Cats and More

Look at this glorious sight I took yesterday, Sunday the 5th!  

I only had the smaller Canon in my hand, not the big guy (Nikon) with the long lens... and I was taking pictures of the many geese flying over. 

I realized when I came in that that was a line of Trumpeter Swans! 

I had seen a picture posted earlier last week in the county and asked where they had been seen, but did not get an answer.  Well.. now I know... over my own house!  

Oh, there were plenty of geese, too. 

I'm glad I got the pictures last night because even though it is 65 degrees right now, 

the wind is blowing steadily at 25 mph, with gusts up to fifty.  I can hardly walk in it, and the chickens are hiding under the big hen house. 

Even the dogs who would normally have stayed out for an hour or two are here in the house with me, it was so hard for them to walk. 

This little critter is Teenie the Meanie, only the only one she is mean to now is Mama.  She and Mama have never gotten along.  Teenie has shifted from the shop (my barn) to the house porch.  

Coco, the black cat, sleeps in the old hen house and Wanda in the big hen house.  Teenie is sleeping on the porch now in a dog house.  Or... sometimes in the dog house.  I have found her curled up in a porch chair numerous nights.  I know she goes in the shop sometimes at night, because I see her on camera in there, but... Mama is in there. 

She is not afraid of the dogs, but Zoey does still bark at her.  Zoey has a vendetta against Coco, I don't know why. 

This, my friends, is why I have to change out the water in the bowl in the shop almost daily.  The doggone raccoon gets in almost every night, and takes a bath in the heated water.  I almost don't blame him.  I lock up all the cat food but there are always scraps and he and a couple of possums go in and out. 

This is a very badly lit picture, but here is another view of the shop at night... Mama cat is on the left getting a drink from the bowl... and a possum is looking at you from the deep straw in the big dog house in there.  I had noticed a deep depression, and I knew Cleo and Mama were sleeping up high... the possum must curl up frequently and rest at night.  We had frigid nights as recently as last week... now we have a string of more temperate weather with nights in the twenties.  I actually disconnected the two heaters in there to give my bill a little rest .  I unhooked the heat lamp in the first picture but then turned it back on when I realized Cleo used  the bed off and on.  

I am getting a little worried about my beautiful Buddy.  He went to the rescue's doctor three weeks ago and had a senior panel run, and everything looked good.  However, he has slowed WAY down since then.  It takes him a long time to cross the yard, and sometimes he has to lay down and rest for a while.  

I have a ramp out in the shop which I am going to try to carry over this evening and set up on the patio steps, but I have only ever had one dog that would use it.  We will see if he does.  The steps on the east side of my porch are not big... and he can still do them easily.  

The other things that worries me is that he is only eating about a third of what he was eating. 

He has been the gentlest, sweetest foster boy.  I hope we have some time left. 

He puts himself in his crate all the time (the door is open)... he spent almost the whole day in there yesterday and sleeps in at night sometimes, though he has a soft bed.  When it is really cold out I turn the little heater on... it is on the left in that picture, and I know the heat feels good for him.  

Cleo is sleeping in Fritzi's old bed in the shop.  She always looks mad.  It took two years for Cleo to let me touch her, and she is currently shying away again if I come too close.  She is spayed, don't worry. 

Bullseye, for some reason, hates Cleo.  I have to lock him up when I do chores. 

I think Bullseye is also feeling a little under the weather.  He spent most of the day inside yesterday and is behind me right now as I type this.  I have made him a bed on top of Buddy's crate (he just went in it) and he is curled up going to sleep.  I foresee some visits to the vet in our future.  He has had all shots and is neutered... I am hoping it is nothing serious. 

Wanda.  She loves her little nest bed. 

What I see when I do chores every night.  Zoey has to go... she cracks me up. 

It was cold that night and she had her little sweater on.  

My boys. 

Beautiful Susie is still alive,  even after last week's bitter weather. 

She is inside today, I think the wind was too much for her. 

I lost my sweet little Silkie hen, Mary.  She suddenly looked terrible, all hunched over.  I checked to make sure her vent was not closed with poop... it wasn't.  Chickens are prey animals and they do not show you they are sick until they are almost gone.  This was Mary's last night, she was gone when I went out in the morning. 

Poor little Pipsqueak looked for her everywhere.  I tried letting him loose with the big birds but he got beaten up a couple of times, so now I am carrying him in and out to his little pen. 

I am going to buy a few hens for the Ag Hall, and I'll try to find a little hen I can put with him. 

Gosh, it's 3:14, I just realized.  I need to wind this up and get ready to do chores.  I am trying to still lock everyone up by four.  I think they will be glad to go in tonight!  

Cleaning hen houses will soon be on the bill, the little hen house, despite it's having been cleaned totally in October, is a disgrace.  My grandson Jax will be busy as soon as we are sure the weather is going to be better.  I am going to try fine shavings this time instead of straw. 

Sorry.... I HAD TO DO IT!!!

You can imagine what it is like here in the Kansas City metro area this week. 

Here we go, Chiefs!!!!

Interesting Pictures

First, I need to make an announcement about my 

right wrist/hand. 

You all know I broke the wrist on December 9, in a fall. 

Not on ice... clumsy. 

My brothers called me "Grace" while I was growing up. 

Anyway.... tomorrow I go for my first therapy 

assessment.  I have had the cast off a week, but a brace on, 

except for a bit four times a day.  I sleep in it, it feels better

with support.  I was stunned to know that the hand was very weak, and 

the wrist even weaker, and I still have some swelling. 

So, therapy next week and the following two, it appears.  

All of this is by way of explanation for the lack of 

posts and the lack of pictures.  I can't hold the big camera up 

for any length of time.  That will come back with time. 

Here are some pictures from the game camera.  I have always enjoyed using a game 

camera, whether in our pasture, or now, at the Ag. 

These were taken two nights ago, and last night. 

I had just had a conversation with the education director 

yesterday, and told him I never saw deer, even when I came early or late. 

Cracks me up, because I found this on the camera when I got 

home that day.  What I do is leave the camera there, and change 

out cards.  Then I reset the camera, moving it around from day to day. 

I had seen their tracks, but had never actually seen one. 

The beautiful fox came soon on her tail. 

Then a raccoon. 

A possum, running fast somewhere. 

A skunk. 

And then the fox again. 

This was early this morning. 

He checked out the woodchuck's holes very carefully, 

and I could tell this morning that he had dug at those holes, there 

was fresh earth outside.  Maybe it's a vixen, looking for a den. 

PLEASE DON'T PICK THERE. 

This bunny is EVERYWHERE.  I see it almost every night. 

It's no longer afraid of the camera eye going off. 

We have had clouds for days, I am thoroughly tired of them. 

This juvenile eagle was at Wyandotte County Lake 

yesterday.  I could not get a good picture of him, but he 

was dive-bombing the ducks bobbing on the choppy water. 

This little flock of coots was rocking and rolling. 

You know I love my geese. 

A Long Picture Post

I took the dogs out for a run this afternoon since it got up to 42. 

It was gorgeous out... the sun shining, and no wind, compared to yesterday. 

What a relief! 

Weeds? 

Or... Christmas tree decorations? 

While the dogs were running in the pasture, I was cutting weeds. 

I have to figure out what to spray them with (fixative) so I don't have seeds all over the bedroom... and something NOT flammable... because of the tiny lights on that prim tree. 

However, this is going to be the "natural" tree. 

Before we left, I had run the recyclables over to the transfer station. 

Only a few geese were on the pond... really, if I go in the late afternoon, it's packed! 

This one rambled all around the pasture, 

While this one stuck a little closer to Mom.  Lilly had gone after him several times. 

She found a bone the other day, and was protecting it... I thought. 

I became aware that she was laying by the old henhouse... when I turned to take this picture...

Jester tried to go through the single walk gate just out of sight to the left, and Lilly drove at him, she had been laying by the walnut tree you see here.  I should have realized something was up. 

But... she came through the gate finally and went down to the bottom of the pasture, where she was pouncing on something in the grass. 

So, I saw this guy: 

It was a hawk, not a buzzard, but he did not come closer, and soon disappeared into the blue. 

And then this came over... from the southeast to the northwest, so I don't think 

headed for Fort Leavenworth or the airbase at Topeka. 

So then I realized I was getting chilly, and Jester, who had gone down into the far end of the pasture, had come back up and was ready to go up in the yard. 

I got up and followed him, and we went to the car.  He was glad to jump in... and I turned around and called Lil.  I couldn't see her anywhere... 

finally... I saw her tail wagging at the walk gate into the pasture by the old henyard. 

This gate is just to the right of the henhouse. 

Jester saw me walk toward the gate... and he jumped back out of the car to follow me. 

Because... this little guy was in the porch of the old henhouse. 

I believe one of the dogs had already gotten him...because I had heard something cry out earlier, and had actually gotten up and walked up into the yard and looked around. 

Lilly would normally kill them... and it looks like he was mouthed at that back left leg. 

Poor little thing.  I had meant to take some bread out there I needed to throw out today... but forgot it. 

This may have been the culprit.  

But, somehow, I don't think so. 

Poor little guy was panting hard.  I'm sure one of them got him.  

Hurts me... I can't bear to kill them. 

I loaded the dogs up so he could relax.  I hope he lives. 

I was almost home when I hit the brakes as I saw this guy. 

My stopping disturbed him. 

But he didn't go far... I was shooting over my shoulder at this point. 

He landed 20 feet away.  I noticed two cars were coming, so I put the camera down and drove.  I passed another hawk, a much smaller one, in the same pasture about 50 feet away, but could not get him on camera, of course. 

You can't see them very well, but when we got home, there was a lineup of 

doves sunning themselves on the fenceline where the bird feeders are in our yard! 

And I wanted to mention that last night on the way home from the farm, I scared a flock 

of about 20 robins!  Robins!  Never have I seen them this late in the year. 

I read something on the Birds and Blooms website today that if there is 

ample food, they will stick around.  I was so stunned. 

Keep praying for the people of Ferguson and other places where there is 

so much unrest.  I am not going to give opinions... we don't need to 

incite people... but just pray that peace will return to our country. 

Blessed in Leavenworth County, Kansas. 

Hump Day

NO!  Say it isn't so!

I took this picture not 20 minutes ago, coming back from the feed store, a mile from our house on the levee over Stranger Creek Valley, with bean fields on either side. 

SNOW! 

The weatherman said yesterday that we would get a blast today, the last blast for a while. 

As you see, there is no sun. 

Side view to the north, looking over the bean fields to 24/40 highway a mile away. Normally you can see the cars from County Road 6, where I was. 

It's already over, thank heavens. 

It would have been the straw that broke the camel's back for this woman. 

We will not be feeding from an open platform this year after the winter. 

It has created a huge area of spilled seed, and it's this that draws the hordes. 

The starlings prevent the other birds from getting anything, except that I put seed out for the little ones early 

in the morning and late in the evening, for the last feeders, the cardinals, juncoes and mourning doves. 

I'm going to invest in two nice feeders with spacious sides for the birds to perch on.  We'll make it just a tad harder for them to work for their food. 

Remember that I showed you the full feed can on Thursday? 

It is empty today.  I just got back from the feed store, fetching more. 

It's an expensive hobby. 

As soon as I finish this post, I'm going out to shovel (again) in the old henyard, and 

put some fresh straw and some prairie hay out, so the ducks can finally leave

the henhouse.  They are miserable penned in there, and they have created a mess. 

In fact, I'm going to have to go to Garnett and get grandson Chris to come up and help dig it out... it's solid pack of wet straw and partially frozen, but will thaw the next few days. 

The sun has tried to peek through off and on all day. 

This is the wild area across from our house, ten acres never developed.  It belongs to a chuch who has intended to build on it as long as we've lived here. 

There is an entrance up the road to the right. 

So... file this under Strange Country Stories. 

People think that because we are in the country, anything can be dumped here. 

Dogs, cats... these are routine.  Trash. Christmas trees. 

So, Keith got a call from the Emergency Manager of Leavenworth County, a friend of his. 

Someone dumped a truckload of human excrement up here. 

Can you believe that? 

I heard machinery coming from there a week or so ago and thought it was strange, in the middle of a snow event. 

It has already been cleaned up, but, my gosh. 

We reported roadkill deer being dumped there by KDOT workers two years ago, and they 

were cleaned up promptly after we complained... it just goes to show. 

I happened to look out the window a few minutes ago and did not see any starlings at the feeder. 

I did, however, see this. 

For this poor little fella to be out in the middle of the day in the middle of the yard, he must be very, very hungry.  I don't know whether to go out to put new seed down for him... I am sure he is digging through what's out there... or to put the last of the bread from the pantry out.  I feel so very sorry for all the wildings, and so grateful that Lilly, who was asleep on the porch, did not smell this little creature and kill it. 

I can't tell if there is a baby clinging to it's back, and I have taken several pictures. 

I will post as I can for the next few days.  I hope to get out there in a few minutes and get the ducks sprung. 

I'm going to put their lettuce out for them so that the chickens won't gang up and eat it... the ducks go nuts when they see it.  I can also kiss off my duck eggs because they will freeze outside if I can even find them, and I have enjoyed getting them clean from the henhouse for the last week! 

I'm going to put some bread out in case the possum comes back to eat... it's still out there, moving slowly... I'm glad it found the seed. 

Everyone stay safe, and our friends in the southeast... our sympathy is with you as this storm batters you again... and our prayers. 

The Return of Winter

As Keith calls it, it "snained" today... a snow/rain mixture. 

Yes, the official last day of winter, plus, they are telling us another storm is behind it and we can expect an inch or two on Thursday into Friday.  I am not complaining (much) because we can use every last bit of moisture... but it is getting tiresome. 

I don't want 86 degree days, either, right now... just normal spring days so I can get the garden in and work on tidying up the yard. 

Here's Abby with me this afternoon, watching HLN. 

She likes to sleep with her head hanging off the couch. 

I am still dithering about the turkeys, so am going to stop by my friend's tomorrow and check to see how they are doing.  I don't want them back, I just want to make sure they settled in. 

Crazy, I know. 

We didn't get much done outside today because of the snow and rain, so not much to report on the gardening front, but I have got all three of the tomatoes up now, and had to remove the plastic cover, because two of the seedlings were actually pressing on it.  

I'll take a picture of them tomorrow. 

Abu Rawan from Baker Creek was the first up, followed by Gypsy, and SuperSauce.  I am keeping close records of each variety this year. 

None of my perennial seeds has stuck it's head up yet, but they are 7 to 21 days to germination on that side. We are going to bring in my old crafting table and set it up in the office, so I can start four more trays of seedlings. 

Oops.  Abs got stuck on the coop side of the old henhouse... the feed room side is where Butch lives, and his friends come back and forth through the hole in the door that you see here. 

That's it for gardening news today at Calamity Acres. 

Here's a couple of pictures from last night... and Ian and Cheyenne, if you read this, feeding is about to cease until next winter, and we aren't letting the chickens out in the pasture.  However, I think two little goat wethers are about to come into our lives, so we need to deter the predators at this point. 

They get the eggs we can't give away anymore. 

We have seen that there is a lot of living and let living amongst the wildings.