Friday, April 28, 2017

FIRE IS STILL AN ISSUE

And the mules are still here.  Nothing has really changed, it's gotten up to 40,000 acres.  Yesterday was a good day for containment, but today is going to be windy, so they won't be able to put the planes and helicopters in the air to drop the fire retardant.  

So we will keep the mules until the fire either is out or contained to where they drop the pre- evacuation order.  

It's amazing how much "adjusting" has to be done adding 3 animals to the mix.  When we added the 3 boys last month, it was easy. They went in Frijolita's big pen, she went in Quilla's smaller pen and Quilla went in Daisy's old pen, which had been empty since she died last summer.  So everything was in line, just had to adjust pans and hay buckets in the line-up.  


 Linda couldn't resist dressing up the girls.  This is Reba


PoohBear looks like she's about to fall asleep

Now, Gizmo is in the pen that is not in line, Leddy is running loose on the property.  That's OK at feeding time he's right where he needs to be, by the feed room........LOL  PoohBear and Reba are in Leddy's larger pen, but it is divided in half, so they can eat without drama.  I figure just about the time we get it all figured out and it's going smoothly they'll be headed home.   LOL

We talked about letting them out today, but tomorrow we will leave early in the afternoon to get to the race track so Lynn can practice.  He's not had a chance to try out the asphalt, so we have to be there before 3pm.  I'll mix up the feed before we leave and put it in a big ice chest, so Doug can feed by himself when it's time.  So we are still thinking about it.  They could go out today and not tomorrow, Reba needs the exercise, otherwise her arthritis makes her gimpy.  

Lynn and Linda are leaving Monday, headed for Colorado, with their 3 dogs, and Saddik, our dog.  He's going for the summer to race with Lynn in people races that allow dogs.  They will also have their 2 donkeys and our Boaz and Quilla.  I'm anxious to see if the change in climate helps with their skin problems.  We sure will miss them, when they are here they just about take over the chores and other than that they are just fun to be around.  

Even with those 2 skin problems gone, I'll still have some to doctor.  Penny and Rosie already have all 4 legs wrapped.  The flies aren't too bad yet, but the ones here sure like to chew on donkey legs.



This little lady lives in our backyard.  John noticed the other day her "door" was open.  When they are in their burrow, they put a web across it.  Next thing we know, she is on the back door early in the morning.  We figured she was out hunting and got caught out in daylight.  If  you look at her right rear leg, it is shorter than the other one.  At sometime she has lost that leg and a new one is growing back.  



After John's adventure with the tarantula last year, I was surprised he was willing to try it again.  He got her on his glove, although you might notice she isn't on his glove in the picture.......!!!





He put her down by her burrow and she scurried in, didn't even slow down to build her web back.  Later on John said the web was up.

UPDATE:

Just heard from Kris, "mule mom", and the fire is within 5 miles of their house.  I guess today, especially if it's windy, will be the deciding factor.  

I also heard from Linda, who has 4 donkeys, one is our Chester.  Her donkeys are north of I-10, so if it looks like it's going to jump the interstate, we'll either bring them down here or haul them somewhere for her.  If it jumps I-10 and is still headed east or north east, we'll be right in the path, and will be looking for someplace to take our animals.   Our son has 1 1/4 acre in Tucson and the rental house next to him, is 1 1/4 acre.  Both are set up for horses, BUT, we'd have to make at least 3 or 4 trips using our stock trailer and Lynn and Linda's.  

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