I asked Carolyn what kind of animals she lives with, on so much land in Hillsboro Texas. Ask and you shall receive! It was sooo good, I've been inspired to invite others to share their babies here too, by starting this creatures thread. Pics? yes, yes, yes, Carolyn and other keepers of God's Creatures... post some pics for us who wish we too, could live on an ark.

Carolyn's note from elsewhere...

We have: cows, donkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, pigs, assorted chickens, turkeys, dogs and cats, and hopefully this Friday, I'm getting a milk goat.

At our old farm which we left a year ago, we raised goats, and had about 160 of the sweet things, as well as the donkeys and chickens and geese. When we moved here, there wasn't fencing appropriate for goats, so I had to sell them all. It was horrible! I had started with just a few, and most of them that we had were their babies and grandbabies, and I had helped deliver most and bottle fed a lot of them. They all had names and knew them! We enjoyed the fresh milk, although it is very restricting on my running-around, to be on a milking schedule.

I'm hoping to work into direct consumer sales of the assorted meats. All the animals are free-range, meaning they eat whatever is in the fields, and are supplemented with corn and oats. The supplementation is basically so that I have some control. They come in at a certain time every evening, and that way I can keep an eye on them.

By the way, we are taking orders for turkeys for the holidays if anyone is interested. These are ones we have hatched in the incubators, and they are totally the "o" word (which I have not paid the fees to be certified to use, so I will just say they are chem-free). We will also have chicken for sale fairly soon, also hatched this spring in the incubators and ditto about them being chem-free. We are taking orders on them as well.

We have 4 sows - all pregnant. We are going to be up to our necks in piglets in about another 1-1/2 months. My husband better hurry and get the new pig area fenced! I'm pretty sure that approximately 48 pigs in the present pigpen would be way tooooo close to the house!!

I have one little boy calf whose name is Hamburger, but he won't be big enough to butcher for quite a while.

If anyone is interested, I can post some photos of the animals.

Now Maggie, aren't you glad you asked this question so that you could get such a lenghty answer?

Carolyn, how on earth do you find time to garden, and do none of your animals eat nutgrass?

That poor little calf, you could at least have called him beefburger.

My "farm" is on a much smaller scale, you have pigs, I have guinea pigs, you have turkeys, I have tiny little chinese painted quail (also hatched in incubator)....so it is true, things are much bigger in Texas.

By the way, my pigs have already given birth, 2 weeks ago, four little cuties, 2 brown and 2 black.

Just to show you how tiny things are in England

Help! I can't figure out how to load photos. On my tool bar, "view" doesn't have an option designated "options!"

Carolyn type as follows but with \ in front of the word image and no spaces

image{name of your image including type such as .jpg}

Don't forget the brackets, then when you finally post it asks for the location of the image on your puter...simple...so simple it took me three goes to get it right....good luck.

What cutie patooties, Terry!! I really enjoyed your bird site last night. Those babies are so tiny, I would be afraid to lift them. More pics, more pics!!!

I know what a problem it is to follow those directions on this forum, Carolyn. I think the instructions on the side bar are really poorly written. Let me have a go at this, risky as that is. And if I blow it, maybe Terry will correct the wording or whatever. Unlike me, he's techie-abled.

You write your message as usual, then add:
\image
Immediately followed exactly by this on the same line: {Text description}
where you want the image to appear.
I can't put the 2 together on this post, cause it tries to retrieve something from my files!

Then hit the ‘preview/post’ button below your text box.
When your preview is up in green text, hit the ‘post message’ button. You then get another preview with bright yellow words where the image will go. Also, you should get a browse prompt window that will access your download files to retrieve the image. When you click on your filed image, it loads onto your message for publishing.
I’m not sure if I addressed your problem Carolyn, even though I’m such a whiz at all this. (hope the jest comes through on THAT one) Anything beyond the limited bit of understanding that I have on these things, and we will have to call Larry or Terry in.

OH! You posted while I was writing mine Terry!!!
Let us know which (if either!) makes any sense. I don't understand Terry's, cause if I break with my routine, I am totally lost.

Lordy, I don't understand either...that's why I have a husband! He's a puter wiz. Thank goodness!

Another tiny from England, a froglet, just lost his tail and about to enter the big wide world.

Enjoying your photos Terry. The little quail are about the size of newly hatched guinea fowl. As big as guineas get (the same size as a standard chicken), we were amazed how small they are at first. Terry, what do you do with the quail? Do you raise to sell? I'm not up on the quail market. I know people around here sell chukar quail, but I don't have the slightest idea what they do with them.

I raise my quail mainly for pleasure, but of course I have to sell my surplus, not much profit in there though Carolyn. See how tiny they are at hatching...bet you don't have to turn all the eggs twice a day by hand.
Good to see Maggie is not joining in, she has a lot of catching up to do.

This is something you find as old age creeps in, you tend to repeat yourself quite a bit. Then again maybe the Hungarian Cabernet has something to do with it. I was sure I only posted the once.

They are really cute! Why don't you get an automatic turner? This year I had 6 tabletop incubators going (because I couldn't get in touch with my friend with the big commercial incubators) and the only eggs I couldn't use the turners on were the goose eggs. Those I had to turn 3 times a day. What a pain! But worth it now that I see my babies out playing in the lake.

Hmmm. Hungarian Cabernet. Sounds delightful!

I love all kinds of fowl.....but what I really like is Cabernet or a GOOD Merlot.......

Carolyn,,,, got grapes?

I haven't been joining in earlier Terry, cause I was abducted today. Fed Indian lunch and taken away to a woodland wonderland. Should have taken my digi camera. Maybe next time, huh, Davik?

Did finish the Comestrudel article last night, but been gone too long to publish it. Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow, manana. Giverny text... welll only if Lars shuts down the forum page for a while. No worry there tho, 'cause I'm sure Gail and I would personally convince him not to.

Maggie, maggie, maggie...there you go making me sad again. You went to a woodland wonderland??? Where and tell me details, please. Now, only a Giverny article will make me smile...or a load of horse manure...what does that say about me?

Per Larry's request, here is a shot of the "chicken tractor." Most of the fowl seen are baby turkeys. As you can see, I have 2 of these, and there is no bottom to the cages. We move them twice a day, and the poultry eat weeds, weed seeds, bugs, etc. These are along the perimeter of the yard at present. I can also move them to any trouble spot, like a garden bed with cutworms, and the chicks make short order of the bad bugs!

Yea, Maggie maybe my yard will look better next time......Thanks for the thoughts and praise...You know how it is with a Garden "You should have seen my Garden Yesterday"

That chicken tractor is some serious organic gardening, er farming Carolyn! So ingenious - so amazing! Maybe I could keep chickens in the garden afterall, with that practice! Short of a tractor, I could just harness up Beau and Nigel.

Gail, that's where the woodland wonderland was - David and Cheryn's garden! It's beautiful - you have to beg an invite! I really do want to get some picies of it - you drive, I'll shoot - what a team.

Note to David & Cheryn:

BEG, beg, Beg...plead, PLEAD, Plead...Please, PLEASE, please...

Maggie, How was that? I have no pride. And, I have no problem driving. Is it on the way to the horse poo or opposite way?

I well be sure and tell my WIFE,Gail that we rank with you as somewhere between hear,there and Horse poopoo!!!!! That will convince her to let you come over.......NOT !!!!!!!!!!!

Hey David! "I" cook. Why not invite us all over, and I'll bring food?

Thought I might post a photo of Tom the Turkey strutting his stuff. Oh, and thanx a lot for accusing me of screwing up the photo posting feature.

heehee

Ok, C, when the tractor pulls the cages, the birds have to run to keep up with the walls, yes? Why am I laughing?

Tom looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. I'd order one from you if I hadn't seen him dressed and all. I'd make a lousy farmer. And do you mean that hens stop laying at a certain age? I only wanted chickens for the eggs, so that means when they got too old to lay, I'd have even more useless pets than I do now,,, cause a pet dinner would be out of the question for me.

Gee Carolyn, Your killing me.....You ware a swim suit and COOK....What a wonderful four letter word.....COOK........Well you certainly have a leg up on Gail coming over???

Maybe I'd better explain the "chicken tractor." I think its called that because they sort of scratch up the ground and eat bad stuff. Its actually just a bottomless cage. The humans are what move the "tractor." I was using a dolly the past few days, because the handle broke, but my husband fixed it last night, so I'm back to lift and pull. And yes, when the walls start moving, the chickens start walking to keep up with them. You could actually build them any size you want. I built these to fit over my garden beds. We also have a very small one that we put the babies in for their first outside experience, and then return them to indoor cages at night. That one is small enough to put over any trouble spot in your garden.

David, now I'm soooo worried, I'll have to think of something better than cooking to offer you....hmmmm...let me think. No, no, no, I can't offer you THAT, David. First, we're both happily married and Second, Sonny doesn't even get THAT lucky when it's the spring gardening season!

I'll have to think of some lucious woodland bulb or plant that I can offer you.

Carolyn, how do you manage to eat the babes after cooing and cuddling them? Especially when you name them and become soooo attached.

Gail, After you find out how good these babies taste as compared to store-bought meat, you won't be asking that question.

However, I "do" have to take them to the butcher. I can't kill anything except insects.

Well, I did try to shoot a feral hog a couple of weeks ago, but the shotgun jammed and I didn't know how to fix it.

I'm telling ya folks,,, never a dull moment down there....

Do you have cows Carolyn?

yes, we have cows. do you want to hear the latest "cow" story?

I do...(this is my shortest post ever)
I remember saying those words in church about 25 years ago...(where did those years go?)

And pixes too, Carolyn!

My shortest post went even shorter by default last night - by fault of fatigue or an attempt at speed, I don't know. But it lost a few crucial words in the brevity... *PICS OF* cows was the intended request!!! And the latest story? Oh YES please!

and was your church post in a long robe, Terry?

Yes Carolyn, please post some cow stories. Your chicken tractors are very nice looking! I can't kill my chickens either, but there is always someone ready to buy a stewing hen when the time comes.

Everyone!!!!... I am so glad Mamakane has joined us here! She has a country garden on her farm in the beautiful hills of W. Virginia that serves me endless daydreams. Would you post some of those amazing pics on a Mamamkane page for us? I will start it up for you under the Creatures topics so you can tell everyone about Christy the Shepherd and we can see those baby lambs and beautiful scenery.

O.K. I am game for the Cow thing I guess??
I will not say "I do" Terry I did 14 years ago and I am still trying to get over it.......

I must ask so I'll be pronouncing it correctly...is it Mama Kane or really mamakane or Mama-ken? I would love to see lambaby pixes. I want a white with black face but can't figure out how to potty train it for inside. Sonny would insist, ya know...

Welcome Mamakane! Glad to have another farmer on board. Do you have a website about your farm? Please do post photos. Is your farm anywhere near Joel Salatin's place? Oops, sorry just checked. Wrong state. He is in Swoope, VA. Got the chicken tractor idea from him. We end up doing a combination of HRM techniques and Joel Salatin's pasture rotation.... Please, let's hear more about your place.

Oh, my cow story isn't funny enough to tell. It was one of those "you had to be there" things.

Thanks for the warm welcome! It's mama-kane - I use it on all the forums. (I'm Cheryl Kane in person) I chose mamakane, not because we've raised 2 great children, but because I get to feed all the pet lambs (orphans, etc.) the bottles.

Carolyn with all those animals on your farm do you ever get to go on vacation? We find it difficult even going for an all day outing. We do have to lock the sheep up come dark in a secure pen to protect them from the wild critters - bears and coyotes.

Gail, Did you know that the white sheep with black faces, the lambs are born all black?

Here is a set of our triplets from a black faced ewe. We bred her to a Targee Ram, which is all white. We are always pleasantly surprised at the color combinations we see in the new lambs.

Here goes my first attempt at adding a pic.

Mamakane, please try again! I'd love to see the triplets. Now that I realize you're in West Virginia, I must tell you I'm a bit jealous. The Blue Ridge Mountain area is my favorite mountain range and IF I ever move to a cooler climate that has always been my first choice. My dad was a Marine and we lived in Quantico and were lucky enough to travel the area a lot. Between the mts and the beaches, I loved that area!

Oh yes. We lock all critters up at night except for the adult cows and the waterfowl. Well, the guineas can't be locked up anymore since the storm blew off half the roof of the chicken coop, but the rest of the poultry get put up for the night. The baby chicks and turkeys are in their tractors in the yard which is fenced. The calves are in the barn, the dogs are in the kennel. The waterfowl do have a secure area they can go to if necessary. Hopefully, next fall, we will have a chance to build them a shelter and pen in that area, so I can really put them up at night, or when setting eggs, any number of reasons. Thank God we don't have bears! Yet! When we first moved here, I wanted to save 3 of my favorite goats. We built a really make-shift pen for them by day, and put them in the kennel at night. One afternoon, in broad daylight, with all sorts of workmen about, they were attacked and murdered by a roaming troupe of rottweilers. It was horrible. The next day, I loaded all the rest of my goats that were at the other farm, and took them to the sale. My heart was broken. Of course, my husband was out of town at the time, so I had to take care of the funeral arrangements myself. My son was very upset. One of the murdered goats was a bottle baby, who lived in a playpen in the old house. She would sleep on my husband's stomach at night while he watched tv in his recliner. After we moved here, she was no longer allowed in the house, but she was still our baby.

Now, I know David is going to really give me the business about my little goat. But David, they are just the cutest little things!

And Mamacane, what's a "vacation?"

A vacation Carolyn is one of those things people with no livestock have from time to time to get away from the routine, what routine???

I can view the triplets on my screen - do you see them yet Gail? How about anyone else?

Yep they are there for me....large as life.

My livestock is much smaller...here are my pigs, babes are three weeks old in pic.

Hey, it must have been me...I'm gettin' 'em now! Soooo cute and the pigs too! Thanks for bringing a bit of country to this city girl!

Carolyn, Why would I pick on you about a family Goat??? My parents grew up in Mills County... I believe it to be one of the LARGEST GOAT AND SHEEP COUNTY'S IN TEXAS!! So I do know how cute they are...and Terry your pigs are boss.....Lets see all I have are two Chowchow dogs and my goldfish and skeeter eating fish in my two outside ponds.......and of course the million wild birds I seem to feed all year long......

Terry, the guinea pigs are really cute. I've always wondered why they are called "pigs" though. Maybe you can clarify that. They don't look at all like pigs. I think I might have a picture of Bacon, Sausage, Pork Chop, and Roast.
If I can remember how to post a photo. I may not be able to post if the instructions got mixed in with all my genealogy papers. Ugh!

I can't believe I found the instructions. They "were" mixed in with my genealogy research.

You have a cruel sense of humour Carolyn, are all your animals named from a cook book?
My pigs also used to be kept as a source of protein in their country of origin. Families used to keep and breed from them in the house. Apparently they taste not unlike bacon, but ours are not on the menu.

The reason I would call them pigs is because they eat like them, I have never seen any creature that enjoys eating more, they make all sorts of cute little squeaks and grunts when they hear you approaching with the food (I was going to put similar to a lady faced with a box of chocolates, but then I remembered Carolyn has a shotgun). They all have the same preference eating first the lettuce, followed by apple, celery, carrot and finally swede. Pellet food and a mix of grains/flakes/biscuits is always available and most of their time is spent eating.

Good to see your pigs out in the fresh air with plenty of space to move around, no reason why animals should suffer when being raised for food. Both of you lady farmers are good examples of how livestock should be raised.

Carolyn, I love all your animals names - I guess I have the same type of sense of humor. But once I name them, it's really hard to get rid of them.

Some of our sheep names: We had a Bell, named so because she was a real ding a ling, her babies were so sweet and the one we still have is named Bell Baby. We have a Snuggles, she was a bottle baby and so friendly. We have a ram named Romeo, need I say more about his name. Then there is Star, Snowflake, Fuzzy Face, they all have names! I had a wonderful rooster called Brewster Rooster that I miss since he died of old age this winter. I'm raising 2 new Brewster Roosters this summer.

Carolyn, I didn't know that about the dark egg yolks and grass. Ours are always such rich looking eggs - makes a wonderful potato salad.

Terry, your little pigs look sooooo happy out in the fresh air!

Bell Baby had triplets this year. Here she is with one of her lambs (black face) and a friend.

Oh great! After reading Terry's and Mamakane's posts and looking at the photos, I'm gonna have to get some guinea pigs and precious little sheep. Do you think there would be a problem with house cats v. guinea pigs, Terry?

Terry, we had inches and inches of rain in the last 48 hrs. I'm going to post a photo of the generally dry creek that runs through my land. This photo was just taken. I've had to pump the pool twice since it started raining. We have an overflow basket in the lake, which has always been quite visible. It is underwater. You can hear the water rushing out of the outlet on the back side of the dam.

Also, Terry, the ironic thing about my sense of humor, is that I am mostly vegetarian. I enjoy protein a couple of times a week, but mostly just cook it for my family. However, when I eat meat, I want it to be top quality and taste great. You should see the porkers today. There is just this huge pile of pig down in the lower pasture where they are enjoying napping in the mud and rain.

Oops! Getting darker and darker outside, starting to rain again. Better finish post quick. The lightening is pretty severe out here in the country on top of a hill!

I feel like we live in Seattle today! Just loving the water flowing down the curb and driveway. Wish it were a creek bed! Carolyn, whenever you need a vacation, let's just trade houses for a few days. You come be city girl and I'll be country girl! I would get the best end of the bargain, I assure you! I know, let's do it next week when the tile guy is banging out tile and replacing it using that smell-ey sealer! Yeah, yeah, that would be a great week to trade.

I'm just loving the ani-mules! Thanks you to ALL of you who are sharing. Wish some others would join in...anyone else out there want to share and brag!? Carolyn, I still want to hear the cow story -- now that we're all in animal heaven, it'll be just like we "be there"....come on, tell us!

I am beside myself with delight from everyone's posts. It has been like opening a new garden/animal lovers magazine every morning. These pics, stories and discussions are mini-sites made just for us lucky forum-ers!
oxoxoxo

I shall attempt to post a "before" picture of the creek, shown above, that was taken last Nov. My husband and son and I were taking a nature stroll through the creek bed picking up acorns and other things to use for a Thanksgiving centerpiece. As I hope you will be able to see, the banks are very high and the trees are on top of the banks. This should help you envision how high the water is today. Of course, I don't even know if anyone is interested in this, but its certainly blowing my mind, especially since the creek overflowed the banks and there is now another creek flowing through one of the pastures!

Weather is much the same here folks, rained all day yesterday and for most of today, and forecast is for more tomorrow....Better start on the Ark, I think we have all the animals between us...

Just a thought Maggie, bet your relatives from England are really loving your "typical" Texas weather, but at least they won't get homesick.

Carolyn, Our creek and river does the same as yours after a couple of heavy thunderstorms, or during spring runoff - snow melt. Only our banks aren't quite as steep so it often runs over, making a new course for the river or creek. We also have a bridge over the river to get to our place, we often hold our breath as a large uprooted tree rushes under. When we moved here, the first time the river really came up was sure a shock to us. Didn't know it could rise so fast, and we're at the headwaters of the river!

Does this happen to you often? Besides a new creek through the pastures, is the high water doing any damage? We had a lamb swept away in the fast water one time, but my hubby was able to save her, she had managed to climb to a ledge on the other side and wait for him.

Once when the high water cut the sheep off in the field from the barn, Kristy, my old horse waited with the sheep until we came and rescued everyone. She's been so good with them, very protective.

We've had sun here the last couple of days! I guess your rain will catch up to us soon.

Carolyn, I'm glad you're on top of a hill! The online LA Times says North & Central Texas had flooding that damaged 100 homes and shut down 11 bridges.

Is everything OK at your place, Maggie?

Hi, mamakane, I loved the photos of your lambs and sheep. And your guinea pigs are darling, Terry.

I would guess that Maggie is O.K., just the Giverny notes got washed away....would you agree Gail?

I would agree with you Terry, I think she had family for the last week visiting her......or maybe she when to France for more reseach on MONET????????

Susan, I, too, am glad the house and barns are on the top of a hill. At the old farm, I had to slog through mud to care for the animals when it rained. Once we had 1-1/2' of water rushing through the yard and barnyard. I had new baby goats in the barn, and the water was creeping towards them. Loose hay had been washed along the chain link fence and was making a nice dam and the water was backing up into the barn. So, about 11:00 p.m. my husband got home from work, and finds me standing up to my knees in rushing water, holding up the bottom of a chain link fence trying to get the water flowing underneath it. The storm was still going on...lightening was zinging like crazy, it was pouring down rain, and it was about 55 degrees. With his help, we managed to tear out part of the fence so the water could run. Only to realize that the rest of the goats are also standing knee deep in water in their little shelter in the pasture, and are freaking out pretty bad. Most of them had never seen that much water as there was (as usual) a drought in progress, and we couldn't get them to follow us to a barn on higher ground. They wouldn't cross the water. My husband ended up carrying all the goats, one by one across the water. Some of those babies were about 150 lb. He just about died. But we didn't lose any goats. That's one of my better storm stories.

Carolyn, That's one heck of a storm story! I can imagine your husband ferrying one goat after another.

Now, ya'll are making me tear up and laugh at the same time! How sweet...and funny...but I still haven't seen the cow story....???? Is it like the Monet...in hiding?

I keep reading these stories and am just thankful that I live in dry old England and not the wetlands of Texas...As I type this the sun is shining for the first time in three days, my wife Christine is watching the early morning TV....Oh no more rain forecast for later today. Looks like another cyber gardening day.
Three of my little guinea pigs have gone to a lovely new home with the grandchildren of a friend of mine, we now just have one little boy to find a home for...any takers??

We are well above water here and all ok - just been on the run! It has been great not to have to worry about keeping the patio-full of pot plants watered these last few days and the garden has loved it. Seeing those before and after shots of C's creek was amazing!

Terry, it is traditional in this house that EVERY TIME some of our Brit rellies come over for a visit,, it rains like mad! Texas Dept of Ag should ship them over all summer long, to end the drought!
I have been wondering why you keep guinea pigs. This, from a woman with hedgehogs.

Carolyn, my heart goes out to your goats, I can imagine how frightened they were. I'm so glad you are one of those "passionate farmers". I would never make it in the big farming business where all the animals are treated like livestock.

I always laugh at how wet or how frozen we often become, just so our animals can stay nice and cozy in the barn with fresh water and hay. Especially here in the winter!

Why do I keep guinea pigs? That's a good question Maggie, funny how simple ones can be so difficult to answer. When I was about four or five years old, a boy, who lived a couple of doors away from my Grandparents, had a bowl full of tadpoles and gave me four in a jar. I found them so fascinating that next day my Mom took me to the pond where he had caught them, and where she used to catch them as a girl. I came home that day with more tadpoles and couple of pond snails. Since then except for a year when I first got married I have always had some sort of pet/pets. My love of wildlife I suppose began at about the same time and most of my knowledge is from observation first, books later. Aghhhh I am talking about my creatures in Carolyns section again.....your fault Maggie. :-)

Have come up with all sorts of amusing ideas as to why you did without pets that 1st year of marriage and will refrain from listing them ;-)

How long is Carolyn going to stay in Austin anyway? I already miss her postings.

Hurry up and get back Carolyn, and send us a side of beef. My dear but vegetarian family visitors have left and Lars is looking at the dogs very strangely.

Hi! I'm back. Exhausted from the drive....but back.

OK, confession time. Didn't make it to the wildflower place. Had to help my cousin with a project and we ran out of time. Maybe next trip. Gail, do I have to wait until I really go there before you spill your thoughts on it? I'm suspecting you weren't too impressed. Let's have it.

The photo is of my cousin's critter and my two critters that went with me. I cannot believe her canine. That dog acts just like its human. I've never seen anything like it.

I really wasn't impressed. I saw better wildflowers in Johnson City on the side of the road. For that matter, I saw more in Benbrook driving on 377 south on the way to Austin. I take the backroads when I go that way because of the antique shops and garden finds along the way.

Maybe in a few years it will be spectacular since it's takes years for a good stand to set in...I won't give up on it yet. I'll just wait a few years for it to establish.

Did you find the Bee Cave nursery?

Nope. I think there's a condominium there now.

Carolyn, who babied your babies while you were gone? Do you just breathe a sigh of contentment when you turn down the road to your home and it comes in sight? I would!

I didn't think I'd have any good stories for you guys today. Was I ever wrong.

This morning as I was drinking my "first" cup of coffee, checking my email, I looked out the office window, and there were 12 cows and calves on the driveway. They weren't mine!

So, still in my nightgown, I slipped on my boots (yes, they are cowboy boots) (I know you guys love this part), I got a 5 gal. bucket and some feed and approached the cows. They followed me out of the yard (where mercifully they had done no damage, just stayed on the drive) and into a small pasture, where I locked them in.

Next I called a neighbor to ask who's cows they might be. She told me. I got dressed and went over to another neighbor's house, whom I had never met. He must have known what the deal was as soon as he saw my truck. He just had this kind of "Oh s**t!" look on his face. I know that feeling well. After explaining the situation, he agreed that they were probably his cows.

When we got back to my farm, I took the bucket and gave it to him and told him to lead the cows over to another gate. He thought I was crazy. He said that he had just bought those cows, they didn't know him, and there was no way they were going to follow that bucket. I told him to try it anyway. I never did tell him that was how I got them in there in the first place.

Of course, it worked. He led them through a series of pens until we finally got to the loading chute where we locked them in until he went home and got his trailer.

So, except for my original horror at seeing cows in the yard, with my flower gardens completely vulnerable, the story had a happy ending, a new acquaintance thinks I'm Dr. Doolittle,.....and we know better!

Gail. My husband didn't go with us, so he had to do the chores. And I never breathe a sigh of relief, until I am home and have checked on anyone. In fact, its just the opposite. I'm holding my breath until I check on all the animals.

I can't believe no one commented on that dog on a float in the swimming pool! That dog stayed on that float the entire time the boys were in the pool!

They're holding out for a pic of you in nightie and cowboy boots. Says me with arms in air.

Carolyn, I am just speechless here, you always tell such good stories........Now the nightie and boots is a possabilty.....but I will not say a word.....Gee, what is wrong with me??????? So much humor....so little time........
Yes, the dog was nice.....I think the dog was trying to protect it's raft???

Whew.
Now I can relax. Course, there is still Terry's response hanging in the lurch.

Carolyn, my dog Beau loves to raft surf while we swim too!!!
And dress weird like you too ;-)

I like David am trying to behave myself regarding Carolyn being an opportunist exhibitionist, all it takes is a herd of cows and it's on with the boots and little else, never got that when Rawhide used to be shown on TV over here....

Now how can Yorkshire Terry comment on Alex's Yorkshire Terrier??? You can tell it's a Yorkshire terrier because it's got it's rainwear on, and very stylish it is too.

Cute puppy. I tried to put clothes on a dog once, but just as soon as I got him dressed, he tore them to shreds! Alex, post a photo of the Yorkie surfing.

David, What rain gear? It looks like a white tutu/dress to me...and Alex, although I agree he's dressed weird, I doubt if HE likes it.

Carolyn, love the cow story. Thanks!

Now, now, Gail, not bad when you confuse the flowers, but now you've got me and David mixed up, Maggie can't tell a sheep from a horse, what's happening, is it all that rain???

Gail - tutu yes, but color wrong - its blue. He was just heading out the door to herd up some stray squirrels.

Think you might be on to something Terry. There's this strange stuff that's been falling from the sky this week - wet, clear stuff. Seems to have all of Texas wandering around very confused.

Carolyn, Alex should have her own creatures page, since she needs to post pic of her dog surfer. And I'm sure it won't be her only one.

Absolutely get Alex her own creature page. It appears that everyone on this site enjoys critters pictures.

Alex is loving it!

I posted the following here last night and it disappeared - really!...
One of the many jaunts we made with my family visitors last week was to 'North Side'. This beautifully restored, historic piece of Ft. Worth recounts the cattle trading boom days that dubbed this place as 'CowTown, next to Dallas'. Needless to say, the shops are full of rodeo/wrangling gear - real and Dude Ranch togs. Here is the reason why I am posting this on your thread Carolyn - my cousin Monica wrote that she went clothes shopping with her young-woman daughter, soon after returning to England. Here is an excerpt from her E...

"... absolute a la mode everywhere we went were lycra-esque cowgirl outfits and cowboy hats in every possible colour and material including pink net. IF only i'd known! "

So, if your cowboy/boots/nightie getup includes any lycra or pink net, I wanted you to know how chic your cow-chasing outfit would be in London.

My imagination is running wild on this now!

Sorry, for the confusion Terry/David. I'm using the wet, clear stuff as my excuse too.

Maggie, I'm not really a lycra and pink net kinda person. And I'm here to tell you, my cow-chasing outfits wouldn't be considered "chic" anywhere!

But, ok, here's where I'm getting tickled about this. Can you imagine a bunch of women running around London dressed in psychedelic lycra and net cowgirl outfits?!?!? That's not chic!!! That hilarious!!!!

Changing the subject. My little turkeys are quite the grasshopper eaters. Today, they circled and circled the house, chasing and eating grasshoppers. I happened to catch a photo as they were tearing through the bed outside the office.

They look to be in fantastic condition Carolyn, not surprising when they get such a varied diet.

I have to tell you that the lycra and net probably wouldn't even get a second glance in England these days, outrageous clothes tend to be the norm in big cities.

I have been known to wear odd socks myself on the occasional dark winter morning.

Lucky you.
That would make a neat Organic Guide pic for Gail's June page. Here's a lead in... "If you can't keep poultry around for a natural pesticide, read on...." !

Bet the site of us'uns wandering round your place in "psychedelic lycra and net cowgirl outfits" would also make a good hopper deterrent - would probably plumb scare anything away.

I'm still trying to deal with the Londoners dressed in lycra and net cowgirl outfits without going into uncontrollable laughter.

Tomorrow may be curtains for the Spring chicks, guys. Depending on the weather, am considering chunking a big cage in the back of the truck, filling it up with my now-grown chickens, and taking a little drive to the butcher.

If tomorrow you read that I made chicken and dumplings for dinner, you'll know the story. Terry and Nicola, chicken and dumplings is a standard fare for Sunday dinner type of Southern entre, which is always served with homemade buttermilk biscuits (like rolls, not like crackers or cookies). David and Gail, should I set extra places at the table???

Not fair Carolyn, telling me and Nicola about the food and then inviting folks round, when all we can do is dream. Hope it's quick for the chicks.

Gee Terry, I know JUST how you feel.

Didn't mean to be rude. Just thought it might be a longish trip for dinner. As to the chicks...those butcher guys are fast. Chicks will never know what hit em. I think they've gotten a reprieve though. Looks nice outside today except the wind is back. Don't think I want to make the 50 mile road trip to the butcher today. So chicks get to continue fattening up until Monday and I'll try to get some work done today.

Check the times on the last two posts C.
Ahem.

Carolyn, I'm IN! Yummy! I can bring a plant in one of my lovely black plastic pots in trade for Southern cookin'! I PROMISE, I will only cry for a bit before biting down on a delicious drumstick!

AND, There's no need for all of us to dress in lycra and net. Just send me. That'll get the entire London-town roaring with laughter (hee-hee, at least that'd get me closer to seeing Giverny!)

Ahem

OK! OK! I surrender! You are all invited! But EVERYONE has to dress in lycra and net cowgirl outfits!

Well, Sunday would normally be O.K. but, I have a Board meeting with my Garden Club Sunday (AOGC)
Starting at 2pm and going till I don't know what time????We are getting all of the loose ends tided down before our big garden show?? You know the 24th????? Sorry.....Have fun with out me!! I no it will be HARD......

Carolyn, you said 50 miles to the butcher. Are you out in the country? We're 40 miles from town. At first we thought that was outragous. Now we think nothing of driving in just for a pizza.

Chicken and Dumplings! That was a standard in Georgia. (My husband's family comes from Georgia) Do you make strip dumplings? That's how we make 'em.

Yes, mam! Strip dumplings. I shudder to think what Terry and David will make of that.

We are very out in the country. 4 miles from a town that doesn't have anything but a post office; 10 miles from a larger town that is really a very small town. However, its also only 10 miles to the interstate and it really only takes 40-45 minutes to get to Ft. Worth. Arlington is actually probably closer as the crow flies....but I ain't no crow, and am bound to follow the roads, none of which even pretend to go straight to Arlington.

I've been doing quite a bit of genealogical research in Virginia and West Virginia. Fascinating history. Don't you think I need to do that research on site?

Carolyn, Just when I said I had a Board meeting to attend to.......you come up with STRIP-DUMPLINGS !!!!!!! Well maybe I can miss this meeting after all?????????There is nothing like a good ol'Country Strip!!!!!!!!!

Carolyn's dumplings are sounding more exciting by the minute. Wonder what she does for dessert, pear surprise would be my guess. ;-)

Just to let everyone know: the chickens won a reprieve until Monday.

One evening last week while we were feeding the ducks and geese, I noticed a stranger amongst the waterfowl. I thought it was a baby Snow Goose. It has the sweetest little face, and when it spreads its wings, the edges are black. Finally today, Robert got out the bird book and identified it as a Ross Goose. How appropriate is this posting? In the photo, it had just begun to flap its wings, so you can see some of the black edging. The really neat thing about this is that the Ross Goose is supposedly rarely in this area, and only then during migration. Our theory is that for some reason, this little one was left behind.

Hi Carolyn, our turn to post together today, sure looks like he's making a strong run up to get airbourne.
Give my best wishes to the chickens...

Never even heard of a Ross Goose, Carolyn. So glad to see it. I don't blame her for choosing your property. Flying over it, I'm betting she could tell you were (1) animal lover (2) in need of MORE animals. Maybe she'll stay until we city folk get a chance to drop in for dumplings and we can see her in person.

I don't care if you don't believe me Gail ;-), but since we still couldn't get on net through hi-speed cable, we reconnected thru phone server and now keep getting cut off a million times an hour - really. Think Terry's isp problem is contagious! Can't stay on long enough to publish you know what - and have been depleted to only one on-line putor. This is too bizarre.
Anyway C, I couldn't see your pic till this morning and let's hope I can stay on long enough to post this note. .. to say I def hope 'Ross' becomes a permanent fixture 'cause I really like the idea of having a namesake at your place! So glad you caught a pic of him to share with us.
Be sure to call the bird joint on Camp Bowie and talk to them about him. I am sure they would be very interested in hearing about this.

Maggie/Lars, Soooo glad you're my g-pig on the hi-speed cable. I called yesterday and they still weren't down to our neighborhood, otherwise I would have ordered it yesterday....think I'll wait now and see if your problems continue.

I wouldn't let this ado stop you Gail, we went with cable because the phone line was a lot worse! and you would love the cable speed. To say the squirrels ate the wire ,,, well don't know if they actually swallowed it :), but they had built huge nest on the pole and the lines had to be replaced. Cable guy came today and said this prob was not between our house and the pole - seems to be due to weather and the downage is somewhere between the pole and the next station (?) which has to be seen to by a diff dept... sure renews ones respect for radio wave communications.
Good thing there is a creature link in this putor report Carolyn!

This will make Carolyn's forum here wander around abit more but on the topic of internet connection this was in our paper. Made me realize how lucky we are to share here on these wonderful forums of Maggie's.

Experts Urge Untited Nations to Assure Internet Access to all by 2004.

"...and we feel that it is entirely possible that by the end of 2004 a farmer in Saharan Africa should be able to get to a point of access, let's say in half a day's walk or riding on a bullock cart..."

Life, liberty and the pursuit of internet access???????

Do you suppose internet access will be free for everyone, or only people who cannot afford it? And if for the latter, if they cannot afford internet access, how can they afford to buy a computer?

I loved seeing that exert MK, thanks. Have seen references made in the media to small villages in underdeveloped countries having ONE computer for everyone's use. I get the impression that these communal puters are gov/civic-owned and supported, C. Even in this country there was concern about a 'new segregation' due lower income homes being computer disadvantaged until moves were taken to supply schools with adequate techware. Based on my past work with 3rd world country importing, I have often thought the internet will help improve struggling country's economics and was really glad to see that the UN is being pressured to give aid. But I get your drift, Carolyn ... the 'UN' does usually indicate 'US' when it comes to aid!

Hey MK. I'm sorry if I was snippy. I have a real problem with the general principle of foreign aid, and it doesn't take much to set me off. I just flashed to this mental picture of a caravan in the desert, complete with camels, walking away from a big pile of boxes of computers and satellite dishes stamped US Foreign Aid.

That not snippy Wren (Ren?) ... that great discussion fodder! I loved having the opportunity to talk to others interested in something I have pondered too. See, us gardeners gots working minds too, besides just growing the pretty flowers ;-). You can have a World Affairs page if you like Carolyn. As clever and interesting as you forum-ers are, we'd probably sort out the world in no time!
(to our overseas visitors, 'scuse the Ren & Stippy lingo - its a silly US thing :-)

I wasn't thinking so much of what the aid means to the country recieving it or giving it. The article just makes me remember how lucky we are to live in the country we do - with all it's problems. Even our low income population has it easy compared to some of these other countries.

I'm not into politics and world affairs. Just grateful for what I have. Didn't mean to get anyone's blood pressure up - which is why I'm not into such things. But I can easily picture the image of the computer boxes, etc. and not an electrical outlet in sight.

The desert scene and no plugs - LOL!
I read your post exactly as you say MK, you the compassionate care giver. Don't mind Caro's ranting - it stems from her passionate nature - after all, she does farm in a bathing suit ;-).

Carolyn, I love the discussions. A little debate is great for us all to make us think! Give our gardening minds a break. Terribly sorry I couldn't make the plant day today. But I did manage to get everything done this morning -- almost. At least the major stuff like the dishwasher. Didn't like the paint match on the baseboards, so there's still that but hey, it's ooooohhhh so close to being done.

Before I tell my toy story, I must remind Maggie to please start another section for me. We've posted so many pictures on this one, that for me, stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no DSL and no possibility of getting high-speed internet probably in my lifetime, this one takes too long to load. Now, on to the story...

Yesterday, on Maggie's birthday, I got to play with my favorite toy. Since my husband is a store mgr. for Home Depot, we have lots of toys. However, my absolute favorite is the pressure washer. If you have never used a pressure washer...you haven't lived! What power! What a rush! The kids and I pressure washed the furniture on the back porch, then we did the back porch, although about half-way through that I sort of suggested that they might want to swim, and I'd finish up the porch. I just didn't want to share the washer with them. I was having so much fun blasting spider webs, dirt, and misc. debris from walls, ceilings, etc., that I moved along to the front porch. Wow! I don't even need to paint it anymore. All that grimy color that I thought was "no paint" was just dirt, and now its gone and the porch looks freshly painted. I felt bad about blasting the mud dabber nests to kingdom come, but we "do" have lots and lots of them, and I really don't care for the giant ones stuck to the walls and ceilings of the porch. Anyway, I just washed and washed....all day....until the washer ran out of gasoline. By then, it was time to do "early" chores so we could be ready to leave for Maggie's surprise party. I must add, however, there is one thing more fun than doing the porches with the pressure washer. And that is, using the pressure washer in the cattle trailer with a bunch of manure on the floor. Man, oh man, you can make that s**t FLY!

okokok ;-) it's under 'Tall Fences' now, Neighbor.
I've always wanted to play with a pressure sprayer - esp IN the house heehee! That would make short work of house cleaning (and everything in it, too I guess)!

Toys for boys becomes toys for girls. Anything that's fun is worth doing, sounds like a swimsuit job. :-)

I have spent the last 8 years careing for potbelly pigs, chickens, turkeys, goats, and more. The pigs were my favorite. I had 7 of them and several litters. A year ago, I gave them all away-the whole farm. I could not care for them anymore mentally (OCD) or financially. I may not belong here, but I sure could use some support in dealing w/ the depression and mourning that won't go away. I can not even think of them with out bursting into tears, as I am now. I abandoned them-turned my back on them & that betrayal is eating me alive. Its been a year, but still feels like yesterday. Thanks for reading this.

Teardrop

I’m so sorry for your loss Kiki. I hope that visiting our friends sanctuaries on the forum will help fill the void until find your strengths again. Dear souls such as you, with the drive to nurture have in-turn, a great need themselves to help other beings. Perhaps some part time volunteer contributions would help bring you relief.

Animal shelters are always in great need of loving folks to come in and spend time with the orphans. Imagine how valuable you could be those poor caged animals, if you could just come to sit with them and pet them in an open room whenever possible. We need their touch and grateful affection as much as they need ours.