First item of winter prepping for my family is getting a roof onto the sheep pen. Here winter means either rain or snow. Never much of either; but enough to need a roof.

This summer was the worst summer I have experienced, since I moved to Chile. Where we live has a dry climate, high winds in the summer season and little rain or snow in winter.

This summer, we have had cooler days and at times rain. It is nice when you do not need an air conditioner; but not for playing outside during summer break.

With the spring and summer cooler this year, there are fruit trees that have no fruit. I do have some apples and membrillo that we need to harvest.

I miss not being able to can cherries and apricots for winter desserts.

Our rabbits are not quite ready to slaughter for winter; but I am feeding them as much as they can eat.

The ducklings, now full grown ducks are all big and ready to eat, except of course Quaker.

The Piglets are growing nicely. Lucas loves to get in with the family to pet all — mom Chuleta (Pork Chop), dad Rodolfo, and baby piglets.

If you are wondering how our female pig got her name, when we first bought her as a piglet, Jaime would try to clean the alfalfa seeds off her face or pet her and all she wanted to do was to bite him. It took a while for her to understand that he did not want to kill her. I told him to bring her food and sit down on the ground, in her pen, with her food next to him. Then to let her come to him and eat. She now loves to be petted.

Mr. Snow, the head rooster and his family are quite happy in their new larger home. It was getting a bit crowded for everyone in the older coop.

Our ram, Angelo is still patiently waiting for when he can be reunited with his lady friends, a.k.a. our female sheep. He should be able to be reunited with them by the end of next month for a mid-spring birthing of lambs.

Our horses Dulce (Sweet) and her two year old son Indiana Jones (Indy) are doing well. Dulce is fat for her breed, a Chilean mix, as she is not being ridden much right now. Her son Indy is now in training. He is doing well as he was born on the farm and very use to human contact. Jaime likes to use the technique he has learned from the John Lyons series of books on horses.

For those wondering why we do not have vegetables to harvest, we had an area enclosed to prevent the sheep from eating everything, but they wanted in so bad they broke down the fence. We are too nice to our pets.The sheep roam free all over the farm and have lots of green grass in the summer time. They do not eat everything, yet they want what the horses, rabbits and dogs get.