We are in our third week of quarantine and my husband has now joined the ranks of workers adjusting to working from home.  Now here we all are, our family of five, hanging out at home day in and day out.

Right now, 11-year-old Megan is playing her piano and I must say, it's a lovely sound wafting through the walls even when she messes up and gets a bit off key.  Added to the sound of the dishwasher and the t.v. in the background, we are quite cozy, indeed.
 Travis is taking a lunch break while I have a turn on the computer. 

He is preparing to bar-b-cue hot dogs. Trevor (17) is in his room on his lap top doing home school work. Blake (14) is having his turn on-line playing video games.  I'de like to add that it turns out being a home schooling family is a positive thing in our current times. 

It is Blake who is not currently getting the education he needs, but our local school district is starting up some on-line work for the kids in the district starting tomorrow, April 1st.  Blake says that's a pretty cruel April fools joke, haha!

The animals are probably wondering why we are all home.  Even the outside animals seem to notice the change. Add to it, this morning we had a mini snow storm and it's enough to make one wonder what is going on with the world?

On another note, we were lucky enough to get Chewy, the pony, into the vet this past weekend. I have had him for a few months and started not sleeping at night knowing he hasn't been vetted yet, and if we wait too long, eventually we may not be able to for a very long time. 

He is considered a high risk pony due to his apparent insulin resistant diet needs. He really is doing well and got a clean bill of health except for his hooves and metabolic disorder, of course.  He had such neglected hoof care before he came to us that we will be correcting his feet by giving him trims form the farrier every few months, or more often if we can, for the rest of his life. 

He already is wearing them down more naturally just by all the movement he is getting in the pasture with our mare, Willow, and goat, Clover. Excellent news for Chewy!  I am so happy that we were able to take a bad situation and make it into a good one. He also got his annual shots so hopefully we will not be needing a vet again for another year. Phew!

The last big hurdle with Chewy is drying up his skin issues under all his hair.  It is scabby and scaly and looks itchy and uncomfortable. He now has a few bald patches because of him itching against the trees or anything he can rub up against. 

The good news is that we are treating his skin issues correctly with anti-fungal sprays and over the counter medications twice daily so we will keep doing what we are doing. Chewy had a skin graph done at the vet that came back negative for mites or fleas.  Praise God for that news because those can be quite difficult to treat and could easily mean we would have to treat Willow too!

Last but not least in regards to Chewy the pony, we have to be very careful about balancing out how much grass he eats.  We soak his hay in cold water for an hour each morning and night. This rinses off the extra sugar and starches that his body can not process.  We have to limit his pasture turn out and avoid treats and alfalfa.

I have no idea what the future holds for humanity at this point in time because like so many others, we are just living a day at a time.  I know a lot of people are struggling with being cooped up, with boredom, but we have plenty to do here on our little farm!  

Travis is getting his green houses and planting of a variety of vegetables started (more about that later) and thankfully, since food is a necessity to sustaining human life, we should have a positive outcome once this Coronavirus passes. 

That is, if the world returns back to its former self.  I feel a lot of change will come from all of this but it will be good changes!

I hope that everyone out there in cyber land and quarantine planet are staying safe and keeping well.  I hope that everyone takes advantage of this time to appreciate and love their families, and pray for those who are not so blessed.

Until next time, remain strong and take care of each other.

Feel free to follow along with us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.


 Amy Darr
 3 Corners Farm
 Mosier, Or. U.S.A.