everything seemed to be going against you. No. 1 is the WEATHER. Today and yesterday it was in the 70's (we missed a record yesterday- tough) But, wait. Not to fear. Cooler weather is on the way. Tomorrow is supposed to be wet and windy in advance of a cold front moving in for Sunday and beyond just in time for us to get nice and cold going in to church. Rats! And all these fronts - low and high pressure - aren't doing my arthritis any good at all. Yesterday the front was far enough away that I didn't have the aches and pains associated w/all that. Today is a different story. Guess it's time to get out the walker once again. I once told my doctor that I felt like the world's best barometer because I could tell you when a front was going to hit. Not the kind of front but just a front of some sort. I don't LIKE being a barometer.
Then to add to my misery (it's all about ME, ME, ME LOL) the squirrels have figured out how to get into my new squirrel "resistant" feeder. We have 3 squirrels we thought. Looked out the window awhile ago and we have added another - a smaller one that can get in where the birds do. We were afraid it would not be able to get out and Jim headed toward the feeder, Tough gloves on hands. Squirrel saw him coming and worked its way out of the feeder. I don't know what Jim thought he was going to do if the squirrel hadn't gotten out by itself. Jim isn't a "big game hunter". He is more a mosquito fighter.
I guess you win some and you lose some but lately I'm beginning to feel that I'm losing more than I'm gaining. Surely will be glad when SUMMER and all its heat gets here.
There are those of you who might like this weather and all it's changes but....................Maybe some of you feel the way I do - not necessarily about the same things but others. I'll be glad to share your misery and you can share mine and w/more than one of us shouldering this load it will become lighter. You think?
Ann
You would feel frustrated too if
It's a rough year on a lot of people. Constantly changing weather just isn't my style. As fronts come in, it's cold here. I hate cold. Then a bit of warming, but wait--maybe just one day it's nice, then wham! Another front barrels through! And we're also in a severe drought here! I'm pissed! You have my sympathy about the arthritis. I've got one elbow that hurts a lot. Ugh! Doctor just blew it off, nothing can be done, I guess.
You don't feel well, you go to the Dr. and he/she asks what the problem is, you tell Dr. And then you are met w/this attitude of "Oh, is that all?" Yeah that's all, you think and also think "May the arthritis gods grab you where you are most vulnerable and you'll think yeah that's all and no one can help you." Vicious cycle. My sympathies to you and may the cold gods go away and let us be.
Ann
I hate the cold too Ann and Linda, winter looks so dead, can't wait for Spring !!!
Josephine.
In the greenhouse out of the greenhouse, on with the frostcloth, off with the frostcloth. then its all over again the next week. Who needs extra exercise? I understand frustrations, not to mention the bone aches and pains.
Susie
What went into the greenhouse earlier stays! It's packed and I don't think I can rearrange it the same way twice. I can sympathize with the frostcloth except I'm using burlap and bubble wrap. I've already lost one battle — my Hamelia patens is toast until spring. I was hoping to keep it alive through winter so it would bloom earlier later this year. My citrus are still OK, but my Brugs have frost burn on the top half of the bushes. At least the "Y" is still OK.
We are in the middle of an exceptional drought, according to the USDA. We've had to buy extra hay, hauled down from Athens, TX because there is none around here. Some gougers want $80.00 a bale for last year's hay no delivery. Our herd sire has sired six calves so far. Of those, three are gorgeous long legged beauties. Two other long legged calves had to be pulled because their mothers were have troubles delivering them because of their size. A third had to be delivered dead by cesarean because he got stuck while turning before birth. He was gigantic. We had to get rid of him. So we brought back home a young bull born here on the ranch , but kept with a friend. He has inherited his Dad's tendency to jump fences. I hope he settles down soon.
I won't go into the pains and aches except to say I'll "have to learn to manage it"
It does feel better! LOL!
Haven't had a fence jumper in years. Have trouble with them jumping cattleguards and walking through fences where the hogs keep coming through. Last time we pulled a calf, it didn't make it. Next time the mom had to have the calf cut out the side of her. I completely understand your frustrations at the ranch.
We lost 2 bulls in 2 years and are looking for another. So far we have kept up with the hay and haven't been short any for the past few years. We have used the same hay man for 10 years but he died last year. Now his son is taking over the business and just hope that the price remains the same. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth all the hassle but that's what keeps DH going. Loves his livestock, no matter how much work is involved. One year I remember working them in the middle of summer and nearly had a heat stroke, so now we try to do that in the late fall. Oh well, He has his and knows all of them and when the last time each calved. Just like I know when my plants had problems and had nice blooms.
I completely empathize on all the pitfalls and also know the joy of seeing a newborne running and jumping with all the other new ones. That's the beautiful part of ranching to me.
The weather. My first year to try out this winter sowing stuff. Went outside yesterday in the 80F weather and found some of my butterfly weed sprouting in the containers. Of course it will be dead sometime in the next few days. Maybe I'll get lucky and a few will not have broken dormancy, but, well just a disappointment. But maybe I shouldn't complain too much. I hate cold weather because it means I don't want to go outside and play in the cold which means I'm trapped indoors more which I really don't like. Plus I have an irritable knee that always lets me know about the changing weather in a not-so-pleasant way. So if I lived in say, Michigan or Maine, I would be a really grumpy, miserable person having to stay indoors alot. Fortunately I live in Texas and although it does occassionally get cold, it won't last long before I can go outside and play again, lol. Hang in there folks, after this next front passes through, we'll have a few warmer days to enjoy, and then Spring will be right around the corner. :)
I feel your pain RE the squirrels as well. We have a flood plain behind us so its all natural with lots of oak and a squirrel haven. My neighbor shoots them because he gets angry when they rob his pecan trees but its just a squirrel trying to get a nut and I don't think they have acknowledged that the pecan trees are within my neighbors property line and therefore off limits. Well at least I think he cooks them up and eats them instead of just rage shooting. But have to say that listening to my neighbor vent his anger on the squirrels is loud and irritating. I don't know what you do about squirrels. They rob the bird feeders but I do feel sorry for them too. I have two large dogs that help a bit because the squirrels find them intimidating, but they still get to the feeders sometimes. Oh well. Feeding birds, feeding squirrels. At least somebody is getting fat and happy. :)
Try to look at the squirrels as what they truly are: Bushy tailed rats. Makes it real easy for me. They destroy more than any rat could dream of here. Have no compunction putting out poison for them.
Sorry, if I have offended anyone. The squirrels have destroyed my neighbors fascia on her house and cost her a lot of misery and money. Never mind what all they ate in my attic...and the bulbs they have dug up. Equal to a rat. Just forget the bushy tail.
Well I suppose if they got near my house and caused that kind of damage I might be out there with my shotgun as well. My dogs (large hounds) do a good job of keeping them at the perimeter of the property, never near the house, so they don't get in my attic or around my bulbs. I've found a couple of dead squirrels that apparently ventured up too close and met my dogs up close and personal. So I do sympathize with those who have squirrel problems and don't want to mimimize the difficulties and frustration that they face. But mine stay away for the most part and just eat the acorns on my oaks so I don't have serious problems like some. Now the first time I catch them in my veggie garden or in my attic, I'll see yall in line when I'm purchasing my squirrel poison.
I'd be careful with using poison if you have dogs. Our Australian Shepard will gnaw on dead animals now and then. So even though I had to share many of my peaches this summer with our resident squirrels, poison was out of the question. I don't like to kill although I make exception when it comes to spiders who come indoors, grasshoppers and poisonous snakes. My indoor-only cats take care of visiting mice. My DH calls me the convenience environmentalist — an environmentalist when it is convenient. LOL. Cardinals have claimed the rest of my Fuyu persimmons. for this year. I'll have to used a fine mesh net next fall to keep them, wasps and bees out of my favorite fruit
Ann ~ I am sorry for your weather induced misery. Like many, I deal with it on a minor scale and can only imagine how depressing it can be!
I am frustrated too and have something to "vent" about, if I may?
The folks in this area are good to the bone, they will help anyone in time of need. But too many are totally irresponsible about caring for their animals. They refuse to neuter or spay as that costs too much and they are poor folks. The solution... is to dump their animals with no regard to the animals' future.
Yesterday morning, we saw these two guys down the road a mile or so and when we came home, we found them in the yard with Podster. They are good natured, smaller dogs. I suspect they are Mom (Corgi looking one) and daughter. I also suspect dumped although Mom is wearing a collar. She was real skittish. They gobbled food and spent the night wrapped up in rugs and blankets on the church pew I have on the front porch. I talked to neighbors and no one had a clue other than having seen them on the road.
I wouldn't mind keeping Mom but the daughter is hyper ~ a jumper and a licker. Not my kind of dog. Anyway, my anger surfaces again at the irresponsible people in this area that discard their animals like garbage. But that changes nothing. I am an advocate of neutering and spaying because of this. Meanwhile, I don't begrudge the animals but resent the dumpers! Perhaps they need neutering and spaying too!
Our old 14 YO Lab just passed away at Christmas and I told DH I hoped we could pick our own pet next time. Every one of our cats and dogs have been rescued. Dumped either out on the road or strays in town. I have lost count at how many we have adopted out as it is impossible to keep them all. And, yes, I feel certain some folks know that if the animal should find their way to our house, we are an easy mark.
I would wish to win the lottery as I would put a vet on retainer to neuter and spay for free for all takers. I don't guess that'll happen as I don't buy Lotto tickets. So, I'll try to find these two homes and as we have in the past, contributed to their neutering/spaying to insure it WILL happen.
Enough venting ~ sorry but thank you. pod
We always neutered our animals via the vet. It's so tacky to have animals running around loose and knowing that they are just going to get killed or maimed or "knocked up" - whatever. So now we don't have animals and content ourselves w/watching the birds and squirrels. I know Jim would dearly love an animal - dog or cat - but knows that at our ages and state of health we might go and leave them behind and that would be sad. I only had one animal that I really cared anything about. His mama was a stray that turned up at our house and gave birth almost immediately. Kittens are cute, anyway and we enjoyed watching them from the time they were born. One was a little gray and white male that would come to the back door and meow to come in. Naturally, I couldn't pass that up. He chose ME and I felt so blessed. We were in the process of moving and I went on down to Palacios and took Common w/me. Since Jim was in the process of retiring he had a lot to contend w/and just came down from Houston on weekends so Common was a lot of company. He went fishing w/me on our pier and slept w/me at night. (His name derived from my saying "Aw come on in" so I shortened it to Common.) He didn't live very long. He saw me leave one evening to go to town in the car and crossed the field to cut me off at the pass when another car got him. We had other animals after that but never one that meant as much to me as he did. But we never abused our animals and kept them safe and neutered and kept their shots up to date. They died of old age.
I just don't understand people who don't at least try to be humane.
Ann
Sounds as if Common was well loved and cared for even though his life was short. I love his name... and was about to ask where that came from. Cute!
I've often wondered if the dumpers give a thought to their pet becoming coyote food or road kill or slower yet... die from starvation. I believe in the next life, we will be paid back for our kindnesses as well as our transgressions.
How are you feeling now that the front has moved thru? Better I hope!
My neighbor (way down the road) has a herd of dogs, probably 10 or so, of all different types. NONE are fixed and they are all infested with ticks and fleas and run loose all over the place. I suspect that he is one of those people that just can't say no to taking in a stray and I know he doesn't beleive in throwing anything away so he just keeps adding to his collection and feeding them. But not really taking the responsibility to fix them (I don't know about vaccines). I think his heart is in the right place but I sometimes get really angry when I see the ticks and cockleburrs bulging out from under their fur or he's trying to get me to adopt yet another pup from his 'stock'. Taking them in is kind but he really needs to be responsible enough to get them fixed and get their tick problems under control. I would offer if I had the money to do it, but I don't. And hes an older 'good ole boy' that would probably get pretty riled up if I even mentioned that he needed to take better care of his dogs. I see dead animals on the country roads around here all the time and it is so depressing because it doesn't seem like there is anything you can do about it except to take care of your own.
Yes, I agree but have trouble turning a blind eye sometimes... my bad!
There's a reason I've never considered moving "north". Even Dallas as pretty as it is has never held much temptation because they get it worse than we do oftentimes. But take heart only another 4 - 6 weeks left I betcha. Then on to gardening in the warmth (heat) of spring and summer.
Anne
I've got three dogs: an older blue heeler (Blue) and two mixed hounds that I rescued from horrible conditions from an old ranch where the owners were pretty poor I guess and didn't take care of their animals. The mom had just had a litter of pups (~8) all COVERED with fleas and ticks, you could see them literally running across their bodies. The owner would throw one bowl of food out for them and then they would have to fight their way to get some. And they lived under an old shed; I guess the mom had dug a hole under there to have the babies so thats where they lived. I talked my husband into rescuing one and later that night convinced him (hee hee) that another would make good company for the first and keep her happier. So we ended up with Patches and Josee, who are spoiled beyond belief and couldn't ask for a better life. When I get upset about how people treat their animals I just try to remember that there are some who are very fortunate and do find loving homes where they are well cared for. If I dwell on the others I get too upset, so I try to remember all the good folks out there (like you :)) doing what they can in small steps. Maybe someday I'll find a free or cheap clinic that I can offer to take my neighbors dogs too. But this is a character that walks around with his shotgun and will go whip out that 45 at the first sign of trouble, so I do walk a bit softly with him.
Thanks Aardvark ~ education is truly the key but it will be a long tedious process. My tender heart will give out before then...
Podster, skip over to the pet forum. There are alot of really awesome folks over there who love their animals and I have seen posts where people are looking for someone to adopt out a stray to. You might find a great home for the daughter and/or the mom over there.
Thanks for that info...
College Station being a university town has a huge problem with strays too, especially at the end of semesters. The kids have a tendency to just drop their pets off on the side of the road on the way out of town. I can't tell you the times I've driven down the road to see some poor little dog standing in the middle of the road as if searching to see if their owners had come back. It's truly heartbreaking especially to come back by later to see the animal dead. I've taken in several dogs and cats in my time but cannot possibly take in all of the ones I've seen. I've always said that if I were to win the lottery I'm opening a home for strays. And it would be no kill.
Anne
There used to actually be cheap clinics I knew about in the area. Now none that I know about are really affordable for us. I wish we could afford to give my kitties the best care, but seems like every time I take one to the vet, it takes a big chunk out of our money and we have to figure out how to make it to end of the month. I get their vaccines (except for rabies) from the feed store and give it to them myself to save money.
Often I see large breed dogs dead on the side of the freeway/highway and wonder how in the world they got there. My son shared that it is the dog riding in the back of trucks with no protection that have fallen out. Talk about making me sick, if I were to witness such I would be arrested for attacking the driver. Our dogs get such good care that I would like to come back as a dog and live in our house.
Christi
Pod, nice of you to inquire about my joints. Yes, now that the pressures are stable for the time being I'm doing great. Even bought myself a present. It was so expensive that I felt almost guilty about buying it. It's small, green and pink. I'm kidding about it's being so expensive. $5.00 for a tiny rose bush that will last a lot longer than the bouquets I sometimes buy to "decorate" the house. It is a Tiffany rose bush - 1 fully open flower, 3 semi-open buds and several real buds. So healthy looking. After buying the silly thing I came home and looked it up on the computer and found that I had made a nice little buy. In time it will grow and I have such a good place to plant it when the weather gets a little better. It has a strong rose smell and I love it! Now if I could only find all the other roses I want at the same price I'd have it made!
Girls and boys, we'll solve all the world's problems if we stick together. I'm sure of it. We get irritated and disgusted because things and people are so unreasonable sometimes yet when we look around there are all these great thing and people who actually do so much in such small ways that add up. A pink rose. It's enough to make someone happy. A comment on DG about a burger joint and all of a sudden throngs appear to congratulate the joint's co-owner. It doesn't take a lot or a lot of money to make people happy, does it? A kind word. A happy thought spoken aloud. A pat on the back for something well done. Priceless.
Ann
I agree! And Hooray for Bubbas' bison burgers! That was worth mentioning.
Glad you are perking better too... a rose does have a way of lifting a girls spirits, doesn't it!
We use a vet about 30 miles from home that is good and more than reasonable. As a result he is so swamped, you must make an appt well in advance for elective surgeries like neutering and spaying.
Most of the local rural mail carriers carry some dry dog food with them. They see animals dumped and can't take them all home but will stop and provide food.
Aunt Anne, I hope you and I and some more of us compassionate people do win the lottery. The world would be a better place for four legged friends. Thanks.
In spite of everything - I think 2009 will be a great year.
We finally got our puppies - a pair of blue heelers. We have been dogless since last May - cats missed them, and so did we, but we did not want pound dogs. This pair was born on Thanksgiving Day.
And the additional blessing of a successful business (and all of y'all's kind words), I'm looking forward to even more reasons to celebrate.
With a little luck (and less bugs), the garden should provide some great eatin', too
Bubba, you will LOVE your blue heelers - they are such awesome dogs. Great temperment, super smart, not skittish or high strung, good solid working dogs. Mine is 11 years old and beginning to slow down and show some age, but she is a fabulous dog and a great friend and I'm so glad I tried this breed. I will DEFINITELY have another blue heeler down the road.
Our pair we lost due to hip problems were heeler / chow mix - we loved them both.
They are smart dogs. We almost believed that they knew and understood English - did not take much coaching.
The hip problems seem to come with the breed. I have read 'hip dysplasia' is common, though I don't know exactly what that means from a physiological standpoint. Blue is on antiinflamatories now because she has begun to have problems with getting up and down - seems to get stiff after she has been down for a while. But she is still pretty agile/active when she is up; seems to be primarily a problem just after long periods of lying down. I dread having to put her down and worry about it all the time now that I see she is having some problems. But I can see that one of these days I'll have to do it before she begins to suffer too much.
If I can make a suggestion. Had a Lab with a similar affliction. I fed Nutro Senior with Glucosamine Chondroiton as well as antiinflammatories. There was also a dog treat with Glucosamine and I avoided feeding any leftovers with too much protien like meats, cheese or eggs. It was noticeable if he ate something that aggravated the condition.
You are both right. After the first dog had the problem, our vets had several suggestions - we followed them, but Max went down about a year before his sister (Cinder). We put her on the same meds, etc. as soon nas we noticed her symptoms. Vets were amazed that we got 14 and 15 years with them - normal life expectance is 10-12 for the breed.
Finally settled on names this morning: Female is Buffy, Male is Tatanka (Tonka for short).
Seemed appropriate, since we are so into bison.
Tonka and Buffy.
oh, what sweet faces. We are still trying to calm down our little Chester, the Cavalier. He's getting better.
Working market again this week. Dallas Market Center is one of the largest wholesale markets in the USA. We were swamped with registrations today and
that is a very good sign.
Cross your fingers as this will be a good barometer of where the shop keepers think the economy is going. Now if we could just convince the media to can the negative, we might have a chance.
Bubba ~ I'm curious. Aren't the Blue Heelers a high energy working dog breed? How on earth are you going to excercise them to keep them mellow? Podster is a cross with a herding dog and at his age, he still has more energy than I can stand. I can only imagine two puppies at the same time. Whew! They are cute though.
They will make it easy to reduce our weight - LOL.
We have a double lot and lots of birds & squirrels to chase.
Right now we are training each other - they are fast learners, and super chow-hounds.
I was skimming this thread and had to open the picture of the puppies. They are so cute!!!!