Edgar the eagle has become a frequent visitor swooping over the ranch, his gleaming white feathers glowing in the grey skies. The reason for his not unwelcome fly bys ( providing he’s not looking for a chicken take away) has not been determined, but we have a sneaky feeling that the fast running creek may have brought some trout down from the nearby hatchery. Our suspicions are backed up by Henry the great blue heron who patiently waits on the muddy banks of the pond, one long leg tucked up and eyes firmly focussed on any movement in the still water. The autumn leaves, red and gold float down from the branches of the old maple tree and the ground under the tree is a deep carpet of vibrant colour.
Misty Moo has a new pasture mate, little Mojo-Anne leaves her secluded barn stall each morning to spend the day with the little Jersey heifer. Under Misty’s gentle guidance, the little red Dexter calf is beginning to graze. Grass no longer needs a big red teat to be palatable and little Mojo apparently inhales the green alfalfa leaves that appear in her stall. Four feed a day have now turned into three. The evening bottle, previously eagerly anticipated has been cut and Mojo’s two quart bottle three times a day is supplemented by a grass diet. Little Mojo is growing fast.
The two “old men”, our veteran horses, T Bone (30) and Cooper (20) have been moved to a new pasture. We gave them a grassy pasture with a dry shelter in which they could retreat from the consistent driving rain. I even gave it a good wash and brush up for the new occupants, evicted the spiders from their well established webs and knocked down the paper wasp nests. T Bone and Cooper dutifully checked it out, they walked round it, they poked their black noses inside and then they walked away……to stand together in the rain !!! Just proves you can’t suit everybody all the time!
With that, timed out. Happy birthday Dillon, my grandson, far away in Blackpool England. Love and miss you.
Take care, keep safe, M