Lazy Summer Day

Late July and five calves on the ground.
Lazy days eating grass and napping in the shade.

Midday Break

The gang at the water cooler.

Visitor In The Garden

The garden was overgrown. Embarassingly overgrown.
I finally got after it. I have to get tomatoes in or there will be no sauce in jars this summer.
Pulling down a giant mustard green plant -- more than a foot over my head -- I found this sweet little nest built from the dried stalks of last summer's beans )there's a reason not to clean up) and little bits of garden twine.
At least someone enjoyed the garden while I was away.

Don't Turn On The Porch Light

This little family moved in. We have to protect them. Spring birds and a dark porch.

Baba Napping

The devil cat at rest.

Our Summer Boarders

Visiting grass eaters in the front pasture.

Wild Turkeys

Locals walking by the back fence.

We'll Miss You Scout

For nearly 19 years a big orange cat named Scout purred through our lives.

When Scout was young and first moved in he wanted nothing more than to be friends with Ezra, an energetic extremely focused border collie. Though genetics got the better of that budding relationship, Scout never stopped trying and never seemed put off by Ezra's refusals. At the end when Ezra's time was close Scout stayed nearby him on the floor as if they had always been friends and at last they really were.

I wasn't looking for a cat when I met Scout's mother. Back when I lived in Colorado I'd gone to help at a neighbor's branding when a spring snow blew in. We moved the calves into the cover of the barn and I stayed at the back of the herd gently pushing the skittish cattle forward. I could barely believe my eyes when I spied a bright orange cat heavy with expected kittens strolling through the mass of fidgeting hooves and swooshing tails. She strode right through the herd and rubbed her head on my leg. "I'll take one of her kittens, " I said without thinking. Scout inherited his mother's confidence and outgoing nature,

Scout grew up patrolling the yard, visiting the neighboring feed store and taking leisurely dirt baths with the chickens. He always loved the birds like family. He would stroll through the run taking sips from the bird's waterers and nibbles of corn.

When James came along Scout took a minute to assess the changed situation and then quickly decided (just liked I did) that James was worth keeping. He slept snuggled between us, close enough so James' hand would rest on his furry back through the night.

Scout welcomed new additions. For the last nine years or so Scout benevolently ruled our bustling household of (first a puppy and now) 3 dogs and greeted crowds of visitors with the same confident saunter his mother won me over with nearly two decades ago.

The dogs love(d) him. I love(d) him. James love(d) him. We will all miss him so.
R.I.P. Scout the wonder cat, There will never be another like you.

Turkeys Turkeys Everywhere

It's spring and the hills are alive with the sound of gobbling. Everywhere you look flocks of turkeys strut proudly. Toms offer elaborate feather displays, hens scratch the ground for seeds and bugs. These two girls wandered into our backyard orchard (over the fence and into the orchard), said hello to the chickens, had a look around, and flapped away.
Wild turkeys, though native to North America, were not introduced into California until 1877 when a colony was started on Santa Cruz Island. The Department of Fish and Game started breeding and releasing these modern turkeys for hunting in 1928. In the 1950's the department began trapping birds in other states freeing them in California to try and establish a wild population. Mission accomplished. At last count there were more than 100,000 wild turkeys throughout the state.
Though some consider the birds a problem I can't deny I love their rambling walks and their noisy calls.  I love when they stop traffic crossing the road and I love when they come to visit.
Makes me think Ben Franklin might have had a point.

A Dog and His Cat

 Scout (feline) and Spanky (canine) settle in for a lazy afternoon nap.

A Backyard Visitor

Since James surprised me with a new bird feed last Valentine's Day we've had birds of every color, every day. Now that's a great gift. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lazy Sunday By The Pond

A couple Western pond turtles catching some sun.

Sheep Ladies

 Time for the soon to be sheep mommies to get their shots and we're lucky enough to have friendly sheep raising neighbors who let me join in to help. One pink dot for the vaccine, one blue dot for the "drench," the sheep de-wormer. Whoever passed around the idea that sheep are docile has obviously never tried to hold 150 pounds or so of wriggling wool but they are so sweet, and so pretty with their new polkadots. I can't wait to see this year's babies.

She's Growing Up

Sweet Daisy in the field with her mom and aunties and friends.

Our New Neighbor

A beautiful Jersey calf born just yesterday. We call her Daisy.

Hiding In the Squash

I guess we are short on lilypads, I found this little green fellow resting peacefully on a zucchini leaf.

Doing What Chickens Do

  Connie and Foggy getting ready for a dirt bath in the yard.

The Triplets

 Our "new" girls. They are growing up in our second coop, waiting for the day they get to meet their new sisters.

 The new Buff Orpingtons are just about five months old and nearly ready to start laying

 James hasn't decided on names yet.

So far they are "the triplets."

Looking For Greener Pastures

We're lucky to have a nice group of Western Pond Turtles that bask on a small wood float in our sadly a bit overgrown pond.
Walking down the driveway today I came across this little gal heading towards the front pasture.
I thought maybe she was lost (foolish helpful me) and carried her back to the edge of the pond. But, by the time I walked to the front gate and down the driveway again she was moving across the flat making good time crawling back into the grass. We're hoping this means turtle eggs and baby turtles sometime soon.