Around 6:30 yesterday late afternoon, this little lady came into the world.
As the evening went on she gave 4 more by my 3 am awakening. I was just too tired for number 4 & 5 to stay awake.)
Unbeknown to me, by 6 am there appeared #6. I had assumed she was done 3 am. Panda went in to say good morning and came back saying there were 6. I had to go count thinking for sure she was just counting Grizzle's tail by mistake..Nope. 6 little Grizzle cubs it is.
She did fantastic and never left my side. I had to fall asleep with my hand hanging down into her box (see above) just so I could get some sleep and she would be content not birthing the rest of the litter out of her box and on my bed.
By late Afternoon today, she was outside running around enjoying a little free time on the hill but would rush back down to whine at the door to get back to her babies.
Frog brought a baby bunny in and placed into the dog box... And instantly Mama adopted the bunny and refused to let us take it back out. So as Panda distracted her with some green grapes, I was able to sneak the bunny out of the box and back to her long eared mother. Grizzle still ran out to their run and searched for that baby but soon gave up and returned to her little ones.
Man! They whine a lot!
Those darn crows stole more of my bean seed! The one eyed owl "Salad Bouncy Ball" has been fired and is looking at a different position...in a different part of the yard. My bean arch of tree limbs came down in the rain fall we had a few days ago. My eggplant has leafhopper's and a batch of organic garlic pepper spray is in the works.
I purchased 2 new grapevines - a Catawba and a Candice table seedless grape. Big beautiful vines to go next to the Concords.
I have been eating Tabouli like its candy to a junkie. I can not seem to get enough. So I bought a packet of parsley seed to keep myself in one of it's main ingredients.
The book I found it in also has a recipe for Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves). My good friend and neighbor Jeannie and I have been enjoying the Tabouli and plan to raid the grape leaves from her dad's massive concord grape vines in his garden. Plus the back neighbor's cherry tree which they do not pick and said we could raid it (said it has 2 or 3 "harvests" a year. No idea what type it is). Plus we have been eyeing the other back neighbors side yard and it's most wonderful sunny open space. We warned him one day he was going to come home to 2 ladies weeding out what was once his side yard and now filled with edibles. He actually said he would'nt care. I said you best be careful. One day we may just do it.LOL.
Now that I have Jeannie on board and with a huge garden, it makes for some fantastic conversations. Plans are for Blueberyy and strawberry picking together to load up our deep freezers plus go in halves on getting 2 pigs from the Amish auction to take up to the processor.(last time I was down there they were selling around $50 for a 200 lb pig!)
She is excited to eat some rabbit as I am. We plan to have a "wilds" party possibly this year. Make lots of out of the ordinary foods that are delicious but 100% or as close to it local. Between rabbit, pig, garden produce and homemade wines/cordials/beers. We will see if The Captain is even on board for a party this year. I want TOGA"S! But most of his friends and their wives would most likely be babies about it and not wear one/show up. I like teasing him how my friends are cooler and would actually participate in these things. LOL.
Got a garden to weed before putting the newspaper and hay down for weed control. Not to mention a whelping box to freshen up for the new Momma.
Sweet Dreams,
~Tammie
