Wild Cats & Armydillers

http://turnlol.com/images/2012/10/animals-bobcats-baby-animals-1280x1024-hd-wallpaper.jpg

I found this image at the above link. Why do I have a baby bobcat pic? LOL

Well ... The story goes like this. Lately the yard and the pastures have been being all torn up by armydillers and moles. We have hills and holes all over about 800 acres ! Not only does it tear up the grass it makes it really hard to drive equipment on when your trying to get the work done. No wonder we had to spend over $600 on a new front end of the 86 Chevy the other day ! 

   We don't have the equipment ( yet ) to kill the moles. We do have what it takes to thin out the armydillers ! Hubby and I was driving around the other day and took care of that. Today we decided to go across the creek in the bottom ground and see if we could find some more.  As we were driving through looking hubby spotted a baby bobcat  ( about the size in the picture) just inside the edge of the woods. We kept driving to get closer. We found a spot and hubby got out to see if he could catch it. It was sooooo funny! I told him he better watch out for mama! He said what do u think I have this rifle for ! I can always scare her off. So here is this 60 yo man walking around in the woods wearing trifocals that are hard to look down in to keep from tripping following the wild kitten around that was just staying in front of him enough he couldn't catch it! It was so frustrating ! I could hear him a little ways off saying " Here Kitty Kitty ! " he got back and I was laughing at him. He said what do you say to a wildcat to calm them when your trying to catch it??

If we had a grand son there he could have run ahead and caught it.

    All this time I was sitting in the truck . I was texting Nikki about what was going on with hubby. It was one of those oh boy! A bobcat baby moment then the next thing she would say no it's not like I really need one. Then it was back to get it! My other daughter Allexcia was saying good! I've been wanting one stuffed for years ! I said no no no this is live catch only and it's a baby!! She said she's been telling her boys for years to bring one home for display. I remember Jon always wanted a baby bobcat, he almost bought one when he was about 12 or so.

While I was doing all this chatting I heard something lightly walking in the woods besides me. I looked and the baby bobcat was tiptoeing next to the truck! I got out quickly an quietly and by the time I got around the back of the truck the tiny thing had disappeared! A few minutes later hubby came walking up following it. It was clear in the area, no brush, no holes, nothing up a tree. I told hubby to stand still so we can hear it moving around. We waited a while but didn't hear anything. Ggggrrrrr

    Thought I would go check the fence in the creek to make sure the cows couldn't get out. I looked about 100 yards away and darn if I didn't see a BIG bobcat heading for the creek ! 

         It was really cool standing there by the fence line . Woods on both sides but we could drive beside the fence on our side . I noticed while we were being quiet we heard what sounded like puppies whining. What the heck?! In the middle of the thick woods? It dawned on us then... bet it was a litter of coyote pups out there somewhere.  That was a first for us to hear. 

     We headed back home and found a armydiller just digging like crazy making another hole. Let's just say he filled that hole back up real good ;-)

Love

Ranchmama 

Heidi Ho Doggie

There once was a Doggie named Heidi Ho.....

 That is always on the goooo......

                   

   Whenever her master opens the door..... 

She tries to hurry off the floor.....

  She must scurry to hurry......

    Before the Master.....

   Slams the door on the nose ....

She waits for him to load on the coat an shoes.....

So she can check out all the cow poo.....!!!

She runs along side Ol' Blue .....

Seeing the cows numbers are all true.......

When done with that pasture she loads up.....

In the back to check out the view ............... 

The front seat to harass, help drive and to check out the road......

Each time held by the collar to keep her spot .....

When the Master goes out of the hot to the cold.....

Each day is the same .....

With sometimes a game.....

To herd the cows from here to there.....

When the day is done .....
And it's no more fun....
You will find her inside .....
Resting her tired hide....

Love

Ranchmama

8 Quick Tips for Treating Minor Pet Injuries and Illnesses

 Print this out to add to your home Vet Book. Put it in your vet box and check off the ingredients as you add the items to your supply.
I have a box for me and Nikki for the minor things. It can save you a fortune in Vet bills!
Love
Ranchmama


8 Quick Tips for Treating Minor Pet Injuries and Illnesses

        Problem: Nail injury. Dogs and cats can slice up their nails in a variety of ways – everything from a too-close nail trim that nicks the quick, to running outdoors over sharp rocks.
        Solution: Styptic powder. If you don’t have styptic powder on hand, for minor bleeding grab either cornstarch or flour from your kitchen, pour some into a small bowl, and dip the injured paw into the powder to stop the bleeding.

        Problem: Bee sting. Most bee stings occur on a paw or the face. Not only are bee stings painful, but your pet could also have an allergic reaction.
        Solution: Credit card and quercetin. If you need to remove the bee’s stinger, don’t use tweezers. Use a credit card from your wallet to scrape away the stinger – just make sure the venom sac comes out with it. If your pet has a mild allergic reaction to a bee sting, offer quercetin (I call it “nature’s Benadryl) if you have it, or real Benadryl if you don’t. Serious allergic reactions require an immediate visit to your veterinarian or the closest emergency veterinary clinic.
   
    Problem: Indiscriminate eating. If your pet has very recently ingested something she shouldn’t, for example, antifreeze or another toxin, you may need to induce vomiting. Always call your vet or an animal poison control hotline if you suspect your pet has swallowed a poison.
        Solution: Hydrogen peroxide. I'm talking about 3% hydrogen peroxide – the kind you purchase at any pharmacy. The dose is one teaspoon for every 10 pounds of body weight. Hydrogen peroxide typically induces vomiting within 15 minutes. If your pet doesn't vomit within that time, you can give her a second dose, but if another 15 minutes passes and she still hasn't vomited, it's time to call your veterinarian.
     
  Problem: Cuts and scrapes. Many pets manage to acquire minor cuts and scrapes while running around the backyard or out for a walk.
      Solution: Contact lens saline solution. You can clean dirt and debris from your pet’s minor wound with regular human contact lens saline solution. You can also use it to flush out dirt, sand or other irritants from your pet’s eye.
    
   Problem: Dangerously low blood sugar in a diabetic pet. If your pet has diabetes mellitus, you’ll want to do everything possible to prevent a hypoglycemia attack that can lead to a diabetic coma.
        Solution: Honey. As soon as you see your pet’s lips start to quiver or his body start to shake, you need grab the honey and rub a little on his gums. Make sure to use honey, not corn syrup, which can contain genetically modified and/or allergenic ingredients.

        Problem: Thunderstorm phobia. Many pets, especially dogs, fear thunderstorms. But it’s not just the thunder and lightning that makes your dog anxious, it’s also the static electricity that can accumulate in her coat, giving her little electric zaps that are unnerving.
        Solution: A steamy room. Pets with thunderstorm phobia often feel more comfortable in a steamy/humid space that removes static from their coat, so try putting your dog (or cat) in the bathroom while running hot water in the shower. Alternatively, you can rub your pet’s coat with a non-toxic dryer sheet for the same effect. Many dryer sheets are loaded with chemicals that shouldn’t remain on the fur, so make sure you’re using chemical free dryer sheets.

        Problem: Constipation, diarrhea, hairballs, and other minor digestive issues. Most pets at one time or another experience GI issues that last for a few days and disappear.
        Solution: Canned pumpkin. It’s a good idea to keep a can of 100% pumpkin in your kitchen cabinet for occasional mild tummy upsets. Give a teaspoon of pumpkin for every 10 pounds of body weight, one to two times a day, either in food or as a treat. Pumpkin is rich in soluble fiber that can ease both diarrhea and constipation.
    
  Problem: An injured pet that might bite. If your pet is sick or injured, it’s important to protect yourself and anyone else who is handling or caring for him. Even the most passive, gentle pet can bite in response to fear or pain.
        Solution: A homemade muzzle. Most owners of easy-going pets don’t even own a muzzle, so if you ever find it necessary to prevent your dog (or even your cat) from biting out of fear or pain, you can quickly improvise a muzzle from a pair of hose or tights, a man’s tie, or any available strip of cloth. The make-shift muzzle is lightly looped over your pet’s nose and mouth, then crossed under the chin, and tied behind the ears.
    
   In most cases of even a minor pet injury or illness, after applying a home remedy, it’s still a good idea to follow up with your veterinarian to insure your dog or cat is receiving appropriate care. Chances are you won’t need an appointment, but your vet may want to note the information in your pet’s chart for follow up at your next regularly scheduled visit.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/01/12/treating-pet-injuries-illnesses.aspx?e_cid=20150112Z1_PetsNL_art_1&utm_source=petnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20150112Z1&et_cid=DM64683&et_rid=803143170

Christmas 2014

The Christmas snow just missed us by a few days! It's just a light covering they say it will be melted by this afternoon sometime. If the grass isn't uncovered by late afternoon hubby will need to put out hay for the cows. 

Isn't this just beautiful ! One of my Christmas presents from my daughter. I am pretty much spoiled and don't need much but I really am in need of some pretty holiday decorations. This will be a nice addition . 

I had great plans ( although I was still about 3 days from the dinner an still didn't have a tree up or decorations planned) . I decided I wanted to have a cookie tree since each year the tree has different decorations. I have had beef jerky trees, ammo trees, hot wheel trees, candy cane, family recipes, just all kinds but this year since I was making so many cookies I would just hang some from the tree! Wa la !! Done deal u would think! Well not really, I just had to settle for a nice shiny tree instead. 

    I went overboard this year and spoiled everyone rotten. Everyone got what they considered a wow present. I figured I can't always afford those an this yr I could so why not spoil them?! I managed to wrap everything in foil but bows just didn't make it on the boxes. 

   I really was way behind on getting things put together so I cheated and we bought cheesecake and pies. Of course we still had the cookies! Lol

   Daughter traveled in from Ark with her husband an 2 of the 3 sons. She pretty much catered the dinner and we had baked salmon and chicken breasts! Throw in a few veggies and we were good to go . It was a whole lot easier than a oven going strong for several days before. My Heart Daughter wasn't able to make it so we had to party without her this time. 

This grandson loves Under Armour! His mother refuses to buy such a expensive  hoodie! Well that is where Grandmothers come in! Lol I hear tell he starts picking one out months before Christmas and afterwards you can't hardly get him out of it. He will also not give it up easily to little brother even tho it is ridiculously to small.

    The youngest grandson still enjoys cool things like air soft guns. This is a rifle an pistol with 5000 pellets. It's amazing how expensive these toys are! Wow! I was told he was sleeping with it when he got home. Typical male !!! 

   It's funny every picture I took of my daughter something was blurred! She is always moving so it doesn't surprise me to have a hard time getting a good pic!

Son in law loves to grill ! He wanted a Coleman folding propane grill and cast iron pots and pans.... I told him he gets to put it together!

My Heart Daughter has my husband wrapped around her little finger ! She talked him into letting her have her wow present ( a special edition pink Yeti cooler ) weeks before Christmas one cold day after they were done with their outside work! I promised not to put a pic up but she can just count herself lucky I didn't put the really good one with the totally  surprised look on her face ! Lol

I got my husband a lulu loader and a queen size dual control electric blanket since he is always cold on blood thinners.  I love it myself. I told hubby it's like crawling into a baked potatoe!
  Well that is about all. We have had several family parties we attended and only 1 had someone that the whole family  tries to avoid. We just ignored him the best we could. There r just some folks that are just not good people to be around. They will never change or be trustworthy and they have just hurt too many family members to even attempt to consider doing anything different than just avoid!

     Christmas turned out really nice this year even though I was a week behind everything I tried to get done. Lol next year will be better organized. I promise!

Love

Ranchmama

Winter Cold

Sitting in the parking lot in OKC you know it's cold when the birds do their version of backing up to the stove to warm the backside landing on a freshly parked Jeep sitting on the hood an in front of the radiator trying to warm up.

   Temp is 23* with 28mph winds

Burrrrrrrrr...... 

    Cows should be good with hay in windbreaks . Ice shouldn't be to thick so they can get water . Just have to check things every now an then to make sure .

Love

Ranchmama

New Year Start!

Figured it might be a good idea to start the new year off right with a good luck dinner of Hopping John an bite size hush puppies. 

My mother in law would remind us every year to eat our black eyed peas an hog jowl. Sometimes she would even go to the store and drop it off for us to cook. I guess she wanted to make sure we all had good luck! Lol

    Never made Hopping John so I had to look it up on the net. Hubby wasn't a huge fan. He wanted to make sure I understood I didn't need to make it anytime soon. I tried to inform him that this was a down south meal for country folks that didn't have a lot of money for meat. I guess that's why we have a beef ranch to make sure he has meat to eat!! Lol

  Some day I'm going to try shrimp an grits.

Love

Ranchmama