Category Archives: Animals
365 Photos: The 1pm Picture Number Eleven!
Today’s 1pm photo is of Candy being happy in the sun and sand…
One happy dog
I missed yesterdays and might be missing some days next week due to unavoidable circumstances.
Pepsi: In Which We Visit A Pony And Decide To Bring It Home…
Pepsi: Scanned photo from 2008 given to us by current owner.
This morning we went for a drive up the Bay to visit a pony. We have toyed with the idea of getting a pony for a while but have been put off by the cost. We did decide recently however to investigate properly what we would need to do if we were to get a pony. After a few emails with some pony people we were asked if we wanted to see a pony which they were looking to re-home for free. Sure we said, no harm in just looking. Those famous last words again 
So off we went to visit Pepsi a 12 year old category B miniature pony. She is a good natured little thing and both boys fell in love with her. Nek minute there we were agreeing to take her on. She will be arriving in a couple of weeks after we have been to Auckland for the live show of How to Train Your Dragon.
Now we just need to sort some brushes, hay and fencing out…
The Case Of Small Wasps And The Curtains In The Lounge
Over summer recently we had a number small black wasps flying around the house. We would shuffle them out the windows when we could but it was a bit strange as often they would be in the house in the morning and there had been no windows open over night.
Well we have discovered the source of these frequent visitors. Hidden in the folds of our green brocade curtains hanging in the lounge and master bedroom have been wasp nests! They are very small and were buried in the creases. We didn’t notice them as the brown merged into the pattern. They were all very small, with maybe three little cocoons to each nest. But we found them now. It’s a bit late though as all the wasps have flown the nest.
First Day Plans: 2012
One of my lofty and vague goals for this year is to do more around the house. In particular I want to get how we live functioning better. I have therefore thought of three building projects to complete this year.
Project one: To be completed end of March (have to save for the materials) – Chicken run.
At the moment our chickens are completely free range, which is in some ways nice, but others a right pain. They hide their eggs, eat bits of the gardens we don’t want them to, and poop everywhere. I want to build a nice large run, I think around 4 meters by 5 meters would be a good size. I want to make it expandable so that if we get more, or decide its not large enough, I can do this easily. Therefore I think I will do it in panels which will be tied together rather than nailed. One panel will be hinged to a support to act as a gate, but the rest may be tied to supports. We can move the chicken houses in the orchard into the new run. (Or do I build the new run in the orchard? It might be nicer to have it closer to the house.)
Project two: 3 High Raised vegetable beds and berry beds in the back yard (to be done by the end of September for spring planting)
This will help our vegetable production by keeping animals out and making it easier to maintain without bending over. I want to build them at least a meter high.
Project three: Build in bookshelves and computer desk. (by end of October)
This is the most ambitious and complicated of the projects and will stretch my very dodgy skills to the max! Currently our computer is on a rather large (but nice) glass desk in the hall. It takes up a lot of space. We also don’t have enough book shelves. So my plan is to build a unit where the desk is with floor to roof shelves and space for the technology (computer, printer, phone).
First thing I need to do is price up the materials for the chicken run. 
What fun….
The New Members Of The Flock: The Goslings
So we have two new birds in the flock, two little goslings…
Cats, Birds and Horses
Rainy day fun:
The cat playing with the Matchbox set
Birds eating the bird pie made by the youngest T.B.T. and the E.I.C.
A horse made from jeans and a old broom handle by the youngest T.B.T. and the E.I.C.
Bunny Foo Foo
We decided that it would be important to have another go. And so we rescued Bunny Foo Foo, a large black bunny of indeterminate age and sex, from the Masterton SPCA.
The new rabbit.
So far it has lasted longer than the previous rabbit, but that may have something to do with the fact that it is larger and looks less like an escape artist.
Sigh. That Was Not What We Intended.
After the last great escape, we triple checked the hutch. We contemplated every angle of escape and took measures to secure them.
Alas it was not to be. I was putting the dogs to bed, and headed outside with the torch. Candy, the lab, was already outside having asked to be let out a few minutes earlier. So only Pooch was inside.
Heading outside I heard an awful noise, and rushing out back I found Candy having a go at Caramel Fudge. Maybe the name cursed him?
How he got out I don’t know, but he did. I pushed the dog off him, and rescued the bunny. Quickly I put the dogs to bed and rushed inside, but it was tool late. Instead of a nice new pet, we have had a pet tragedy. 
