New additions

As I've previously mentioned, our first batch of barn cats was a hit or miss group.  Ricky Bobby continues to be spotted around the neighborhood but never on our property, and Staci has remained steadfast in her refusal to ever leave the barn.  Only Pam is actually functioning as a true barn cat, and while she's a very stealthy hunter, we were hoping to have more than one barn cat in action given our significant mouse/mole population.  So when the barn cat people called Mike a few weeks ago asking if we'd like more, we decided to try adding a second group.  Ricky Bobby II and Robin Sparkles arrived a week ago, and are getting accustomed to the barn.  Staci doesn't seem to mind them, although we've only just let them out of their pen yesterday so we'll see how the next few days go.  Pam has figured out how to get in and out of the basement, to the great puzzlement of the dogs who really, really want to go down there to join her, and we're hoping that she'll pass this trick along to the new guys.  After all, I'd really like the cats to take care of the mice that come into the house, and the basement is sufficiently sealed off from the main house that I don't think Pam will wind up invading the grumpy house cat's personal bubble.  Also, the basement is warmer than the barn, which makes me worry less about having barn cat popsicles this winter.

At any rate, here are the new kids.  Ricky Bobby II is more timid than Robin Sparkles, so this is the best picture that we could get of him.

Ricky Bobby II

Robin Sparkles

Robin Sparkles, as you can see, is particularly pretty.  We all are hoping that her hunting skills are on par with her looks, and that Staci and Pam accept Robin Sparkles and Ricky Bobby II.

Oh, and we have one other little addition coming to the farm next year.....

This is our new baby farmer, currently known as Nib, set to arrive in April 2012!  We're incredibly excited, and although clearly this is going to create some distractions from planting the spring crop, I think I'm up to the challenge.  Mike doesn't quite understand why the impending baby arrival makes me hesitant about getting spring lambs, but I'm standing firm that a baby and garden and chickens and dogs and barn cats will be quite enough for 2012.