Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Dog Day Afternoons Make For Scary, Scary Nights

It's hot, we're tired and I guess sitting on the porch or in the house with the fan is really the only way through the heat. I've been wishin' for an air conditioner forever. Then, I think about the conditions associated with the AC. More money, more money, and in jail all day.



Kids seem to pass-out after lunch from playing all morning in the cool, short hours before the heat sets in. Good way to forget how hot it really is. Funny they just drop where they stop.



Sunning

Old Dog lay in the summer sun
Much too lazy to rise and run.
He flapped an ear
At a buzzing fly.
He winked a half opened
Sleepy eye.
He scratched himself on an itching spot,
As he dozed on the porch
Where the sun was hot.
He whimpered a bit
From force of habit
While he lazily dreamed
Of chasing a rabbit.
But old dog happily lay in the sun
Much too lazy to rise and run.

— James S. Tippett
It's a fight for the shade and a guilt trip for me to shave the sheep and the goats. Pigs always get shade. Sunburn is a bad thing for all of the animals. I put sun-screen in the goats and sheep, too. Did you know that? Steve would flip if he knew how much I've used on the animals.


The whole back of the chicken shed is open and they get a cool breeze. But, their eggs--it's broody time and we have to really sneak to steal the warm eggs.



Is this what is meant by "dog-days of summer" where you want to just rock in the hammock and look beyond the leaves of the tree into the clouds and sky above. Birds are twittering everywhere and it's so NOT Online. That's the best part..it's outside and away from the phone, computer, TV, and radio. Not JAIL. I don't have my MP3. I love just listening to sheep and goats jumping around and making those cute noises that only a sheep or goats can do. (my husband hates the "baaaaaaaaa", he interprets it as gimme, gimme, gimme) Every once-in-awhile, there's a "winny" from one of the horses or a snort and an occasional "Haa-Hee!" from one of our donkeys. That breaks the serenity of the moment but makes me bust-out laughing. Maria, the donkey, is the loudest and we call her "Banana". Long story about how she got renamed, but she does like bananas. The name stuck. Acccckkk, this is a picture of Rosa, oops!...Rosa, is the quiet one. She's expecting like her mother. Baby mules are so sweet.

Larin and the lamb-bar. The dear baby goats and sheep drink through 10 straws-quick and easy. I wish I had invented it. Best deal ever and it's made of cheap nipples, a new paint bucket, and clear tubing that fits the nipples. The stand is made from a tire rim. I think I need to paint the stand again soon, Later...soon.




Poor hot dogs. She looks fatter. Kiely completely shaved "Little" and she loves it.





The poem that I found about dogs is completely describing our two Queensland Heelers. The world is just passing them by. Sleep all day and want to run the pack at night. We quell that fun event by putting them in their kennels in the barn. They both see and hear or hallucinate about the many creatures roaming the ranch and probably in search of kittens or stray lambs. I don't really worry or go out unless I hear the goats and sheep going nuts and then...with all of them just freaking out. I will try and maneuver down the dark steps to see what the tar-nation is going on.




Not too long ago, Kiely came in from coming home from a date and said, "Mom, Mom, There's something big outside." Thank you Kiely for letting your date go home! These things always happen when my husband it on duty at the fire station. Sooooo, I get her to walk with me out to the sheep and goats, and near Jurassic Park. I'm talking to her...and I hear her behind me...we're walking and stepping carefully as not to fall over rocks and gopher holes.

It's so completely, crazy dark. I hear movement and it's not a raccoon or opossum.



Suddenly..Loud crashing through the trees, I mean this "thing" was running fast and was huge. I thought it was one of the steers, so I really wasn't scared until I shined the flashlight over and horses, steers, and donkeys were all in their pens running around like they were loose, too. I said, "Kiely help me find some grain and a rope." I looked around...how long was I talking to myself? She ditched me, she "Pickin' DITCHED ME!" I felt very alone and stumbled while I tried to retain my balance from the shock. I was safe while she was behind me. I guess that made me brave. I looked toward the house and she's signaling me with the kitchen light. On-off-On and off. Swell, that's encouraging!

I tried to regain my composure and think about what my mom told me about the night. It's full of little owls and sweet night creatures that roam the forest in search of FOOD. And I'm thinking.. I'm the "food" and here I am... with a clangy bucket calling the creatures to me. It's funny how so many thoughts can run through your head when you're afraid and how stuck to the ground your legs have suddenly become. My feet were so heavy and slow I was trying and trying to, "Move it, Move it" to the house. Oh, yes, all the action is in "slow-motion" If you're thinking this is a big dream of mine, you're wrong! It happened, and that wasn't the first time a "brave" girl-daughter abandoned me in the night. Marnie says she's not afraid anymore. Hahahahaha.

I get to the house and I'm usually met with, "Whhhaaaatttt?" Innocent and sweet. However, this time. Kiely was frantic and said, "That was a BIG HUGE animal, I was worried!" "I didn't think you'd make it in!" Drama. I couldn't breathe, I was shaking, and bug-eyed to the max. Kiely thought I'd seen the monstrous beast face to face. "Ya' think?" "Yeah, I hung-out with it and we had herbal tea!" Soooo, you want to know right now what the huge animal was, that I encountered? The snorting, crashing-really crashing, running, and shaking the ground monster's true identity?

I had four theories. It was an E.T., Big Foot, some minotaur, or the ghost of Christmas Past.

I went out the next day with my mother. hahahaha. I thought about ditchin' her....

We found a bunch of deer tracks and droppings. The deer had been munching in the meadow and the dogs realized that... as all the other farm animals...I clanged my way out there to Jurassic Park and scared the livin' daylights outta' the deer with the bucket. I know, I didn't act cool and probably made more noise than their crashing through the trees. Besides, that---- I was hollering for Kiely. I forgot that part! I was the monster!



This is part of Jurassic Park in the daylight. Below, is what I saw with the flashlight. Nice and spooky. Oh wait...that's our Arkansas scarecrow. The deer pictures are below. BTW these aren't the actual pictures. I didn't hang-out to take their picture. But these are the California deer under the scarecrows. Did I mention the scarecrow eyes really "glow" in the dark?




It was just a few mother deer and her fawns. How sweet. Bambi came to our forest. Too bad it was Jurassic Park to them too.




4 comments:

jenkinsfamliypost said...

we are chickens in the dark out on danger ranch. i try and tell my kids that nothing changes in the dark, it is still the same outside but there is no sunlight. i try and teach them to not be afraid, because i am still.

Susan said...

:0 me, too! hahaha Even IN my house!

Breeda said...

Yeah...I don't go out in the dark. Chip laughs at me. Larin left me out there once...maybe twice. Drizzly....dark and tall grass.... she says "oh my GOSH! GOAT MAN!" and she's gone. By the time I turn around and she is already up the stairs and at the door.
Or there is Dustin grabbing my legs while I am walking up the stairs.
I have been freaked out a time or 2 or 3 or 4 or......

HAHA

Anonymous said...

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