If a Tree Falls On Your Neighbor's House Does It Make a Sound?

Labor Day was a real CRASH.  I got home last night at 11:00 after spending 24 of the past 36 hours riding in a truck to Tulsa, OK and back. I know it is just a 6 hour trip, but not for my 2 sisters and me.  Anyway, I was very tired this morning.  Bridget, Kennedy, Dottie Belle, Gypsy and I were sitting in my yard, when at about 1 P.M.,  we heard a very loud CRACK. 

 
  This video was taken less than an hour before the huge tree fell in Linda's yard. Don, Linda and the goats are standing right where the tree is going to fall.


I don't know if I have every heard a tree break, but Bridget and I both knew what it was.  We jumped up, grabbed the baby and I yelled, "Let's get out from under these trees. 

We ran toward the front yard. I don't know if that was because there were no trees there or if we knew that was where the sound came from.  Just as we made it to the front of the house a huge cloud of dusk rose from the ground.  Bridget yelled, "It hit your house, Mom."

 

The tree covered her entire front yard.

 For just a second we thought it had hit the office in the house.  But soon we saw that a huge old oak from two houses down had fallen and crushed my neighbor's car and house.

 

Linda had been sitting at the kitchen table right where the tree hit.  She shot under the table, skinning her knees, but was not hurt.

The car still started after they removed the tree.

She tried to get out the front door, but it was blocked. All the neighbors were very helpful and concerned. 

The fireman are talking with Linda.  You can see the downed line.

Firemen came and escorted Linda out of the house because electric wires were down and there was a fire risk.  I'm sure even after a week, Linda is still shook up, but she seems fine. 

It took me a couple of days to get over it, just because I had been frightened for just a minute or 2.  We may still have more surprises in store for us with this hot and dry summer.  It's going to be 103 degrees tomorrow.  I'm ready for fall.

Just a Joke for Tonight

Crate of Chickens

The farmer's son was returning from the market with the
crate of chickens his father had entrusted to him, when all
of a sudden the box fell and broke open. Chickens scurried
off in different directions, but the determined boy walked
all over the neighborhood scooping up the wayward birds and
returning them to the repaired crate. Hoping he had found
them all, the boy reluctantly returned home, expecting the
worst.

"Pa, the chickens got loose," the boy confessed sadly, "but
I managed to find all twelve of them."

"Well, you did real good, son," the farmer beamed. "You left
with seven."

All Is Well Today in the Chicken Coops

First thing I did this morning was check on the 

Taken today.  They stayed in the coop today.

injured hen.  She looks great. When I went out to feed the "farm" creatures, a bank employee was at her car near the fence and said, "Hey Lady, there is a chicken over here in the bushes." She had heard me talking to the girls, Dottie Belle and Gypsy. I quickly ran through the gate and around to the bank's parking lot against my back fence.  But hen #3, from henceforth to be called Olive, to encourage her to lay olive colored eggs, would not let me catch her. So I rushed back to the garage, used as a barn, to get the net, a cage, and most importantly Mr. Bailey; who was mowing my yard.  As we turned the corner to the   parking lot, there stood Olive between the bushes and the cars.  But of course she quickly ran for the bushes, but not before I took a couple of swipes at her with the net. Mr. Bailey decided I was rather ineffective with the net, so he took it.  We placed the cage a one end of the bushes and using the net, he ran Olive into the cage, where I effectively closed the door.  So the 3 little hens had a happy reunion.  I have decided to celebrate this triumph by naming the 3 little hens.  So as of tonight I have the run-away one that is black and red named Olive.  I still need to name the 2 smaller black hens.  I may involve the grandsons, but they like male names that invoke violent thoughts, so I may need to stay in control with that.  I am open to suggestions. 

Drama at the Mini Urban Farm and One Hen Flew the Coop

The one with the red feathers around its neck is the one missing.

With this terrible heat, I have been letting the juvenile hens, the ones that we hatched this spring,  out in the morning when I feed all the animals. My first year of owning chickens, I was so protective that I never let them free range.  Then when a couple of them died anyway, I decided that it would be best if they died while enjoying their freedom. So I let them out this morning.  But as I don't often do, I left and went to the feed store for chicken feed and hay.  When I returned, I saw a neighbor's golden retriever in my backyard and some black feathers around her.  Then I saw one of my hens beside her, but mostly hidden in the tall grass.  I yelled at the dog, "Did you kill my chicken, you bad dog?" Just then the dog's owner pulled up in front of my house and heard me yell at her dog.  She was very upset to learn what her really sweet dog had done.  She offered to buy me another one.  She doesn't just let the dog run loose, but very rarely the dog manages to get out of the fence.  I told her I was not sure if the chicken was dead.  But when I decided that I wanted all these animals, I realized that with everything that is alive, death is also a factor.  So I told her I wasn't angry with her or her dog.  A chicken is great sport for a retriever.  Well, the little hen was alive with some missing feathers.  So I sprayed her wounds and put her in the hen house.  Out of the bushes ran another of the little hens.  Now the question was, where is hen number 3?  I looked in all the places the 3 like to hide during the day.  And they are always together, so I thought surely it was in the bushes next to the bank's fence from where the other one had come. I did not find her, so I went through the gate and walked the parking lot just in case she flew over the fence. But I did refrain from calling out, "Here chick, chick."  She would not have come anyway and I didn't want the bank customers to think I was a crazy lady.


I closed the door to the coop, because I had to leave again, but I opened it when I got home; hoping that the third hen would return. All the chickens go to roost in the coops when it gets dark.  I really believe she is alive, because there weren't that many feathers. The injured hen was up and drinking water, so I called my neighbor and told her that I think the hen will live, but one is wandering around. The 2 that are in the coop are full sisters and solid black; father, Big Foot and mother, Omelet.  The missing one is the largest and a half sister, because her mother is Sunny II, my green egg layer.  I have been anxiously waiting to see if she was going to lay olive colored eggs.  Well, often people post lost dog signs; I may have to post a lost chicken sign. We'll see how that goes.
 

School Board Members Run with the Herd

Yesterday the School Board had a special call meeting to vote on this resolution.

Resolution in Support of Economic Development Initiative

WHEREAS, to promote economic development, the Caddo Parish School Board desires to enhance the attractiveness of Caddo Parish as a location for the development of new businesses and expansion of existing businesses; and
 
WHEREAS, providing predictability and uniformity in sales tax collection by harmonizing state and local interpretation and application of tax law concerning the imposition, assessment and collection of such tax can greatly advance the ability of Caddo Parish to compete for such projects;
 
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Caddo Parish School Board that:
In connection with an economic development project located in Caddo Parish, that will provide at least 370 jobs meeting wage and benefit requirements of the Louisiana Quality Jobs Program (presently $14.50/hr with a health care benefit) and a capital investment of at least $20 Million, the Caddo Parish School Board agrees to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the State of Louisiana, Department of Economic Development, and the business providing such jobs and payroll, in which the Caddo Parish School Board concurs, for the purposes of local sales tax levy and assessment, in the determination of the Louisiana Department of Revenue with regard to state sales tax levy and collection with respect to the business.


I put it in the smallest font, because I can't believe many people want to read it.  It is very vague and simply is a way for a prospective business to measure the willingness of local governing bodies to exempt them from taxes.  I'm all for it if the business is not going to use anything that is paid for by taxes; police, fire department, roads, trash collection, water, education-schools, all forms of government. I am likely forgetting somethings.


Remember this is being asked of a school system that had to cut about $12 million dollars this year.  We closed several elementary schools and middle schools and move the 7th and 8th graders into high schools to save money.  We increased the teacher/pupil ratio; even refused to say that we will follow state law in regard to the teacher/pupil ratio.  And we laid off over 300 school based employees.  Now we are going to agree to not collect taxes from a business.  Next year's budget is projected to have a $30 million shortfall.  So just how will we deal with that?


I have 2 videos where Board Members Crawford and Rachal give their thoughts about granting tax exemptions to big companies. Bonita Crawford seemed unsure whether any businesses had been granted tax exemptions in Caddo; though she had voted on several of them.

When it was time to vote, how would you guess Crawford and Rachal would vote?


Is it wrong to believe that these 2 are all talk?
It seems that no matter what they believe or say, their ultimate goal is to vote with the majority or as I call it "the herd."
Their votes really tell all.

I certainly hope that next year when we are faced with dramatic cuts, that the public remembers how easily 9 board members gave away tax dollars.






http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110824/NEWS04/108240318/Caddo-board-voices-support-potential-business

Soap Dispenses, Public Eye, Should Board Members Bother asks Mary Trammel?

It all started for me with this posting on my facebook page.  I left the person's name off, because I thought that was the right thing to do.

Facebook Friend: Any thoughts on the new soap dispensers all the schools received on Friday? There was a lot of buzz around school! Basically, we were stunned. August 13 at 7:59pm

Just by looking quickly, I didn't see a problem, so this was my response:

Charlotte Murphy Crawley Don't know anything about these. Are they in all schools? Maybe we got the dispensers free with soap purchase. I'll ask. Do you like it?

August 13, 2011 8:41 pm
 

But when I clicked on the picture I saw our "motto" and logo, so I did get concerned that we may have paid for this.  Anyway, a lot of talk was going around Shreveport about these soap dispensers.

Well, at the school board meeting last night, a teacher and very concerned taxpayer brought up the new soap dispensers.  She was also concerned about the totes that 100 teachers were given and office supplies.  Her point was that staff and board members need to be held accountable for every $1 we spend. 

You saw at the end of the video I was given the ruler, paper clips and staples that she brought.  I then gave them to another teacher in the audience.

But all of this is making the point or at least should be sending staff and School Board Members the message that the public does not trust us to spend their tax dollars wisely.  So they are going to exam and question EVERYTHING.




I actually appreciate this, because I can't be everywhere at all times.  I have always depended on public input and questions.

But you will see in the video of Mary Trammel, much like a month ago with Ginger Armstrong, there is a strong sentiment that the public does not have a right to question decisions and the board is not going to listen.  That is why I am writing this blog and copying the videos of the meeting showing board members' behavior and reactions.  I know that many citizens don't have the time or the stomach to sit through a board meeting or watch the entire thing on the Internet.  But if at anytime you want to see the meeting in its entirety go to this website. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/caddo-school-board

In the next video, you can see that Board Member, Barry Rachal, got the answer about how we got the new soap dispensers.  You can see that I asked staff to let Board Members know when very visible changes like this occur. Finally you will see Board Member, Mary Trammel, responding in a manner that I thought was very arrogant and rude.  Just keeping the public informed and the informed public can respond in an informed and appropriate manner.

I Tried to Kill Dottie Belle

Well now I can be funny about Dottie Belle's near death experience.  But she was so pitiful looking, that I was sure she was going to die.  Saturday afternoon when I got back from Kennedy's birthday party, Dottie Belle was just standing in the back of the goat yard acting like she could not move.  Her stance was very strange. As  she made her way to the fence, she walked like she was blind; stumbling over things.  And now I know she really was blind.  I've already written how impossible it was to get her to a vet on Sunday.

Dr. Glen Ritter, my son's father-in-law, did some research on line, after I talked with Dr. Powers and he told me  she likely had "stargazing" polio.  It is nothing like the viral polio that humans gets.  It is caused by a lack of thymine.  This was caused by feeding the goats the goat feed that I bought a the feed store.  The girls love it because it is coated with molasses.  When the goats, Don and I arrived Monday morning at Dr. Powers office, he asked me if I knew what caused this.  I replied, "Yes I had read about it on the internet.  It is the grain that I was feeding them."   http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0065/
Feeding grain causes a common metabolic disorder characterized by neuro-muscular alterations of goats that are thiamine deficient.  I said, "They love it so much."  When I had visited 2 goats farms, the owners were feeding them grain.  Dr. Powers said "It is too rich for them."  I said, "But they think they are rich goats."  He said, "They are going to be dead rich goats.  God made goats to eat grass (hay), twigs and briars.  You can put just a very small amount of sweet grain in the palm of your hand and they can eat it rarely as a treat." 

At 6 pm, yesterday, I let the girls out of their yard and they were running around as if Dottie Belle had not been so close to death.  She is not blind anymore.  

So this morning when I went out to feed and water everyone, all Dottie Belle and Gypsy got was water and alfalfa.  They yelled at me as I walked all the way back to the house.  I know they were saying "Where's the good stuff."   
Sorry girls.

On a Roller Coaster

This week has been quite a roller coaster of highs and lows.

It started with Cracker's death. (low) 

Ava, Chase, Kennedy, Connor and Audrey

Then keeping 3 grandchildren and 2 nieces for 2 days. (high?) 

Then the smallest of the 4 juvenile chicks died.  She was about a third the size of her siblings and her beak's top and bottom didn't line up and she had a missing eye because her hatching mother didn't recognize her and beat her up. A couple of years ago when the first chicken died, Don got it out of the coop and buried it before I ever saw her. With these two deaths,  I was on my own.  But for every life there is a death.                                                    (low, for sure)

I got Kennedy's birthday tutu made and it fit! (high)

Kennedy had her 1st birthday. (high)

Then the rumor of Dr. Dawkins' getting a job in Atlanta and leaving. (both, high and low at the same time)

When I got home last evening, Dottie Belle was acting strange.  I told Don to go check on her in the morning before I get up. I was afraid she might be dead.  But he forgot, so I had to.  And her behavior this morning was very, very strange. I really thought she was going to die and she still might. (the pits)

That is a water trough for Chase to be immersed.

Connor and Kennedy were christened and Chase was baptized at First Methodist this morning. (very high)

But after that, I left the sanctuary to call a veterinarian.  I paged 2 that work with exotics or livestock and talked with the vet at the emergency animal hospital on Live Ave.  The emergency vet said absolutely no; they were swamped and he didn't have time for an exotic animal.  I've never heard a goat called exotic, but I think Dottie Belle likes that.  One called me back and said he does not do well with goats and sheep are even worse.  I asked him what he meant by that, and he replied, "They die."  Then Dr. Powers called me back and I described her symptoms and he said she either has tetanus or "stargazing" polio.  I said both of those sound fatal.  But she has had a tetanus shot so that's not likely it.  All he said was bring her to my office at 9 am tomorrow.  I asked were they contagious, so should I bring Gypsy. He replied, "If I want to."  So tomorrow will be their first ride in the truck since they came to live here.

During all of this, my daughter-in-law, Courtney, was texting her dad, who is a dog and cat vet. He owns Riverside Animal Hospital.  My dogs and cats go to him and he is the BEST--really.  He looked up goat polio and found out it is caused by a thymine deficiency.  So he came over with 4 shots; 2 for Dottie Belle and 2 for Gypsy--just in case.  That was just too wonderful! Particularly, since he had said when I got the girls that he would not be their vet.

About an hour after he gave her the shot she improved a little.  I have a video of her before the shot took affect.  You can see why it is called stargazing polio.  Symptoms of Polioencephalomalacia can be any combination of or all of the following: excitability, "stargazing," uncoordinated staggering and/or weaving (ataxia), circling, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and blindness.

I described her behavior like she was in a drunk stupor. She acts blind and walks very little and stumbles when she does.  Mostly she just stands still and moves her head back and forth like she is watching something. You will notice I had some problems taking the video because Gypsy kept bumping me. Hopefully, the vet will cure her tomorrow.

This mini urban farm thing sure has its stresses.

News or Rumor of the Day

I had a truck cab filled with balloons for Kennedy's birthday party, which was at a park in Bossier that I was having to follow a printout from GoogleMaps to get to, and my phone rings with news/rumor that Superintendent Dawkins is resigning and taking a job in Atlanta.  "Have you heard this?" the caller inquires. "No, but I'll call the board president."  I said.  I've heard many rumors in my role as a school board member.  Some are just meant to be character assassinations, some are wishful thinking and many have an element of truth to them, but what element.  Before I can actually make the call, I get 2 more calls, and miss the turn off to the park.  Of course with the balloons, my visibility is limited and with these calls my driving ability is "distracted" at best.   By the time I turn around and find the correct street, I've left about 4 voice messages to fellow board members and a newspaper reporter asking if they have heard a rumor about Dr. Dawkins leaving Caddo. At one point I even gave out my personal e-mail password so a caller, who was infront of her computer, could look at my e-mail box to see if I had been sent an official e-mail on this news/rumor.  So if folks start getting disgusting e-mails from me, just know I really messed up giving that out. Rest assured,  I gave it to someone very trustworthy. As of this evening, I have received no official e-mail on the subject.

Well, the balloons and I made it to the party, but I continued to receive calls and make calls.

  Later a board member calls me saying, "Tell me it is true!" Another board member called me saying, "I'm a celebrity in Wal-Mart.  Everyone is coming up to me saying, 'Thank God he's gone', and I say who is gone?"  "So is it true Dawkins is leaving?"  

At first when I asked who the source was I was getting just one name, but soon there where many sources.  President Priest called me back and said the rumor is not true.  When I repeated what President Priest told me to others, I got these responses:  "She's lying." and "How did she sound when she said that, professional?"

I say, "Whatever. All the school system's money is gone.  The Middle Schools have been closed and the young children moved to High Schools. We have laid off over 300 school site employees; leaving the classrooms over crowded and school offices stripped.  We have employed 2 of his Saginaw buddies: one who lost his bid for his school board seat he had held for 20 years after the mess Dawkins caused in Saginaw and a CAO who can copy pages from textbooks." 

I always believe a thread of most rumors.  They tell me something, either about the teller of the rumor or the person being rumored about.  

What I can say is that the truth will be revealed SOON.

Critter in My House

He did put on gloves after the squirrel bit him.

Wednesday night Bridget heard a loud thump on their front door.  She looked out and saw their cat, Katie, with something that looked like a rat and it looked dead.  Trinity went to check it out and it was a little flying squirrel which was very much alive.  In fact, it took a chunk out of his hand. Trinity brought it down to my house to borrow a pet cage.  Then Bridget said he could not keep it in their house.  Trinity said he just wanted to keep it over night so he could show it to the boys tomorrow.  So guess where the squirrel slept.  Yes, in my house.
Trinity knows to play the grandson card.

Well, I had a 9:30 doctors appointment Thursday, so I got up and left and gave no thought to the squirrel.  My grandson, Chase was at my house when I got home and quickly asked, "Where is the flying squirrel?"  I said in the pet crate your dad put him in last night.  Chase then said it is not in there.  I said, "Well, maybe Grampa let it go."  So I didn't think about it again until Don got up at 6 pm.  No, Don had not let the squirrel go.  So I called Trinity and told him to bring the boys and find that squirrel.  It couldn't be loose in the house.
It looked like an invasion with lights flashing in my front yard; Trinity and the 2 grandsons coming through the yard with flashlights.  We looked everywhere in the den where the crate was kept; including in and under the sofa and chair, ceiling fan fixture and bookshelves.  Then the dining room and finally in the living room where I had been watching TV.  I spotted the little creature on the floor under the bay window and table.  After the boys took a good look and a few pets, we released it on a pine tree in the goat yard.  I never see any cats back there, so maybe the little fellow can live out its life in the great outdoors.

Readers beware that a flying squirrel can flatten itself out and get through very small holes.  My mom said she had one in a bird cage once and it got out.

The First Year In the Life of Kennedy

 
Little granddaughter Kennedy Amara Rose turned one year old today.  I have been keeping her for 3 days a week since she was 6 weeks old.  It is amazing to me that she is already a year old.  She is such a happy and sweet little girl.  She can be tough, likely, because she has 2 older brothers. Her mother and dad thought long and hard considering the pros and cons of having a third child.  Everyone has so enjoyed the 2 boys, Chase and Connor; but could the third one be a girl?  Well, 18 weeks into the pregnancy they got their answer--YES, indeed. The boys and I accompanied their mom to the sonogram appointments. They have come a long way since my days of having children.

Kennedy with her dad.

Her dad spent most of the pregnancy in Iraq. For her birth, he got to come home for 14 days. Then he went back until 2 days before Christmas.  I think the first 2 weeks he was home, he never put her down and didn't bring her to my house.



 I missed taking naps on the sofa with her lying on top of me.  But it was her dad's time to makeup for what he had missed.  After a few weeks her dad started his business back up and little Kennedy was my napping buddy again.

Her mother always insists that she has a bow on her head.
Of course, sometime during the day she will get tired of that bow and pull it off.  Then when her mother comes to get her, we have to spend 10 minutes hunting the bow.

Kennedy with her grampa

I believe "cat" was her 1st word, because she has chased Cloud all over the house. "Da Da" was her second. But her dad will likely argue with that order.  At 12 months she is also saying hi, bye, Moma, and Chase.  She will eventually say Grammy.  She was walking at 11 months.  She is in the bottom 3% on the size chart.  She weights about 16 lbs.  She is tiny with a big personality.

Dottie Belle Lost Her Harness

Gypsy says, "See I still have mine."

With each type of animal I add to my family, not only is there more work like feeding and watering, but strange little mysteries seem to show up.   Thursday morning when I went to feed and water the goats and chickens, I saw that Dottie Belle did not have on her harness.  So I walked around and around and around the goat yard.  I made at least 4 trips, looking under everything, looking in the goat shack.  Could not find Dottie's harness.

What happened to Dottie's  harness?

So I called Bridget and told her to tell the grandsons that I have $5 for which ever one finds Dottie's harness.  It even crossed my mind that maybe Connor, the 5 year old, might have taken the harness off and didn't tell anyone.  You know always blame the mischievous little boy.  I really didn't think he did though mostly because of how difficult it would have been.  But Bridget kept the boys busy all day so they were not available for the harness hunt.


This morning as I was feeding the girls, I decided to continue looking.  The harness had to be in the goat yard, because they had not been out yesterday.  But I could not imagine how Dottie could have gotten it off.  It fastens in 2 places and goes between her front legs.  It also fits fairly tight.  I knew that it wouldn't be long before I would have to buy them a larger size.  What I really hated losing was the $12 name tag.

I was talking on my phone to my friend Lola as I was walking around and telling her about the  harness disappearance.  Then I said, "You don't think someone could have come into the backyard the other night and taken Dottie Belle's harness do you?  Someone might have thought it was funny to have a harness with the name Dottie Belle on it."

I live behind a bank and next door to a shopping center.  Therefore, there are many opportunities for strange things to happen in my yard.  Once I was busy spreading pine straw in my flower beds.  I had 21 bags and was down to the last bag just before dark.  When I opened it, an over stuffed bank pouch fell out.  I sat down under a tree to open it, praying that it was not a bag of money.  I opened it very slowly.  Actually, it was a neighbor's car papers, stamps and etc. When I returned it to them, I was told that someone had broken into their car and taken it from the glove compartment a couple of weeks back.  So then what bothered me was the fact that a thief had been in my yard at night and stuffed the stolen bag in a bag of pine straw.  That felt creepy.  Then again, I had the police capture a car thief hiding in my yard once. 


So wondering if someone might have thought it was funny to take Dottie Belle's harness, isn't so far fetched.  Lola said that thinking of that possibility was quite scary to her.  She sure was hoping I prove that that did not happen. 

As I was walking around talking and looking, I came to a big tree in the corner where the side and back fences connect or they should connect. 





When Don and I were working on the yard, we bought 2 pickets to connect them, but Don only used one.  

Now what I saw was a gap between the fences the size of that picket Don said we didn't need.  Actually, it was just going to take more work to put up that picket than Don was willing to do.

 

See the pink harness?

Sure enough there was about an eight inch gap that ran between the bank's wooden fence and my neighbor's chain link fence.  When I looked, I was almost certain I saw the missing harness.  I told Lola what I saw and said I would call her back, but I need to call my neighbor and tell her I need to go into her backyard.  Well Linda wasn't home, so I went back there anyway.   


And there was the harness!






Those curious little goats. 
I ran back in the house and got my camera to document all of this.

 
While I was recovering the harness, Gypsy and Dottie Belle came through the little gap to see what was happening.  They have to walk backwards to get out; it is that tight.  It is still hard to believe that Dottie had to struggle so hard, that she got the harness off.  But I'm glad no one was in my backyard with my goats.

Here those silly girls come to tell me about their adventure.  They are so proud.



Linda called me when she got home, because I had left a message on her phone telling her about my mission in her backyard.  She said she knew about the gap and a long time ago she had blocked it with tomato cone stacks. So I've blocked it like that for now.

Glad to say that Dottie Belle is now properly tagged.

 

That Hen Needs a Saddle

Lenora top Left.  I'm top Right

One more thing I have learned about chickens.  One Saturday when my sister, Lenora, was visiting, she noticed that Sunny II had a patch across her back where all the feathers were missing.  She said, "The rooster is pulling out her feathers."  Have you noticed in several of my blogs that Lenora tells me something and I appear to ignore it until I get the same information from another source?  I guess that is because I am the oldest sibling and therefore, should be, the more knowledgeable one.  I don't really think that.  Lenora comes over every other weekend to baby sit her only grandchild, Max, because his mother is working those weekends. 

Springhill Cemetery is at the beginning of our road.

Lenora lives on 12 acres right next to where we grew-up near the end of the dirt road named Spring Hill Cemetery Road.  She started out with about 70 chickens many of which were roosters. So she has had a lot of experience with those foul fowls. 

The elastic goes under the wings to hold it on.  Clever!

Anyway, I was reading yet another chicken owner's blog and she showed a little saddle or cover for her hens' backs who had feathers plucked out by a rooster.   So I went to this web-site http://www.louisescountrycloset.com/categories/Poultry-Items/Chicken-Saddles/.  The hen saddles are so cute and only $3.50.  I could make one, but why spend an hour for $3.50?  So I ordered the pink camo, because the grandsons really like camo.

See where she is missing her feathers.

So the big event for Saturday night was the saddle fitting for Sunny II.  Since my son-in-law, Trinity, is my go to helper, he and his sons came after dark; when the chickens are asleep and he could just reach in the coop and grab the targeted hen.  By holding the chicken upside down by its feet, it is paralyzed. We did this about a month ago to Big Foot, the rooster, to remove his spurs.  Trinity held Big Foot upside down and twisted his spurs off with a pair of pliers.  Now everyone is safer since Big Foot lost his knives!

I forgot to video the Big Foot operation.  But I did get the Saddling of Sunny 11 on film!  First we sprayed some Neosporin, so hopefully she will not get an infection.

I think Sunny II looks quite stunning in her pink camo saddle. 

In Memory of Cracker

Cracker helping Little Ace hatch the eggs

Having a mini farm brings new understandings and observations, but too often sadness.   Sunday morning when I went to the chicken coops, I did not see my Sultan hen, Cracker.  I opened the nesting box to see if she was busy laying one of her small white eggs and found her in the nesting box dead.  She also had a lot of fire ants on her.  So of course my question is, "Did she die before the fire ants got on her or after?"  As always I googled to find the answer, but not really satisfied with anything I read.  Seems like most believe that the chickens will eat the ants and there were not thousands of them.  There is not a mound in their coop.  But I spent a lot of time Sunday digging out about 5 inches off the top in their run until I did not see any ants.  I did find the most ants under their water container.  In this drought the ants are looking for water.  Then I put down some organic insect killer and let all the little chicks out so they would not eat it.  After several hours I added back 2 bags of sand to the chicken run.

Cracker was such a perfect pet chicken.  She looked like a tiny white Big Bird from Sesame Street.  The boys loved carrying her around.  They even took her for rides in the wagon.

Sultans are fancy ornamental chickens and one of the more unique breeds of poultry. They originated from southeast Europe and became known in Turkey as Seral-Taook ("fowl of the sultan"). Sultans were, most likely because of their appearance, the preferred breed of Turkish rulers. Sultans were imported to England from Istanbul in 1854.


The research says they are not hardy and the heat is getting to everyone around here, so did she succumb to the 107 degree temperatures? Also, is it just a coincidence that Saturday night after all the chickens were asleep, that I moved Sunny II from the other coop into the one with Cracker and the 4 adolescent chicks.  Did Sunny II have anything to do with Cracker's demise?  I will likely never know why Cracker died.  I ordered Cracker, Little Ace and Big Foot from My Pet Chicken wesite.  I have not seen Sultan chicks for sell since then; which was well over a year. Hopefully I will be able to get another in the future.
Of all the chickens, Cracker will be missed the most. 

New Treats for Dottie Bell and Gypsy

Don and I heard a news report about hay being in short supply with this drought.

So Monday I bought 4 bails of alfalfa.  I will keep buying a bail as they eat one, so there will always be 4 bails on hand encase I can't get any at the end of the summer.  The girls would go nuts if they didn't have it at all times.

The first of last week, I found a web-site for buying treats and such for the goats. 
I got a bag of  Goat Treats by Manna Pro
Delicious and nutritious treat specifically for goats to aid in training show animals.  I'm not going to be showing them, but it does help make them mind me.

• Easy to feed nugget
• Made with real anise to stimulate appetite and palatability
• Goats can't resist the licorice flavor
• Resealable 6 lb. bag

 The girls really do love it.

Trinity, my son-in-law, spent part of Friday cutting the bamboo in his backyard.  


I saw it and said, "I bet the goats will love it."
  Trinity commented, "I don't know.  It's tough and will probably cut their insides up."  I laughed and said that was silly, they eat my roses bushes.  So I took on large shoot and sure enough the girls loved it.  They stripped all the leaves off in just a few minutes.  I went on and did a lot of things.  But when I got in bed about 1a.m., I got to wondering if bamboo was okay for the goats to eat, so I got up and googled "can goats eat bamboo." http://fiascofarm.com/goats/poisonousplants.htm  
So according to this web site bamboo is edible.  So I went back to bed and didn't need to worry.

I do have a tendency to do something and then research it.  My sister, Debbie, has a workshop that she presents on personalities using the Winnie the Pooh characters.  She says I am Rabbit. http://www.half-asleep.com/pooh/interact/quiz/quiz.php Using the procedure of "Ready, Aim, Fire" to exemplify each character's behavior, Rabbit's is "Ready, Fire, Aim."  I have to confess, I do like to try something and see how it works and then really think about it or research it. Too often I get bogged down in research and never actually do the thing I'm researching.  So it's better to go ahead and do it and then find out how it should have been done and do it right the 2nd time, when I have experience.  I'm really kidding, but sometimes. . .

Anyway, at about 4:30 a. m. I found myself standing at the gate of the goat yard petting the girls.  It's crazy how something will not bother me when I'm awake, but then I will dream about it and find myself reacting to it in my sleep.  I dreamed that Gypsy was having major problems because the bamboo was cutting her insides up.  I am aware that I am dreaming and I shouldn't get out of bed, but I can not stop myself.  I have been doing this since I was a little girl.  I will have 2 things going on in my head at the same time, reality and a dream.  Nine out of 10 times I will react to the dream even when I know I am dreaming.  Sometimes I remember it and sometimes I don't.  

In fact, I have had a lot of phone conversations in my sleep and do not remember them.  But people who know me well usually realize that I am asleep. They say they know I am asleep, because I am not very nice.  In that case, maybe I should go to Board Meeting asleep.  They could be mean, I could be mean and I would never remember it. 

But this past Saturday, since my husband was at work and I really woke up standing at the goat yard in the dark at 4:30 a.m., I remember that.  Most importantly, the goats are fine, and I made it back to bed.