Rattled by a snake

It is never a good sign when you hear a snake and realize you are inappropriately attired to deal with it.  Snakes are evil, disgusting things when they are in places they shouldn't be.  If they stay where they belong (away from anywhere I or my creatures happen to be) I believe in live and let live.  When the location they are inhabiting happens to be the barn removal without opportunity to ever return is the only option.


When I saw the source of the commotion was not in what I considered to be a proper place, I knew right away the flimsy shoes and shorts I was wearing wouldn't do if the creature was to be dispatched.  After coming into the house, changing into jeans and high topped shoes, the slithering thing was sent to wherever slithering things go when they die.

Once again in the house with the heart rate having finally returned to normal, I looked at my shoes.  You can tell I was rattled by having to deal with the snake.  Here are the shoes I wore back outside:

A busy time of the year

It is the busy time of the year at Prairie House.  Gardens to be planted, babies coming into the world and growing fast,  High Plains Food Coop is growing and demanding more of my time and so, unfortunately, the blog gets left behind.

Here are some updates:
The single chick which hatched from the large chicken egg which was mistaken for a duck egg was removed from the nest.  It moved to Greeley the first weekend of April and is living the life of luxury there, being spoiled beyond wildest imaginations.

This is the newest baby to hatch from the incubator:  A loner also as none of the other eggs which were due to hatch at the same time were fertile.  There are still lots of options for siblings.  Two chickens are setting on a total of 12 duck eggs, 8 more are in the incubator and another dozen are still in the nest waiting for the ducks to decide they want to hatch them.  More baby chicks may be arriving in about 3 weeks as at least one and possibly two hens are setting on nests.  One nest is on the roof of the hen house under the eaves of the barn.  I have seen her fly down from there a couple of times and I can see a nest.  I have no idea how many eggs, if any, are in the nest.






The goslings are growing fast now and finally starting to get some feathers, first on their wings, then the tails and last the rest of their body.  The found the sand box filled with water instead of sand which the ducks play in and had a wonderful time in the water.  It was most amusing.
I fear one of the grey ones will be looking for a new home sooner than the others and may need to go to freezer camp.  He tried to bite one of the ducks yesterday which was a big mistake on his part as the duck bit back.  Geese can be very mean but also can make a mean Christmas dinner.

I have 3 turkey eggs in the incubator as well.  Wanda is still laying an egg every 2 or 3 days.  Hopefully we can successfully raise the babies this year.  Turkeys have a high mortality rate regardless of whether they are raised by people or mother hen cares for them.  

The cats are all doing well; current occupancy for felines at the farm is 11 but Annabelle will be contributing more in May.  As Pete and Chester can attest, there is no shortage of food yet.

Updates on the progress of the garden will be next. Nearly everything will be in containers this year.  That will require more frequent watering, but the garden will be right outside the door on the east side of the house so it should be much easier for me to take care of.

Wanda says it is officially spring

Although there may be snow on the grass along the front range of Colorado today, in Kansas it was rainy, dreary and cold.  My day was brightened at egg gathering time, however, as Wanda Turkey presented me with her first egg of the season.  Yea!  Spring!