Isabel

Sometimes I call call my duck Izzy, Isabel even Isabella, I'm not sure she responds to any of the names I call her, but she does look like all three. She's very pretty and dainty, she remindes me of Lady before Lady started channelling Miss Muffet (not the sick Miss Muffet, the friendly, dirty one).

Izzy has been hanging out with the two boys, roughing it, keeping them in check by making them follow her everywhere. I'm working on getting her to eat out of my hand, but she still isn't quite sure of me.

Albie

Albie is off her smelly nest and not really loving it. Here she is watching something happening in the chicken house. She's so cute, although she's not happy with me at the moment.

Super Deluxe

Well here it is. The new pen, I think Papa has named it something to do with being snake proof 2.0, but I'm not sure of the exact details.

As you can see the roof is nice and hard. The wire is hard and the gaps are very small, the wire is dug into the ground and cemented into place so that neither rat or snake can enter. I was talking to the neighbour next door and he mentioned that they have had many snakes come through their pen. Midget chicken from next door had 9 babies a few weeks ago, but now only has two.

Yesterday I went into the pen armed with a face mask and wheelbarrow and cleaned out all of the nests (sorry Albie). But damn those eggs stunk, I think some of them were months old. Enough was enough for the chickens and duck included. I could barely walk in there without gaging. So I got rid of all the eggs and replaced it with nice fresh hay. Albie still hasn't forgiven me, she will with time.
Lady is the only one still nesting (on one chicken egg). I told her, if her nest starts to stink I'll get rid of her nest too. I'm happy to have her nesting as she looks a little scraggy, she's lost some weight from nesting so long, but her feathers appear to be damaged. Here she is watching me work yesterday.

Coyote

When I was visiting Remy we managed to spot a coyote twice over two different days.  The second time I was ready and armed with the camera.  The first time I missed it, so we turned around and drove back to where we first saw it.  My eyes were darting the area looking for the coyote.  As I had never seen a coyote before all I could imagine was this image from the Roadrunner cartoon.

No more holidays!

I had the most amazing time meeting Remy, Ripley, baby Cleo, Riley and Madison on my trip to the states. I got to go to daycare and see where Remy hangs out with her friends. I was welcomed with open arms and I miss it so much already. Here is Remy sledding with her best friend Ripley.

After I showed Papa all of my great photos he commented that they'd be even better if they were in focus. So while now I do have a new lens cap, that doesn't make me a better photographer.

The ducks and chickens were looked after brilliantly by Papa while I was away. He, Tibi and Natbob fixed the chicken pen. The wire is all new, its rat (and snake proof) and the roof is hard. It's now perfect, I will take some photos while its still all shiny and new.

Spoiler

Papa found out Tony's name yesterday.. Are you ready?
Its Spirit, he's been named after a cartoon movie staring Matt Damon. At first I thought maybe he was named after Spirited Away, the Japanese movie, but then I just looked it up on IMDB and he wasn't. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166813/
The neighbours gotten another two horses, they are black. I'm not sure of their names.

I'm still going to call Spirit, Tony. He just seems so much more like a Tony to me.