This is what I see when I look out the feed room door at feeding time.  Buster,.Lucy & Quilla our "free" rangers, that don't go in pens to eat trying to get me to hurry up.  I took this yesterday before I took Lucy's boots off to see how she does without them.  

This morning her feet are a little warmer than Buster's.  I gave her some Traumeel  to see if it might help make her more comfortable.  

Everything was icy & frosty this morning, & of course the water buckets were frozen over.  But, according to the weatherman, today is suppose to be nice & sunny & tomorrow we'll be headed for the 80's later in the week.  Can't happen too soon for us, & especially for my little predator wasps for fly control.  

I got my first shipment of the year a few days ago, & they started hatching out a couple of days ago.  But it's been so chilly during the day & downright cold at night they probably wouldn't make it.  Tonight is suppose to be cold again, so I told them to "hang on, tomorrow will be freedom day".....!!!!!  LOL  

Wookie kitty is doing great, will get to stop the antibiotics tomorrow.  Her little system doesn't appreciate the assault & I don't appreciate cleaning up the results, so we'll both be glad when that's over. 

WINTER IS BACK........!!!

At least for 2 or 3 days according to the weatherman.  Dreary today, suppose to get high winds & really cold nights.  They did say 100% chance of rain tomorrow............hmmm........!!!  That's being very sure of your information, not sure I'd go there, maybe 99%.  

Jenny is finally walking really good for her.  She moves so gracefully when she feels good & looks so miserable when she doesn't.  Lucy is still wearing her boots, but seems to be walking better.  I'd like to get her out of boots especially when it gets hot, but we'll see how it goes.  

Wookie is doing great......except for keeping her collar on.  She did real good for the first couple of days, but yesterday we found her with it off.  Put it back on, & put it back on at least 3 or 4 more times.  Each time I tied it a little tighter, but don't want to strangle her.  This morning it's been off twice..........so far.  John said we need to put a halter on her & tie it to the halter.  Her incision looks real good, no redness or swelling, but I'm afraid she will try to take the staples out, which could really make a mess. 

ETC & SO FORTH

 FROM THE DONKEY YAHOO GROUP

Let's see...........Wookie is back from the vet, has staples in her tummy & a Elizabethian collar on her head, which incidently she isn't very happy about.  John rebuilt the "kitty condo", & she has it all to herself.  We've been opening the spa room door, so Julius & Snooky could visit with their sister.  So far they think it's great fun to run in & out & check out all the "interesting" things in the spa room, but I haven't seen them checking on Wookie to see how she is doing.  They do take off back outside if we open either of the inside doors, but they come right back as son as we leave the area.  

We caught the goldfish out of the stock tank after quite a chase, so he could go to his new home.  I had the big net, which spooked him close enough to the top, John could catch him with the little net.  The kids were excited when we got there, & the woman thought he was pretty, so I hope he has a good long life with his new fish buddies.  I haven't told John yet, but I ordered the  Ritchie automatic waterer............!!!!    I guess I can add it to the long list of "things to do" hanging on the side of the refrigerator........!!! (G)  

We had a couple of tours this morning, & our roaming ambassadors, Buster, Lucy & Quilla, made sure the people were shown around, entertained, & understood that treats were to be fed.  I told Buster I'd put him in a pen if he misbehaved.  He actually was very attentive, & minded his manners, while showing the guests how sweet donkeys can be.  Quilla also made sure the people knew he was there, but wasn't pushy, & the people loved it.  I was very proud of them, after Buster nipping a woman the other day.  Quilla has never nipped, but he will stick his head into the conversation, to make sure you know he's available in case you want to give him treats. 

CRISIS DU JOUR

Yesterday morning when I went out to feed, I noticed Snooky & Julius sitting under the salt cedar at the northwest corner of the courtyard.  I said something to them, & noticed Wookie frantically trying to get away from the barbed wire she was stuck on about 2 feet in the air.  

Years ago we had a brilliant idea to plant salt cedars all along the north side of the house.  I found out when I went to a nursery to ask about them, that if I asked again they would probably call the "plant" police to haul me away.  You would have thought I had asked for their firstborn son, they were horrified at my request.  

So we came home, & went down in the river where they grow by the zillions, dug up 5 as I recall & transplanted them.  Only one survived, & it's done quite well..............BUT.........there is one little minor problem.  I think another name for salt cedar is probably, "donkey candy".  They almost decimated it as soon as it got established & started sending out, "here I am, come & eat me" signals.  So John built a little barbed wire fence around it & it's been there for years, no problem.  Of course brush & weeds have grown up around it, & I would imagine the kittens were running & chasing each other.  If Wookie had short hair she probably would have bounced off & went on.  But her long hair got stuck, & there she hung, poor little girl.  

Although she isn't really wild, she is definitely unhandled.  John had on gloves so he drew the short straw.  She tried to bite a couple of times, hissed & all that, but for the most part was pretty cooperative under the circumstances.  I ran around & finally found a pair of dikes sharp enough to cut thru the wire.  Brought her in the house & was afraid I wouldn't be able to get it out, but finally did.  Let her go & she was out running & playing with the boys in no time.

BUT, this morning she was laying in the outdoor crate, acting punky.  So she is now at the vet awaiting, clean up & a couple of stitches.  And I would imagine 10 days of antibiotics, so it looks like she is going to get her wish, to be in the house, at least for awhile.  I haven't decided whether to put her in the kitty condo again, or just let her in the house.  She'd probably be better off in the condo, without our 3 cats sticking their nose in her business. 

This afternoon we're going to take the remaining stock tank fish to a new home.  I put an ad on Craigslist & had about 5 people interested in giving him a new home.  So I picked what I hope was a good one for him.  He will be in a newly renovated fish pond with 3 other fish.  

Now on to getting John to put in the Ritchie waterer.  Now he is telling me he can't do it until spring, because he will have to pour concrete.........Hmmmmmm!  As I recall we poured the concrete for the garage in January & it snowed 5 times that January.........!!!!!  It is getting cold at night, but I would think the concrete could be covered is necessary. 

WIND, DONKEYS = DONKEY RACES

 HALLOWEEN JACK IN THE BOX

This afternoon we had quite a bit of wind, which according to the weatherman was suppose to drum up some rain.  Didn't happen.  

But I looked out & saw BlackJack & Chester running & play fighting, mostly running.  Quilla was trying to help, but he was coming in a distant third.  I went out on the courtyard to get a better view, & noticed not only were those 3 running around, so was Sha'ba, although I think he was just trying to make sure he was out of the way.  Just about that time I heard minis braying & here they came running as fast as their little legs would go.   I guess I should have came in & got the camera, but I was having too much fun watching them having so much fun.  About 3 trips down the driveway, around the bend,  past the pens & they all just stopped.    Some of the jennies were watching the whole time, I guess they were the spectators.  I don't know if it was the wind or the change in barometric pressure,  they usually would rather just "mosey" instead of waste all that energy. 

Well the horses "got" gone last night, seems like something is missing out here today.  It doesn't take long to get use to a routine I guess.  This morning, picking up poo went really quick. 

I was amazed when they loaded.  Considering it was dark, & they were being "encouraged" to get in a trailer, they actually loaded pretty good.  We hauled the mares & foals, & the stud colts went in the other trailer.  

Where they went is really horse friendly, they have mare motels for shelter & it should be a good place for them.  

Rusty the mule as usual was really upset when we came home with an empty trailer.  He really loves horses & was really disappointed that Sprite kept lunging at him if he tried to get close to her pen.  He & her little boy finally figured out a way to play thru the fence.  Except for when they were eating, the mares & weanlings had the run of the pens on the west.  So Rusty & Gally would catch her not paying attention & go to a different pen than she was in.  She caught them a few times, but they got to play a little bit.  

I guess we should have kept C.J. the little mini horse, so Rusty would have a buddy.  He has Jack the other mule, but it isn't the same I guess. She's really better off living with a farrier, that can keep her little feet trimmed on a regular basis.

This morning when it was time to put Chester into his old pen, he marched right in like he had done it yesterday.  Tula was quite happy to have them gone, they shared a fence with her, & we had to feed her on the other side of her pen, so she wouldn't be any closer to them than necessary. 

THEY'RE STILL HERE...........!!!!!!

KEY WEST, FLORIDA  1898

Looks like we hopefully will be moving the horses tonight.  I have a real problem with people who's lives are a constant crisis management problem.......... SIGH!  Having to rely on other people to do what you say you are going to do obviously adds another layer to the "onion"..........but we've been basically on hold since Monday.  It was going to drag on into the week-end, but she found someone to haul a trailer tonight after work.  So hopefully tonight's the night.  They've been pretty good guests, in fact John has a relationship with the little appaloosa weanling, based on treats of course.....!!!!  LOL  Actually he also really likes to be petted & scratched almost as much as the treats.  But it will be good to get back to our routine for old people.......!!!!  And the donkeys will appreciate being able to get back in Jack's pen to clean up his leftovers.  Right now the horses have the pleasure.  

This morning we lost a hard working little helper that has worked tirelessly & without much attention for 6 or 7 years.  It was one of our stock tank goldfish.  The goldfish make sure no mosquito larvae survive in the big tank & require no upkeep, they just go along day after day living out their lives.  It had some scales missing, so I assume they were probably spawning & the air bladder got popped.  I wouldn't think it would be warm enough for such nonsense, but can't figure out what else it would be.  That leaves only one fish, so we'll have to decide whether to continue using the big above ground tank...........or............. change over to a Ritchie waterer.  I've been discussing changing for a couple of years with the maintenance manager, aka John.  His come back has always been, "what would we do with the goldfish?".  Down to one fish I think we could find a home for one fish, sooooooo I might plead my case again & see what happens.  

No poked eyes in the last few days, although Jack the mule had a big thorn in his muzzle this morning.  Jack will NOT let you pull them unless you halter & tie him.  So unless it is in his eye or somewhere important we just leave him alone.  He usually gets them out pretty quickly.  

Jenny & Lucy are back to walking pretty good for them.  Lucy is wearing her boots, but Jenny is doing fine without them.  

Pepper's de-gloved armpit seems to be healing well, who can tell?  Even bending over & trying to look up it's still difficult to see what's going on.  There's no swelling or heat in it at all.  I'm about ready to change over from Vetericyn to zinc oxide, although I hate to change with it doing so well.  

Last night was warm enough Sha'ba didn't need his blanket, & we've been seeing bees, & other flying insects the last few days.  So it won't be long before the flies show up........SIGH!  Once they show up, Sha'ba, Cisco & I will start our summer routine because of the habronema larvae that come in with the flies.  As there is more sunny days, Quilla's sun sensitivity will start to become a player, & his legs will break out unless I can keep ahead of it. We did pretty good last year, so I'm hoping for the best. 

THE BEST LAID PLANS...........!!!

 JERSEY SHORE 1905

(Boy has Jersey Shore changed judging by TV)

The horses were suppose to move today, to 4 acres the owner found for them.  BUT, she called last this morning & said the man she lined up to haul the ones we aren't, hadn't showed up & hadn't called her.  Sooooooooooo...........we are kinda on hold to see if he checks in early enough this afternoon to be able to go ahead & move them today. 

Once the plans are made we'd just as soon follow thru if at all possible.  We can feed in the dark or if it's late enough, we can feed our guys  before we haul the horses.  But it will all depend on what happens on her end.  

Stay tuned...............!!!!

                                        

                    HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Yesterday Buster came in with a poked eye, & this morning Noelle was almost 3 legged lame on her left front.  Although she has become a little more friendly, we still aren't in her circle of friends.  So I put a halter on her & John was going to hold her while I checked out her shoulder to foot to see what I could find.  

We found out she has probably never had her foot lifted (she's 24 years old, no wonder her feet need attention)  & might not have ever had someone poking & prodding her leg either.  It only took a second to figure out she needed to be tied, & even then saying she was uncooperative is an understatement.  Every time I'd touch her shoulder or head down her leg towards the foot, you would have thought I was using a cattle prod, she really wasn't interested in being examined at all.  

I don't think it's the foot, so hopefully it isn't an abscess.  I thought she reacted when I squeezed at her "elbow" but John said it wasn't much more reaction than anywhere else, so maybe not.  I didn't find any swelling or heat, so we gave up & let her go.  John said "we need to desensitize her".  That means, Tish needs to desensitize her......John isn't really into training. 

Haven't heard from the horse's Mom, so I guess I'll give her a call & see if she'll be ready to move them by the middle of the week, like she said.  John & I are both fighting the coughing crud & it certainly would be nice if we had 6 less animals to take care of & clean up after. 

Let's see...........Cisco's eye is now OK, Daisy's eye has quit weeping (another poke), & this morning when Lucy came in, she was really moving slow.  I didn't put boots on her yesterday, so she was barefooted.  I checked her feet & they didn't feel warm, so I decided to try to pick her feet up & put her boots on.  John stood at her shoulder to bolster her in case she needed it, &  I tried to be as quick as I could, just in case she couldn't stand on one foot or the other.  We got them on without a problem & although she wasn't moving any faster, she did seem to be standing easier, so hopefully they are helping.  I wish there was some way to know if what I do helps or doesn't help. 

About an hour after everyone went out  of their pens, a friend was here & we were looking out the window.  All of a sudden a whole herd of donkeys went running like something was chasing them.  I looked & didn't see anything, never did figure out what set them off.  It's been a long time since I saw them run, which is always fun to watch.  They certainly don't do it because I want them to, that's for sure.........!!!  LOL

Haven't heard from the horse's Mom again, so don't know how their move is going or when it will be.  She said maybe by the middle of next week, so hopefully that will happen.  John is on another jeep tour today, so I'll do evening chores by myself.  The other day when I did them, the donkeys were actually pretty cooperative & not as impatient as I expected.