Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Not During Business Hours

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We’ve been pretty blessed on the farm, and all of our animals are getting along really well.  We like to think it comes from a lot of love from us and absolutely wonderful vets, both equine and small animal.  On occasion, things go off course and someone gets hurt or injured, and of course when this happens it’s always at odd times.  What do I mean by odd times? Night, weekends, and holidays – when the price and the panic level both rise!

The latest adventure belongs to Ranger. It was once said that Ranger should have been named Dennis the Menace because he simply can’t keep himself out of trouble.  It’s not that he’s looking for trouble or mean in any way, his imagination just always gets the best of him.

On a recent Wednesday evening, Cowboy and I ran into town to grab dinner and groceries.  When we got home, we went out to check on the horses and low and behold there stood Ranger with a horrible gash on the left side his face, hide just hanging there.  Now, for those who know me you know that I have a weak stomach for these things, so I immediately called for Cowboy to take a peek by yelling into the barn, “Come look at Ranger. He hurt himself.”

This got Cowboy’s eyes rolling because, let me just admit this right now, I am a bit neurotic about the critters. I watch them for changes, scrapes, any little thing.  Cowboy is used to this cry from me, and normally it’s nothing or even less than nothing.  So he comes sauntering out with that look that says, “Come on, it’s late.”

Cowboy takes one look, and I hear him say, “Oh man.  That’s not good.”  Which means, you guessed it, call the vet.  Cowboy is a firefighter/paramedic in his day job, so he’s seen a thing or two, and when he votes for medical attention, I pay attention.  After texting back and forth with the vet to share pictures of the injury, it was decided Ranger needed to go to the vet that night

Oh, one minor detail I forgot to mention, this was right after the great ice storm in Texas this past December, which then turned into a mud-pocalypse in our pasture. Cowboy dutifully climbed on the big red tractor and pulled out our horse trailer.  (Oh how I love tractors, but more on that another day.) We load Ranger, lock up the farm and head to the vet.

Long story short, stitches are required, as are drugs.  This is the first time in Ranger’s life he’s been sedated, at which point we learned not only is he goofy when drugged, but he is STUBBORN.  It was great fun getting his groggy hind end back in the trailer for the ride home.  Picture us out in the parking lot, me and the vet pushing on his rump and Cowboy pulling on his front.  Oh what a sight we were!

Back to the farm we went, supplied with medicines and thankful hearts.  Ranger just missed his eye, so we were definitely counting our blessings. Two weeks later, stitches came out and Ranger is on the mend.  The great news is that it looks like there won’t be a scar on his handsome face (because as you know he is my Fabio).

Big thanks to our wonderful vets who always fit us in, night or day or holiday.  We couldn’t live this farmtastic life without you!

P.S. – We found how Ranger injured himself. It was a rogue screw high up on a piece of equipment.  It was an absolute fluke that he found it, but it has been fixed.  Thanks to Cowboy of course, who was up at dawn the next day hunting the source of the injury.  They may be “my” horses, but I know how he really feels about them.

Farmtastic Updates

Critter Resolutions

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It’s that time of year when gyms fill with hopeful new members, weight loss commercials jam the air waves, and we all resolve to strive to be better versions of ourselves in the coming year.  Which of course got me thinking about life around the farm, and just exactly what would the animals resolve for 2014 (or rather what would I wish that they would resolve to do).

So to get the year started off right, here’s a few words from the critters here on the farm.

From the horses

  • Ranger – Everyone knows that I’m the looker on the farm, so I resolve to get my gorgeous mane in fewer knots.  Mom loves to brush me, but I don’t enjoy the talking to that I get when I’m a mess.
  • Sweet Suzy Q – I love to eat, in fact it’s my favorite thing, but sometimes I get a wee bit pushy when it comes to dinner time, banging gates and what not. I resolve to take it easy on the gates and other things that I find to make noise, as I know my mom and dad always keep me in great grain and hay.
  • Smokey – Well I’m often full of hot air just blowing at everything new that comes my way, so I resolve to tone it down a bit.  I mean my mom and dad know that I’m really just blowing smoke (ha ha)!
  • River – I’ve really come to love my humans, so I resolve to continue to build up my confidence.  Oh, and to take my wormer much easier.  Dad really doesn’t love being covered in wormer paste.

From the donkeys

  • Mama Rose – I resolve to finally let my humans pet me.  I mean it’s been four years and they spoil us so much, it’s really the least I could do.
  • Sweetie Pie – I resolve not to chase or bite my humans’ cars (or their family members’ cars).  While they are quite yummy, I truly do prefer some fresh hay.

From the dogs

  • Goober – I resolve to get a grip when Cowboy asks me to go outside.  It is very silly that I act like my legs are totally new and go slipping and sliding out the front door.  And Cowboy has been nothing but nice to me, so I suppose I could give him a break.
  • Dixie Doodlebug – I resolve to eat a little less and walk a little more. I mean in my younger days I was a tennis ball chasing fool, but no one is fully buying that it’s just my thyroid.
  • Abby – I resolve to try to cut down on the shedding.  While I do love leaving my signature white puffs floating all around, my mom would love it if we could make a vacuum cleaner bag last more than a week.
  • Maybelle – Well I am just so darn cute, I don’t really know why I need to resolve to do anything differently other than just being my sweet adorable self. My mom may disagree, but I’m sticking to it.

From the cats

  • Rhinoceros – I resolve to torment the dogs a little less, although I do love watching over their water bowl as they salivate and wish I would move.
  • Willie – I resolve to be more patient with Maybelle.  I’m doing my best to school her into being a proper pup, but she is just so enthusiastic it wears my old bones out.
  • Shadow, Bear, Grizzly, and Chip – Since we’re a little family within the farm family, we decided on a family resolution, which is that we will not run around like crazy cats at night when it is time to go to bed.  It really does wear our humans out and we are truly grateful that they took us in.
  • Nightmare – Since I’m the true barn cat around here, I resolve to continue to prowl the barn, but when I find great prizes, e.g. mice, I won’t always display them quite so proudly, as it really freaks out my mom.

And as the human that belongs to all of these wonderful critters, I resolve to keep up with our blog much better so that they can share all of their antics with you.

Best wishes and blessings for 2014 – from our farmtastic life to yours!

Dog and Cat Photo - Maybelle, Goober, Willie
This is what Dixie thinks about resolutions, just hide them under the cat. Maybelle of course, being adorable.

 

Adventures Away From the Farm · Farmtastic Stories

From One Zoo to Another

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Cowboy and I have been enjoying a little time off this week, and what do we go and do?  If you guessed go visit more animals, then you would be correct.  We just can’t help ourselves, but it seems that a good sanctuary, wildlife center, or zoo always gets our attention.

Today we visited the Fort Worth Zoo, which is one of the top five zoos in the country.  The big news at the zoo right now are the baby elephants, Belle and Bowie.  We made it in time for their viewing, and got to talk to one of the zookeepers where we learned that the elephant herd eats a thousand pounds of hay per day, along with bamboo and other treats!  And let me just tell you, in Texas hay can be like gold, especially in drought prone summers.  And the amount of poo they can generate? Let’s just say I’ll make sure to limit the complaining when scooping out horse stalls each day.

As amazing as a place as the Fort Worth Zoo is with natural habitats for their over 7,000 animals, I can’t help but think about how most of these guys and gals would be the happiest in their natural environment, but due to habitat loss and threats mostly from humans, they are at risk.  Many of the critters at the zoo are part of the AZA’s Species Survival Plan.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that it’s about having a good time with the critters, so I rarely tend toward the serious, rather quite the opposite.  However, I’d just like to remind us all to take care of the critters in this world.  We really can learn so much from them, and it’s our responsibility to care for them.

So from our zoo to yours, give the critters a hug today, lend a helping hand to those who need it, and remember them in your Christmas donations and throughout the year.

Farmtastic Gardening

“Digging” a Fall Garden

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Gardening Photo - Butterfly Bush
The butterfly bush in October bloom. It’s gone from buzzing with humming birds to buzzing with bees.

It’s one of my favorite times of year around the farm.  The Texas heat has given us all a break, allowing us to emerge from our air conditioning cocoon and take a reprieve from the two-shower-a-day minimum if you dare work outside.

Best of all, the garden is getting its fall surge.  My butterfly bush is in full bloom, the hummingbirds have moved south for the winter, and yes, Maybelle the puppy is still digging up my yard like she’s on a mission to find gold.

Admittedly, I’m a gardening novice.  But with each season I’m learning something new.  It’s a big fat game of trial and error.  What I’ve learned so far:

  • Garden plates make adorable edging, but puppies will dig them up and sit in the middle of the plate as if they are serving themselves up for dinner.
  • Shasta daisies are quite hardy and great bloomers, but puppies will dig them up.
  • Big old dogs are content to lie in the grass or on the porch as gardening companions, but puppies will steal your tools and dig right next to you.

Are you sensing a theme here?  Maybelle is a whopping 10-months old now and she is full of spunk and energy.  And she loves to be outside.  This has put a damper on my fall gardening plans, as I might as well be planting dollar bills with her digging habit.  But, Maybelle loves to sit on the  porch and watch the cows and the horses, so I’ll invest in my patience a bit.

In spite of the puppydom that has hit us this year,  I have learned a couple of useful things about gardening.  Around the farm you have to be resourceful.  So this fall when you are harvesting seeds, look no farther than your kitchen.  I found a cutting board and butter knife to be the best tools to sort my seeds.  It made quick and easy work of this task.

My final tip for fall gardening, put those adorable pumpkins up high or puppies will make their own version of pumpkin pie.

Dog Photo - Maybelle on the porch
Maybelle – one of her evening porch sitting sessions watching cows, horses, and donkeys.
Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

It’s a Dusty, Dandy Life

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Love and marriage might go together like a horse and carriage, but when it comes to country living it’s dust and dirt that have the perfect marriage.  And to be honest, the horses (and their carriage) love it!

Living in the country simply comes with a lot of dust and dirt, and if you want to keep your sanity, you just have to get over it.  I remember when I used to visit folks who had horses and barns (long before my horse days).  We would walk out into the barn and everything would be covered in a thin layer of dust, and I used to think, “Sheesh, don’t they ever clean this place?”  To all of you, I am deeply sorry.

Having lived the country life for three years now, I have finally given in to the dust and the dirt.  I mean, you can spend your days with brooms, dust pans, hoses, and my favorite, the leaf blower, or you can spend your days hugging the neck of your horse, brushing manes, and sitting on the porch.  Frankly,  the latter appeals to me a whole lot more.

To be fair, I’ve never loved cleaning, but I do my best. I grew up in a house that could pretty much pass the white glove test at any time.  My mom’s mortal enemy is dust, and it still is today.  In fact, we have a long running family joke about the fancy formal living room coffee tables circa 1974 that were shellacked to a high sheen (say “amen” if you know what I mean).  Dusting them was the bane of my existence.  When my mom finally upgraded her furniture several years back, she quipped, “You sure you don’t want these tables?”

I was quick to respond with “Are you kidding me?  Do you know how many hours of therapy those tables cost me?”

And not only do you just have to deal with it, I actually find myself spending cold hard cash on dirt, well sand, but you get the gist. Where we live, when it rains our dirt turns to gumbo.  That thick, gloppy mess that will turn a girl’s boots into 10-pound weights, that is if you are lucky enough not to have them sucked off of your feet.

To help with this lovely little dilemma, we’ve brought in truck loads of sand to mix around the horse stalls and work area.  And in case you are wondering, dirt ain’t cheap, which you are gently reminded of on hot dusty days as your precious sand is blowing around.  The wind whispers “cha-ching” in your ear as the dirt you actually want slowly slips away.  So while some girls get to dream of spending money on new sofas, I dream of sandy soil.  My what has happened to me?

And if not for the dirt and dust that just blow around, the animals will make sure you have plenty of extra.  For example, Nightmare the barn cat, loves to roll in the dirt and sand and turn his shiny black coat into a lovely shade of tan.  Sweet Suzy Q loves nothing more than a good rain to roll around in the mud and fill up her beautiful mane with mud clumps, resulting in bath time, which is a whole other story altogether.

So there you have it.  Country life is filled with sand, mud, and dust.  But when a big old dusty horse slobbers all over your shoulder and leaves a dirt print on your favorite T-shirt, you think dirt is just about the best thing you’ve ever seen.

Horse Photo - Ranger with his nose in the air
This is what Ranger thinks of the dust. It is just dandy!
Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Who Said Horses Weren’t Expensive?

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I have a confession.  It was not that many years ago that I was afraid of horses.  I’m talking you-would-not-find-me-on-the same-side-of-a-fence-with-a-horse frightened.  Now as an animal lover, I also thought they were beautiful, but just never could address my fear to get near them.  Because quite simply – they are BIG animals!

However, for years my dad has had a sweet quarter horse named Buddy that he  boarded.  And while he paid for boarding and vet bills, he used to say, “Oh, you’ll spend more on your dog to get shots than a horse.” And since I had no point of reference, I believed him.  I’ve also come to learn this was his way to gently poke at my mom for the vet bills for their dogs.  But let me just say, me oh my  have the last five years been an eye opener for me.

In 2008, enter Ranger.  A sweet little yearling that stole my heart.  The thought crept into my brain, “I can do this.”  So we adopted Ranger from the BLM, and our adventure began.  If you are a total newbie like me, you’re in for a royal shocker.  While I loved my little guy, the accessories that he needed were awe inspiring.  Here are a couple of things I learned about my horse and his accessories:

  • A Horse Trailer – You can’t put the horse in the backseat of your car.
  • Hay and Feed – If you are in Texas, don’t count on growing it.  If drought comes, you might as well feed dollar bills to your horses.
  • Halters – Headstalls, rope halters, bits.  Why have one of each when you can have three of each?
  • Pedicures – Not just for you anymore.  Those little horsey hooves need pampering too. Your farrier will be your new best friend, and prepare yourself and your checkbook to see him every six to eight weeks.
  • Brushes – There are SO many kinds.  We humans have nothing on horses in this department.
  • Muck Rakes – Let’s just say, what goes in must come out, and you’ve gotta have a way to clean it all up.
  • Buckets – For feed, for water, and just for carrying stuff.  Trust me, the more the merrier in this department
  • Vet – Oh how I adore my vet.  And I’m willing to pay the fee to have him come to me so that I can avoid the rounding up, loading up, hauling, unloading, reloading, hauling home routine.  Not to mention the times he has to make a trip out for an ailing equine (and just so you know, it will be night time, the weekend, or a holiday because that’s just how they roll).
  • Fences – Building or repairing, there is always one on the to-do list.
  • Stalls – Every horse needs a wind break from north winds, or a place to get out of the rain (even if they don’t choose to).
  • Random Meds – You must have a medicine cabinet for your horse just in case for cuts, scrapes, aches.  Horses are people too!
Photo - 4 Rope Halters for Horses
Just a sampling of our rope halter collection. Yes they are color coordinated, and we have a color for each horse. Is there any other way?

Oh, and around our place just multiply this by four.  Because, like halters why have just one?  All of this makes me scratch my head and say, “Really Dad, not expensive?”

Needless to say, this is one of those instances in life when I think I am perfectly within my rights to tell my dad he was very, very, very wrong.  However, I can also say father knows best.  Horses have changed my life. Taught me so much about myself, and I can’t imagine looking out into the farm’s pastures and not seeing my big, loveable guys and gal.

So if your heart is leading you to the horse, just make sure you know your way to the bank.

Farmtastic Tips

A Spoonful of Sugar

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Farmgirl life is relatively new for me, which means I have lots to learn and that the learning is often amusing, at least after you’ve cleaned off the horse snot, the dirt, and the sweat. For other new farmgirls (and guys), I thought I’d share some tips that are working around Wild Horse Valley.

When it comes to getting medicine in a horse, a girl needs an ace in her pocket. Let me tell you that there is no amount of reasoning, cajoling, coaxing, or sweet talking that will convince a thousand-pound horse to take his meds.  And while some folks may like to cowboy it, horses are large animals with strong powerful heads and necks, so that is just not an option for this farmgirl. Not to mention, it’s just not my style.

Like medicine for children, horse meds come flavored, with the most popular being apple.  Also like medicine for children, the flavor does not help the medicine go down. (Mommy friends, you know what I mean – cherry does not equal ice cream.) Trust me, no one wants to be covered in horse meds sneezed and snorted all over your favorite barn t-shirt.

But as I recall from one of my childhood favorites, a spoonful of sugar does indeed make the medicine go down. Enter molasses!  I keep a a stash of molasses on hand in the barn for those times when it does a horse good. Also on hand in the barn is a jar of bute powder, think Children’s Tylenol for horses.

Photo - Jar of Grandma's Molasses
Molasses – a farmgirl’s best friend when you need to get meds into your horse!

We’ve got an older mare, Sweet Suzy Q, who occasionally needs some bute for an aching joint or minor inflamation. And although it is apple flavored like all good horse meds, there is no convincing her to take it, that is until you mix it with a spoonful of molasses and a serving of her feed.  All of sudden the dreaded medicine becomes the best treat ever.

Learning how to work with my horses for their good, my safety, and our combined happiness is how I get that cowgirl up feeling.  For my next farmtastic tip … it is absolutely critical to label the horse thermometer.  Enough said!

Farmtastic Gardening

Everything’s Coming Up … Dishes?

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For those that know me personally, I’m a grand fan of shabby chic, or as I sometimes call it farmgirl chic.  If it’s chipped, dented, has faded paint, a great floral pattern, or just some lovely old thing, I am simply smitten.  I fell in love with this style early on in life for the romance of it, and later in life for the shear practicality of it (read adorable on a budget).

As you can probably guess, I also love a good garage sale, tag sale, or antiques store to rummage through.  And it’s on these many journeys that I am always drawn to the dishes.  Cowboy will moan, “You really need another dish?  You realize there are just two of us.” Luckily for me, the moaning is followed by the handing out of cash.

So what’s one to do with a fabulous dish?  Well there is the obvious of adding it to the ever-growing stash in the cabinet, or if it’s extra special finding a spot for it on the wall.  (NOTE: Arrangements of plates make great wall art.)  But what about taking the dishes to the garden?  Yes, I said garden.  Here are some great tips for using old dishes outside:

  1. Use them as a border – I dig small trenches, bury the plates halfway deep, and voila instant unique garden border.
  2. Add them to pots – I am a fan of using old galvanized buckets for pots.  I often tuck a small plate in next to the plant to spruce it up.
  3. Wire them to a fence – I am desperately trying to grow a rose bush over one of my fences right now.  Plates add some immediate color while I’m patiently (read not so much) waiting for the plants to bloom.

The great thing is they are cheap (you can easily pick them up for under a dollar a piece), you can mix and match, they are unique to your collection, and they are plenty durable for the outside.

Happy planting and plating!

Critter Stories · Farmtastic Stories

Cat TV

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We’ve got animals galore here at the farm.  There are those that are our pets, and those that are volunteer farm critters like deer, jack rabbits, and birds.  And whether you are a pet or a volunteer at the farm, we try to keep you happy.  (I’m convinced that the animals are spreading the word that our little farm is the best place to hang out – there’s good grub, fresh water, and the people love you!)

One of our favorite volunteers is the hummingbird.  And it’s suffice to say that over the last couple of years we have become a hummingbird destination, think Club Med for those little guys.  They start arriving in late March and hang with us all the way into October.

We go through bags and bags of sugar as we make hummingbird nectar, or as Cowboy calls it “hummer juice,” by the gallon.  Sometimes those little buggers will go through eight cups a day. And you know how small a hummingbird is, right?

We’ve learned that dawn and dusk are their favorite times to flock to the feeders, and since we love a good show, we’ve hung the feeders in front of our living room windows. It’s relaxing to just sit on the sofa with a glass of tea and watch the myriad of hummingbirds come and go.  We’ve got all kinds – some are green, some have purple necks, and some have red necks.  Some are rounder and a little frazzled, and since I identify with that description myself, those little guys are my favorites.

But if you’ve been following my posts, you know that we have cats galore as well, some might even say a cat-splosion has occurred at the farm.  And because I am a neurotic pet owner, I have a fair amount of them inside, for example Shadow and her three boys (Chip, Grizzly, and Bear).  When Cowboy and I put the hummingbird feeders up, it was primarily for our enjoyment, but what we failed to realize is that we essentially created the farm TV network for cats.

Cat Photo - Shadow, Chip, Grizzly and Bear
Cat TV – Shadow and crew are tuned into the hummingbird show.

So every evening you can see the cats gather in the window, chirp and coo, stalk and perch as they watch the hummingbirds. Sometimes it’s like they are watching a well coordinated tennis match as heads bob to and fro.  And the occasional sassy hummingbird will hover just outside the window at eye level with their cat audience as if to say, “Look at me. Aren’t I adorable?  Wouldn’t I make  the most delicious snack?”

So maybe that means we created the Food Network for cats?

Farm Life · Farmtastic Stories

Like Flies to Honey

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Nothing attracts friends and family to visit like moving to the country.  Don’t get me wrong, Cowboy and I love our friends and family but we have done more entertaining in the last three years than the last 12 years combined.  My theory is that the smell of fresh air, the promise of a porch sitting evening, and just plain old peace and quiet is as enticing for folks as honey is to flies.

For years, we lived in the suburbs in your typical three-bedroom-two-bath house.  We had a lovely guest room ready to welcome friends and family.  But alas, the room sat empty and I can count on one hand the number of times it was actually used.  So when we packed up and moved to the country and into our one-bedroom barndiminium, I was not prepared for the onslaught.  (For those who don’t know, City Girl, a.k.a. my sister-in-law, dubbed our place the barndiminium.  It’s a barn with living quarters, workshop, and horse stalls, a great big porch, and it is country living at it’s finest.)

House Photo - Shabby Chic Guest Bedroom
Our shabby chic guest room. Perfect for curling up in the picture window with a good book and a cup of tea.

Since moving into the barndiminium, we’ve had friends and family sleep on the sofa, the floor, and on chairs and ottomans.  They showed up, and we found places to stack them.  We’ve hosted dinners and cookouts and packed 12+ people into our little living space.  So much so, that last summer Cowboy built a guest suite upstairs. And thank goodness Cowboy is handy, or we’d still be spreading pillows and blankets out on the floor.

Our move to the country even inspired both sets of our parents to follow suit.  My parents came just 11 months after we moved, and Cowboy’s parents just two months ago.  And let me just say that they are all hooked. We’ve got dads driving tractors and feeding horses, and moms enjoying porch time and deer watching.  City Girl even has dibs on the barndiminium apartment for her retirement digs.

We’ve seen friends and family that we haven’t seen in years, and all because it’s enticing to take the long drive out of the city and head to the rolling hills, wildflowers, and calm.  And, I’m guessing you need this allure to attract visitors when your most interesting personal skill is that you can scoop a darn clean horse stall or make a mean enchilada dinner (obviously not at the same time, and with much hand washing in between).  I digress … so if you want to see your family more often, become the vacation destination. Oh, and it helps if you have a small zoo at your disposal as well.  Nothing will attract the kiddos like the allure of petting a donkey, riding a horse, or chasing around the barn cats.

The bottom line, it’s a good thing to have an interesting place to hang your hat since otherwise we’d still be looking at a pretty but empty guest room.  And if you need a break from your family, settle down in the suburbs.

House Photo - Guest Bathroom with Clawfoot Tub
The guest bath – complete with a vintage claw foot tub. Time for a soak!