Farm Sitting - Family Visits

Farm Sitting - Family Visits

Thanks to the generosity of the farm owners, we were able to invite some of our family members over to the farm so that they could enjoy this wonderful place and get to meet the animals. 

On Friday, Ruby & Bob drove from Ajax and spent the afternoon with us. They had visited here once before when the three of us went to Doors Open - Ontario  when Peterborough was featured a few years ago. We had called John and Doug and asked if we could drop in for an hour, since we were in the area. Back then, the guys were still renovating and Ruby remembered all the step ladders still in place during that time. They were really impressed with what had been achieved with the interior of the house - most of it completed by the guys, themselves. 

Our guests ventured into the barn to see the livestock and get the feel of what we do for the chores. Having kept themselves up to date with our blog, they were familiar with the animals, and kept an eye up for Grover, the Grouchy Gander - just in case!

King Bob - ensconced on the ice throne!

John's parents dropped by for some eggs, and we had a wonderful visit with them for an hour or so. Living in nearby Lakefield, it's only 20 minutes drive for them to get here. They are incredibly interesting to chat with, and know a lot about the history of this area. They kindly invited us to visit them in their home later on in the afternoon.









Bob had seen the previous blog about our visit to Lakefield, and when we suggested a quick visit there, he had no hesitation in agreeing - mainly because he wanted to have a turn in sitting on the ice 'throne' in the park where the ice sculptures were!

The Chocolate Rabbit

Crossing the road, we stopped in at the Chocolate Rabbit - a quaint little gift store/coffee shop where they make their own chocolate. The display of chocolate high-heeled shoes was marvelous, and there was an assortment of small chocolate treats. We stayed for a cup of hot chocolate and a small treat before resuming our little tour, showing the folks some of the sites we had seen the day before. 

Chocolate High-heeled Shoes

Sentiments that find resonance with many of us!

Making Chocolate

Cute sign!

As Ruby and Bob set off for home, we made our way to John's parents' home and had a really nice hour with them in their beautiful surroundings. John (Sr.) took us on a tour of their home, and Joyce made a nice cup of tea, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We seem to have the nicest of people come into our lives, and we hope to spend some more time with them when we visit the area again. 

Our sister-in-law, Sadie

The next day, we were graced with a visit from Sadie, our sister-in-law, and our great-niece, Ally - who had been following our blog and had yearned to come and see the animals.

Ally - our great niece 

Arriving after lunch, we took them to the barn and introduced Ally to the 'family'. Thanks to our blog, she already knew their names and it didn't take long for her and the animals to bond - especially one of the kittens and the two dogs. Familiar with horses, she took to Jessie immediately, and Alice also demanded some attention.

The winners throughout the visit were, without doubt, Julie and Brynn - the two Australian Shepherds, who stuck close to Ally like bees around a honey pot. When being petted, Julie would look at Ally as if to say, 'I'll give you 24 hours to stop doing that!'

Floored!

Ally was delighted later in the day when, after our chili dinner, she got to help with the chores - though we did notice that she was continually distracted by the kittens!

She was delighted by the eggs we discovered, and even more delighted to be taking them home with her. Guess what's on the menu for breakfast!!

Sadie navigated the slightly slippery pathways with alacrity and also enjoyed the antics of Grover. Fascinated by the peacock and other game birds in the barn, she collected a couple of feathers as momentos. She also showed her skills in throwing feed among the chickens like a professional!!

Ally was very reluctant to leave and did her best to present a suitable pout for the occasion. 

It's so nice to have family members who take an interest in what we are doing and who make the effort to become part of our adventure - even for a few hours.