Who knew 5.30.24

 Strange happenings led me on a very long and exhausting 2 hr. manic hunt. It started with me filling the car with recycling. I flattened all the boxes and flopped them in the back. At that moment the garage door opened. WTF the goats look guilty so I start yelling who has the remote. I went out shut the door and started back to the car, half way back the door opened again. WTF, the goats are just chilling chewing their cud. To put this in perspective the remote has been missing for a week. My brain goes into gear and I now think it's in the car and me messing with the boxes got it going. I get to the car look back goats aren't chewing they are in the garage eating chicken feed . Yelling all the way back to the garage, Get THE FUCK OUT. I chase there asses out and close the door. Half way down the door stops and goes back up. I now need to search that car. So I unhook the door and shut it. All the time I can hear the door motor running. I spent the next 30 min searching the car for the remote. Nothing. I start in the house an hour goes by I'm pooped and everything is torn up. I still hear that damn motor running so I go and flip the switch in the power box. I'm a hot sweaty mess and company pulls in. Recyclable all over the ground animals running everywhere. I really am exhausted so we chit chat for a while and she gets some eggs and leaves. I finish getting animals under control which is a whole days work crammed into 30 min. I went in sat in front of the fan and cooled off. After a short break I went in to do more laundry. I folded the dry cloths and proceeded to put the washed cloths in the dryer. After half emptying the washer I hear a clang of something other than cloths in the washer. To my shock it's the remote that went through the wash and was the cause of the garage door mystery. And it is still working. I had to lock the door again and turn power back on, but the damn thing is working just fine. Who knew you could wash your garage door opener

Hey! Your Emu is running down the road.

June 2024

 One of the Emus was let out oh her enclose, I later learned it was by the cows. At about 2 or 2:30 am there was knock on my door, in my dream state I did not respond very quick then the cow bell hanging on the door rang out with a yell of "your Emu is running down the road" . Now I roll/jumped out of bed and stumbled down the hall. I was confused because mine are in their enclose. My neighbor was on their way home from a night on the town and after getting off the ferry they spotted an Emu running down ferry road. They new I was most likely the only one on the island with them. I grabbed a flash light and my neighbor and I headed to the pasture. I discovered the door wide open and Emus gone. I was then greeted by the cows and Elliott all excited to see me. My heart sank as I was combing the pasture with my pocket size flash light to see if I could see them. I found one running around so off we went to run the roads looking for the other Emu. We all gave up at around 3:30 am and I went home to bed.

A little past 6 am came the second knock at the door. In my sleepy stupor again made my way down the hall bouncing off the walls all the way. One of the ferry crew members came to let me know the Emu was down close to the ferry running the road. I jumped in the car and off I went. I seen tail lights up ahead of me that was driving like he was following my Emu. I caught up to the guy at the ferry and the he told me the Emu ran down a dirt road not far back. By the time I got turned around and headed back the Emu was back on ferry road headed back toward my road. She seemed really tired and confused. I drove behind her as she walked back. She would stop to check things out as she moved along at a snail pace. Being so early on Saturday morning we only encountered 2 car that were headed to the ferry and with some flashing head lights and driving in the middle of the road they they stopped and waited till we passed. All was going slow but good but my worry was how I was going to get her to turn left on my road. A few slow mo donuts at the 4 corners and going the wrong way a few times we got around the corner. She had to check out a couple of neighbors yards before we got home. When she saw the other Emu she stopped and made it into the yard.

Getting her into the pasture without getting my ass kicked was a whole different story, she went to the fence where the other Emu was and laid down by the fence next to him. I needed coffee and a rest before tackling getting her in the pasture.

After a break and coffee I went out to see if I could get her in the pasture. I tried food no luck, she loves to be showered with the hose but that didn't work either. All I did was make her move around the outside of the pasture. I was afraid she would take off again so I left her alone to destress. Another cup of coffee later it started to rain. I found her laying in the woods. My attempt to get her in the pasture with all the other critters out there was not going to happen. I opened the gate to the back yard and tricked her in there. Shut and locked her in .

The rain lasted till the next morning. I had a good night's sleep and rain over I had to move her. I knew it was going to be painful as she would kick my ass.

Well the murderous attempt on my life was over. The Emu is now in the pasture where she belongs with her besty.. We both survived the ordeal. It only took 2 band-aids, 2 Ibuprofen, an ice pack and a lot of Bengay rub. Oh and Benadryl spray, as the Emu is kicking my ass the mosquitoes were eating me. The Emu suffered some feather loss and scrapes. Mostly it was her dignity that suffered the most as she was drug across the yard with those murdering feet hog tied. She most likely will hate me till the end of time. LOL

Bring on the Dragon fly's

     We have had a very wet last 10 months. There was a few weeks in the winter that was frozen mud but the rest of the time it has been mud. I'm talking boot sucking mud. The kind that if you are not hanging on to something your going down. I have had intimate looks at my pasture and total coverage of said pasture. Getting in my mouth as I was cussing was the worst. 

    With all this wetness it has brought out the biggest mosquitos and in Swarms. Now that it is Spring, early summer the flies have moved in to add an extra layer of annoyance.  Some days I think a blood transfusion is in order just to keep going. Lets talk horse flies that drive their blood sucking spike straight to the bone upon their landing on you.     

    Now living near water does not help with this problem. But it does give us the Dragon Flies that do a great job at consuming thousands of these blood sucking devils. 

    This year seemed to be late for the hatch of dragon flies.  My days would start with my pray for Dragon flies or hurricane winds to get the swarms of blood suckers to stay away while I did chores and to not loose my boots in the mud. Then I would come in and take a shower to get mud off and splash on Benadryl  spray. 

    

Water cooler gossip. What hens talk about. June 2023

   

  Have you ever wondered what chickens talk about when gathered at the water bucket?

   Have you all seen the new guys that the human brought in? I don't know what the Hell they are thinking. Those guys are enormous.  Jump me and I'm flat.

   I really like the bad boys to run with.

   Seriously, those little Dudes are so small I just swat them like a fly when they think they're  going to score with me.

    I hate those juvenile little bastards that don't even know what they are doing. Damn near took all my feathers trying to get it on.

    That big old Horndog Oliver corners me at least 5 times a day. Why don't he pick on some one his own size.  And did you see all those new kids this summer they all look like him.

    You know you're his favorite fluff ball.

    I just hang with JR he protects me from all those Horndog roosters. And he is so handsome.

     Did you see that new guy Flash? He tried to get cocky with big old Alice and she knocked  him clear out in the pasture. 

    What do you all think of Pretty boy?

    He does have a big mouth. but not sure about jewelry he is wearing, is that some kind of cultural thing?

    Are you kidding he has horns, Nope! Nope! not me.

    Those stupid Houdan boys, can't even see what the hell they're doing. 

    I do like a man with a beard and mutton chops.....

    Poor boy Crooked toes, his handicap sure does make it harder than Hell on my back, he just slides off, LOL 

    Ok girls back to work, here comes the boys...

Bottle feeding, not for the weak. Feb. 2022

     As a city girl taking on farm life in my retirement, being clueless does help a lot.  If I don't know I am not afraid of what lies in front of me.

    I have had to learn everything as I go.  That being said I may have found a different life style for my retirement. I do not regret my choice but it has been a life altering experience.  It is not like dog rescue at all.  I am not afraid of dogs so it was easier to work with them.  Now the animals are a lot more powerful and do not respond to voice, or at least mine.  Horses, cows, goats and those little Velociraptor Raptors.  I never thought I would be a snack pusher, they all look at me like a free vending machine. Just push me around and the snacks just fall out of my pockets.

    I love my little farm no matter how much grief they give me, the joy totally out weighs grief. I have gotten some injuries that I have lied about getting because of the embarrassment of how I got them.  Now I never thought I would like cows but discovered the miniature size and thought they would make a great addition. 

    I found a couple of White park males that where in my price range. I do know I do not want to milk any cows, that is a demanding job that is not for me.  These boys where bottle babies so they came here young. I was instructed on how to mix there milk replacer and feed the boys.  The size of the bottles made me feel like this was not going to be easy but still I learned how to hold them so I could feed both of them at the same time.

    I have learned cows and goats when nursing bang the mammas utter to get the milk moving, I guess. Now that banging is strong and hard. I seen the baby goats hit their moms utter so hard it took her off the ground.  Now when you're bottle feeding two cows at the same time I learned quick that their banging is hard.  May I say it knocked me off my feet the first time they did it.  I was totally unprepared for the bang. I quickly leaned on the wall when I got up and found that it kept me standing while I fed the two little Hulk Hogan's.  I put the bottles under each arm and braced myself for the bangs that where coming. The bangs are not the only thing I learned. They also pull the nipple.  So right after they pull me away from the wall the bang comes. I never thought I would become a ping pong ball for two little cows. I must say it was a leaning experience that taught me, no not again..

    Now the boys are 10-11 months old and they have filled out nicely, but the attitude is head strong and they are bull headed. LOL no pun intended. When they want to go out to the yard that is not fenced, I have tie them out so they don't go walk about. We walk out to their tie outs, seem so easy but they resist and I have to pull them out because they want to start grazing as soon as their head clears the gate. It is not easy for my tired old body.  They say stay active you live longer but this is going to  kill me.  

Island life

    We have had some odd weather this fall.  It has stayed warmer longer. We had a couple of snow storms but they melted.  The weather man has let us know we have one last day in the high 40s before the temps drop again. Now December is just a couple of days away and these warmer days will not be back till spring.

    My favorite thing to do is sit on the porch with a glass of wine and just enjoy the sights and sounds of the island. The animals, wild and domesticated bring such a warm feeling of peace and joy. Of course I am sure the wine helps. 

    Just listening to the shipping traffic on the river and the seagulls over head gives me a sense of  summer days gone by. Song birds singing and the hens happily murmuring as they scratch and peck looking for something good to eat. I just love to hear the chick chatter of the last baby chick born here. The goats roam around eating what ever branches or bushes they can find at this time of year. Elliott just want to graze on what's left of the grass, his chicken happily grabbing the fly's that buzz him.

    I have a few young roosters that where born this past summer and they are just now learning how to crow.  I love listening to them and trying to figure out which one is crowing while learning there distinct voice.  A couple of them are now trying to learn how to balance themselves on top of a hen as his natural urges are coming alive.  To ride atop a hen that wants nothing to do with you. All the  while trying to not get your ass kicked by the angry hen, is cause for fits of laughter.

    Sometime a neighbor will stop to sit and sip while enjoying the critter shenanigans. We enjoy telling our stories of the island and years gone by.

    I will miss these days till next spring and the temps again raise about the 40s and life starts anew here on the farm.

Horse Tails

 

   As I get older I try to make every move count, so doing something twice is a waste of energy.  Sometimes just thought of doing something again will make my language become so colorful I hope no one hears me. 

      I have a gate in the barn that separates the  goats and the horse. Well it only works on 6 of the 7 goats. One is a jumper and goes into the horses stall and eats his food and jumps back to get her share of the goats feed.  I have had to goat proof this gate. I hung some wire fencing over the opening above the gate.  Now I have to put extra locks on the gate to keep the horse from going into the goats area as he will chase them and the distraction on the barn and its contents are another opportunity for me to use my colorful language. 

    Now unlocking this Fort Knox lock down in the morning is not fun so I only want to do it once a day.  I have to grab the hay bin and water buck after all leave the barn. Then lock it all down again so they don't leave the barn. 

    My mind is in the O zone  and I am unlocking the gate and Elliott is standing by the gate. I shut the gate but did not lock all down thinking I need to make 5 steps to grab the water bucket and out we go. Oh Hell NO the damn horse has opened the gate and walking out by the time I turned around. I took one big leap and grabbed his tail thinking I would stop a moving frieght  train as it was leaving the barn. That was my first mistake. My second one was not letting go when I knew it was a freight train.  

    It has been six weeks now and my finger is still bent and a little swollen. The pain is mostly gone as long as I don't move it side to side or pinch the fingers together.  I really think this is not going back straight but as long as its not broke I can live with it.

    Note to self: don't grab the horses tail he won't stop, just get the water bucket later.