We are growing a pond. Some excavator involvement plus lots of Mother Nature with seep water, perhaps springs, and gravity. (How does one tell if water coming out of a sandy hillside is seep water or spring water?)
There were frogs' eggs there before we were finished shaping the pond. Yesterday RNB reported on a green frog who came intentionally close to him and croaked away. RNB moved him away from where he was digging and the frog came back to him. We figure the frog wanted RNB to know without a doubt how grateful he was for this new environment we created.
RNB also reported seeing footprints of a heron. This morning I saw the heron. Without camera I have only my memory for pictures of this lovely bird. Perhaps another time I will capture her/his image to share here.
I can imagine RNB's deep excitement about drawing pond-loving life forms here where they can thrive and we can enjoy their proximity. I do love the chorus that emanates from a pond!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Babies
I got home from errands and discovered four goslings out and about with goose and gander! Good job, Momma, with your setting and hatching!
Shortly after I got home, a knock on the door. Someone stopping to tell me there is a big black bull, ya know, with big horns, running down the dirt road. Oh, thanks!
Hmm, I wonder how he got out. Well, first I'll wonder if indeed it is the bull because all of our black bovines have big horns!
I was about to have lunch but decided gathering the loose animal takes precedence. I scoop some sweet feed into a small red bucket and head out. I first scan the pasture where the cows belong and see the bull, and the cows, and the two young heifers. That means the coming two year old steer is out.
The good news? He sees me and comes a-runnin'!
The bad news? He has no experience of the delightful taste of what is in my bucket (compared to the older cows and bull who come running to anyone with a small red bucket) and so his running in my direction only brings him closer to home but doesn't help him come follow me through a gate or two.
In fact he thinks it is best to run off down the paved road.
So I think it's best to re-think my plan.
Which I do. Fortunately he returned most of the way on his own and decided the grass just outside the upper pasture gate was worth consuming. That little window of time allowed me to open some gates between where he was munching and where he would be inside our fencing, and walk a large circuitous route around him so I could come in behind and ask him to walk forward.
All went quietly and well and bingo -- steer behind fencing again.
I walked him around a few fences until he was in the pasture adjacent to where the other cows were. I opened that gate and stood aside while he hesitated before barreling through the opening heading off toward the bellows of his family.
Meanwhile the sheep came to see if I had some sweet feed for them, and I stood around trying my best to take a count. I counted 14, then 16, then 17, then 15 sheep, so I'll assume there are 17, which is the number I got last time I counted, a couple of weeks ago. They look fat and well, content I suppose would describe them. Unless I stepped a bit too close and their contentedness turned instantly to worry and off they went. I was looking for the older ewe who injured her leg last winter. She is either no longer lame, or no longer among the living. Some day when I can get closer (such as when I do have some sweet feed and they mob me) I will have a better look for her.
Shortly after I got home, a knock on the door. Someone stopping to tell me there is a big black bull, ya know, with big horns, running down the dirt road. Oh, thanks!
Hmm, I wonder how he got out. Well, first I'll wonder if indeed it is the bull because all of our black bovines have big horns!
I was about to have lunch but decided gathering the loose animal takes precedence. I scoop some sweet feed into a small red bucket and head out. I first scan the pasture where the cows belong and see the bull, and the cows, and the two young heifers. That means the coming two year old steer is out.
The good news? He sees me and comes a-runnin'!
The bad news? He has no experience of the delightful taste of what is in my bucket (compared to the older cows and bull who come running to anyone with a small red bucket) and so his running in my direction only brings him closer to home but doesn't help him come follow me through a gate or two.
In fact he thinks it is best to run off down the paved road.
So I think it's best to re-think my plan.
Which I do. Fortunately he returned most of the way on his own and decided the grass just outside the upper pasture gate was worth consuming. That little window of time allowed me to open some gates between where he was munching and where he would be inside our fencing, and walk a large circuitous route around him so I could come in behind and ask him to walk forward.
All went quietly and well and bingo -- steer behind fencing again.
I walked him around a few fences until he was in the pasture adjacent to where the other cows were. I opened that gate and stood aside while he hesitated before barreling through the opening heading off toward the bellows of his family.
Meanwhile the sheep came to see if I had some sweet feed for them, and I stood around trying my best to take a count. I counted 14, then 16, then 17, then 15 sheep, so I'll assume there are 17, which is the number I got last time I counted, a couple of weeks ago. They look fat and well, content I suppose would describe them. Unless I stepped a bit too close and their contentedness turned instantly to worry and off they went. I was looking for the older ewe who injured her leg last winter. She is either no longer lame, or no longer among the living. Some day when I can get closer (such as when I do have some sweet feed and they mob me) I will have a better look for her.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Visitor in the night
We have an unknown number of visitors in the night. Certainly lots of rats, some we see and some we don't. Some visiting cats come to eat the food left out for our barn cats. I'm certain the local fox venture near as well.
The other night I startled a new kitty eating the barn cats' food. As it scurried off I noticed the white stripe down it's thick dark tail. Hey! That's NOT a kitty!
Then the missing chicks as well as the missing cat food. Argh. Then last night the telltale fragrance, in the barn. Double argh. RNB could smell it on me when I came in from the late night hay feeding to the horses. I could smell it on me!
And who do you think was in the rat trap this morning?
Amazing claws.
He/she was relocated. We may meet again because RNB decided to release him/her on our new property. Huh? We do not think alike about some things.
The other night I startled a new kitty eating the barn cats' food. As it scurried off I noticed the white stripe down it's thick dark tail. Hey! That's NOT a kitty!
Then the missing chicks as well as the missing cat food. Argh. Then last night the telltale fragrance, in the barn. Double argh. RNB could smell it on me when I came in from the late night hay feeding to the horses. I could smell it on me!
And who do you think was in the rat trap this morning?
Amazing claws.
He/she was relocated. We may meet again because RNB decided to release him/her on our new property. Huh? We do not think alike about some things.
Wolf teeth
Sofia had her wolf teeth removed by the same vet who took the x-rays. She did well. Actually, both of them did well -- Sofia and the vet. Quite a strenuous job for the vet, and Sofia my dear horse was more cooperative than I ever could have imagined. Drugs probably helped -- a lot!
Fuzzy picture that shows size:
Clearer picture:
Fuzzy picture that shows size:
Clearer picture:
Sofia's x-rays
I wish I had a picture of them. Perhaps when I go meet the vet and look at them I can capture them digitally to share here. I do love x-rays of a horse's feet. Am I weird?
Anyway, the results are: no bone involvement with the puncture wound of this spring. I had the vet/chiro here to assess her readiness to resume some 'work'. HA! Work? This gal doesn't know the meaning of the word. She lives the life of leisure with the occasional request to carry me around for 1/2 hour. I do want more with her and she has the mind to take us exploring. Meanwhile, that vet said get x-rays. Not the first time I've heard that suggestion.
But I was ready to find out what they show and did get the x-ray vet out here. I am glad to now know there is no bone involvement. But Sofia is still off. I hate to call it 'lame' but I suppose it is in fact lameness we're talking about. Vet/chiro and X-ray vet both tell me to put her back to work. Oh, I hadn't the boldness to tell them it won't be "back" to work, simply "to work". And give her some low dose of aspirin to reduce the little bit of swelling in her foot and relieve some pain that may get worse once I ride her more. The idea is -- and won't be confirmed without an MRI which means it won't be confirmed at this point -- that scar tissue within her hoof capsule is limiting her movement and indeed a bit painful. But work will help her break the adhesions and leave her more flexible and mobile as originally designed.
So, good news. Nothing can be defined as limiting to her future! I have ridden her a few times since those vet visits. We're working on the basics of go, turn, and stop. Once she is more responsive to my steering requests, I'd like to take her out on a trail ride!
Anyway, the results are: no bone involvement with the puncture wound of this spring. I had the vet/chiro here to assess her readiness to resume some 'work'. HA! Work? This gal doesn't know the meaning of the word. She lives the life of leisure with the occasional request to carry me around for 1/2 hour. I do want more with her and she has the mind to take us exploring. Meanwhile, that vet said get x-rays. Not the first time I've heard that suggestion.
But I was ready to find out what they show and did get the x-ray vet out here. I am glad to now know there is no bone involvement. But Sofia is still off. I hate to call it 'lame' but I suppose it is in fact lameness we're talking about. Vet/chiro and X-ray vet both tell me to put her back to work. Oh, I hadn't the boldness to tell them it won't be "back" to work, simply "to work". And give her some low dose of aspirin to reduce the little bit of swelling in her foot and relieve some pain that may get worse once I ride her more. The idea is -- and won't be confirmed without an MRI which means it won't be confirmed at this point -- that scar tissue within her hoof capsule is limiting her movement and indeed a bit painful. But work will help her break the adhesions and leave her more flexible and mobile as originally designed.
So, good news. Nothing can be defined as limiting to her future! I have ridden her a few times since those vet visits. We're working on the basics of go, turn, and stop. Once she is more responsive to my steering requests, I'd like to take her out on a trail ride!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
