How Sweet It Is

It is exactly three weeks ago today that the poodles, Pooker, and I moved to the new house. And today, exactly three weeks later, the other feathers and furs joined us. They moved in like they have been waiting to arrive, waiting to demonstrate their new routines. And they got right to it.

At some point I'll be able to articulate what I am feeling in this moment. For now, I'll use words like relief, contentment, satisfaction, pride, exhaustion, hopeful, encouraged, grateful, humbled, determined, protective, accomplished.

Today, it's mostly about the word gratitude. Heaps and buckets, rivers and pools, an endless supply.

Moving the ranch is not easy. Moving while renovating is not easy. Moving while leaving half your family behind is definitely not easy. Without my friends, well, let's just say I was fortunate enough to not know what that would mean.

I thank you, my friends and family, for your support, your time, your encouragement, your talent, your car, your trailer, your truck, your generosity, your caring, your strength, your humor, your effort, your thoughtfulness, your food, YOU.

I love you all. You all have your own spot in my heart. And while my animals are not sure who some of you are yet, I know they too send you love because they know who and what is important to me, that is for sure.

So, as I sit here worn out from the day's physical activity and emotional experience, I am freshly showered and comfortable on my sofa. The night air is cooling. I can hear the night bugs, I can hear my pups breathing in deep sleep. And I can hear my boys outside my window moving around, Shadow calling up to me on occasion, and I can reassure him quite easily no matter where I am in the house.

This is how sweet it is.

Sunday Accomplishments

While repairing the perimeter fencing was high on the priority list, I'm not sure it was on my list for this day.  Like most days around the ranch, what is on the list of things to do often gets replaced by what the ranch decides needs to be done.

That very generous snow storm we had a couple of weeks ago really did me in.  Not only did I have to turn off my perimeter electric fence as the "hot" lines were buried in snow, I couldn't do anything about poop scooping with that much snow.  Once the snow melted off, the rains came and the dry lot was a mud bog so scooping any poop was impossible because it would be more like scooping mud and besides, I couldn't pull the cart through the boot sucking quicksand!

As things have been drying out, I've started to catch up on 3 weeks of neglected poop management.  For the past week, I've been keeping up with the daily output and grabbing up a bit more.  Having the dry lot fully cleaned out again will take some more work.

Today, Bodie went chasing something out the back of the property, which is an odd place for anyone or anything to be, except the deer.  When I went back to look, I noticed entire sections of the top line of my perimeter fence were down.  This immediately interrupted my attempt at cleaning the dry lot.  So, I took Shadow with me, gathered up a bunch of yellow baling twine strands and out we went.  Shadow browsed as I tied twines together and started replacing the fence.

The top line is what the deer take down so I have already replaced a few sections with baling twine and have discovered its benefits: 1) super cheap because I already have it on hand; 2) recycling material; and 3) for the most part, the deer don't rip it.  Rather than just replace the sections that had come down, I went around and replaced it all, converting the string to twine.  It was a good time to check the electric lines of the fencing, clearing away any debris.

The hot lines had a few spots that needed to be adjusted.  The snow had pulled on the lines, causing a couple to cross one another or touch the ground, thus causing unsteady current around the property.  I set out to adjusting the lines, turning the fence back on, and walking around testing the lines.  The goat pen is now hot again, for which I am grateful, you never know with those two.  I found one spot that needs a different connection but that is for another day.  At least 98% of my fence is hot again.

I went back to the dry lot and got one entire section of accumulated poop cleaned out.  I dragged the water trough out and scrubbed that down for a clean refill.  In between projects, I was switching out laundry.  In one trip to the house, I managed to clean the guest bath shower.  It had been driving me nuts.  The guest bathroom had become my horse blanket dripping and drying station during those wet weeks of weather.  The bath itself was a muddy mess and the floor had its share.  Done.

One of my neighbors rode by on her bike and we managed to squeeze in an enjoyable five minute conversation.  Earlier, another neighbor texted me that she wanted my coffee order and she came and delivered me a decaf latte!  And all animals have been completely kissed, loved and given fruits and vegetables in addition to their breakfast.

There is still much to be done.  I have to head out soon to teach a private lesson so that will break my stride, but I am quite satisfied with today's accomplishments.

Go Ahead. Just Rip My Heart Out

Hate is a very ugly word and if the Dalai Lama can give me a better word to describe this feeling I have, I will use it.  In the meantime, I hate coyotes.

This evening I lost three hens, not including Karen earlier in the week.  And what about Dumpling's injuries which led to her death a few weeks back?  In my deepest of prayers, I ask that two of those hens are up in a tree somewhere and will be back tomorrow.  The fate of the third is certain.

After a very stimulating three hour dance workshop followed by a well deserved enjoyable early dinner with my friend Kim and then a quick stop and try on of many at the essential oils section of Whole Foods, I made my way back home.  As I pulled in the driveway, Red and Honey were coming toward me.  I did think it a bit strange that they would be headed in my direction at 7:45pm but then again, the days are getting longer, so I passed it off as that.

I came in the house to change and then head out to do my evening chores.  It was still plenty light out.  As I came to the hay shed, Honey was perched up on a board and settled in as if to sleep there.  Strange.  And I passed that off as wondering if she was not feeling well again.  I scooped her up and brought her home and as we approached the hen house, she squawked and squirmed.  Why were there only five hens in the house?  Red wasn't there so I passed that off as him being out escorting the last few girls back home.

From out in the dry lot, I heard a rumpus from my neighbor's hen house.  Could have just been the hens settling down for the night except that both Bodie and Pinkie were keying in on something in the air and they were both at the fence on alert.  I called Aaron to ask if his hens were locked in and he told me more or less but that they have lost a few over the past weeks.  Just as he said that, I saw two coyote walking toward his hen house.  In my strongest voice possible that could carry over the rushing canal, I yipped for them to move along.  Aaron was out of town fighting fires being set by a pesky arsonist up in Montana but when he comes back tomorrow, he will set out with his bow and arrow with the intention of taking out a coyote or two.

Hanging up from Aaron, I turned around to notice Red sitting up on the rail of the tack room.  The previous hints of something amiss were passed off, but this was too strange.  I walked him back to the hen house, counted my hens again, closed up the door and started looking around.

I found black and white feathers of one of my Barred Rock hens on both sides of the fence by the hen house.  On the other side, there was a significant pile of them that told me the hen was snatched near the fence on my side, carried over and disposed of on the other side.

The sun was setting and seeing clearly through my tears was becoming a challenge.  I couldn't find any other feathers nearby.  But who was it?  It was either Baby or Alice, my two oldest girls, or Precious, one of my first year babies.

It still leaves two hens unaccounted for, not forgetting Karen.  They would be another one of the Barred Rock hens and either Cat or Helen, one of my Rhode Island Reds.  The hens in the house were tucked in and under so I couldn't tell which one of those were in the house and who was missing.

It is always heart breaking to lose an animal; goodness knows I've said that before.  But to come home and find three of your hens gone, it just rips your heart straight from its safe place behind the ribcage and dangles it out as coyote bait.

New Rules #107

If you're going to take a horse off the property for a walk, you must be sure to lock the goodles in the dry lot before setting out.

It was Faramir's turn for a good walk around the neighborhood.  The goats were out tearing through my nicely stacked hay bales, the dogs have learned to sit by the corner of the fence until they see us coming back up the rise, the hens were scratching in the softening earth.

As we head out on my road, the dogs run along the fence to the furthest corner they can and then sit and wait for our return.

Faramir and I got about 1/4 mile out on our walk when it dawned on me that when the dogs run, the goats run.  And what's in that furthest corner where the poodles wait?  The hen house.

"Argh! Come on Faramir!" I blurted as we did an about face and attempted a respectful jog back home.  As we came up the rise in sight of the hen house, I called out and I could see Pippin outside the hen house, which only meant Shadow was inside.  Goats are definitely not supposed to eat grain and once they get a taste it's good luck momma trying to get a 180lb horned goat to give it up.

We made it back, heart in my throat, Faramir wondering what that fuss was about, got the gate unchained, convinced Pinkie not to nip at the horse, chained the gate again and breathlessly stumbled our way to the hen house.  As predictable goat behavior would have it, I made a really scary sound and Shadow came bolting out eyes wide open looking for that big monster.  I lunged forward and quickly closed and latched the door. "Whew." I let my breath catch up and turned for Faramir who had walked off to take in his own moment of exploration.

All was well.  All secured.  Faramir was a bit disappointed that he didn't get to meet the neighbors I had told him about but Alibi sure was glad we were back early enough for him to get out for a walk.

I followed my new rule and delighted in an easy pace until the sun set with my horse.