Wild Turkeys !
     Wednesday April 17, 2013
         

The last few weeks we have been graced with Wild turkeys coming to our back yard, never happened much before. The first time they came it was a huge flock of at least 35 (that's how many I counted) I think there was more than that. It was a amazing sight to see that many all together at once. I have lived  in Colorado almost my entire life and have never seen so many at once.
Anyway, they got spooked and then went up our big rock and were using it as a launching pad to fly to the next hill It made me think of launching airplanes sort of. I was surprised how well they actually flew across the hill. I guess I had never seen them fly before.

  Then the next day about 10 turkeys showed up and were in the middle of  the picnic table eating away on the bird seed. The other birds were just complaining the whole time.
Over the course of the last two weeks they have arrived at different times and quantities but the best day was the huge flock and about 3 days ago when the huge old TOM showed up on the picnic table and he was sure a sight with his puffy chest and big comb he looked like the king of the hill. I moved by the window  and he fled like he had fire under his heels but it sure was neat to see him.
The joys of living in Colorado! Everyday is different  but where else can you see such a variety of things in one day.
One day when I went to work i saw bighorn sheep, Elk and a bear all on the drive to work about a 35 minute drive! I love it.

 

 

Lucy 

 

The Socialite Cow

        We have this sweet cow named Lucy she's a Jersey ( see picture, it was taken when she was still a youngster).
 She has decided now that she is in Wyoming at the ranch that it would be a good time to become a socialite.
   She has taken to going visiting the neighbors, it does not matter what kind of fence, she jumps over, walks through or finds a hole and goes along her merry way in with the nieghbors' cows. I guess the old addage of  the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence applies to Lucy.
    The funny thing is she has other cows on our side of the fenceto visit with, she gets fed, she just thinks she should visiting.
   Then when she is in the nieghbors' pasture she forgets that the majority of the other cows are not her color at all (most are black around there) Lucy is a tan reddish caramel color. So she sticks out like a sore thumb and unlike the beef cows she is a big pet.
   When you discover she is gone you go to the nieghbors pasture and take a bucket of her favorite grain and spot her, start calling her name and rattle the bucket and here she will come a running and sometimes she is like the pied piper , pretty soon a whole bunch of other cows will be trailing along in her wake!
    Then she will follow you right back up to the house, she'll even follow the truck home again like a big dog!
    I often wonder what the attraction is for Lucy to go visiting, is it the gossip with the other cows or is there a handsome young bull she likes over there!!!
   

Girlie the one Eyed Pirate Dog

  Girlie

Thursday  11-15-2012

Girlie is a Brittany spaniel who just turned 13 years old. She is quite a character and we have owned her (or rather she owns us) since she was born. She was born in our bedroom, we had her mother Lady and she was part of a litter of 9 puppies born that day.

Now unless you have seen baby Brittany’s you cannot imagine how cute they are! Move over Dalmatians, they should be doing stories about Brittany Spaniels. Not only are they so cute you can hardly stand it but they are great family dogs, I have never known one to be mean or grumpy really and they usually love kids and have lots of energy to go along with the children too.

Anyway, Girlie became a ring leader among the puppies leading them on excursions up the hill and into the snow and making me have to chase after them. They were born in the fall.

We found homes for all of them but we had decided we would keep Girlie and she has wrapped herself not only around our hearts but around our schedules and home as well.

For instance she knows when we are supposed to be home when you are late she is sitting at the top of the basement stairs waiting and gets all excited when you walk in but is also like well where have you been so long!

She has been the queen of guarding the yard for years and when the deer come into the yard I could say go get them out of the yard and she would chase the deer right to the edge of the yard and then come right back with a happy swagger like look what I did! That also applies to bears, foxes and other critters but in recent years she cannot see as well or hear and cannot move so fast so I won't let her do that, she could get hurt.

She lost one of her eyes due to Glaucoma and had to have surgery and ever since then we have called her the Pirate Dog , she is happy even without it although it took her awhile to get used to not seeing on one side.

Over the years she has participated in birthday parties that included treasure hunts, Easter egg hunts, hikes and camping trips and lots of trips to Wyoming, etc. She likes to scrub scrambled egg pans and is better than a scrubber pad.

She has even starred down a mountain lion and then dragged our youngest daughter back into the where she then proceeded to wet herself she was so scared, but she is a tireless and loyal brave friend.

Lately, she has decided that the couch is comfy and sneaks up there when we are not home, although since she cannot hear well anymore she does not hear us come in so we end up catching her!

The reason I write about her is to honor my dear friend who is as much a part of our family as anyone. Love you silly dog with a big heart.

Update: 4-17-13
   A few months ago we had to put our sweet Girlie to sleep as her health took a big decline. We all miss here very much and she will always be in our hearts.