A New Job For Chickens

Who knew chickens could be so creative?

Maybe I should get her a paint brush.

Amber Moon

SOLD

Harvest time in the Ozarks has kept me going full tilt until I actually did.

While taking my hundred pound dog Tonka on a brisk walk over the weekend he crosses in front of me mid step and flips me over his back. I go down into the road hitting quite hard and spraining my wrist.

Luckily it was my not painting and not previously broken wrist.

Unfortunately I have no video of my acrobatics.

Graceful I am not.

Riding I am also not.

I am getting much better already and as soon as I can hoist that saddle up I’ll be in it.

(Note to self: Teach horse to lie down)

Anyway...

I am inspired by the golden light and the big harvest moon in the fall. My latest work is Amber Moon. It is here. Hope you enjoy it.

The Jackass Fairy Pays a Visit

Tonka starts barking at daylight. I can smell a skunk and think that is what he is barking at. It's not and he won't be quiet. I get up and see pea soup fog, no horses in the barn waiting for their breakfast.

But I do see two donkeys. And where are my horses. The Jackass fairy must have come during the night and brought these  donkeys and took my beautiful horses. #@&*^!

 I call them up. Nothing..... I go out to the neighbors pasture where the donkeys live and there they are, so scared that they have their heads buried in knee deep grass. They don't want to come home. There are horse eating donkeys over here

 I halter Miami and bring her back to the barn. Flash comes with her. I go back for Missy and the other two follow. I get them fed and try to decide how to remove the donkeys. Drive them over with a whip??? No, that's liable to take all day. Bucket of pears, yes that should work. And it did. They like pears!

I get every body in the right pasture and let my guys out. They run to the fence and make sure the mean little tiny donkeys are at their house.
Another morning in paradise!

Hiking in the Ozarks with Tonka

Tonka and I went out for a couple of days hiking in the Ozark National Forest. It is a place that is very close to my heart and roots. My grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother all had farms here. The trail winds through and close by these special places.

 This is Sylamore creek. It was named for Sylamo a Shawnee. My family settled next to a Shawnee village when they came from Tn. Tonka says it feels like home.

 Livingston creek down the trail a ways.

 Trying to take a photo of us together with the camera balanced on my pack.

 The rope swing at Barkshed.

 Taking a break in the water.

Tonka was either on a leash or in his muzzle. He can really scare people. We did not see a soul and that suited him just fine.

End of the trail.

Just How Smart is a Chicken?

The young female



The Male

 The two strays showed up a few days ago starving and dehydrated. Neither me or Tonka could run them off and I'm still trying to find the owners (doubtful) or get them in a shelter (difficult).
Anyway they are trying to kill my chickens so I chain them up during the day when the chickens are out and let them loose at night. Apparently one of the hens decided to roost in a tree last night instead of joining the rest of the flock in the coop.
I go for my morning walk and come back to hear the hen by the coop, so do the strays.
They go after her and so do I. I love a good sprint in the morning. (NOT) She heads towards the hay field and crosses the fence. I can't cross the fence very fast but the pups can. I thought for sure she was a goner.

 Then she did the one thing that would save her....
                                                              she runs straight to me.

        I scoop her up and save her from the dogs and return her to the flock.

I always thought chickens were pretty stupid but now I am beginning to wonder.

Words to Live By

Star Mountain

sold

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're

            the statue!



2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
      
        them.



3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the

      middle of it.



4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their

     Maker.



5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague




6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was

  probably worth it.



7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a

   warning to others.



8 * Never buy a car you can't push.



9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you

      won't have a leg to stand on.



10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.




11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.



12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.




13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.




14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.




15 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the

     world to one person.



16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.




17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty

      and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors,

      but they all have to live in the same box.



18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.



19  *Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!



20 * God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise
every morning. 

Dancing Dream

The dentist came for the horses last week.


It was my job to hold a rope that was strung over the rafter and connected to the dental halter on the patient / horse. Missy had to have a tooth pulled. At the momet of truth she rears and backs.

Now I am of the "letting go" school but for some reason I didn't and was hoisted to the rafter like a rag doll.

I must have liked it because I did it twice.

And it was kinda fun.

I wasn't hurt, Missy said she was.

Anyway.....

I dream that night of dancing with a horse. A wieghtless, colorful , clear vision.

Dancing Dream is available here.