Gardening

We have been busy getting the garden ready for planting.  Dirt has been moved for raised beds, soil has been turned, rows have been marked off.

We have white and red potatoes; yellow, white and red onions; red and white kohlrabi; turnips; and several kinds of beets in the ground.

The horseradish and rhubarb is springing out of the ground.

Maybe ol' man winter has moved on for another year!

Wandering Wilma Wildbird Returns

Wandering Wilma returned.  She is helping herself to the treats in the bird feeder.  Apparently the food is better when you don't have to scrounge for it.  We're thinking maybe she just went off for a little tryst with her own kind since it is mating season.  It was nice to see her back.  Our toms apparently didn't even notice she was gone and don't pay much attention to her.  No wonder she left!

On a sadder note, we haven't seen Katie Kat in a few days.  I hope she wasn't food for some predator and is off on a walkabout from which she will soon return.

A beautiful day for gardening

What a gorgeous day it was for gardening today.  We got lots of compost moved from the goat yard to the rows in the garden.  Several of the rows have been turned under and are ready to plant but we still have a ways to go before the growing season starts.  Half of the potatoes are planted and hopefully we will get the rest in the ground tomorrow.  Rain/snow is predicted for Wednesday.  Peas are behind schedule but should do okay once we get them planted.  I can already taste the new peas and potatoes in cream sauce!

Wandering Wilma Wildbird

A couple of wild tom turkeys came around yesterday.  Our Toms were pretty upset by that and loudly proclaimed that this was not the wild turkeys' territory.  Wilma, however, found those wild guy pretty attractive and wandered off with them.  We feel so used...she only wanted us because it was cold and the food was plentiful.  It should be interesting to see if she comes back another time.  Apparently she found her own breed more to her liking as a mate.  Bummer!  I was so looking forward to seeing what a cross-breed turkey from our Royal Palms would look like.

It was a fatality!

                              Left unattended and defenseless, the feather duster was no match for EmmaPatches who was very proud of her accomplishment.

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Elusive Creatures

So far no luck capturing the opossum.  Perhaps we scared it off, or hopefully the coyotes got it.  We will set the trap randomly between now and the next full moon.  Nothing like a full moon to bring out the predators.

We also lost our two hen ducks to owls the same night I saw the 'possum.  Owls are hard to protect against.  About the only thing that works is a fully enclosed structure or a livestock guardian dog and the truck on the highway took our LGD away from us.

The next day Evelyne took our drake back to his original home since he was the only duck remaining.  Those folks didn't want Bad Goose.  I don't think we want him either, but this is his home.  He is one noisy bird and now that his buddies are gone he is worse.  The turkeys don't like him either.  Wilma Wildbird had him cornered and cowering in his pen a few days ago.  We may have to resort to getting him more of his own kind if we can't find another home for him.

Tonight the cats were interested in the tent we tossed out of the bus for "airing out".  I shook it thinking I would fold it up and get it out of their grasp.  As I moved it a HUGE and very fast Pack Rat ran out of it.  Karl Kat is fast, but the rat outran him and escaped under a wood pile.  I disturbed the wood pile and the rat ran out but again found a place of refuge where Karl couldn't reach him.  It was cold and rainy and I tired of that game quickly.  Last I saw, Karl was patiently waiting for the rat to come out of hiding.

Something has bitten Chester in the armpit.  Two little puncture wounds which he has licked until all the hair and some of the skin is gone.  I used some of the meds I got for Slippers on him.  Hopefully that will help.

Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, dreary and cold again.  I'm not complaining...it could be snow instead of rain and rain means spring.  Crocus also mean spring and the first yellow ones are blooming.  Daffodils and tulips are springing up all around the yard as well.  Come on SPRING!

It is time to set the trap.

As I went outside tonight to make certain the baby chicks had water and were tucked in for the night, Katie cat decided she needed to go out.  As she went out the door I noticed some movement beside the greenhouse.  It did not have the stealth-like moves that a cat does, but kind of lumbered along in a jerky motion.  I headed out with the flashlight to see what it was.  As I went by the greenhouse something hissed and increased my heart rate to maximum pumping efficiency.  The hiss I determined came from Bad Goose.  In the meantime, Katie had proceeded further out into the yard.  I shined the light around and it fell on two red, glowing orbs under the rabbit hutch.  I thought, "At least it isn't anything large".  About the same time the coyotes started their howling across the road as they embarked on their nightly tour around the back of the property.  If having your heart pumping wildly with heavy doses of adrenaline rushing throughout your body doesn't make some of these extra pounds come off there is something wrong there!

Katie and the creature seemed to be at a standoff as I approached.  Once I got the flashlight close enough to identify the creature I was repulsed.  Opossums have to be the ugliest of all the furry creatures and this one obviously has a severe case of mange.  I picked up Katie and took her to the bus for the night with her pals.  After going around and making sure all the other animals who belong here were settled in with closed gates and doorslatched up tight, I made up my mind that during daylight tomorrow we will be setting the trap for this creature.  Once we catch it...well, we can deal with that situation the next day.

I'm reasonably certain this was the thing that ripped up Slippers when they were both under the trailer house which required the drugs from the vet to heal. (Just got the bill for that.  All I can say is for that price they darn well should work!)

I'll put some pictures on here so you can see for yourself how truly ugly these things are when we finally catch it.

The bus needs a paint job!

I met a very nice gentleman today who has an aircraft hangared at the Cheyenne County Airport.  He flew me to Goodland to have cinnamon rolls for dessert after lunch. (Great cinnamon rolls, by the way.  But still not as good as Mom's were.)
Since I didn't plan on flying anywhere, I didn't see a need to have my camera with me which is too bad.  Since we flew over Prairie House I could have added some aerial photos for you to see.  The first thing I noticed was that the bus roof could really use some paint and we really should re-finish the roof on the chicken house and barn.  Other than that it looks like a comfortable little homestead.  We flew around the area of Bird City but I couldn't find enough landmarks to identify the quarter section we used to own there.
I hadn't been in a single engine plane since the early 70's.  II had forgotten how fun those flights could be.  He didn't ask if I got motion sickness until after we decided to fly.  I don't know if that was polite or brave - especially on a full stomach!  One thing is for certain after being in the air.  I have ruled out any further attempts to sunbathe in the nude. however.  (big grin)