Delightful by the Fire

Anyone that knows me gets annoyed with my pleading to just skip the holiday season. I always thought Christmas was supposed to bring out the best in people, I've yet to see that happen. I just want to skip it. That's not my point today, not that I really have a point. I guess it is that I like fire. Not like a pyromaniac likes fire but like an old woman who lives on the mountain and hates the cold weather likes fire. Last night I was able to get a good fire going, so good that I ran most everyone off from the living room to cooler parts of the cabin. Bertha dog likes a good fire too. Either that or she was so hot that she couldn't move. She' s been mad at me the last two days. Hamlet our male Dane, got a little rough with the play last week and gave B dog a big ole bite on her shoulder. I didn't see it happen but I can only imagine the schooling she gave Hamlet. The bite is just right for a good scratching and Bertha was doing just that. So much that she was making it bloody each night and spraying it all over the dog room from her crate. The solution was to put a T-shirt on her so she couldn't scratch it. I don't know if its the color of the shirt or just that it's a shirt that has made her grouchy with me. She usually hangs around me in the evenings when we bring the dogs in from the outside yards. The last two evenings she's given me "the look" and gone to bed early. I tried coaxing her with cheese and cookies last night but she just look down her nose at me. Instead of going downstairs to her bed she flopped in front of the fire and snored. Pepsi cat seems to enjoy the warmth of the room as well, he almost melted off the back of the couch. A good fires is just one of those little pleasures that I don't take the time to notice most days. So Delightful!

New Developments

I was in town the other day buy dog food and cat food and rabbit food and ferret food and chicken food too, when the lady at the checkout called me a PETA freak. I didn't respond, although I wanted to. Maybe Shelly was holding me back. First let me explain...I'm not a PETA person at all. I wish people who threw the term PETA around as well as FREAK actually knew the meaning of both. I am nothing like Ingrid Newkirk. I have not left my body upon my death to PETA nor do I wish that Shelly, should she survive me have a barbecue with my flesh and feed it to my furry family. Ms. Newkirk does not believe that anyone should house animals as pets, that anyone should eat the flesh of another animal or use animal by product such as hide and hooves. I do not hold any of these same beliefs. I believe that animals should be humanely raised if they are to be eaten. Each year Shelly and I purchase two steers from the Jr. Livestock Sale at the Chaffee County Fair. Fair steers are very humanely raised. They are brushed and loved and fed some nice sweet feed. Granted they do not live into old age but they are not shoved into a feed lot to be fed bicarb and stand in mud for the majority of their life. They are not given hormones or anti-bodies either. I understand people who don't eat meat because of the environment the stock lives and dies in. I try to be better. I feed and kill my own chickens. Once in awhile we feed and slaughter a pig as well. I like leather shoes too but it is also safe to say I do not agree with a lot of food making practices across our Earth. I don't eat foie gras or veal. I do attend the circus and have a membership to our local zoo. I'm just not a PETA person, nor am I or any of those involved with PETA a freak. I do have lots and lots of animals. It amazes me the reactions I get from a lot of people. I've had some tell me that I NEED to get rid of some of them so that Shelly and I can get away or that people would be more likely to visit us if we didn't have so many dogs. My answer to that is, "Mind your own business." Shelly and are very happy with our furry family. I am not nor do I intend to give any of my animals away. They are my FAMILY. All of my animals are fed high quality food. As one friend says, "You spend a shit ton of money on dog food." They all have their own space in the house with a bed and a warm place to be. They get attention everyday. They have belongings, such as toys and blankets. We are happy being this way. Who said we wanted visitors anyway? Love me, Love my animals. But I ramble....The Shelly and I have acquired a new family member. Drago is a Presa Canario Mastiff. He is about 9 years old and slobbers all over. He has been living with the Boss lady for the past 9 years but Shelly and I decided to bring him home. He lost his partner Flame a couple of years ago and hasn't been the same since. He would sit in his run or in his yard each day with little signs of emotion. He was depressed. We noticed that each time we would bring Izadora to the kennel he would become animated again. So now he is here to live with Izzy for the rest of his life. When I first told Jolene of the new addition I left out the fact it was Drago. Instead I said, "We got a new dog." Jolene only responded with, "Mom, we don't need another dog." When I revealed who it was all was OK. Drago and Jolene have a unique relationship. My pets, my family bring me joy and pain just like those of the ALL HUMAN variety. Welcome home Drago.Izzy and Drago in their yard

Drago hangin out.

Thanksgiving Turkey

A couple of weeks ago the Dad-in-law was sitting on his porch enjoying the mountain scenery. A flock of wild turkeys entered into the driveway. Dad-in-law rushed inside and called Shelly. Full of excitement he told Shelly of the feathered beasts in the drive. Shelly jokingly told him to shoot one for Thanksgiving. So...off went Larry with his .22 rifle. He quickly called back and said the he got one! Hmmmm...only a couple of things wrong, to start with turkey season has ended here and Larry didn't have a tag to bag the bird. So what was I to do. Shelly was very excited. She rushed over and hung the turkey to bleed out. We got some water for scalding and opted to pluck by hand. What's one bird? I called the DOW officer and explained my predicament. The officer laughed at me and said since we have been so easy going about losing stock to bears and mountain lions that she wouldn't penalize us for one little turkey. She also told me the next time, shoot more than one as she loves wild turkey. Okay...not going to jail over this one...good thing. Shelly brought the bird home and we processed him and threw him in the fridge. He's ready for dinner!

Shelly with the bird!

Into the hot tub.

Most of the feathers are off.

All ready for the big day!

I love the fact that this year's bird is not from Safeway or Wal-Mart. I love knowing that if I had to feed my family without the aid of Butterball that I could do it. It only took us about 10 minutes from start to finish to process the big guy. I'm sure that I won't have to worry about HFCS.

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for SOOOO MUCH!

Lazy Sunday

Things on the ole rancho have been a bit crazy the last couple of months. Several of the sheep have come down with Pink EYE--Chlamydia. Shelly has been treating with shots and eye ointment almost non-stop. The aisle way of the barn a mess. Sheep come in, sheep go out. Hay and poop stay in. Since Brother Dutch as been helping Shelly with dog chores and other chores I have had a bit of a vacation. I've been busy looking for funding for 4 Mile ES, playing on the computer and now playing with my new camera. The Shelly and I had a monumental anniversary on the 5th. Okay, maybe it wasn't monumental to some but it was to me. Can't believe that she's hung around me this long. She gave me a new camera for our special day and I've been playing with it ever since. Here are a few pictures of what I see everyday.

Clover
She has a permanent position at the hay bale.



Snow
I think he envisions himself as a Budweiser Clydesdale.
I just don't have the heart to break it to him that he's not.



One of the chickens.



Prize Horse was hoping for a treat.

Made it through another Spookfest

Dirty Ashtray--YUM!

Well, we did it. We made it through again with awesome costumes, awesome food and a fantastic family. I think next year we will dress up the dogs and maybe a horse or two!

My little Plastic Army Man!


Shelly and I as Big Ole Boobs!

We also ate the traditional, Kitty Litter cake and the ooeey gooey brain too! Jolene was a hit at her school party. I miss seeing homemade costumes. I was upset as a kid that my mother wouldn't buy me a store bought costume and I swore I would never do that to my kid. And look her I am, forcing her to paint her face with wall paint and pose at doorsteps with her eyes closed because plastic toy soldiers don't have white eyes! Thankfully she enjoys it as much as I do...or she's doing a really good job at acting like she does!

Kitty Litter Cake