HUMANS WIN...........YEA.......!!

Well at least for now.  No more minis finding a way into Burroland.  Actually they are getting more time over there, so maybe it's not as important to them, as when they were absolutely sure they were being mistreated.

They are up to the gate being opened at 3pm, which gives them 2 hours.........well not counting the time it takes us to find them, round them up and actually manage to get them thru the gate.  Depending on their frame of mind, that can take quite awhile, especially when you are following 3, they go thru a brushy area and only 2 come out.  What do you do, continue following the 2, to the gate and go back for the other one?  Or take a chance on losing the 2 while you try to find the other one?  This isn't a hypothetical story......LOL  Justin was the culprit and later on managed to get over to the pen area without any of us catching him.  

I guess the flies this time of year are desperate to complete their life cycle, there sure a lot of them, in spite of the fly traps and predators.   The nights are cooling off quite a bit, but not enough to kill them off I guess.  

So we're still doctoring, especially legs because of the stable flies.  This morning I gave up and wrapped one of Quilla's front legs.  His legs below the knees are bare of hair, because of 9 years of neglect before he came here.  So every summer he is a daily doctoring effort.  I was hoping we could get into fall without having to wrap, but, as bad as the flies are there is nothing topically to put on that will keep them off all day.  

John and I have been doing POO #101 looking for beans and they aren't eating very many.  The trees have dropped almost all the pods, and the pods below the trees have been rained on and have turned an ugly brown headed for black.  I assume that they aren't very tasty at this stage.  So the donkeys are eating lots of weeds.  Over the next few days we'll let them out a little earlier each day until we get up to noon.  That will give them 5 hours over there and if that goes OK, will probably start letting them over there at night too.  

Miss Penny has been in the pen area for over a week now and is doing just fine.  Although I must say she isn't nearly as friendly as she was when she was in the hay barn.  We have a game going, if she wants a treat from me, she has to let me touch her forehead.  No "touchie", no treat.  So far the score is about 1 to many.  You would think all that time in the barn, when we waited on her hand and foot, would have helped her decide that we are nice people that like donkeys, but guess not....!! 

John's doing fine after his seed implant.  He saw one of his doctors this week and was told that in the near future the seed implants will probably not be covered by insurance and will only be available to those that can pay for it.  I guess the insurance companies are deciding it is too expensive considering how many men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.  Welcome to the future, of socialized medicine.  It's not that the seeds are better than external radiation.  But the overall dosage of radiation is lower over a longer period of time, which makes less side effects the guy has to put up with some of which are really unpleasant and can be permanent.  

Haven't went back to the dirt track to try to help get it ready for practice in Oct. and racing starting in Jan.   Was going this last week-end, but the guy in charge called and said they weren't going to work.  I'm not having a real good feeling about whether they will be able to get things going in a timely manner, at this rate.  

The way the last 2 races at the asphalt track went I would have probably finished in 5th and possibly even 4th.  The top 3 cars were strong and finished well.  But the other 3 cars in 3rd to 6th either ran poorly or in one case the guy fell off a ladder and was running around in the pits in a cervical collar for a broken neck.  Of course I could have crash and burned too............LOL

I GUESS THE GAME IS OVER

How much help does John need?

At least the little monsters haven't figured out how to get back over to Burroland so far.  So I guess John WON......!!!  But it wasn't easy.......LOL

The gate to Burroland is just to the left up the bank.  BlackJack and Frijolita are patiently waiting for it to open.  Buddy is up on the bank pacing back and forth.

Last night when John and I went over to do round up and Doug was on stand-by on this side, they were really uncooperative.  I found them in the NE corner, got them going in the right direction and lost sight of them, when a couple peeled off to circle back.  Use to if you got them headed for the gate, they would keep going and go thru the gate on their own.  Times have changed I guess, Doug never saw them, I guess they stayed farther north.  They ended up in the SW corner where John was working.  

As I was headed that direction, I thought I heard a person moaning and groaning.  It was hard to tell, there was a herd of about 15 cows and calves standing at the closed gate to the road, mooing and complaining because the gate was closed, I guess.  Either that or they were rooting for John or the donkeys, not sure which.  When I got down there to compare stories and figure out who we were missing, John said he had fallen over a stick and thinks he broke a rib.  

Hasn't changed his mind this morning.  Unless ribs are really broke, there isn't much they can do about them, so he's going to play with it over the week-end and see how it is Monday.  I offered to wrap him with an Ace bandage, but he refused.  Probably smart thing to do, I've never wrapped a human rib cage before.........LOL

5 - 0 and so it continues

I'm really finding this entertaining.  John, not so much.  After this morning's escape, he gathered up his fence, pipe, wire, t-posts etc and prepared to do battle.  I had to go to town, so I left John and Doug busy doing fence.  

This is a picture I took before Doug came to help and I left for town.  John has plenty of help including Gizmo, the mule.

When I got back John was on his tractor moving gravel and said he wish he'd had a camera after they got the fence fixed temporarily on this end and were on the other end fixing it.  

John said he looked up and Lynn was halfway thru the fence and held it up long enough for Cheyenne to squeeze thru.  He said they looked like they didn't think it was a big deal......well until John went over and ran them back.  Doug was the gate keeper and I guess he had more help that he wanted from the rest of them trying to get thru the gate from this side.  

After they got it fixed, the guys sat in the golf cart to see what would happen.  I would imagine they were wondering if it was going to keep the munchkins on this side.  John said Lynn walked up and started pushing and shoving and sticking her head thru.  She did that for quite awhile and then he said she walked the complete wash, very slowly, looking for weak spots.  Guess she didn't find any, they finally wandered off.  Heh, heh..........John thinks he's got them beat, but I'm not betting the farm on his thoughts..LOL

The guys played in the 12 ton gravel pile and got Penny's pen ready for her to move.  John said she was an absolute pill, she didn't want a halter on and wasn't going to have it.  She reared up and stomped John's toes with both front feet.  Wasn't my toes, so I thought it was pretty funny.  She wouldn't go into the "squeeze" and in general not cooperative at all.  She's not the most grateful animal on the planet, that's for sure. 

He got her moved and then they used the gravel to fill in low spots in some of the other pens.  The raining season is over for awhile, but when we were getting rain, low spots showed up really well as mud holes.  John hasn't even made a dent in the pile yet. 

12 ton doesn't look like much, but I bet John will be glad when it's gone......!!!

4 - 0 CADDY SHACK CONTINUES.......

Just chased Lynn back over, the others hadn't escaped yet.  I have to go to town, so "it's not my circus"....... I'm curious to see what is next............!!!!   LOL

SCORE 3-0

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT........CHEYENNE, PEPSI, LYNN AND JUSTIN

John had a jeep tour yesterday and wasn't here for evening round up and feeding.  Doug went out to get the donkeys in their pens, came back to report he couldn't find............Cheyenne, Justin and Lynn.  Hmmmm..........wonder if they had figured out John's fix and went to Burroland?????  

Sure enough looked across the wash and the girls were standing by the closed gate, ready to come back for supper.  But no Justin.  Got the girls over here and I went into Burroland to find him.  You know what they say about finding your objective, the last place you look.  That would be OK, IF big if, I hadn't walked the 20 acres looking for him already.........LOL  

Before I found him, I came within about 3 feet of stepping on a rattlesnake.  In my sandals that would probably have been really exciting.  He buzzed and coiled and I squealed and jumped back.  I said adios and he probably said good riddance, it was a really quick relationship.....LOL

Went thru that wash, across another wash headed for the gate and who did I see.....??  What really irks me is as soon as they see you, they take off running for the gate like it was their idea.  When I saw him, he was vacuuming up beans.  

Doug said he thought he found a new place on the other side of the wash where they went thru, but he had somewhere to go and couldn't fix it.  It was dark by the time John got home, but we couldn't let them out last night, unless it was fixed, they'd just go right back over there.  

So John went out in the dark and came back in looking like he'd been in a wrestling match with a mountain lion and lost......!!!  His temporary fix was to drag and pile up branches off a cat claw tree that fell in the wash last time the wash ran.  I guess the bank eroded out from under it.  Anyway cat claw is called that for a reason. 

 But I am happy to report all 4 minis were on this side of the gate this morning.  It's not suppose to rain anymore, so his temporary fix might be good until the next time the wash runs.  OR MAYBE NOT......!!  John has never figured out why farmers and ranchers over build stuff.  I've tried to tell him that visual doesn't work with animals, but he seems to have the "maybe it will work this time" menality.  Farmers and ranchers don't want to have to do it again and know from experience that animals will find a way if they can. 

CHEYENNE ONE...............PEOPLE ZERO

DOES THIS LOOK LIKE THE FACE OF A ESCAPE ARTIST?

                

After John "fixed" the wash where the minis got out yesterday morning, we checked on them a couple of times and they were all over here..........until someone noticed Cheyenne wasn't with the others at round up time.  But she was standing on the other side of the gate into Burroland wanting back over here with her friends...LOL 

She is the littlest one and managed to knock the t-post and rock barrier aside, John had built and squeeze thru.  So after chores we could hear John over there with his post thumper, thumping away on the T-post.   We'll see who outsmarts who in this Caddy Shack "story".........!!!

   
   

INTERESTING DAY SO FAR......!!

This morning I was suppose to go to Tucson for an appointment.  Got chores done, did doctoring, jumped in little gas saving car and headed for the big city.  I was in the outside lane, passing a car, when the left rear tire came apart.  I must say the little Kia Spectra5 did very well, of course it's front wheel drive and it was a rear wheel, but some cars don't do well under adverse conditions like that.  I had to get slowed down from the 80MPH I was doing, get over in the slow lane and get off the highway.  Called John, no answer, called Doug and he went and found John.

My Savior came to "save" me.  I can change a tire, BUT, I was already going to miss my appointment, it has one of those nasty little space saver spares that you can't drive over 50MPH and a scissor jack, which are a pain to use. John brought another tire and a big jack.  Unfortunately the wheel he brought wouldn't fit, so after putting on the space saver, he drove the dear little thing home and I drove the pick-up.  He didn't trust me to make it home with speed rules I guess..........LOL

While I was waiting, a very nice man drove by, and then drove back around to offer to change it for me.  I told him my husband was on the way, but that I appreciated his offer and the fact that there are still gentlemen in the world.  

Got home and noticed there was a little white mule pacing back and forth in one of the pens.  I had told Vic, Courtney was coming to trim today and to bring Casper over if he needed a trim.  He has been pacing back and forth all day long, he probably won't need a trim after all that moving around.  He's looking a little chubby from the mesquite bean season too, although not as much as some of ours.  They started out chubby and have moved on to full blown obesity.  

Came in and there was a message on the phone that when Vic went back home, he noticed 2 of the minis over in Burroland..........!!!   Hmmm.........they weren't suppose to be there, which meant they had found a way.  Sure enough when we got to the gate about 8 or 9 others were milling around, wondering why they couldn't get over there, I guess.  

John went over to find them, and I was in charge of controlling the others, and opening the gate at the right time.  Rather than try to do all of that at the same time, I just ran them out of the area, while John was finding the minis.  They were pretty determined to stay by the gate, but I was just as determined that they were going someplace else, and just before John showed up with the minis, they gave up and stayed away.  WHEW.......!!!   

Just as soon as the minis got over here, Lynn showed us where she had went between the bank and fence in the wash.  I thought they were smarter than that...........LOL  John put up a T-post and some rocks in the corner, and then she started trying to get her head and little body thru the barbed wire, so we ran another strand of barbed wire across the wash.  So far they are still on this side.

Unfortunately because Courtney is coming, NO ONE, will be going over to Burroland today.  They got over there again yesterday afternoon for about an hour or so.  Most of them remembered being chased the day before and came over to the pens, except for Tula, Frijolita, Quilla and Gizmo.  You would think an all white donkey like Quilla would be easy to spot.............not.....!!  We had to walk all over because once they know you are after them, they will circle around behind you and go where you just left.  

Judging from their poo, they are finding plenty of beans in their hour or so over there a day.  

The gravel for the pens is being delivered tomorrow morning at 6:45AM.  I can only assume we are the 1st delivery for the day....!!!  LOL  Well, John will have all day to haul it and spread it.  Hopefully Penny will get to go into her pen tomorrow.  Of course once she finds out the others are going out and she isn't, moving probably won't be all that exciting.  

NOT DONKEY, BUT WHAT A FACE......!!!

Looks like we are going to participate in the Car Show for the Butterfield Stage Day Celebration, Oct 8th and 9th.  We've entered cars before but it's been a few years.  John's taking the bronco, I'm taking my little race car and our grandson is suppose to bring either his low rider truck or his late model race car out from Tucson.  

The bronco is 50 years old this year, we've owned it since 1968 when we bought it to drive up the Al-Can highway thru Canada to John's new assignment at Eielson AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska.  Planned on selling it when we left, but it's been part of the family every since.  The stories it could tell..........LOL

TODAY WAS THE DAY, BURROLAND OPENED...........!!!!

Talk about a bunch of happy donkeys and Gizmo the mini mule..........!!!  We were getting ready to go to Benson in the late afternoon and when we went out to get in the car, about a dozen assorted donkeys and Gizmo were right out by the pen area.  So we decided to go open the gate, since we were pretty sure they would follow us if we headed in that direction.  Sure enough, that's all it took, in fact Boaz was actually in front of John in the parade.  

Of course in the back of our minds was the idea of getting them back over here after about 1 1/2 hours of wild freedom...........LOL  We went to town, did our thing, and as soon as we got home, headed out each carrying a whip to whiz thru the air as incentive to make them know we meant it.  Doug stayed in the pen area to put them in IF and WHEN we got them.  

Actually since they hadn't been over there for awhile, it was pretty easy to track them all the tracks were new.  We had split up, and they just happened to be in my direction.  Sure enough their heads were down and they were eating as fast as they could.  They knew I was there, but didn't bother to acknowledge me, until I threw a couple of rocks into the herd, yelled and started swinging my whip around viciously........!!!  Talk about a mess...... donkeys took off at full speed, bucking and relieving gas from the beans they had eaten.  They usually stay in a group and all of them headed straight for the gate......except for  Tula, Quilla and Gizmo.  Tula is usually the herd boss, but they were moving so fast I don't think they even knew she diverted and took those two with her.  Doug said it was a good thing he wasn't standing in the gate or he would have been road kill, when they came thru......!!!  LOL  

So I had to find them again.  One thing about eating mesquite beans, they make noise when chewed.  Also Casper the other little mini mule that is staying at the neighbors, tattled when he saw them.  Tula tried to go the wrong direction a couple of times, but finally gave up and headed for the gate.  

Whew! I was wore out.  I remember doing this just a few years ago, even running after them to make sure they knew I meant business.  No running today, I even lost sight of them a couple of times, and was glad they didn't decide to really rebel.  

We'll probably order the sand/gravel tomorrow for Penny's pen, so she can get out of the hay barn.  She will stay in the pens, either hers or we will probably open them up when the others are out, so she can have more room, till about the 1st of November.  

She has finally decided we aren't out to "get" her I guess.  She's enjoying being brushed, always before she would squirm and get away if she could.  Now she stands still as long as you will brush.  She's also much better about her feet.  She's never been really bad about picking them up for me, or letting me mess with her legs.  Tyler, that trims her feet is another story.  She absolutely refuses to cooperate for him at all and has taken a quick swipe at him with a rear foot more than once.  

Everybody else is doing good, thank goodness the prickly pear fruits are almost all gone.  Cisco wades right into the middle of them and eats all the fruit he can find.  The fruit has tiny little spines on them and he ends up with them all in his mouth, nose, muzzle, not to mention in his legs where he's walked into the cactus pads, which have big spines.  We try to pull them out, but the numbers are overwhelming.  Sha'ba use to do the same thing.  What gets me is they can still eat hay and mush, not to mention animal crackers, but you have to be careful feeding them crackers or you'll be picking spines out of your hand.    There's very few prickly pear in Burroland, thank goodness, so I think he's about done with this particular entertainment until next year.  

YUMMY......!!!

HAVE YOU MISSED UPDATES THE LAST FEW DAYS?

John and our grandson JR, cleaning up weeds at the dirt track last Sunday.  Actually it looks suspiciously like they are leaning on their shovels..........!!! 

Well it hasn't been that many days, but between doing clean up at the dirt track, John's "procedure" Monday, then his MRI and C-scan Tuesday and my computer deciding to "go on vacation" Tuesday night, this is my 1st opportunity to figure out if there is anything worthwhile to write about.......LOL

Cleanup at the track was fun, not sure we accomplished very much, but we got to meet some like minded people, (prefer dirt over asphalt) and talked to the manager.  He's got some good ideas, plans on having some practice days, starting in Oct. and wants to start racing in January.  There's still lots of cleanup to get done, not sure it will get done with just volunteers on week-ends, human nature being what it is.  We plan on going out this Sunday again, John is going to call and see if they have any use for his little tractor with a bucket on one end and a backhoe on the other, if so we'll load it up.     

Monday morning John and I were up bright and early, I made up the feed pans, so Doug could feed after we hit the road for a 7am appointment for radiation seed implants for John's prostate cancer.  They did 5 weeks of external radiation and now the seeds will release low dose radiation for about 6 months.  The next day we had to go back in for MRI and C-scan to make sure the 35-50 little seeds were where they belonged.  I guess they were, we haven't gotten in frantic messages to come back in for further treatment and he doesn't glow in the dark.  

We had what we thought was a question that no one had ever asked before, "would it be OK for the cats to sit on John's lap (that's prime cat property around here) or would they get radiated"?  Dr. Mack said it wasn't a problem, and over the years that question has come up quite often.  He also said very rarely does the question come up for grandkids.  Hmmmm.......interesting....!!  He's doing just fine, or at least will be in a few days when the results of "abuse" improve.  Makes me glad I'm an "innie" rather than an "outie"............LOL

Doctoring is getting easier and easier every morning, it doesn't take much of a change in the weather to really make a difference with the skin problems.  I have 4 that would probably do much better in a cooler climate, especially in the summer.  John says we should move to Show Low in the summer.  It's OK with me, but the logistics would be formidable to overcome.  And moving isn't as much fun as it was when we were younger......LOL  

I have to report that the cows "aren't" going into Burroland.  Vic thought they were, but we went over and checked for hoofprints and there aren't any.  As much green stuff and beans as there is all over everywhere, why would they bother to turn left to go into a new area.  Cows are creatures of habit and don't change unless it's really worthwhile.  There's nothing in Burroland that they don't have where they normally go.  So we're back to what to do about Burroland.  The donkeys have pretty well picked the 10 aces clean.  There is an occasional bean in their poo, but not much.  We had a nice rain a few days ago, hopefully it will cause the beans on the ground to mold and turn black.  We've noticed they don't eat them, when that happens.  

It's about time for Miss Penny Packer to move out of the hay barn and into her pen.  We are thinking about ordering some mortar sand to put where she likes to lay down in her pen, so she won't be on  gravel.  We talked about just getting some bags of sand, but a lot of the pens needs to be filled in, so now we're talking about getting a truck load of sand.  Well I'm talking about getting a truck load  and John's eyes are glazing over.  We'll see how this story plays out.  

As for my computer, I was on it, during the rain and somewhere got lightening, because the electricity went off.  When it came back on, my computer wasn't interested.  We poked and prodded it and nothing.  Called my computer guru, Jared, hauled it to him and picked it up on the way back from John's MRI day.  He couldn't find anything wrong with it, brought it home and nothing.  John worked electronics for many years and he didn't seem to think it was unusual for it to work and not work.  Probably hauling it to Jared jiggled something and us bringing it home, jiggled something else.......SIGH!

So called Jared again, but he is tied up until tomorrow, so last night after supper John decided to delve into the inter workings of the little monster.  Since he's done this with million dollar equipment, at least that's what the Air Force pays for it, I figured he could be trusted with my little PC.  He took the cover off and started poking around with a wooden pencil.  Didn't find anything loose, picked up the PC and twisted it a little bit and it came on.  It's still on, I'm afraid to turn it off..............LOL  

As John explains electronics to me, you can't fix it if it isn't broke or if you can't replicate the problem, so I'm pretty much stuck with leaving it on 24/7 or until the electricity goes off again.  Or until it does finally break.  They think it's probably a crack in the mother board circuit, but it would be a shame to change out the mother board and still have the problem, so we'll just limp along for awhile. 

OPEN THE GATE AND THEY WILL COME........?????

Well at least that's the plan.  The 10 acres is pretty clean as far as mesquite beans are concerned, so the donkeys are back to their normal routine, but just on the 10 acres.  John went over on Burroland a few days ago and said underneath the trees is completely covered with piles of beans..........SIGH.....!!  

Some of the taller donkeys are getting good at stretching out those necks, reaching up into the trees and shaking limbs like crazy, which makes hold out beans fall.  The shorter donkeys have learned to follow their taller friends around and share in the bounty, when it falls.  

Which brings us back to the problem of Burroland.  Recently we have heard cows down below the house, so a couple of days ago, John took some of Penny's alfalfa sticks and stems down to the west gate into Burroland, opened it up and "chummed" the area with Penny's leftovers.  According to Vic the neighbor that is baby sitting Casper, the cattle have been in there.  We don't know how many or how far in they went, but hopefully they will continue to add a side trip into Burroland on their wanderings.  We'll give it a few days and go check the results.  

Yesterday I noticed flies bothering Penny under her jaw.  She has had a halter on every since we brought her home almost a month ago, because she is such a problem child to handle.  It usually works out better if you have something to hang onto, if you want to work with her.  

The halter on her has an extra ring most halters don't have.  Obviously it's in the way when she runs her head thru the corral panels or probably rubs when she is sticking her head in the hay bunk.  She has a sore about silver dollar size, (if anyone remembers what they looked like).  Had to put her in the redneck squeeze, take off the fly mask, wrestle off the halter and then get to "try" to put medication on the spot.  We got it done, but not with any cooperation from her at all.  I have to be careful trying to work with my arm thru the corral panel, she is so explosive with her head movement, she could break my arm. John checked this morning and the flies weren't bothering it, so unless they do, we'll just let it heal on it's own.........LOL  What gets me is she doesn't hold a grudge at all.  As soon as the fly mask is back on, and the squeeze opened, she's in your face insisting on a cookie.  Obviously good behavior isn't a prerequisite for getting treats in her mind.  

This morning after doctoring, John and I are going out to the dirt track to help with clean up if they can find something for 2 old people to do.  The facilities have set unused for 2 years, in the desert things fall apart pretty quick.  Actually we're nosy and want to see what's going on.......!!! 

LOVELY RAIN

I guess our weather is being pushed by Hurricane Norman.  Sometime during the night it started drizzling, when John checked the rain gauge he said it was 1/4 inch, which was a surprise, since we couldn't even hear it on the roof.  

When it was time to do chores THEN it started actually raining, not hard, just hard enough to make chores fun.......!!!  And it continues to rain.  Suppose to quit this afternoon, but if it keeps lightly raining like this, it should be worthwhile.  

Hope everyone had a nice Labor Day.  We had good friends over for a steak cookout, I asked Doug if he'd like a steak and guess what........??   He came too...........LOL  

Last night the rattlesnake was on the back porch again.  I assume she has caught a snack out there recently and is looking for another one.  I was in the kitchen and all of sudden I heard the dreaded buzzing.  Looked at the open patio door and there sat 3 cats focused at the screen door, intently looking out.  Sure enough the snake was less than 18 inches from the screen and really not happy.  I quickly shut the door, so there was glass between her and them.  They lost interest and she eventually crawled off the porch out into the yard.  Less than 5 minutes later Julius the outdoor cat showed up at the door wanting in, so I assume she wasn't still in the area.  He hasn't survived all these years by being unaware I'm sure.

The donkeys have been staying in the pens except for a couple of hours a day.  John told me a few days ago there aren't very many beans left on the 10 acres, so as of yesterday they will be out about 4-5 hours a day on the 10 acres.  We're talking about letting them have access to Burroland for part of that time, but we need to go over there and see what the bean situation is like.  Not today, it's afternoon and STILL RAINING........!!!

We did go out to doctor and while out there I checked poo and John's right, not many beans.  They are busy eating purslane.  It's all over the property, although I've never tried it, it's suppose to to taste good and be good for you. 

Had to make laundry soap today.   Everytime I see all the laundry detergent as the store and the price they charge for it, I thank my lucky stars a friend told me about making my own a few years ago. 

I'm through racing at the asphalt track.  With only 2 races left, they gave me a ultimatum that I had to put about 30 decals on my car, advertising companies like Coke that give a lot of money to NASCAR.  They want the decals on every car and at the end of the season, contingency money is paid to some of the classes.  Unfortunately not to the Hornets.  They've been after me for about a year and I've continued to say no, and told them I don't advertise for companies that don't sponsor me or give me contingency money. I guess they thought I'd give up since there was only 2 more races and it looks like I would have probably finished 5th or 6th.  I called NASCAR, they called NASCAR and NASCAR said they really encourage the cars to run the decals, and it's up to the track if they will let me race.  I'm hoping the "problem" might cause a little money to filter down to the Hornets. we'll see if that happens, I'm not holding my breath.  LOL

THE SNAKES ARE MOVING AROUND

Most little girl's dream, I know it was mine......!!

 Fall is always an interesting time.  The snakes we never see move around and we see them, or their tracks across the driveway in the morning.  We also see great big Praying Mantis hanging around the fly traps.  Not sure they make much of a dent in the fly population, but we do appreciate their help.  

Must not forget the little green bugs.  We've never figured out what they are but, about this time of year they show up.  They are so small they go right thru the screens and are very drawn to the lights.  So wherever lights are on they congregate by the 100's.  The little devils bite, I'm not sure how since they are so small, but they do and it hurts.  So we sit around in the dark, watching TV, or don't open the windows until bedtime.  

The Colorado River toads try to keep the wet season going by using the water pans John puts out for the birds and whatever else wants a drink.  They sit around in the pans, soaking up the water.  They'll do that for a few days of non-rain, eventually if there isn't any rain, they disappear back underground.  

Penny is really tired of being in "solitary confinement".  She is starting to challenge us when we go into her pen in half the hay barn.  Even if she does get out as long as we put the chain on the gate into the hay barn, she isn't going to get very far.  

Everyone else seems to be doing good, well they are getting rather cranky about only getting out of their pens for a couple of hours a day.  John keeps saying there aren't many beans left on the 10 acres, but I keep seeing quite a few beans in their poo.  We aren't even thinking about Burroland yet, that's for the future.........LOL  We'll start out with the 10 acres at first and see how that goes.  We'll probably just let them out in the afternoon to start with, and work up to letting them out when they get thru eating breakfast.  But they will probably stay in the pens overnight for awhile.  

Still doctoring legs, even had to put socks on Penny's front legs, although she has a fan running in her stall.  But the other day when we put her outside for a couple of hours, the flies started on her legs.  We didn't know how putting socks on would work with her in a different area than usual, but she stood like a trooper and let me put them on without a lead or anything.  Sometimes she is a real surprise.  

She decided she likes to be groomed, never has before.  If you tried to brush her, she'd stand for about 10 seconds and then take off.  The last few days I've brushed on her a little bit, mostly to get her winter hair off, finally.  Since she doesn't like to be groomed we haven't pushed the issue.  This morning I decided to try the Furminator.  Talk about a "hit".....!!!  I thought I was finished and was going to start picking up poo, which is why I was up there.  It's not easy to do housekeeping when there is a donkey standing in your space, and if you move, she moves with you.  John finally showed up and brushed while I picked up poo.  I think her 10 second brushing and then taking off days are over, she acts like she'd stand there as long as you would brush.  That's OK, I wonder if she's ever been brushed before?  I have a feeling she's been a throw away her whole life, no matter where she was.