And The Rodent/Garden Battle Continues...

I wrapped chicken wire around what's left of my my potted plants in hopes that the surviving branch here and there will grow back. One Geranium plant is all I have left and I think it's survived only because it's up high.

 I set up my greenhouse. Then shortly afterwards the wind came and blew it down the hill approximately 50 feet where it landed to rest against the tack shed.

The music man and I brought it back to where it belongs. A couple days later it threatened to blow back down there so I took the cover off and am rethinking it. I need to adjust to accommodate the afternoon wind. Growing things in a desert climate is always a challenge.

I began laying fencing around the garden area, prepped my beds and planted onions. My transplants are still safely inside my kitchen for now although I'll need to bring them out soon.

 I stopped for some quiet time to watch Chancie. Turns out I love horsey TV too!  Insert big goofy smile here ((   ))

This makes it all good, the wind, rodents and chewed plants. We have the most amazing sunsets here and today... Luna Tuna Pie comes home and we are so excited!

Operation Kitty Update

Good Morning and happy Friday peeps! Before I jump into my post about the kitty cats I wanted to thank you guys all SO much for your kind words for Duke. His vision is back and he is feeling great! I even took him on a sunset trail ride with me yesterday to run off some energy. He was as high as a kite from being cooped up the last couple days. 

I'm thankful he's okay, holy freaking cow that was scary!  What a lesson we learned. In talking with the vet he mentioned that herding dogs like cattle dogs aka heelers, collies and shepherds are highly sensitive to Ivermectin as it seems to go straight to their brain.  

I wanted to be sure to pass this on since some of you are concerned about using this dewormer. I've used Ivermectic for years and have never had a problem with it, certainly never had a dog eat horse poo and suddenly go blind. Duke is a heeler/shep mix, a herding animal and that's explains why his reaction was so bad.

Ms Blue Eyes is one the kitties I got a couple weeks ago and she's hilarious... 

 Whatcha looking at?

 Yeah I'm talking to you. Don't make me get ugly now...

Okay I'm sorry I didn't really mean that. What I meant was I'm not really very feral at all. In fact I like to be held and loved... until I've had enough that is, then I'll just bite you...

The other kitty aka Ms Green Eyes, although she doesn't run away from me anymore is definitely not friendly.  I've noticed that over the last few days she watches me while inching closer when I"m petting Ms Blue Eyes. I think we may be friends one day after all. She is going to be a great hunter. She's curious and really fast.  She and Jack have even been nose to nose a couple times and it doesn't seem to faze her one bit. Perhaps she knows he just want her cat food?

Both kitties have both been exploring during the daytime hours while sticking close to the tack room. Ms Green Eyes is starting to venture further out but still makes it back at dusk. They both seem to have settled in nicely.

Happy weekending,
Jen

Our Piece Of Country...

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, 

for going out, I found, was really going in" ~John Muir

Linking to

Duke is blind?!! Our evening chores last night were normal, we played ball and he ran around like crazy while I fed and filled waters, he was fine. After dinner and coming inside about an hour and half later I noticed his pupil were huge and he was scared. Monkey and I shined a flashlight into his eyes didn't get a reaction, nothing. He was jello legged and hesitant to walk, choosing to crawl towards my voice instead.  He can't see a thing...

This morning his vision is not any better. He did go out with me for morning chores but stuck close to Jack and me, actually bumping into us and everything. His pupils are still gigantic but appear they may be slightly smaller as I type this. Vet opens at 8 and i'll be calling.

Have you ever had an animal suddenly go blind?

Jen

***Update
I spoke with a good friend and our Vet who helped me piece it together. I wormed Chancie yesterday with Ivermectin and Duke obviously ate some. Either via poo or a drop on the ground. Ivermectin is extremely toxic for dogs and causes immediate or sudden blindness. Thankfully it is temporary and he will be back to running the trails within a week. I'm feeling incredibly grateful and relieved! Thank you God...

For those who use Ivermectin for horses or chickens, please keep this in mind next time you worm. I am pretty sure he was exposed via droppings so even though it passes through the horses system it is still potent enough to cause this reaction.

Happy Trails

Life Is Good...

Do you feel it too? A week ago it was so much easier to bounce out of bed. The morning light is coming a bit later every day as Mother Nature gets us ready for winter and the rest it brings.  For me, being a "morning person" is so much easier when the sunlight is coming up, when its pitch black out I'd like to stay under the covers.

Although our days are still warm the changing light and calender tell us we need to start preparing for the winter season. Building shelters and dragging for run offs just moved up on the list of things to do.

This weekend...
Luna's second abscess finally burst and she is officially on the mend and feeling much better. No more pain med's thankfully. We should be finishing her turn out this coming weekend as she'll be coming home within the next week or two.

I had a great visit with friends Saturday night.

The Music Man's debut of his new duo project Sunday afternoon was such a blast!

This weekend I also began letting the kittens out of the Tack Room during the daytime hours and so far so very good. Everyone is getting along and they are happy to come back in at dinner time. I'm happy too as I know they're protected during the night. For a couple of feral cats one is certainly friendly and the other, very curious. Neither are hiding from us anymore.

The girls are also spending a bit more time free ranging, not the best photos above but you can see how both dogs stick close to them. Duke, the protector and Jack who is simply searching for their droppings. Either way I feel they are okay cruising around the upper part of the property as long as the dogs are close by them.

I'm feeling very thankful for the rhythm of these days. Although we're working hard, the animals and the humans here are settling into new routines and it sure feels good.

Before I go, I wanted to say hi and welcome my new followers, hi! I appreciate all my blogland buddies and love that you guys take time out of your busy days to visit me. I sure do enjoy reading your comments and following along with you and yours, Thank You!

Happy Monday!
Jen

Uh Oh things are a bit hectic...

Ms Luna Pie came up severely lame Sunday late afternoon with muscle spasms in her left shoulder leaving her unable to put weight on her leg so we medicated and gave her a message. Unfortunately Monday she wasn't any better so I called our vet who came out and found two abscess tracks.

An abscess in a horses hoof would be similar to us having something jammed under our finger nail, super painful.  Once it burst though the pressure is released and they feel better.   She is feeling better but still not sure abscess came to surface yet. I am meeting the farrier (horse hoof guy) this morning.

Don't let this sweet face fool you, he's been a total pain in the butt since we moved. He is not listening and keeps getting into trouble... I swear all he cares about is food. I've had to start locking him in the deck area when I leave to avoid a super upset belly of his at all hours of the night.

He's been sneaking into chicken coop when the girls are free ranging to eat their food and poo, yuck!  He and Chance have something going on too. When I feed Chancie his goodies (fiber, fat and omegas) Jack runs into his turnout to grab some for himself. Amazingly Chance steps back and lets him eat his food. Not sure but I will have to lock him in the deck at feeding time too. Sheesh...

This week has been productive and we are close to being able to relax a little bit again this weekend, fingers crossed.  There is always work to do here and we don't mind at all I am just hoping the music man can enjoy some down time. He has been working non stop for a few months now.

In other news, not animal related :) my seedling are sprouting. I was able to get the greenhouse up and compost in the raised beds. I'm hoping to get fencing around the garden this weekend

I love this pic as it shows all three of my guys having fun.

How about some chicken TV to start your day? Okay.

Have a great day!
Jen

Linking to

Santa Plows...

Perhaps during the off season Santa is my neighbor Glen?   He came down the other day to grade what will be Luna's turn out and I love how this photo came out. I think it captures him so perfectly.

Hope you had a great weekend. Ours was nice, productive but with some time to rest...

Linking to OWT

This Week..

This week Ms Luna Tuna Pie had her pearly whites done. It was obvious that she has had her teeth done before which is great news but it appears it had been a while, they were sharp and she has ulcers on one side of her mouth.

(photo by K since my hands were busy. That's my hand holding her nose while whispering calming words in her ear.)

She is a happy horse now, gaining weight and smooth teeth yippie.  She was drugged but I'm pretty sure she said thank you when she leaned against me and sighed. She really is a sweet girl. We also verified her age to be 11 or no older than 12.

This week I shot the music man and his drummer for a new duo project.

This week also brought us the first rain of the season. We needed it badly. While I know there are parts of the country that are saturated we are bone dry and have been for a few years now. We seem to miss most of the storms but there is talk this year is to be different. I hope so...

The rain was fantastic. I stayed indoors after chores and made plum jam, worked on my throw and watched We Bought A Zoo.

This week my spinach, sweet peas and lettuce seeds sprouted.

This week the music man finished the cross ties woohoo!

This week three of my pullets blessed me with their first eggs! Sweet little brown eggs not sure but I think it's Miranda, Martina and Minnie Pearl.

This week our Monkey turned 21. I am one super proud mama at what an incredible woman she has become.  Her gentle soul, giving and thankful heart and her determination to achieve anything she sets out to is amazing and inspiring.  I thank God he blessed me with you 21 years ago, I love you babe.

Wow I thought we had a fairly quiet week around here but after reading all we did I'm exhausted phew... :)

Happy weekending
Jen

Operation Kitty Cat...

We were told when we moved here that there are snakes. Everywhere. Which one's are good to have around and which one's can't be around. We were told to have flat head shovels placed strategically around the property, so we did. One by the front door, coop and tack room. We knew it wasn't a question of if we would see a snake but rather when...We are not about killing things around here but rattle snakes are really bad and their bite could kill us not to mention the animals.

Well last week I killed my first rattle snake. It was just out my front door and wasn't very big at two feet long and an inch and a half or so in diameter. Still pretty freaky since we were also told that babies are typically more dangerous than adults. Something about controlling venom.

Photo by monkey.

For the last couple of weeks we've been waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of field mice and their nails scratching away inside our air vents.  I've hung the fabric sheets and it does seem to help but non the less the annoying scratching continues.  The mice apparently are in large numbers too hence the snakes.  I'm thinking as they are such a great feed source for them.

So this got me thinking.  If we can decrease the mice, the snakes may decrease and I can get sleep all night long without interruption.

Hello Operation Kitty Cat!

We don't like to use pesticides around here as everything falls into the "circle of life".  I'm afraid if I poison the mice the owl, chicken, dog or coyote that eats it could get sick and die as well. So last week I picked up a bunch of kitty stuff and began to get ready. Today I brought home two rescued four month old feral cats.

The black kitten was unsure and didn't want to get out of the carrier. Whereas Ms. Blue Eyes jumped right out onto my lap and walked around me checking everything out, even my feet... Not sure how feral she is?

After a few hours I went to check on them and found they are eating, drinking, playing with the toy I got them and

the little black and white girl decided it was okay to leave the carrier.

The girls will live in the tack room for a couple weeks to get comfortable and know where "home" is. Both girls are adorable and I'm thinking in time,  we'll be best of friends.

Orange You Glad...

It's Friday? Me too. I know the last few weeks most all the pics have been of our animals and the work to build their areas so I thought maybe today we could mix it up a bit.

Last nights sunset.

 My kitchen with some Fall decor.

Our days are amazing right now. The weather perfect. Warm days, cools nights and foggy mornings. After the cross tie and hay storage area's are completed we'll start to put up the green house. I'll be starting my lettuce, kale and spinach seeds indoors today. I also have carrots, garlic and onions that are waiting for their raised beds. Oh yes, I absolutely love this time of year!

Happy weekending peeps,
Jen

Please Don't Pinch Me...

Luna had her second work out today with our amazing trainer and is doing great! She's needs a lot of work but her attitude is wonderful and she is so eager to please.

Chance is settled down and is a happy guy again, thankfully.   Yesterday we went on our first trail ride from the house and it was so beautiful. It was also Dukie Pookie Pies first ride and everyone did perfect! Thanks to my amazing talented and hard working husband for making dreams come true...

If I'm dreaming please don't pinch me. I'd like to stay right here and absorb every bit of these days.