SURE MAKES LIFE INTERESTING

Last night we were watching TV, well the TV was on, I was reading and John was checking his eyelids for leaks........!!!

Anyway I heard this weird noise, sounded like the water softener doing it's thing, or maybe the cicadas chirping, but not quite.  I got up and 3 of the indoor cats were looking out one of the windows thru the screen. As I got closer I could tell what the noise was, a very P.Oed rattlesnake.  Ran the cats off and grabbed the camera.  He was under one of the sotol grass bunches, almost against the house and letting everyone know he wasn't happy. That's OK, we weren't too thrilled with his visit either.  That's only the 2nd snake, 1st rattler this year. 

He had a lump in the middle, maybe that's why we don't see the little Harris Antelope squirrels anymore.  This morning he was gone, but last night when John went out to let the donkeys out, he was a little more cautious than usual.....!!!! LOL

Yesterday evening John and I went down to the Oasis Exotic Bird Sanctuary.  They usually have potlucks when anyone has a birthday or are leaving.  They had one leaving and 3 birthdays, so it was quite an occasion.  On the way down we were bouncing along in the van (the last 5 miles isn't paved and can be quite exciting) and I turned to tell John something.  Saw something small, brown and fast run from under his chair to the chair behind his.  We've had trouble before with mice getting in the van if we park it down by the house which we have been doing lately.  We have no idea how they get in, but they do.  John forgot to set the live trap last night, but I noticed it's sitting on the courtyard for tonight. 

Doctoring is going well, fly masks, not so well.  I'm down to just doctoring Boaz and Cisco on a regular basis.  I have others that get a general look over every morning, just in case.  Rosie has been a little lame on one of her rear legs ever since Tyler was out to trim her and Gigi a few days ago.  He just trimmed Gigi and reset her shoe on her twisted foot.  She is actually walking better on that foot than the other one now, but Tyler isn't ready to see how she does without the shoe.  She wasn't real cooperative, she's a lightening fast kicker, doesn't try to actually nail you, but lets you know she's not happy.  Rosie was real good, but somewhere along the way her leg got tweeked or something.  She's getting better, but I hate to see them limp around. 

John goes out every morning after feeding to look for missing fly masks, and other assorted missing items, like knee pads, polo wraps, etc.  So far he's not finding as many as are getting lost. 

OMG, MINI MULES......????

 
This should be interesting..........Their 89 year old owner was killed in a tractor accident a few months ago, & the family hasn't been able to find anyone to buy them.  So they want to turn them over to us.  I guess the little mules are the last of the animals, & the only hold up to the daughters getting back to their lives.  One daughter called again today & I said we would take them, so the ball is in their court at this time. 

Hopefully Rusty will like them & visa versa.  Otherwise it might get real interesting around here.  They might be smaller, but at least they'll outnumber him.  Haven't seen them, have no clue how "mini" they are, age or anything, do know one is a molly & one a john.  

I finally found a halter to fit Aaron.  Got a large mini halter & it was "way" too big.  Traded it for the smallest one the feed store had, & it fits pretty good.  He's such a wiggle worm I figured we'd have a wrestling match, but he actually was a good little boy.  I watched him for awhile & except for shaking his head a little bit he didn't seem to care, so I took it off.  The next thing will be to snap a lead on it & see how that goes.  First I'll let him lead me around & then I'll see if we can go where I want to go. 

Our last lone chicken went to the Oasis Exotic Bird Sanctuary to be with their chickens. John checked on her today & they said she is getting along with the chickens just fine............but the ducks & turkeys are being mean.....!!!  One of those turkeys is named Tish I hope she isn't one of mean ones.  LOL 

John is still hauling little mice from the garage to the chicken pen on a regular basis, about 3 or 4 a week.  He's afraid they won't have anything to eat over there, so he's going to take grain over for them a couple of times a week.  Of course now there isn't a place to get rid of my kitchen scraps.  But the ravens have always "helped" the chickens with garbage disposal, so we will continue to take the scraps over there.  Hey, it's winter not a good time to be finding a new food source.......maybe this summer.....!  If we don't remember to pick up the outdoor cat food in the evening we also get to feed the skunks, had 2 last night one a hooded & the other one not......!!!!  Almost had a fight on our back porch, lots of foot stomping & tail raising.  Didn't mind the stomping, but that tail raising is a little scary.  They need to come at different times if they can't get along......!!