Thursday, March 16, 2017

Our First Full Day in the Country!

We woke up to a cool spring morning with a few sprinkles of rain to further freshen the country air!
We slept like babies last night!


This was the very first thing I saw when I cam out the camper door.
Glad I took a picture then............


because it is now chopped up for tonight's campfire!


I fixed us a heart breakfast which we ate at noon.
For some reason I cook more when I'm down here.
The cinnamon bread from Collin Street Bakery is as good as I thought it would be.
I added cheese, chopped onion, garlic and green bell peppers to the eggs along with some crispy bacon. Food just seems to takes better in the country!


While I tidied up the camper and then went off to do some critter watching, 
Louis Dean prepared to go fishing in the big tank.


I remembered to bring sugar cubes!
The horses fell in love with me! 
They really REALLY liked the sugar and ate it right out of my hand!


I am a city slicker so I never tire of hearing and watching country critters!


It was an unexpected treat to see the peacock with his plume all fanned out!


Dean and Sherry are working on a 12 foot peacock pen and they are hoping to hatch the peacock eggs. They tried last year but were unsuccessful. Maybe this year!





I thought this was Thumper but it's not.


His name is BBQ because he is so troublesome that Dean threatens to cook him.
He is in the back of Dean's pick up - which is NOT where he's supposed to be!


The horses here are all rescue ones. 
They arrived, one by one, in pretty bad shape but are all beautiful now.


These are the 'new' chicks that were babies not so long ago.
My job this evening is to gather them up and put them in a portable pen up by the camper.


How hard can it be to catch seven young chickens??


This guy's loose but I don't have to pen him up, thank goodness!


They are safer in the pens from the coyotes.


I do enjoy the critters down here.

This afternoon we had 'a fly in the buttermilk' as the old saying goes.
Dean was trying to get out of here and get down to Dallas for the Karate class he's teaching when he had truck trouble on the County Line Road.
Louis Dean pulled him back to the ranch with his truck, then Dean loaded his equipment into the big white truck and are now on their way to class. Louis Dean will spend the night in Irving and come back down here to the ranch in the morning and Sherry will bring Dean home on Sunday,

This means that I am sitting here writing in the late afternoon all alone on the ranch.
For the very first time EVER, I am the ONLY one here.
Wow. 
I will finish my post later this evening,,,,,just getting a head start now so I can sit out and stargaze tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I just came in from doing all the critter chores!!


I may have lingered a little long at the peacock pen admiring the beautiful colors.


He had his feathers all open when I walked up and, after shaking them at me, he regally closed them in like a fan.


I successfully got all seven chickies in the pen up here by the camper.
In the doing of that, I also got my daily exercise!
I managed to entice five of them to follow me as I held the feeder pan that Dean made recently from a childhood memory of Vacation Bible School. They made them in class and he had this come back to mind and made them again! It works like a charm!
I walked slowly with the feeder hanging low so they could peck at it.


Once we got to the pen....I set it down and as they fed, I scooped them up one at a time!
I had to go back and get the other two - one at a time - by hook or by crook!
I did a lot of walking back and forth which was really good for me!


After that I fed all the chickens and roosters in the pens and the two roaming roosters where they were. Then I fed the goats which were already chained inside their pens except for Thumper and BBQ who stay close to Mimi and BeeBee. Lastly, I fed the ducks.


Then I gathered eggs. 
Then I washed eggs.
I have yet to count them but it will be several dozen!


The sun is about to set and I have poured a rewarding glass of wine.
I will end this days journal now as I go out to sit on the deck and await Louis Dean's return.
Sherry met him and Dean halfway and he is on his way home now.
He called me a few minutes ago and he was at the 7 mile mark to Mart.
I think the ranch is maybe 10 miles from Mart so he should be here any minute now!


14 comments:

Vee said...

Nice to be alone every now and then, but I am glad that Louis Dean will be on the ranch tonight. πŸ΄πŸ“πŸπŸ¦†πŸˆπŸ‘©πŸΌ‍πŸŒΎπŸ‘¨‍🌾

πŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šπŸ₯šDo I see homemade angel food cake in your future?

Phoebes World said...

Who would have thought a bit of wood could look so pretty. And just look at those chickens...I sure do miss keeping mine. Maybe again one day
I actually see a couple of peacocks that raoming free when Im on my walks...and I live in a city.
Have a great evening
Phoebe x

Linda said...

Glad to hear LD is coming back tonight. I was a bit concerned about you being by yourself tonight. Dean's getting a lot of critters. Sounds like the weather is good.

Jackie See said...

Oh Linda, the peacocks are just beautiful and so are the chickens and roosters. The video of BBQ had me in giggles. Enjoy your time in the country and thank you for sharing, you always make me smile.

jamarson1 said...

Have a wonderful few days out there in the fresh air:)

Ginny Hartzler said...

I love your first picture, it is so beautiful! I hope the flowers did not get cut down. That is a gorgeous peacock! Do you know what kind of ducks these black ones are? My favorite horse is the black and white one, he is so stunning! The picture of the one big rooster is so perfect that it looks like a kitchen decoration!!

Judy said...

Home on the range...all by yourself! Hope it goes well. Love all your country critters!

Hootin Anni said...

There is nothing like country livin'!! You have it all, right at your doorstep....nick.

Those eggs you made, I think they're called a Denver omelet if I remember correctly, and it sounds so delicious.

Estelle's said...

Love it! I would be in heaven with the horses and goats! However...ALONE at the ranch...you are a brave girl! That must have been a strange feeling! Y'all enjoy your time down there! Hugs!

Changes in the wind said...

The country girl got a work out today:)

MadSnapper said...

I love the beauty of that first photo it's just gorgeous. My favorite photo is l. D. And those fishing poles that is true form art. And you know I love all the animals and I'm fighting a jealous fit right now just looking at all the fun you're having

Susie said...

Linda, You are brave and seem to just roll with the punches. I admire you. There's no way, chicken poo me would stay all night with those noises by myself. LOL. I do love that peacock. Whenever they fan out, I always say, "Oh this old thing, I only wear it when I don't care how I look." LOL. You made me laugh about the horses. Are you kidding me...they will be waiting at the gate for your next visit. LOL. Bless LD"s heart... he as well as you give from your hearts all the help you can. Great photos of the ranch critters and surroundings. Blessings to all, love, xoxo, Susie

Arlene G said...

I love your country photos Linda. And If I ever see a HEB store, you can bet I will be stopping in.

Jill said...

Just love all the pictures of the animals. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Blessings
Jill