Man Verses Beasts

You may not be able to see but this trap has three wild hogs in it. My cousin, Clark borrowed the trap from another cousin, Ed. Allow me to digress a bit. Up until last week Clark was into trapping "moles." You know those tiny, almost blind, sort of hairless burrowing creatures that make mounds in your yard!! Clark is the king of trapping them but for some unfashionable reason, he decides to get into this new venture. I advised him that wild hogs are not the docile creatures like the moles but he didn't seem to grasp that concept.

Mole mound where the little critter lurks!!

Back to the present. Three hog wind up in the trap & charged it & him. Suddenly Clark realizes the viciousness he faced. So Clark called on three cousins for help. Mind you, all four of these guys are over 65 years old. This was not going to be pretty.

Picture four slow moving guys with two pick-up trucks backed as close as possible to the trap with raging, salivating, ferrel hogs just waiting for an opening to making someone's day.

I couldn't watch.

Let's just say there was a lot of screaming (like a teenage girl), hollering, praying & profuse sweating. All coming from the guys. My back was turned & I was safe seated in my Jeep ( I'm no fool). But by some miracle no one was injured only a bit shaken & limping, the guys, I mean!!

The hogs, still quite unhappy, were driven away to a processing plant.

On a brighter note, cousin Thelma landed a 10 lb. catfish. Dinner looks promising!!

Off On Another Tangent!!

"Moth Eaten"
is what I've come up with for my next series of blocks. I'm planning twelve blocks total. As those of you who are followers, you know that when I get something in my head, I'm on a mission to get it done........ Until it comes to the quilting part....sigh!!
I was talking with Mr. Cowboy when a moth flew into the room from nowhere the other day. Of course I had to eliminate it which was not an easy task because said moth was fleet winged. No really, I couldn't catch the little flittering critter. Mr. Cowboy was laughing his head off as I chased the moth around the house yelling for him to help me. Finally, with heavy breathing, a sweaty brow and a near missed fall, I pulled out the big guns. No, not the shotgun, although I did contemplate it, but that would have caused major hole damage. Plus, Mr. Cowboy stood in front of the gun vault thingy. I used Raid, of course!! A can in each hand. I nearly drenched myself before I could take out the moth. I thought I'd need oxygen afterwards.
With that said, here's my first moth, not a block yet because I haven't figured out what I want as a background.

I decided to to the 'death-face' moth from Silence of the Lambs and after surfing the Net I found out what it would look like and drew off my own interpretation. Then I dug into the old stash for possible colors.

Using Steam-a-Seam II Lite or Heat N Bond Lite, I traced off the parts needed.

Next, I cut out parts. Above are most of them. I did have a minor problem with the fan blowing things around.

Finally, here's my moth. I'll think of a background later.

First Kill - Masticophis flagellum

Warning, if you're afraid of things that slither, don't go any further! Stop now & turn away!!!

Yesterday Cowboy was opening the gate at the cattle guard when out of the corner of his eye he saw something long & black very near him. 

I'm sure you've guessed by now what critter it was. A snake & not a very friendly one either. It was, what we Texan call, a black runner.










Normally, Cowboy doesn't like to kill them because "they are one of nature's way to keep mice, rabbits, birds, etc. under control, among other critters," so lectures Mr. Cowboy (eye rolling and long suffering sigh)

Unlike me, the huntress,

whose motto is "the only good snake is a dead snake!"
Notice, I'm dressed with all the proper gear; safari hat (optional but makes me look good), gloves, calf boots and of course the old  trusty shotgun. Anyway back to the scary moment. Mr. Cowboy tried to ignore and then shoo the snake away but it just kept coming so he dispatched the snake with little fuss as I was nearly screaming my lungs out in panic because this thing is fast but not venomous. Did that matter to me? Nope! Refer to motto!!
So, it you live in snake country, please be aware that with all this warm weather so early, the snakes are roaming.
Be safe!!

So, I Was Sewing When....

Got a few minutes? You're going to want to hear this one. So I was sewing up a storm on a secret project for October (a little hint below) when Mr. Cowboy texted me that he needed help with something. He doesn't usually ask for help with many things so I knew this must be important.

So I shut off the machine, turned off the iron, changed into my work clothes, jumped into the Jeep and headed for the pasture.

Now those who have followed me for the past few years know that I DO NOT like certain things (critters) but I won't list them at this time. 

I drove slowly thru the pasture, bypassed the "mud" hole that I got stuck in back in the winter...nope, Cowboy has yet to fill that in.....rounded a corner and this is what came into view....

Three "wild" pigs in Cowboy's hog trap. Two females and one crazy, hyped up, angry male that kept charging at the fence. Now, you may be wondering what I'm thinking about this time......well, let's just say that I was eyeing Mr. Cowboy like he was crazy because he was instructing me to back the trailer up to the gate of the trap so that he could maneuver the shoot into place. He was barking orders at me so fast, I could hardly think straight. 

The 3 little pigs (pun intended) were squealing and grunting and charging the fence. And did I mention that they can jump really high. That was scary to see. I'll have nightmares about jumping pigs which was pretty close to "pigs flying!"

Finally, Cowboy got the trap door open and had me manning one of the trailer swinging doors with a rope to pull it closed. Did I mention that those doors are very heavy and you really have to pull like mad to get them to catch!!!!!

So, with that all firmly pictured in your minds, now comes the really hard part. Mr. Cowboy starts prodding the piggys towards the trailer area, attempting to have them load into the trailer.....this is not easy and those pigs are mean and fast.

By this time he and I are sweating buckets. My hands and arms are getting tired from holding the rope in the ready; Mr. Cowboy is not happy that the pigs are not willing to get in the trailer when.....the male broke into a mad run towards me (OMG) then into the trailer. He went in so fast that I didn't have time to shut off the section he ran in to and he almost went back into the trap but I was bound and determined that that was not going to happen. I was screaming at the top of my lungs No! No! No! This gave me extra strength to get that section closed but me loud voice frightened off the two females. Oh' brother!!!!!  Ten minutes later the females went in, we got every area closed off and Mr. Cowboy and I collapsed onto the grass laughing and sweating but happy it was over.

The pigs are off to somewhere far away. I hope never to have to help with that sort of thing again.....EVER!

Soon After This Photo.....

Mr. Cowboy snapped this photo to show me this fierce wild mama hog. She charged the holding causing Cowboy to drop his iPhone into the trailer with mad mama. Oh my gosh! 

Words were exchanged between Cowboy & mad mama hog as they fought over the phone ( as you can imagine, Cowboy was cussing, as we say here in Texas & the hog was lathering for a fight).

Cowboy managed to shove his phone towards a corner of the trailer using a long metal fence post just as mama hog charged for the kill. Mind you, she's in a ten foot by five foot area but could maneuver quite well. In other words, she's quick & mad as a hornet. 

Cowboy managed to scoot the phone off the back of the trailer. Remarkably it was in good shape & no, he wouldn't allow me to snap a photo of his phone or his expression!! Hehehehe 

Maybe I'll not ask for photos from him for awhile.

Abandonment Issues

My mommy abandoned me. So now Mr. Cowboy has to bottle feed me. What will I do? He only comes around a couple of times a day.

Mr. Cowboy found a solution.

A new mommy. Thank goodness she accepted me and now I'm as happy as a lamb.

What a great save. I'm names this little one "Lucky" because she's lucky to be alive and was lucky that another heifer allows her to feed.

Bird Brain

       Heart pounding, heavy breathing, sweating profusely.....that's what happens after chasing a fledgling bird from my garage. I'd just come home from grocery shopping, which in itself is a torture. 

       With the last load of bags hooped on each arm, I noticed something from the corner of my eye I thought I saw something. But at my age I chalked it up to those floaties that break loose & float across the iris. I closed the garage door & went inside to put up all those groceries. When I went out to do a load of laundry.......once again, there was a blur of movement just out of my line of sight but this time I could have sworn I saw something. And then it happened........a bird flew by my head. Mind you, the garage doors were closed so I'm in an enclosed area with that little bird.

       Let's just say I went one way and the bird went the other for the time being. Of course I raised the doors and you'd think the little critter would fly out those doors but oooooohhhhhh nnnnooooo!

We went round and round and round until I was dizzy, the bird flew up into the loft to perch and looked down his beak accusingly at me. 

       That was it, I had had it!!!! What to do, what to do???

Granddad's shotgun??? Too brutal, plus there's not guarantee that I'd actually hit the little birdie. The pepper spary???? Too over the top and who's to say it wouldn't blow back somehow on me. 

       Think girl, think.

       Lightbulb!! (from Despicable Me - movie)

       Out came two cans of canned air (one of each hand cause I'm an old western fan.....six guns and such).....and it was on again. When all the air was gone, my blood pressure through the roof that little birdie decided to flitter away. I ran for the down buttons and thank goodness, the doors closed and I crawled into the house.

      Can you see the sweat on my brow????? I hope not because after 10 minutes with a cold ice pack on the back of my neck, my blood pressure and breathing finally under control, my shoulders unlocked and my spine relaxed.

      Did I mention that I don't like things that fly, crawl, slither, hop, flutter, gallop, lope, meander, etc.....you get the picture!!

      Note to self: Remember, you live in the country with wildlife so always drive into garage and immediately lower door!!

Out of My Mind

The hay process has stopped for the moment due to all the wonderful rain we are having here in central-ish Texas. I say that because this type of rainy weather is unheard of in the middle of July in Texas and the temp is 70 degrees but nobody that I've spoken to is complaining.
Anyway, I decided to get in some machine embroidery but first I'd have to load the CD on my new computer. Of course I have forgotten how to do that so I pulled out my trusty Janome Handbook, got out the CD and started to read the instructions.
Aren't you proud of the fact that I actually was reading the instructions!!!!
I got to the part where it mentioned that I'd need to insert the "dongle" when prompted.....
"DONGLE"
......omg......where is my dongle. This is not something that can be easily replaced.
I couldn't remember where I'd put it and if the handbook hadn't shown a picture of it, I'm not sure I'd have remembered what it looked like. This was like losing my MoJo..........omg.......
So, I started searching. I knew it couldn't be in too many places.

1. Looked the my Janome carrying case......not there.
2. Looked in my Janome front storage panel......not there.
3. Looked in several thread drawers under my Janome........not there.

At this point, I began to panic but was still hopeful. I started a more serious search.
I poured out all of the drawers under my machine......btw, that's eight of them and thread, scissors, needles and other sewing paraphernalia were everywhere... (sorry I didn't get a photo of that mess because by then I wasn't thinking clearly....as in hair standing on end, glasses askew, rumpled clothing and frayed nerves)

Have you ever heard that you can't see for looking????
That was me because after ten frantic minutes or so where I'd overlooked the "thing," I found it..........can you say WHEW!!!!

Here's what the dongle looks like. I thanked the Heavens, kissed my dongle and happily had my computer identify it.

By then, I was totally out of the mood to do any machine embroidery.

FYI.........put your dongle where you can easily find it.

Run Bambi!

Here in Texas, today starts "deer season" where, mostly guys and some gals storm the
 pastures, grasslands, flat lands, wooded areas and wherever else deer are hiding
 to "bag" a buck or using a special doe permit, a doe.

I am not a hunter and tend to hide under my bed when all the shooting starts (sorry to burst your bubble out there for the people who have known me to hunt a snake or two, if need be).
Anyway, my cousins join in the frenzy each year and always bring something for me to put in my freezer. Thank goodness it's processed. You remember the cousins....here's a LINK to the hog story from the other year................sorry, let me get to the point.
Last night the cousins, who are brothers, came over for a visit which they rarely do. I should have known something was up but was happy to see. After a few minutes of catching up, Cousin 1 asked if I still had some deer meat, which threw me for a loop. Cousin 3 piped in with a, "yea, do you have any?" Then Cousin 2 gave each brother a quelling look before coming out with the true to the visit. They really wanted some of my home cooking. I'm telling you, they are a hoot so I caved in and dug in the freezer for what they requested.
I'm sharing my recipe for venison spaghetti and  meat balls. If you were wondering where I got the venison from........the freezer from last year or the year before that or..........you get the picture.

Venison Recipe

2 pound ground venison

1 pound breakfast sausage

1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons bar-b-que sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 large jar spaghetti sauce

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup water

• In large bowl, mix venison, sausage, bread crumbs, egg, salt pepper, Worcestershire and BBQ sauces.  There's no really good way to do this other than using your hands. You will be able to tell when everything is blended together.
• In a non-stick skillet or skillet of your choice, heat 1 teaspoon oil on medium heat. As oil is heating start rolling your mixture into strawberry sized circles and place them in skillet a few centimeters apart. Again, the best way to do this is to use your hands or a melon scooper could work as well. 
• Turn over after 4 or 5 minutes to allow to brown on both sides.
• While the first portion of meatball are browning, in large sauce pan add, diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, water and onions.
• Using tongs, remove each meatball for skillet and place in sauce pan, reduce heat.
• While that's simmering, continue the meatball making and browning process.
• Add those to the sauce pan. Do this until all meatballs are incorporated in sauce.
• Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice or spaghetti. Add a green salad on the side. This recipe is even better the next day!
 

Crash, Boom, Bang

Nope, you're not in an old Batman episode! Nor were these the sounds of a car accident! This was a true test of my patience and calm nature.......sigh.
Allow me to explain.....
First the Crash - my computer crashed all of a sudden.....I figured it would happen soon or later but it was still a shock to the system........I did plan ahead and had saved up. I now have a brand new Windows 8 computer which I am totally UNFAMILIAR with and it is not being very friendly at the moment. I'm trying not to complain but every time I even go near the mouse area, the screen changes to something that I didn't even touch or want......ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  Deep breaths, inner peace, inner peace, INNER  peace.

Second the Boom - my garage door cable thingy broke yesterday with a very loud boom. I had just come in the house, reached back to close the door and went to load the dishwasher.  A moment later I heard the very loud noise. When I went out to investigate what might have fallen, I could find nothing amiss. Thinking that I'm lost my mind when I could detect nothing broken are crashed to the cement floor, I went back inside and went to bed. This morning when I went to wash the car and couldn't open the garage door.........you get the picture. I discovered that to replace it will cost a pretty penny.....sigh loudly, more deep breaths, inner peace, inner peace, innnnnnnnnner peace!

And finally, third the Bang - some of the hunters didn't get the memo that deer season was over....well they knew it was over last month but decided to ignore that particular fact and began firing into the dead of night last night at some hapless critter at 1 AM.  Heart pounding in my chest, deep breaths attempting to calm down, forget inner peace at this point!!!!!
I didn't find out what they were shooting at but if they had managed to hit it, there wouldn't have been anything left to salvage.
Thanks goodness, we have a Constable in our neighborhood and he was able to remedy the situation. These guys will be fined soundly.
At this point, I really do not wish to hear any more noises for a very long time. Noises are very expensive, don't you think!!

"Rules"

Christmas Cookie Rules

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh out of the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the test and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend.  Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, (rule #1) yours is also.  It would be rude to let your friend sample alone, and being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move.  This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories.  Red ones have three and the green ones have five..... one calorie for each letter.  Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.
9.  Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.  We all know ho calories like to CLING!
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed out have no calories because cookies used for "medicinal" purposes never have calories.  

It's a rule!  So, go out and enjoy those Christmas Cookies.... we only get them once a year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

3 Men and a Big Boar

True story:

I live in a small community and am surrounded by cousins, friends close family. The other evening around dusk, I heard a commotion in my cousin's hay field. At first I ignored it but as time past I donned a light jacket, boots, cap and my trusty shotgun and walk over to investigate.
So that I don't embarrass them, I'll reference them as Bro.1 (the oldest - 60ish), Bro.2 (50ish) and Bro.3 (30ish) Here's the scene. The brothers had rigged up a hog trap out of some sort of metal panels and some hapless hog was now trapped inside....so the brothers are trying to figure out a way to get the hog into a cow trailer to be transported to out local hog dealer, for lack of a better description. So here's where all the fun comes in......
Bro.2: Hey, why don't we try to turn him towards the trailer?
Bro.1: What do you think we've been tryin' to do for the past hour.....he shouted?
Bro.2: Well I'm only tryin' to help.
 Bro.1 is muttering to himself - "%$&*!~>*}
I caught some of the words but can repeat them in mixed company....LOL
Bro.2: Here's a thought, you (meaning Bro.1) could get in the pen with that board we got in my truck and hold it in front of you and guide him in the trailer.
Bro.3: Man, are you crazy...that hog is quick and now he's mad, it ain't gonna work. Don't do it.
Bro:1: Don't worry cause I'm not gettin' in a pen with many wild hog......why don't you get in Bro.2?
Bro.2: I would but I'm not as young as I use to be.
Laughs
Bro.3: Nobody's as young as they use to be....that didn't make any sense, fool.
Bro.1: Stop talkin' and think, it's gettin' late and I haven't eaten all day.
Bro.2: Here we go! Blame it on me, why don't you. It ain't my fault you didn't stop to eat a lunch.

By now, if you've ever heard of "hog wild," that's what the trapped hog is acting. He's chargin' the pen, snorting, his head is down, eyes red, beady and wild. The hairs at his neck are standing straight up and spiked. He is nearly glowing with unleashed rage..... I'm thinking of pointing that out to the brothers when the hog charges straight for a weaken link in the pen......OMG.....
I did offer my shotgun and Bro.1 said, "Don't tempt me."
They finally decide to rope the big critter.....I'm thinking there's going to be trouble with a capital "T"
Bro.1 is the best at roping but for some reason Bro.3 decided to try is hand at it........30 tries later and a lot of swearing Bro. 1 wrestles the rope away to give it a shot.
Bingo! The hog is roped....sort of......by the right front hoof.......oh dear.
I am nearly doubled over with laughter and the 3 attempt to drag the hog into the trailer.
The hog is having none of it.  He is snorting, trying to back.....well, he is backing up and pulling 3 grown men with him.....where is my camera, you might ask......back at the home......shoot!
With one hoof at an awkward position high in the air beside he head, this hog is a force to be reconin' with.  His tusks are mean looking and the squealing sounds are enough to raise the dead.
After about 10 minutes of wrestling with the hog....the guys finally get the upper hand and maneuvers the hog into the trailer and slammed the gate.
 Whew!
I asked if Bro:1 wanted a sandwich but he turned me down with a weak shake of his head.  All the brothers slumped into the truck with the trailered hog and drove off to the sale.
Later on, Bro.3 told me that the hog weighed in at 260 lbs. They made a pretty penny and finally ate something in town.