Saturday, May 21, 2011

Learning to do Amazing Things

About nine days before the county livestock show; my dear daughter's show steer bloated while she was at an extracurricular school function.  He had tried to bloat on multiple occassions but this was the fourth time it was severe enough to use anything such as Thera-Bloat or take him to the vet.  The first time, Thera-Bloat resolved the issue.  The second time, we were out of the medicine and had to make a trip to the vet to be reminded that I actually knew how to deflate a bovine in a relatively harmless way when medicines weren't available.  The third time, we used my last bottle of medicine.  So this left us without anything to use and I didn't want to add anything more to my vet bill if possible. 

The tools I used were a small piece of p.v.c. pipe and a smallish hose:


A mom doing what she has to do:

While I held the pipe in the steer's mouth as a speculum and ran the hose down to his stomach; I had my son mash on his belly where the bloat was sticking out.  Talk about some nasty smelling stuff!   But he was all better afterwards.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Goat Herding and Chicken Surprise

This morning, the kids staked the goats out on the driveway.   The goal was to accomplish two things at once.  Feed them and clean the fences.  Goat herders can get frustrated from time to time.  But then, they get their laughs.




And then, their mother gets confusing surprises. They were supposed to be inside.  How'd that happen?

Took mama a bit, but she figured it out. . . It was her fault.  She had left the door open for the bigger chickens to get out about in the outdoors.  A piece of plywood would keep the biddies in their corner. . . . Or so she thought.

I'd forgot about a bunch of nosy butts. . . that are always looking for the opportunity to steal any kind of feed they can get.  And I am the guilty one who let them out into the yard to graze extra. . . Here those culprits are:

and


I managed to get the metal chicken feeder back to working as well, thankfully.  Everybody is happy and fed and life is good.

Happy Horses

With the current drought conditions, I am having to open up spaces I normally don't in order to take some pressure off of the pastures.  I know we have more grass out there than so many other places out in the great State of Texas.  At least the grass is still a green color.  However, the grass and dustiness makes me think of how it is in the month of August and September around here.  Not good.

Regardless of how I feel about turning the ponies out in other areas of the property, they were more than happy to oblige. . .  And my yard is getting mowed in the process. . . well. . .everything but the weeds and certain pain in the rear grasses such as smut grass.  I must say they are doing a good job cropping the grass I'd just end up having to weed-eat.




Monday, May 2, 2011

Barnyard Bullies (05.02.2011)

Meet Hopper. . .


Hopper has been subject to the brutality of barnyard bullies.  As a result, he was crippled. Not sure if it is permanent or mental.  Intially, he wasn't able to walk at all.  Now, he is is able to get around, just not like he used to.  Hopper is now a bit used to being picked up and moved from the chicken house to the outdoors when it is his group's turn to be outdoors.  

Here are the bad boys. . .

Trying to figure out how to get into the chicken house from which they are banned.



Skulking around. . . looking for another poor soul to beat upon.  They don't know it but their days are numbered. . . Fried chicken, anyone?  These mean butts stay outside at night. . . when most chickens go to roost.  Knock on wood, nothing has bothered them, yet.  Told you they were bad critters.

Some of Hopper's friends:

I felt so bad for this little dude. . . I let him out today along with the one hen. . . She went back in the house and I closed the door without thinking and happened to let the mean roosters out as I walked by their cage.  He had some tail feathers pulled out but has since been safely rescued.


The one hen. . . the water bucket is only a one gallon bucket.  These are some really large chickens.  They are as big as turkeys!  This little girl has laid me two eggs this week. . .  I didn't think they would start laying till September/October. . . fooled me!



Future hens. . .They won't be near as big as Big Mama.


It seems bullies happen in every shape, form, and fashion; no matter where you look.  Every dog will have his day, sooner or later.

So. . . . Becoming a chicken wrangler. . . I have been learning to be a referree for chicken boxing matches. . . Old McDonald had a farm. . .

Inside-out Underwear and Other Ramblings (05.01.2011)

Hm m m m m. . . .

The water is always better when you haven't had any for a while. . . .

Hubby has a nice hotel room in Port A.

Texas Roadhouse ain't the best eating in the world. . .

Woke up this morning with my eyes swoll just about shut. . .?  And felt like I'd been run over by a Mack truck.  What the heck?  That was a nice, comfy bed.

Was leaving to run hubby's errands. . . left kids asleep. . .  Got to the parking lot. . . the Cowboy Jalopy was there at 8 a.m. . . .  What the heck?  Talk about me being confused. . . Too windy, so hubby got off. . . Too dangerous to do the lifts they do in this wind. . . Winds blowing pretty much constant at 30 to 40+ mph.

Got to experience truck doors shutting on us, multiple times, as a result of the wind.

I am going to have to have a serious relationship with the water facet this week to rid myself of the all the salt in the food at the roadhouse and Chili's.

Got to see one of the biggest cranes in the world. (From a distance.)

Saw a refinery vessel (from a distance) that hubby said is big enough to drive an 18-wheeler through.

They still haven't fixed the highway by/in Sea Rim . .. but did get to see Sea Rim . . what is left of it.

Never thought I'd see trailer houses on stilts. . but did.

Later about lunch time. . . realized I put my panties on inside out. . . They are still that way. . .

Went in a Wal-Mart store (haven't discovered where the dollar store or HEB/ other grocer in Port A. is, yet) for the first time (ever) since September.  .  . I don't miss it any at all.

Moriah is a pretty decent driver. . .so far.

Really enjoyed getting to spend quality family time with hubby and kids.

I am insane and may be in trouble. . .  Let MJ's "friend" bring his roping horse and we all went riding this evening. . . .  Stayed on serious mommy patrol from a distance.  They behaved.  And he was quite the gentleman. . .  Thought they quit making those.

Jake realized he shouldn't have turned down riding a horse instead of a bike. . . Not quite 1/3 of the way into the ride. . . too late to turn back now.


Oh. . . and hubby wouldn't stop the truck so I could check out a pretty looking white flower I saw growing everywhere. . .  couldn't tell if it was on vines or not. . . . Said I am too nosy. . . .

White Prickly Poppy. . .


Cowboy Jalopy. . .

A Hunter Always Gets Their Prey (04.26.2011)

 I killed the big cat.

This morning. . I, again had lion hunting before breakfast.  Not too tasty.  Never heard a sound or peep. The only nocturnal type creature I heard at/after daylight was a hoot owl.

Took MJ to school and brought Jake back with me as he has a dentist appointment later this morning.  Stopped at the house to keep our scents going as long as possible.  Got out of the truck and as we were walking to the house, I told Jake to go check his goats.  I fed them at daylight but they need to be checked again.  No sooner had I gotten the words out than I heard the "cat" sound again, back in the brush on the otherside of where the goats are but more distant.  Told Jake to get in the house and I went in a got the .357 and started outside quietly.

As I stepped out the back door, I heard the sound overhead causing me to immediately jerk my head up.  It was a bird, so I followed around the house in the direction it was going.  It met another bird, just like it over our front stock tank and made the noise again.  I have never seen these birds before but they appear to be water birds hence the reason I was hearing the sounds on the creek across the road and when the dogs got after it. . .the sounds moved off rather quickly.

In comparing the sounds to those on the video . . . they were as frequent and it threw me.  Also, hubby said he'd heard it and thought it was after the goats because it was so near the goats. . . Subconciously, I questioned it but never verbalized it.  Big cats are stealth hunters, they aren't going to make any verbalizations as they creep up to their intended prey.  The joke is on Jamie!  Well, and me!  I feel very dumb at this point but so ever relieved.

I will say, that last night due to advice from some board members I got online and went to researching while I was monitoring the weather.  I have learned a lot and can better face my fear of the big cat of the western hemisphere.  We do live in an area where they have been seen, though infrequently but they are here.  The kids and I know what to do if we encounter one thanks to websites from the west coast.  I may start another post of that later as I have to leave but I honestly hope that you all get the biggest laugh out of this.  I have played the fool and lived to tell about it.  Boy have I a story for the retired game warden turned sheriff and anybody else.  At least it is a good one.  Hubby's grandmother and aunt had a good laugh out of it already. . . as I had called to tell the grandmother and she wanted me to tell the aunt.

Life is good, no?

Lion Hunting for Breakfast!!!! Oh, my! (04.25.2011)

And I am for real . . . I know we call the nervousness when deer hunting "buck fever". . .  what do you call the nervousness when hunting lion?  "Cat Fever?"  Yes, I am for real on safari in Deep East Texas!   And was up before daylight waiting. .  . .  When I heard the sounds the cat was making coming closer and closer. . . my heart went wild.  I really don't think I could have shot it at that point.  No kidding! 

What a way to start the week!  James got up at 4 a.m. yesterday to start smoking briskets and ribs for lunch. . . as we were having company.  About daylight, he started hearing the sound that they make. . .not the scream we have been told they make but something different. . . Like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKw4OFAu1WM.  The dogs started acting like something was about and he came in about 7 a.m. to get a rifle and it woke me up.  I told him he was insane. . . and I went and listened.  Sure enough. . .  but I was still skeptical until I found that YouTube video.  Make the hair stand up on your neck when you know what it is.  I suppose James and my talking and smell ran it off because the noise started getting farther and farther away.  We think it was possibly after the goats.  Not good.  It was so hard for Jake and I both to go to sleep last night.  He ended up sleeping with me and I think he cried himself to sleep over his goats. . . I told him I was doing everything I could at the moment, I put all the dogs outside to help deter, alert us,  and I would be getting up before daylight to sit and wait and listen. 
To be honest, I am scared to death of mountain lions/pumas/cougars/whatever they are called.  When I heard that sound come in this morning and start getting closer. . .  my heart raced like it has never before done.  Kid you not.  The wind was constantly changing directions so I think it caught wind of me and started drifting off but then, it started back this way.  Up till about 7 a.m., the dogs acted like nothing was wrong with the world. . . all sacked out on what grass there is, snoozing.  But I think they had a long night.  Then, about seven, they got up and bolted to the north-west fenceline barking and carrying on. 

Then a few of them (the g. shepard/black mouth cur cross and my collie cross) started checking scent.  Don't know where Rambo, the bloodhound was but he usually is always in on the action.  I suppose the barking and all scared it away because I was still hearing sounds but it circled around to the north and east but was going away from the goats.  During all this, the yellow horse and the appy were acting a bit nervous.  .  Got to move the goat pen, again. . .  but I don't really know of any place that would be safe.
Why is it when you need a man the most. . . they are far away.  James is in Port Arthur, back to work.  He did call the sheriff who is a retired game warden and whom James has known for a very long time.  Since I have my hunting license, it is okay for me to kill it as it is non-game but I will need to call the game warden when I do.  Are they kidding me?  I want a man to come and kill this thing for me. 

I was about to have a heart attack this morning but I have to protect the kids animals, the kids, and hubby's grandmother.  James said he is going to have it stuffed if I kill it.  He's crazy!  He was telling me a 300 pounder was killed about two hours from here and I do know of a horse that was attacked in this county.  He did say that when he was back off work, he was going to find a rabbit or some vermin call and hunt it with his bow. 

Little Annie Oakely needs to get some more shells to practice with.
What a way to start a week off!  NOT  Hope you got a laugh out of my outrageous story. 

Confirmed. . . Mountain Lion!!!!! (Easter Sunday 2011)

Yep. . .hubby got up at 4 this a.m. to start briskets/ribs. . . . about daylight, he heard a big cat. . . come in to get the 22-250. . . and it woke me up. . . I went out and listened. . .  Told him he was crazy . .Ain't no way that was a fawn. . . and nor could the sounds move away so quickly if it had been a fawn. . .  Hubby thinks it was after the goats, possibly.  But it was less than 300 yds from the house.    Hubby grew up on this hill, hearing them, but has also heard them while hunting in Colorado.  I think I will be keeping one of the rifles handy AND loaded.  This means war!!!!!!

SCAAAAAAARRRRRRRYYYYYY!!!  And I don't like the notion of me being by myself and outside alone. . . And even worse, hubby's grandmother.  I got on her and told her to be vary careful when she was outside.  I'd hate for anything to happen to her.  Not something I'd want to find. . . especially after watching a stupid, scary movie (Frozen) with hubby last night.  (What was I thinking. . . I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about scenes from the show.)

Just got through target practicing. . . I probably will hit better with a bow. . . What has happened to me?  Used to could pick up a gun with out having shot in a long time with it and hit what and where I was aiming. . . . Not pick one up or practice in a while and go kill a deer or varmit.  I certainly better not apply to Top Shot at this point. . . Practiced with the .357 Sig. . . as it is smaller to tote around than a rifle. . . Hubby tends to hit high with it but I tend ot hit low. . . What is up with that. . . Tried the 22-250. . . . can hit with it. . just not comfortable with it.  Most comfortable with the .22 rifle and can hit with it just not dead on.  What the heck is wrong with me?  Is it just aging?  Hubby laughed and said that if anything, I'd at least scare it off.