smudge was thrilled, to say the least, at the prospect of "going for run!" We walked for a few minutes before it started to snaine (snow+rain) a little. Then, about half an hour later, the snow was coming down in buckets! Spring Break? Surrrrre... Still, it didn't bother us too much. It didn't bother Princess Smudgaline at all. She was having a great time, running back and forth and back and forth between us every two seconds, checking to make sure we were still coming.  We even spied three or so red squirrels along the way, those of which Smudge hastily pursued until Mum called her back. One of the squirrels bounded up a tree and watched her teasingly from above. The other two booked it into the ferns. 
By the time we reached the car again, Smudge was still jittery with excitement. Do dogs ever lose their enthusiasm?  
Anyway, back at the house, the goats had a gloomy day. Like every other day when it snows, they get pretty moody pretty fast. The only thing that managed to cheer them up was when I brought them an armload of hay and dumped it in their barn. 
The ducks, like usual, were happy to be outside, rain or shine or...snaine. When I went outside to check on them, there they were, partying it up in their pond. They were more shy than usual around my camera, for some strange reason, but I managed to snag a few pictures when their heads were turned in the other direction. And I mean, the other direction. 

This is what ducks do when they want to
reach the bottom of a pond with
their bills...

...they tilt themselves up in the air!

Wabble was much more photogenic
than the others!

Tomorrow is April Fools! Uh-oh.   

 

Drilling

This morning, our forest was like a rainforest. Well, it is a rainforest, I suppose, but it was even more of a rainforest this morning. A haze of mist shrouded the forest, the sunlight streaming through it and glistening off of the pouring raindrops. In the trees, morning birds were chirping and shrieking. The whole effect actually made me feel like I was walking in a majestic rainforest. 
Anyway, moving on. I did some drilling in the dirt and woodchips with the ducks today. They were so excited when I came into their pen, picked up a little stick, and started pushing at the dirt with it. They all came running over to come drill their bills into the dirt with me. After a few minutes, while still drilling, they hesitantly allowed me to brush my hand against their heads. That's the thing about ducks - you don't just pick them up and start petting them and 'awwwing' at their silky feathers. They are very cautious creatures. Even if you've lived with them their whole lives, you have to earn their trust and acceptance every time you enter their pen, all over again! It's an honour to have one accept you enough to let you that close to them. 
So anyway, after I dug with them for a while, I went out of the pen. Waffles begged me not to go - she was running up on my heels and quacking in her attempts to get me to stay. It's so hard to resist her! So I plucked some dandelions from the lawn and fed them through the fence before going  to tend to the goats. They really are adorable ducks! 

Drizzly

It was a wet day at Huckleberry Plunks today, the sky a mass of thick clouds above our heads. Coko and Onyx were not in the slightest impressed by the sudden change in weather. They absolutely despise even the smallest amount of rain. Coko lay curled in a ball in the nest of alfalfa under the tarp this afternoon, and Onyx milled about the pen, fur puffed out in goosebumps. It's funny, because whenever the weather gets bad, the minute a person sets foot in the goats' pen, they'll come wandering up to you, this upset expression on their face. And if the weather worsens while you're in the pen, they'll look from you to the rain, you to the rain, you to the rain with this accusing glower on their faces. It's like they think that people are the ones warping the weather! 

Coko glowers out from beneath the tarp

Smudge, also, was rather unhappy with the weather today. She remained curled up in her doghouse for the afternoon, looking drained. Also, her goopy-eye-sickness doesn't seem to be clearing up much in the past few weeks. We're thinking of taking her to the vet for a checkup. 

                                                     

However, like usual, the ducks were completely unruffled by the change of spring weather. If anything, they were happy that it was a wet day! They love splashing around in the fresh rainwater and 'billing' around in the rain-softened dirt with their bills. Wabble was having a great time searching for worms and plants in the woodchips today. Waffles and Jimbo, predictably, were celebrating the return of rain in the pond. 

Wabble billing

At least we have someone to cheer us up in this dank weather, though! Our yellow narcissus', warm and cheerful in the early spring, flowers bursted from the soil this weekend. All around the property; on the deck, by the goatpen, and in the pots on the porch, they have spread. They are our makeshift sun on this drab day! 

Adventuresome Day

I'm doing two posts today, simply because some peculiar things went on at Huckleberry Plunks today. First of all, I took Coko and Onyx for a sprightly walk in the fresh new spring air (it is wonderfully sunny out today). They quite enjoyed it at first, but then they started going absolutely crazy, darting from side to side and pulling the leash out of my hands. How naughty of them! 
Secondly, Coko went absolutely insane for salty chips! He was actually tackling my brother to the ground in his attempts to snatch the Salt and Vinegar chips from his hands! Here he is jumping for the chips (what a talent!). Don't worry, the chips are totally natural and don't contain any of those creepy, unknown substances with their fancy scientific names. 

This is Coko after eating them. He looks so hilarious with his tongue sticking out from between his teeth - half the time, he wasn't even licking his lips, just letting his tongue hang out of his mouth! I guess that salt really got to him. 

And for the weirdest one of all...

Can you believe that right after eating those chips, he went and started furiously licking away at their salt brick!