Snakes

Earlier in the week, while taking Max out for a weeeee, I noticed something amiss on the patio. It was a ring-neck snake! An adult, like the tiny ones that 'bloom' in the dining room every August. When Max was finished I went in to let him know there was a snake on the patio, but when we went back out it was gone. On Sunday, while he was finishing up the big trailer's clean-up project, he realized that was a Black Snake on the steps, not a tire tube or something like that. This snake was larger than the snake we saw last week in the barn, but it is the same kind. This is country living, right?

Birds

This is our third June on the farm and the birds are an interesting element. The original roof, the leaking one, had holes in the Facia boards. The nesting birds took advantage of that. House Sparrows, Grackles, Starlings and Purple Finches ruled the roost, literally. When the barn was installed they made themselves at home as well. The next spring Barn Swallows showed up, briefly, but didn't nest in the barn. This Spring they arrived and they stayed! I love seeing them flying in and out of the barn, across the pastures or sitting on the fence rails. In the last two weeks there have been seven or so dead birds, all different stages of development, found dead in and around the barn, in the water buckets, on the railing at Skip's feeder, on the stall or aisle floor. Most look like Sparrows, some not more than a squab. Nothing fouls a bucket of water faster than a dead floating bird.

Tornado!

The first of June blew in like the special effects crew from The Wizard of Oz. Predicted were breezy conditions, rain late in the day with as much as an inch in total. Liars! In the end we got close to three inches of rain, some things were rearranged on the patio and the driveway, the power had gone out, the stall doors had blown shut (not an easy feat) and a tornado touched down about a mile north of here.

Snake!

There is a Black Snake living in or around the barn. Look out crickets and beetles! His mouth is too small to handle much else.

Spa Day

Because of the twins surgeries we were laying low for the weekend, plus it was pretty darn hot with the accompaniment of high humidity. We decided that mostly everybody needs a bath! He had previously upgraded the water heater in the LQ trailer to work on dual fuel: propane and electric. This increases the heating capacity, so not only is the first bath hot, so is the second. We started with the pre-bath shampoo – manes and tails – of Sprite and Lil Fred. Traditionally Lil Fred has been horrific at bath time. For someone that weighs around 200 lbs. he can be quick and dangerous. He rears and plunges, spins and dives. This time he actually took it like a man! Sprite is always resigned to the fact that this is going to happen, just deal. April also got a bath and let the shedding begin in earnest! W0W – looks like the stuffing has been knocked out of her.

Cut, Cut - It's a Wrap!

Today both Irene and Max went to the vet's, to get neutered. Two birds with one stone, two babies with one knife, something like that. Glad it's done with. We're looking forward to our holiday weekend, but spending it babysitting the two of them. The Infirmary is in full swing.

Holiday Weekend on the Horizon

No food after 10pm for Max or Irene. I think the best plan will be to feed her at 9:55 and hit the sack. I feed her right before I go to bed and she sleeps all night, sometimes the alarm wakes her. I recommend that to anyone that says cats are Nocturnal and will keep you up all night. Cats are not chinchillas, you can change their life patterns. Food is the key.