And Fall Blew In

Falls here are not nearly as colorful as the northeast, but the cooling effect of the breezes and winds is enough to make you appreciate the season. 

It is a season of slowing down, but not quite a rest from the growing and harvest seasons. It is a season of preparing the farm and animals for the cold.  

And a season for fleas. 

It appears that our cat had fleas when he was brought in (or when he escaped a few weeks back), but the medicine we gave to prevent and kill fleas didn't work on the him. Come to find out, Frontline doesn't work well on the cats in our area and our feet and legs show for that. 

It has been consistent laundering and vacuuming for me. The floors have had baking soda and salt sprinkled liberally as well as diatomaceous earth. Flea traps have only produced a few fleas which is better than multitudes, but even a few can prove to be a multitude within days. 

I spend a lot of time researching fleas and their life cycles as well as how to kill them and the diseases they can spread. I have learned a lot; I have also learned there is a lot of conflicting information just as there was for ringworm. Yet, I press on regardless of the stress I feel from the little parasites that seem so inevitable for the farm life. 

Today, Smokie is in for neutering and as requested, we have him getting a microchip, and treated for fleas as well as the common side effect of fleas: tapeworms.  We also put in a call for pest control to come in a spray next week. As much as I hate spraying I hate fleas and bites even more. 

The other day, we finally took the kids to get bikes. The kids have never owned bikes and they have been begging for some time.  The store was out of helmets for the older two, but we have two old helmets they can use until we find some. Yesterday, Caleb was determined to learn to ride and he did. On his own. You would think he's been riding for months!  Alexandra picked it up rather quickly as well.  The other two are still waiting for their bikes to be adjusted to their heights. 

Al and I took a few days preparing sheep and goats for dry lot. Does received a large round bale and were brought off pasture. The sheep also had a new hay cover and shelter put up and they too were shut off from pasture.

Our quail were bartered for fresh raw milk and another turkey sold to friends. A rooster is proving he wants a short life and is first on the list for processing. And processing birds is on the list of this to do this November. 

We will be off soon to the dentist.  This appointment has been planned for several months, but with all the catch up due to Covid, they couldn't get in for fillings and a cap until now.  Caleb will have a tooth extracted since it never fell out after the permanent tooth came in (another is doing the same thing), and will have two surfaces "filled".  Hannah will be receiving a stainless steel cap on her molar.  

So I leave you at that as there is not much else to add.  Love to you all.