Broke My Heart

I went out to check on Ursula. It’s been four hours since she went outside. She knows how to get in and out of the shop. She knows where the food and water is, but she already knew all of that. She is in the shop at the moment. She came to me and I picked her up and loved on her. When I was leaving she was crying to me. It broke my heart. I wish I could keep her inside but I can’t. I have too many inside already. I’m so sad over this one. 

Cracking Me Up

Cracker Jack is cracking me up. I’m not sure when or how the chickens figured out they wanted to ride on Cracker Jack’s back, but they don’t want to stop. The chickens that are riding on his back are not growing as fast as they should be. They are all three smaller than any of the other chicks that have hatched on the farm. I guess Cracker Jack is protecting them. It’s funny to watch them together. 

It’s Time

Well, I decided since the weather was not going to be as bad this week, it was time to put Ursula outside. Oh how I hate it so much. I did not want to do it, but I knew I needed to. I’m hoping and praying she stays here and does not run off again. My heart just hurts. I know if she stays here and makes friends with the other cats, she will be fine, happy even. Right now, Ursula is hissing at the other cats and scared at every noise she hears. It stresses me out. I know I won’t sleep tonight thinking about her. I need her to stay and be okay. 

Don’t Look Behind You

I walked into the shop and saw Yeller at the food bowl. As I looked closer, there was a chicken in the crate behind Yeller. I just knew at any moment that chicken was going to jump out and get Yeller or at least scare him. It didn’t happen while I was in there, but I’m sure it happened. Those chickens and the cats could make a funny video. They are always up to something. 

The Barn Cats

These barn cats, the younger ones mostly and silly. I looked out over the field and I see three of them on top of the big hay bale. They were playing and jumping around. I never know what they are going to do. They are all three are high energy and seem to love being out here on the farm. 

Cinderella

I’m sure you know by now about the fainting goats. Tinkerbelle is a sweet and friendly goat. Cinderella is not. She is terrified of anyone getting close to her. She started showing signs of having worms and it is that time of year, so I knew I needed to worm her. I also knew that would not be fun. I was able to catch her and she took the meds well. It was surprising, but we made it happen. I had to cuddle with her a few minutes which I appreciated but I am sure she did not. 

Can’t Catch a Break

Ursula cannot seem to catch a break. She had the burn and that has healed. Then I had her spayed and she had done well with the surgery. Now she is dealing with a case of worms. She has been treated and will be treated again in 10 days. She is the sweetest thing. I want her to get better. She is getting lots of cuddles. She is not feeling well and all she wants to do is cuddle. 

Older Animals

I do have several older animals here. All four of them have been with me for twelve years. Maggie and Bubba both are showing signs of decline. I knew when I got all of them at the same time that they would all be old together. It’s just sad to watch them. They have been great and loving pets for all these years and they still deserve the best. I am seeing to it that they live their best days. 

Sweet Maggie

My sweet Maggie is declining. It is an obvious decline. She is having more trouble seeing and she can’t hear well. She stubbles quite a bit now. She gets lost and confused. I hate watching this. She is still trying to run and play with the other dogs which is positive, but I know she is struggling. It breaks my heart. 

Licking

I do not know what the problem is. The animals have decided to start licking me. Even if I’m just walking by, they decide to lick me. Alex is bad about it. Jeb has even started doing it. Heck, Ursula even does it. I do not appreciate it and that’s probably why they do it. I do like how much they love me, but they should stop the nonsense. 

Protector

Alex has been a protector lately. Jasper has been a little food aggressive lately and Alex will position himself in Jasper’s way so the food can actually get into the feed trough. If Jasper wants to torment the person feeding, it takes longer for Alex to get his food and he does not appreciate the delay. Being on a farm is a funny place to be. You see things you would not normally see. 

Selfie Fail

I was outside trying to get some videos of the cows for my sister’s birthday. I went over to take a selfie with Alex and it was a selfie fail if I ever saw one. He leaned over to me and literally licked my face. I was laughing so hard I was crying. A cow tongue does not feel good, especially on the face. 

Younger Hens

The younger hens are definitely laying eggs. I found one in the goat pen attempting to sit on eggs. She was going to fight for those eggs but at the last minute decided against it. Those eggs are so much smaller than the older hen eggs. It’s a big size difference for sure. 

Sharing

Ursula has been playing so hard with the toys in the bedroom. She must have hit one underneath the door and now the other cats are playing with them. It’s funny to watch them play with toys. Most of them end up under the couch or lost somewhere but I do laugh while they are playing with the toys. It is nice Ursula is sharing her toys even if she does not have to. I’m sure she probably did not mean to share her toys but she did anyway. 

Finally Getting It

Tinkerbelle and Cinderella have not been liking the hay. They have not been wanting to eat it but I think they are finally getting it and are eating it. They seem like they are finally feeling at home. It makes me happy to see them being happy here. I’m grateful they are finally getting it. 

Sebastian and Ursula

Ursula did great when Sebastian was here. He would get up on the bed with her and when she had enough of his wild self, she would jump off the bed and go into the bathroom. She did not hiss at him or scratch him or anything. I was shocked but she did so well with him. I was grateful for the encounter. 

Crazy Donkey Brays

When we got home from our trip, it was about four in the morning. It did not matter to the donkeys. They came out from wherever they were and started braying like crazy. It was almost like they had missed us and were happy to see us. That makes my heart so happy. These guys have been mistreated and they know they are happy and safe. They all must love us if they are going to bray like that when they see us coming home. 

Invitation

Ursula is the most well behaved cat I have ever come in contact with. I know the time is coming to put her outside, but for now, I’m loving her being inside. This girl waits for an invitation to even get up on the bed. She does not do anything she is not supposed to. She was a stray but she is so well behaved. She needs a home inside. She would be such a good fit for someone. 

Therapeutic Day

While we were gone, I had someone watching the animals. When we came back, I asked her how things went and she said it was very therapeutic being here with the animals. She has been going through a little bit of a rough time and she said it was good for her to be out there. I’m glad Mattie’s Mountain gave her the therapeutic day she was needing. It warms my heart. 

An Experience

This will be a long post so stay with me. Ronnie was contacted about some horses a family member had and they needed a home due to property being sold and no where for them to go. Ronnie said we would take the horses. Ronnie and I loaded up with the horse trailer and took off for Oklahoma. When we got there, the horses were much bigger than expected. We tried for hours to get the horses in the trailer. One did get in but he was so upset that his friends were not there, I thought he was going to kick the side of the trailer out. He ended up with a cut on his head from trying to get out. The girls would not get in that trailer. I’m hindsight, I do not think all three would have fit because they were so big. The oldest horses was so adamant about not going in the trailer, she flipped over on her back twice. The second time, Ronnie was leaned down by the gate and she fell over as the other one ran through the fence. Ronnie was hurt but did not act on it. After that, it was obvious this was not going to work on this trip. They let the other one out of the trailer. He was in no mood to make the trip without the other two. The owner was so upset we could not get them in the trailer. He said the only other option he had was to take them to auction and he knew where they would end up and he did not want that. We told him we would come back for the horses, we just need to figure out a better way to get them. The horses were already stressed when we got there. They had been moved from their pasture into the round pen and halters were put on them. They already knew something was wrong and they were not having it. Hopefully the next time will be easier. I cannot leave them to a date that is not desirable. They deserve better and we will make sure they are taken care of. Ronnie did end up going to the ER. I’m pretty sure his shoulder was dislocated but by the time we got to the ER 12 hours later, the doctor called it a contusion and gave him a sling. He is doing better now. 

Grateful for eggs

I miss my family. I have been in Texas for close to two years now. I do not regret moving here but I do miss my family and my friends. One thing that I have been grateful for is people visiting. When people visit or when I go home for a while, I am grateful for the eggs these hens give us. When someone visits, they take my Gramma some eggs. When we go visit, I take her some eggs. This last trip, she got 14 dozen eggs. It makes me happy to see her excited about something so small. It means a lot that others will help take her eggs. It’s the small things that add up. 

Opening the Gate

Mattie was acting strange one evening. It was about to start raining again. Ronnie had put some hay out for the animals. None of them wanted to come over and eat it. They all gravitated toward the lean to for some reason. I must be slow about figuring things out. I finally realized the gate had been closed and they wanted in there. I got the gate opened and Mattie ran in there. I knew then that was what he had been trying to tell me. 

The Sun Shade

Ronnie had been telling me he had been seeing Onyx in different places. He never had his phone to be able to show me. I finally got a picture of Onyx. She was in the sun shade in the goat pen. It was so funny watching her in the sun shade. She knew she was not supposed to be there but she must like it there. 

Where is Peanut Butter??

Peanut Butter is stressing me out. I know he likes to run wild but I know coyotes are in the area now that the weather is cooler. I have started hearing them and I had not heard them for several months. Peanut Butter has been missing for a few weeks now. Ronnie saw him at the house one time in those weeks. Maybe he is still coming around, but I haven’t seen him. I wish he would stay home like he used to. Jelly has been here most of the time since Peanut Butter has been missing. That tells me something must have happened but I still have hope Peanut Butter will come home. 

Skunk Smell

I walked into the shop and I would have sworn there was a skunk in there. It smelled just like a skunk had sprayed. It was awful. Ronnie and I both looked everywhere for a skunk in there and did not find one. I wondered if Yeller was getting old enough to spray but I don’t know the answer to that either. It’s time to get him into the vet to get him fixed. That was the only time I have smelled that in there. I hope it’s the only time I smell that. It was awful. 

That’s New

Yeller is known for chasing the chickens. He has not caught one yet though which is good. I walked into the shop and I see Yeller eating out of the cat bowl. I look over and see two chickens eating out of the bowl next to Yeller. I laughed out loud about it since the thought was so wild. Seeing all of them eating next to each other was not something I expected. 

Another New Spot

These chickens are making things difficult with changing up their egg laying spots. There are so many spots now. I walked by the hay barn and saw a chicken sitting in there. I came back later and there were like 10 eggs in there. That’s so many eggs. I can’t seem to catch up with getting all the eggs. They are everywhere. 

Again

My knee had started to feel better. I was starting to walk around more normal. Ronnie had been doing most of the feeding since I could barely walk. He was not home and since I was feeling better, I went out to feed. The sheep ran right into my leg trying to get to the food. It’s not their fault, they do that all the time. I just didn’t think about it. My knee flared back up some, but I knew it would be better again in a few days. 

Misbehaving

The sheep know who they can get by and who they can’t. While Kenzie was here this last time, she helped a lot with the animals. When she would go feed the sheep, they would try to slip by here and actually did get out a time or two. They did come right back in though. I find it funny which animals try to push their limits. I think the sheep were just food motivated but I had to laugh seeing them run by her and the gate. 

Balancing Game

I caught that rooster on Cracker Jack’s back again. I laughed so hard. That rooster was trying desperately to balance and Cracker Jack was moving around trying to get him off of his back. That rooster stayed on for several minutes but finally gave up and flew off of him. I still can’t believe Cracker Jack would even let him be on him back but I am so glad I witnessed it. 

The Horse

I have been afraid of horses for a long time. I did go to a friend’s house when we moved here and her horse came right up to me. He helped to decrease my fear of these big creatures. I wish I could remember his name. I went by her house the other day and saw him standing there and it reminded me that he helped me so much with my fear of horses. Since I do have horses now, it was a good thing he did. 

Loving on Noma

It has taken so long to get Noma to be friendly. It has been a struggle and it has taken almost two years. Truth be told, she needs food to be motivated to be friendly, but I love being able to hug her and kiss her nose even if she has to have food to let me. I will deal with that. If I love on her too much, she will still turn on me and try to kick me. I sure do love that sassy girl. 

Rojo’s Twin

Rojo has a twin. The rooster is still young and does not look like Rojo yet, but he looks scarily identical to what Rojo looked like when he was that age. Rojo is incredibly beautiful so it will be interesting to see what he looks like when he gets a little bigger. I hope to get to see that. 

Ursula

Ursula is the sweetest thing. I am not sure she likes other cats. She is learning how to play. She is a little cuddle bug. She is litter box trained. She is a smart thing. Her hair is starting to grow back and she is looking better. It looks like she is all healed up. It’s about time for her to go outside. I will miss her in the house with me. I won’t miss that she stays up all night though. 

Hercules’ Horn

Ronnie and I were able to finally get Hercules’ horn cut. I was glad that it got done. It needed it. Hercules’ horn must have been cut wrong when he was young since it grows all messed up now. It does look like it will have to be cut about once a year. This was the third time it had been done and we have had him for three years. 

Injury

Well, I have been injured. A long time ago I ended up with a knee injury. It has been injured several more times since then. I had been doing really well the last couple of years with no injuries. I know my knee is unstable and I probably need to have surgery. I know what it feels like when I am about to have a problem and I work hard at not hurting it again. I was outside feeding. The dogs had been inside most of the day and had a lot of built up energy. I was not paying attention to them. Daisy and Bella were running around and they were playing. They hit me full force in the back of the knee. I cannot explain to you how bad that hurt. My knee popped back out of place. I have been hobbling around for almost a week. It is getting better but it’s rough. Poor Daisy heard my knee pop a few times. She stood right beside me looking up at me like saying she was sorry. I know they did not do that on purpose but she obviously felt bad. 

Pretty Litter

Has anyone ever used Pretty Litter?? I cannot decide if I like it or not. I’m using something like that with Ursula, but not the Pretty Litter brand because it is so expensive. She had not been acting right for a couple of days and then she was fine. The litter had not changed colors until after that. About a week later the colors were changing with her litter and it said to take her to the vet. She is eating and drinking and not running a fever. Now I’m questioning if that stuff actually works or not. Should I take her to the vet or not. She isn’t acting like she feels bad so why would I take her?? I do have to run by the vet office soon, so I will ask them about it. 

Chickens in Shop

For some reason, more chickens have decided to roost in the shop. I am guessing because the weather is changing. I do believe it is also to hide from the roosters. There are about four or five in there now. Yeller is funny with them. He will sit and watch them and then try to get them. He never does because they are faster than he is. The places they are roosting is interesting to see also. You just never know what you will see out here. We may need to start filming it. 

Saying Hello

I watched the outside cats the other night. They were standing up at the back door. The screen on the door is useless at this moment. I noticed they were sticking their hands in the opening and I didn’t understand why. Once I walked over there, I saw Oreo on the other side of the door sticking his paws out to say hello. These cats are sure funny. The inside cats and the outside cats usually communicate through the doorways. 

Sweet Bubba

My sweet Bubba is getting up there in years. This year has been a rough one with him not feeling well. He is losing weight and been sick more often. The one big difference I have seen is he has become so loveable. He wants to be in your lap all the time. If he isn’t in your lap, he wants to be near you, even in areas he should not be. I go ahead and indulge him. I think it helps him. I sure do love that cat. 

New Food

When Ronnie went to get cat food, he had to buy a different kind because that is all they had. Jelly does not like the new food. He sat there and looked at it and then looked at me and then back to the food. He did finally eat it since I was not offering anything else. He was certainly not happy about it and let me know that with his eyes. 

Old Saying

That old saying, sweating like a pig, I used to laugh at that. I thought pigs were gross. They would be all muddy and sweaty and just gross. That is a mis characterization of a pig. Pigs do like the mud but it’s because they do not sweat. The mud keeps them cool when it is hot out. I wonder where someone got that old saying since pigs don’t sweat. It’s a general wondering on my end. Anyone know the answer?? 

Feral Cats

When people hear the words, barn cats or outside cats, they immediately think they are feral. Feral in the meaning they are wild. I have several barn cats which live outside in the barn, but I do not classify them as feral. They are socialized and get lots of love and attention. They also get vet appointments and stuff they need. When people say barn cats, they do not have to be feral. When people say outside cats, they also do not have to be feral. I just wanted to clarify that fact. 

Selfish

I am being selfish and I am not sure why. For some reason, I do not want to put Ursula outside. I know I should not be like that, but I hate the thought of her going back outside. I don’t want her to run off again or get injured again. I want to keep her in her bubble in the bedroom/bathroom. She seems happy in there but I know it is not fair to her to keep her in there. She needs room to run around and needs to be with the other cats. I just do not want to do it, but I also know I have to, for her. 

Never seen that

We have a bunch of roosters on the farm. They were all hatched here. I noticed that we have about 6 of them running around that are almost identical. They have a characteristic I have never seen before. They all have extremely red feet. None of our other roosters do, but those 6 do. I had to take a picture since I had never seen that before. I learn something new every day around here. 

Rotten eggs

I found some eggs in the hay barn. The eggs had been cracked and the ones not cracked did not look good. I sat them out of the hay barn to distribute the hay. When I came back around, the chickens were eating the rotten eggs. Yes, they were rotten eggs. I could smell them before I rounded the corner. That is so gross. Chickens never stop amazing me. They are an animal I never really thought about before having them. They are interesting. 

Surprise

I was out feeding. It looked like it was going to rain. Ronnie and I were trying to run through all the feeding and watering process as quick as we could so we didn’t get rained on. I got to Tinkerbelle and Cinderella’s pen. I went in to pour the food in their bowls. One of the bowls was turned over. I picked it up and turned it over. There was a surprise for me under that bowl. It was Linda, the chicken. I didn’t have my phone on me to take a picture. I was shocked. She just got up and ran out of there. I do wonder how she got under there and how long she had been there. She was not hurt or anything. Who knows what happened. 

Chief Smiles

Chief is not overly friendly, but he is friendly. Sometimes it takes him a little bit to warm up. He has been with us a year now. I’m not sure of his background, but I can guess on some of it. He was over with me and Sebastian one afternoon. I was holding Sebastian and Chief gets right up in his face and smiled so big. I was glad I had my camera. It was a priceless shot. Sebastian just giggled his sweet little toddler giggle. It was a perfect moment on the farm.