Another Sizzler

We had another hot day today, but I got the yard finished (cutting) and started the pasture.  Since we had the man attempt to make a pond, there is a huge part of the pasture that I cannot cut with the John Deere, it's not big enough.  I am going to try to find someone to come and disc this area so we can replant it with the seed we bought, before the horrible weeds take over.  I complain, Keith shrugs and says "We'll get to it", and I suppose he's right.  I miss the little pond, I admit it.  I miss watching the ducks and geese in it, and I'm sorry we can't have a "real" pond.

It's 8:40, and almost dark.  After the sizzling day, we cooled down ten degrees (hence the reason I fired up the tractor again and went out and cut the pasture).  It looked for a while like rain, but I think we will not get it.

The birds suffered again, but so far, I have not lost any others. 

I sat and read some wonderful blogs last night, and I learn so much by reading about all your adventures.  I do love to look at the goats and cattle and animals we do not have here... and learn about them. I love looking at the horse blogs... I miss our equines very much, and tonight as I cut around Beau's tree, I thought of them.

I do have some feelings of inadequacy about preserving a lot of our harvest... we intended to can, can, can, but the fact is, we are working full time, taking care of the animals here and the gardens, and just keeping up with grass and weeds is almost a full time job.  For now, we'll wait.  We WILL be blanching and vacuum-packing green beans, though. 

Keith picked beautiful potatos tonight, and I'll take a picture while they are still in the picking bucket so you can see them tomorrow.

Nathan is here, and helped me get eggs from four VERY stubborn hens.

It is easier for him to get into the little henhouse than I.

Here he is, coming out to give me the six eggs he gently picked up.  He's very good at lifting the hens and checking under them.  You can just barely see it, but on his left cheek he has a wound from a bb gun. Remember Peter Billingsley in A Christmas Story? ("You'll shoot your eye out!") Well, Nathan's eye was almost shot out.  The bb struck just inches from his left eye, on the right in the picture.  The camera lens was fogging up, it had been in the house and it was so very hot. We were so very blessed he did not get the bb in the eye itself.

I did have one adventure, but do not have pictures from it.

As I went to pick up Nathan on the outskirts of Lawrence, I came around a bend on 24/40, and there was a mini-donkey standing in the middle of the lane.  Thank God I was able to slow down, and he trotted back towards his driveway as I slowed and pulled over.  The highway is very, very dangerous there.  People go to fast, and there is no verge.  I stupidly pulled over to the very edge of the pavement enough around the curve that I could get out.  I ran back to the driveway, and not only was there a donkey, but a beautiful, well-groomed pony coming down the drive towards the highway.  As I talked to them and shushed them back up the drive towards the garage, I looked in vain at the house for help.  I could hear a BIG dog barking inside.  Then as I got to the top of the drive (cars and trucks zooming behind me all the time, and me waiting for my car to be hit) a big German Shepherd mix saw me and ran at me.  I said a prayer, thinking I was going to go down in the yard and be eaten and no one find me.  I spoke in a friendly tone to the dog, who stopped his charge and smelled me, wagging his tail.  Before I could go a step further, though, I WAS ATTACKED BY A LAMANCHA ATTACK GOAT!!!! 

I am not kidding, either.  This huge goat, black and white, not only butted me HARD, but then reared back on it's legs and went after me.  I could see a very nice barn at the back, and a pen in front of it, and my intentions were to lead the donkey back in with the pony following, and the goat hopefully following. However, the dog inside sounded as if it were coming through the wall, and the goat began to go after me again, so I waved my arms and the equines trotted back to the pen, and the goat began to follow me.  I waved it back, and cautiously went back out to the car.  I was able to get in, call Nathan's mom, and let her know I was almost there.  Then I called Keith and asked him to call the sheriff's department and get someone out there to lock the animals up.  Not only would they be killed if they got out on that curve, they could easily cause a wreck that killed someone or several people.  The house has a sign that hangs there "Chix N Stix" and I have often wondered about it.  I may send them a note, and see if I can meet the animals officially.  I called again to the sheriff's when I got home with Nathan, and the dispatcher told me a deputy was almost there.  Whew.

One more day till our day trip to Doniphan county.  I'm all excited, sad, isn't it???  It's like a trip to Branson!