Saturday, June 30, 2012

Combat Training

On a side note, kittens are cute but messy and germy, not clean and nice smelling like dogs....maybe I'm biased... Just have to keep telling myself they're barn cats, and if they want to juggle horse apples like rubber balls, who am I to stop 'em?





Friday, June 29, 2012

Releasing the Krakens

Stand back. They're not pets: they're killing machines and it's open season on mice in the barn! No need for a license.....


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Tomato Sauce

I think we planted too many tomato seedlings in one planter!


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mousers

These frisky felines are going to have a crash course in catching mice. I can't do it by myself! They are courtesy of Farmer Ron at Scapegoat Farm.



Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Farmer Ron. You are wonderful and I am extremely lucky that you are my dad! Now let's go fishin' sometime-- it's been a while!

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Family Portraits




Computer Geeks are Funny

Mr. H just sent this photo of a baby t-shirt from his computer conference.

Really? I wonder which one of the kids I should put this on...probably the hairy monkey that left a tiny dried up turd by Gunnar's bed last night.

They do act up and out when Mr. H isn't home--every time. I get to play the role of strung out mommy...and farmhand..and dried up turd picker upper.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Baby Blue

In the same nest that boasts these beautiful blue eggs today, four fat baby robins were starting to think about taking a leap. I guess they moved out while we were on our cross country trip.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sour Pancakes

I will spare you a long, drawn out story so here's the short-hand version:

Buck, Frasier, and Niles were supposed to be the star attraction in a little petting zoo along with Farmer Ron's baby goats, at the Marquette County Dairy Breakfast today, but the organizer didn't get back to Farmer Ron in time for preparations to take place.

Determined not to disappoint the boys, I held a dress rehearsal this morning and paraded them around the goat paddock, explaining that this was indeed the Dairy Breakfast.

When I was pretty convinced that collars and leashes had been on long enough, and that I was about to have a couple of bungee jumpers off the goat pen roofs, I took all of their outfits off and gave them a raspberry leaf.

No one asked questions.
















Saturday, June 9, 2012

Beauty's Star

Word from Amish country got back to the Black Squirrel Ranch that my friend's Mini horse had her foal. Luckily, I was allowed to capture some photos of such cuteness!

Meet Star, the little dark foal, and Beauty, the proud mama:















Laying by a Turd in the Sunshine

We all wish this was just a raisin in the sun.....or a tootsie roll.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Like Mother, Like Son

Beatrice, 12 months
May 2011




Niles, one of Bea's twins, 1 month
June 2012


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

3x5 Folded Card

Classic Collage Thank You Card
Personalized graduation invitations & thank you cards by Shutterfly.
View the entire collection of cards.

Sunny Side Up

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Supervisory Position

I am the managing consultant or project manager if you will, while Mr. H cuts wood for a llama loafing shed. Every once in a while I help carry the framework. Whew. Back to my magazine...tough day on the ranch. Pray that everyone still has 10 and 10 after using the power tools: will do a finger and toe count later!


Irony with Feathers aka Baby Bird Breath

It's been exactly six months since we packed up the animals at Bluebird Hollow and moved to the Black Squirrel Ranch. If you'll recall at Bluebird Hollow the white Husky was making his way through the country one live (or dead) mouthful at a time. He was catching mice by the dozen, snakes, roadkill, baby birds hiding in the ditches, and anything he could lick off the ground. It was disgusting; I had to convince myself that the sound of bones crunching at the other end of the leash was just a snack stop involving a bag of pretzels.

This time, I wasn't even walking Gunnar: I as letting them into the fenced area in front of the house after their breakfast! Per the pet sitter, while we were gone, G-man had diarrhea; when we got home, Lily started up a little bit. Therefore, we were feeding those two kids chicken and rice and pumpkin puree--very gourmet. Instead of the usual dry kibble, they were getting food that most human kids don't ever eat in third world countries. (I have to confess: I was hungry this morning--still am--and when I gave Lily and Gunnar their portion, I grabbed the dog spoon and started eating the leftover rice...what have I become?)

Sitting outside with them, I watched Wulf bark at every bird that got near their fence and he became interested in some chirping above our heads on the deck. Thinking the birds would fly away if I stood up, I walked forward so that they would see me. This did cause a frenzy of chirping and fluttering birds, but unfortunately I think it caused a baby bird to prematurely jump out of his nest while prepping for a flight lesson.

All of the Littles and Gunnar chased the birds around--though the birds are all completely out of reach: with the exception of one little one that landed on the ground. I thought he had flown or stumbled to safety because all dogs went a different direction; and, when I went to see if he was still in the middle of the dog yard, I didn't see anything...until Gunnar came back to that spot, picked something off the ground, and started swishing his tail like a Cheshire cat.

I know that swish. That means he has something delicious in his mouth that did not originate from his food bowl. And I beg to differ that it really is "delicious." I knew, then, that the baby bird had not escaped to safety and was now resting in the Husky's mouth. This is the first live kill at the Black Squirrel Ranch for Gunnar! Six months! Whew. Well, that's what becoming a house dog does to you: no moles crawling through the kennel at night; no mice running through the barn to snack on.

On a slightly happier note:
Gunnar is famous! I was notified by email while we were on our Arizona trip that Gunnar--whose mother had entered him into a smiling dog photo parade--was going to be one of the canines showcased in The Bark magazine's online-zine for May 28th! You can go to the link below and click the arrows until you see G'man's face; or, check it out here in the photo. We are so proud, but I'm still not kissing him today after seeing what he did to that bird!

http://www.thebark.com/content/weekly-smilers-5-28-12

Friday, June 1, 2012

Back on the Ranch

Check out Buck and one of the kids I shouldn't have named (Frasier).

And, apparently, I'm going to have to start milking the horse?! That was not in the manual....