Lookie What I Got!

People grieve in many forms. Me....I have to fill the void in my heart. And the faster it gets filled the better I am. So here is what I got this afternoon......

Meet Titan. He's a 6 weeks old Irish Wolfhound, Anatolian Shephard, Great Pyrenees cross and a total sweetie! He loves to snuggle and I love to oblige him!

Are you wondering where he came from? Well, I had the husband call the guy I bought Duke from just to see if he had any puppies. Can you believe he was just weaning a set! So we made arrangements to look at them this afternoon. The people were super nice. They felt so bad about what had happened to the Duke. They sold us Titan for what we paid for Duke, which was practically nothing, and home we came.

The other dogs gave him a good sniff but didn't seem to mind him. They just wanted their individual attention as always.

We made him a place in the barn. Put up some panels and placed the small doghouse in the pen. He has hay and a blankie to stay warm. The husband was worried about leaving him out at night with the coyotes and during the day with all the animals around here. He needs to grow a little bit more before he can stay out on his own.

The husband asked if I was going to be "sick" tomorrow so I could stay home with him. I wish I didn't have so much work to do or I would. I really think animal people should be able to take maternity leave for their babies too!

Sunday Stills-Macro Assignment

This is my healthy eating in 2009...Pizza Hut Veggie Lovers Pan Pizza. I've always ate it but now I only eat one slice instead of three or four! It's very yummy!

What Happened to being Neighborly?

Late yesterday afternoon, the husband received a call from the neighbor next to our lease place. He left a nasty voice message saying our cattle got out and ate SIX round bales. Of course, as soon as the husband got the message, he tried calling the guy back. He wouldn't answer. The husband tried the rest of the afternoon and all evening, still no answer.

When we both finally got home from work, the husband let me listen to the message. You know it sure is easy to be ugly on voicemail. And I think the guy may be exaggerating a tad bit. We only have 20 cows on the lease place. You can't tell me they ate six round bales in a day! Come on!

So the husband asked me to go check this morning. When I pulled up, two cows were in a trap between our lease and the neighbor's hay. I got all the cows back over in our pasture and fed 'em. Then headed up the fence line to see where they were going thru. I found the spot. It was at the tank. Since the water's gone down, there was a place they could get out. I repaired it best I could and walked over on the neighbor's place to see how the cows were getting from our place, across another pasture, around a house and into the guy's hay. Hmmm, he leaves the gates open in the trap between the pastures. Not that I can tell the guy to close his gates but really! He doesn't have any animals on his place so what would it hurt to close one gate to keep his hay safe. Plus I didn't see six bales of hay destroyed. I saw one that looked ate on. I don't know what the deal is.

The husband called to see what I found out. I told him everything and he thanked me for taking care of it. He said I was awesome! Whatever, any 'ol wife would head out in 30 degree weather to put cattle in and fix fence!

Spring Fever

I'm in need of some color these days. I would think some of you stuck in a world of white might need some as well. So today is just pictures of cheerful flowers. Hope it brings a little smile to your heart. Cause Lord knows, after the week I've had, I need a smile or two!

Here's to brighter days ahead!

Wordless Wednesday

Ode to Pepper

This is for Tami. She has made several requests for more pictures of my Jack Russell, Pepper. So since my world is pretty dull, I thought this would be the perfect time to oblige her!

Pepper has been with us for about 3 years or so. I got her for the husband after his beloved Jessie died. The husband had mentioned that he really wanted a Jack and one day I saw some for sale. I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I bought her and took her out to him while he was building fence. He thought she was the cutest! But soon her cuteness turned into holy terrorness! Pepper almost brought on a divorce. The husband wanted to get rid of her but I couldn't bear to give her up.

We finally decided to get her a playmate cause Harley couldn't keep up with her. And didn't want to for the most part! So Zena came into our lives to entertain Pepper.

They were best buds and still are for the most part. However, Pepper is more into herself than anything. She has HER toys and gets a little selfish at times. But we love her just the same.

She has a ton of energy. She never stops chasing, rattin', or playin'. Sorry for the blurry pictures to come. I have a real hard time trying to get one of her at play.

Every once in awhile, she'll stop long enough for me to realize it. I think I was so excited trying to get the picture, I blurred it as well. But I know she won't sit there for very long so I have to act quickly.

Now that she has gotten older, her and the husband get along better. She still gets in the way when we're out with the cows. She tries so hard to help out.

And she loves her squeaker balls. The yellow one in the first picture. I have never seen a dog destroy a ball in less than 5 minutes. But does it bring joy! She also tore the quacker out of Zena's new duck.....and the stuffin'......now it's just a shell of a thing layin' out in the yard.

That's our Pepper!

Sunday Stills-Sunsets

My Workout for the Day

I went to the feed store this morning and bought a month's worth of grub for the yearlings and bulls. It's time we start feeding them to make them big and strong!

Last night, as we lay in bed, the husband specifically said, "Wife, do NOT unload that feed." I, of course, responded, "uh huh." He knew I would.

I unloaded and stacked it so pretty. Over a ton! Actually 2850 lbs to be exact!

And I did it in less than 15 minutes. (It took three boys and a forklift at the feed store! Wusses!)

Maybe I'm not in as bad of shape then I thought?

Starting the New Year Off Right

Well, it started off a little foggy actually. This was the view from my front porch.

But it soon cleared up. And it was off to town to run errands. I bought Zena a toy. She has been upset since Duke died. They were playmates. Always running and fighting with each other. I thought a new duck will make her feel better.

She kept it with her all afternoon. Walking around with it in her mouth. Laying next to it. I think she liked it!

I spent the afternoon cleaning the barn floor. It had accumulated so much hay and dirt, it was ridiculous. I told the husband I would clean it while I was off this week. He is allergic to hay so it's best he's not around when I stir it up. It took me about an hour and a half to get the job done. But it sure looks a lot better.

I dumped it right outside the barn gate. Here's Bambi looking thru the mess. She's my curious little girl. Always around to see what's goin' on.

I have set a few "goals" for 2009. I use the word goals because these are things that I AM going to achieve not like resolutions. So here they are:

1. Get back in shape.

2. Return to running in 5K races.

3. Focus on my photography.

So I haven't been to the gym yet but I figured the barn cleaning was my workout for today. I have the entry form for a 5K race at the end of March and another in April. Just need to send them in. And as for the photography, I'm gonna work on gettin' better. Not to difficult, huh?

A Review of 2008

Last night, as we sipped Archer Farms Sparkling Peach Cider (a vintage selection from Tar-Jay), the husband and I thought back over our year. Me, the glass is always half full kinda girl, thought it went pretty well. The husband, on the other hand, couldn't wait for it to be over. He started reminding me of all the bad luck we had thru-out the year. You know what, our year did suck! (Sorry workmom, I know you hate when I use that word.)

In previous years we have been blessed that our animals are healthy. But this year, it all caught up with us. Let's count it down, shall we....

1. Sally, my mare, got crippled in January shortly after I got her from my dad. The husband and I both had only ridden her once! We took her to the vet and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Then she got gravely ill and stayed at the vet for a month or so! We've almost had to put her down several times but she seems to have a strong will. Thru-out the year she's had her ups and downs. She seems to have made a breakthrough but she needs to put on more weight. Nothing worse than seeing a thin horse.

2. Two of our embryo calves died. They both hit the ground healthy. One had a dry momma. The other's momma laid on it and broke it's hip. We took both of them to Texas A&M's vet clinic/school. They couldn't save either.

3. Two of our best yearlings died in freak accidents. The best yearling heifer (CC) drown in a creek. The creek is always bone dry but we got a bunch of rain and it became a raging river. She got caught in some brush along the bank. The husband's favorite yearling bull (Rose) stuck his head thru a heavy pipe gate during the night. Then he tore it off the hinges. The weight of the gate suffocated him. He was found the next morning.

4. Then Priss, my filly, got into a horrible barbwire fence accident. She cut her back leg to the bone and severed the tendon plum in to. She was cut from head to toe, front to back. It took months to heal her up. The tendon gash had finally scabbed over and was healing up nicely until she and Sally got into a tiff the other day. She ran thru the small metal water trough and busted it open. Blood was everywhere. So we're workin' on that wound again!

5. The Dukester died two days after Christmas.

6. One of our good bulls (Death Wish) was bucked two days ago and ran off. Makes no sense to us. Something is going on with him. We are picking him up today and bringin' home.

So there you have it. Our animals had a horrible 2008. We are so glad it has come to a close. As we made our toast last night, we poured a little out for our passed on homies. Cause that's how we roll here at the Crazy M crib! And wished for a healthier 2009. I think I may put blackeyed peas in all the feed troughs today!