It's Wild Around Here

Warning!!!   Warning!!!   Warning, Will Robinson!!!!  Okay, sorry I couldn't help myself with that opening from Lost In Space which was one of my favorite TV shows way back when. But seriously, if you're squeamish, look away NOW!!!

All the photos were taken with my iPhone. It's a handle thing since my camera is always misplaced.

 

As most of you know who follow me, I live in the country where there are plenty of wild things lurking about. In the above photo you are seeing a mole.......dead, thanks to my cousin Clark. This critter had been wrecking my yard for weeks leaving giant mole mounds. Clark is the local mole exterminator & he offered to "take him out" so to speak.

He did it!!! The mole was very crafty but Clark was patient. Look at the teeth on this thing....OMG!!!

I'm sure this isn't the end of my mole problem but it sure feels good to know that the granddaddy of all moles is no longer.  Thank You Clark!!!

Update:  Here's the latest photo of little "Show Girl," Showee for short. She stopped, posed for me, even started towards me in curiosity, then backed up. She's so funny to watch. Fairly soon afterwards she realized that her mom had moved off so off she dashed with her little tail in the air.

This beauty was fluttering about as I was gathering up some fallen branches after the big storm the other night. I was able to get quite close for the pic. This photo doesn't lend the beautiful coloring.

Finally, this is a photo of a branch/creek that fun thru the back forty. I'm thinking of doing a mini quilt from this pic.....if I have enough energy after all the hay baling.  We'll see.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and a nice Mother's Day.

Mending Fences

This past Saturday I had the wonderful chore, along with a couple of cousins, to repair fences on our property after the recent flash floods we've had.  While participating in that, I caught a little peacefulness before heading off for my second reason of tagging along....... I was also on the lookout of those pesky moma cows and their newborn babies. My job was to get a head count, for some reason known only to my cousins...... personally, I think they just wanted to get rid of me...... just sayin'.  Anyway, the baby critters have a tendency to hide in the oddest places..... like say in an adjourning pasture because the little buggers have rolled under the fence somehow and are now stuck in the neighbor's place.
Did I mention that I don't really like things that are bigger, smaller, faster, buzz, fly, slither, swim, waddle, crawl, flitter....... need I list more!
Ah farm life.... 

Snakes & Rabbits & Deer, Oh My

Gun Smoke was one of the western TV shows that I grew up watching.  Matthew Dillon, Miss Kitty, Doc & Festus, just to name a few.
One episode that comes to mind was Doc talking to Marshal Dillon where the doctor was explaining that he'd had a long night with a family where he was delivering the woman's twins. Matthew asked if the woman was okay, Doc saying that yes she was fine but that twins were unexpected and difficult to deliver...... Festus burst into the conversation asking, "Doc, what did you say she had?" Doc responded, "She had twins." Festus said, "Well Matthew, I don't know about twins but there were two of em!" Doc's head dropped to his chest in utter disgust.

Where am I going with that little walk down memory lane?????? One, at the time my family and I laughed out loud because Doc was so exasperated with Festus and two, that story was a cute way to jump into my next section.
I awoke to frolicking twin fawns in my back yard. Their mom is in the bushes on the other side of the fence. They were so cute, I stood in my window watching for some time.

In other breaking news around here...... the other evening just as dusk (9ish) I walking out to my bird feeder to take it in.... remember Mr. Raccoon eats the feed if I leave the feeder out.... well anyway, what awaited me under the feeder but a "chicken snake.!"  EeeeKkkkk! Sorry no picture and I won't repeat what I actually said but to make a long story short.... the snake is no longer with us.... I used a flat blade shovel to dispatch said snake. BTW, the snake was about three and a half feet long.
Finally, a couple of rabbits have taken up residents very close to my garden fence. The little fence is too tall for them to hop or jump over it but they can reach their little noses into it enough to get in a nibble or two. Can't get a photo of them... each time I've tried, they either run away or I wind up chasing them around and around and around the fence until they wear me down and I give up and go inside.
The animals are getting smarter.
I'm going to have to regroup.

Please Don't Adjust Your Screen

If you're wondering why my bird feeder is askew, I'll tell you...... a raccoon got to it.  Yep, you heard correctly, a raccoon.  Did I mention I don't like anything that's furry and wears a mask!
I love watching the tweeters as they feed and flutter around the feeder and all was well until the other night. By morning, the feeder was on the ground with no bird food in sight. I refilled the feeder and it happened again, so I tied the feeder to a branch of the Crepe Myrtle and to a metal rod thinking there was no way the little critter could get to the bird food..... silly me! The little bandit's paws are very similar to a human's.  Those little digets pulled, tuged, pinched and proded until the feeder wound up in the position you are looking at. It reeked of "in your face, human!"
I've now resorted to bringing in the feeder at dusk but believe you me, something will come to mind very soon.  Score one of the raccoon.

Safe Distance

As some of you know, I don't "do" animals well........ okay, I'm afraid of them ..... have a healthy respect for them....... so I snapped this photo from the safety of the truck......  mama cow wasn't very happy but didn't charge me for trespassing......  LOL

I found this jawbone with teeth attached and just had to snap a photo of it..... the science teacher is still in place..... my cousins told me that I would one day walk into a tree because I rarely look where I'm going but I told them they there are loads of wonderful things just waiting to be discovered if you're willing to look for them.

Bigger Than Me!

A funny thing happened to me the other day, well funny now ...... as most of you know, I don't do cows even though I live on a farm and own some cattle. Let me remind you that I don't like anything that crawls, slithers, flies, hops, skitters, gallops, buzzes, lopes ...... are you getting the picture ..... LOL
Anyway, this crazy old girl, better known as, Mad Mattie, at least that what I call her. She's a cross of Brahma and Hereford (tiger-stripe). Mattie is very protective of her new baby and believe me, I didn't want to get near the little thing. It was purely by accident that I got between her and the little one ..... needless to say ..... I had to make a run for it to get out of her way ...... landed in some very moist cow poop ...... sorry, I'll spare you a photo of that trauma. 
Where was I, oh yes, the baby was following me, I think out of curosity but mama was not happy with that one little bit.  My heart was pounding in my chest, my mouth was dry and I couldn't focus on an escape route ...... Mattie was gaining on me and fast ...... One plow part and a fence later, I was free of the curious little calf and her "crazy" mama.
I really hate cows, LOL .... no, I'm serious, I think!

My Tiny Friend

I love watching my tiny little friend during the day. There are several others but they are hard to catch on video. Hummingbirds are very territorial and love to dive-bomb one another at the feeder.

Mail Call & A Turtle Story

Give-a-Way - T is giving away a great pillow. Go and check it out.

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Here are two wonderful postcards from my good friends Holly and Carol. Pop over to their blogs and see what they are up to. My postcard friends are really wonderful.

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I bounded out to the mailbox and lookie what I got! A great package from my friend Maree. She was really good to me with this bundle. I had told her that Angie was having a baby in November(the first girl, BTW) and Maree sent me pink & green fabrics to add to my stash to make a quilt for the baby. Also included are a lovely card, a pattern to make a jumper for the baby, a kitted cap in the baby's colors(Maree did you do that yourself? If so....WOW! and thanks), a tin of cute flower buttons, a thoughtful book and socks. I am so blessed to have such a great friend.........I guess I'd better get busy making that quilt.

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And now for the rest of the story......Today started with a 56 degree morning....loved it......I lounged around in the bed, watched the birds fight at the birdfeeder outside my bedroom window, chatted with Kath for a few minutes, answered some e-mial, had cereal....you know a peaceful morning. I finally dragged out of bed, slumped into my studio, stitched on a binding, pinned it for later to sew down and wondered into my yard. It's about 69 degrees now and I'm walking about the yard picking up fallen limbs when I spot a lump under the Crepe Myrtle......hummmmmm, I thinking what in the world could that be.....not a snake to lumpy, not a squirrel to smooth, not a rabbit they're over by the last of my garden munching leaves. What could it be.....slowly, cautiously I moved towards the creature. The closer I came the more worried I became.....It was a turtle...far, far away from a pond or tank as we refer to it around these parts. Why had the little creature !~#$%^&*~)~+....... chosen my yard to park himself in? Didn't he read the sign that says "This Ain't It" clearly posted on a fence post in my yard? What am I going to do? I can't shoo him away like you would a bird or a squirrel or a deer. He won't budge. In fact, as I walked near, he pulled himself inward and just sat there. Now I'm alittle rattled...think, think, think......ah! A solution....shovel and hoe......Now I sense some of you pulling away from me at this point.....but don't worry....I'm not a murderer of animals ...... or.....people........I scooped up the little critter onto the shovel, placed the hoe over him so he wouldn't fall off and walked down to my neighbor's tank and left the little fellow there with logs of frogs, cows, dragonflies and other turtles. I did, however, warn him about the dangers of traveling without a mail.