Jest Another Day in Pear-A-Dice - Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm in Alberta

[hennible]

Those feathers! Love them, and all the feather crafts, love them too. Yet another of the reasons I love my birds... I really need to tie some flies again, someday...
Those sail feathers are unreal.

 

[drumstick diva]

Too much for me, I have enough trouble getting my fingers to tie shoelaces - no kidding!

 

[hennible]

I have shoe lace issues too... I don't get how I can manage artsy stuff... Lol

 

[CanuckBock]

Those feathers! Love them, and all the feather crafts, love them too. Yet another of the reasons I love my birds... I really need to tie some flies again, someday...
Those sail feathers are unreal.

I took a set of lessons when I was in grade 8 and we had a spare class during the week...still got the fly tying vice. Now, not saying I'd be any good at it but it is a neat hobby. I laughed because I had tyed some flies from the barnyard banties I had back then...trip back down memory lane!

Sitting around the pond yesterday afternoon, three squirrels about; this one is a new one...

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There is NO way back in the day that no squirrel would have dared set a clawed foot on the lawn with us all outside...NO WAY!

But looking down, this is why...

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Totally dozing so peaceful and tranquil..."Psst...Fixins, there is an invasion of vermits in your space...??"

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Yeh...no response...leave the sleeping dogs lie, eh!

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Made the Beef and Broccoli, I threw in the ground pork too...was going to not do the wontons, just things got in the way.

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Was good!

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Got pork steaks for tonight...Rick even picked me up pricey corn...so bakers and roasted corn on the Man Porch...I can visualize Fixins doing her slow food dance...waiting on Dad to give her a choice piece--another of her many jobs...Royal Food Taster...might be not good for humans...so dog has to approve it...yeh...

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Saw my first Bluebird here...it is a female and she is checking out the nest box by the Yolk at the West Gates...nice!

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We sure know it is spring...we have pussy willows.

Poplar tree Rick built around the run in the Coop fer Sure...​

The next to be seen will be yellow pollen on the puddles...when the rains come in June.

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But this week...been nice...another BEAUTIFUL day for the dog today...bit windy at the moment, but very pleasant. Could not ask for finer.

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I just finished my seed list...scared to tally it up, may have to shorten it but at least I got it all typed out and ready for reviewing.

We don't start planting till the first of June here...my MIL use to say "No plants out before June 1st..." One was just asking for a dump of snow and freezing to ruin any planting prior to then. Fast & short growing season, things have to get her ALL done quickly here...

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The Veg Garden is all frozen up in lumps...temps are running around -7 to -5 C each morning...but I am raring to go get the tiller on this and get it all fluffed on up. Should be an exciting growing season this year. I am using Sandhill's seeds for the first time and want to see how we do for this climate...should be

All sorts of different coloured varieties in fruit/veg--from black striped tomatoes to chocolate sweet peppers and multi coloured popping corn...yup, will be a rainbowish colourful year indeed.

Be a busy weekend this one, Rick is home and he's already got a list of the things he hopes to complete...will be a whirlwind and Monday before I know it.

Wish you all a great weekend, eh!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

Tara won't Foamy fill in and chase the squirrels? She seems to be the invisible dog - must be taking Fixin's illness very personally.

 

[scottcaddy]

You just might make sure that Rick don't overdo things and leave Fixins in the dust ya-know.

to Fixins.
Your seed list sounds very interesting to say the least!!
Scott

 

[CanuckBock]

Tara won't Foamy fill in and chase the squirrels? She seems to be the invisible dog - must be taking Fixin's illness very personally.

Ha ha ha...yeh, Foamy doesn't have that in her. That's what you get with a rescue, eh...uncertain kinds of baggage. She's not only terrified of the poultry and livestock (which is OK, because I know I am not going to find her chasing them...she'd only defend herself if we had a tom circle her into a corner, eh), I watched her cower yesterday when a squirrel started chattering at her off the yard fence. Really...OK...she has issues, eh. Yeh, the squirrels use to drop cones on her head, so she now has two dog houses so she can choose a location, bombs-away free ... the sky is literally not falling any mores! Poor thing...but we accommodate whatever issues she seems to want to have.

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She's not invisible, she's a dog at an extreme distance for now. Instead of being with us and Fixins, she hovers in the background. You know that posture they make when they step in dog crap...yeh, that one...she does that alot in the presence of Fixins. I am not going to feed that behaviour, we just ignore her choice to hover in the background. She is out and about and she chooses where that means she is.

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This is as close as she will go...I don't think it wise to force contact if Foamy is not comfy with it...the point being it serves whom to do that?

Trailer Trash...the new addition...right up front & eager; that's the Foamers!​

When we adopted her as that fav to the SPCA Manager retiring so she would not be put down...back then, we had four working dogs here. Now over time, slowly the Chore Dogs have been passing on in old age. We would have added a new up and coming working dog but Fixins would have none of that and we respected that quality in her. No worries. There will be another stock dog...given time. No rush indeed. I have lots of halters, leads, stock crooks, corrals, gates, (even a sheep/goat head gate should I need to restraint someone...which is rarely since I have no milking going on right now), lots of segregated areas and passage ways to and from pastures; that working the ruminants to places they need to go, is not going to kill me without a dog for a while. Every ruminant here is halter trained and whenever I am without a dog in attendance, I usually choose one animal to halter and lead that one where I want them to be...and the rest will follow quiet happily...we are going to graze or going home to be locked up safe for the night; both draws to entice them to move where they should be.

"Throw the toy! Never mind the water bucket brigade...throw TOY!"​

I will miss the dog company; always nice to have a dog along...I'd go in a pen to do chores and the dog will go about sniffing and investigating outside--inspecting the premises for any trouble--love when they put the run on predatory winged birds like the ravens, magpies, owls, hawks and eagles--thinking they can do a fly by and not be noticed, eh...such a TEAM affair. Nothing goes by unnoticed by Inspector Dogs...

This is Fixins, on guard..."INTRUDER ALERT! Just say the word Dad, and I'll GO get 'em fer yah!"
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Foam would have made a great city, go for a walk in the dog park kinda dog...to a point, eh. She was found wandering at large in a city park...why she is fearful of birds and livestock...was she reprimanded for displaying herding instincts? What was her history...who knows with a rescue. I know our dogs are encouraged to express their prey drive...right from day one we praise them for "hanging off a corn broom," "chasing a ball," gripping and releasing on command...I never squashed their ego and if they want to revitalizing their crushed stock dog spirit, I'm good with that...or not. It took Stoggar round seven years before she would come of her own free will to Rick...we suspect she was beat by a man. If Foam wants to overcome her issues with stock, she will, given enough time and then again, she may never do that. I simply don't care one way or the other about it--the indifference frees her to be who she wants to be without pressuring her. Right now, she finds it terrifying so I respect that feeling. To push it, you'd end up crippling her further. Maybe one day, some switch will flip in her head, maybe not.

You just might make sure that Rick don't overdo things and leave Fixins in the dust ya-know.

to Fixins.
Your seed list sounds very interesting to say the least!!
Scott

Don't worry your pretty head my dear Man. LMBO

For about a month now, we have jockeyed responsibility between us so when one of us needs to get busy and do something here, she is well looked after. We cannot say we never got to spend quality time with her that is certain.

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Coupla years back during the spring, Rick changed out the big trailer lights to LED...of course he needed Fixins... She can do great inspections...and has in the past.

Yeh...LED trailer light installation...Fixins APPROVED!!​

Yes, the seed list should be fun...something to work towards and plan on. Lots of early varieties to give a go...looking forward to seeing how these kinds do here, on dirt nestled up beside the shadows of the Rockies. My one real wanna see is the Oka melons...

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/catalog/melon.html:
I remember reading about those being some rather nice tasty fare...see if we can manage them but won't shed a tear if not and we bomb on it. There is a HUGE variance in climates here in Canada...never mind even in just a province. In Alberta you can go from virtual arctic to desert conditions and all states in between.

Speaking of projects done without dogs...I clicked some pics of that single dose of Dom White hen--beginner base for a Red Pyle (of poop, perhaps?)..

She is one major BRAT! I got her and put her on the fence rail where she instantly turned her tail feathers on me and hopped off...BRAT! Started nipping green grass shoots...she's no spring chick that one...been a round the block a few times. Totally happy on her own ("More for moi!") sauntering about ... So I picked her up and put her back ON the rail, this time, I held her feet in place--few quick clicks and got her on back home.

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I am getting the henny STINKY EYE..."You let me go...I got grass nippings to do...!!"

Interesting wing colourations, eh!

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She looks like a big ol' tea cosy...maybe there was a reason she HOPPED the rail to escape...heh heh heh...she knew I would be taking compromising photos of her...and posting them publically on the WEB!

She was happily taken back home to her coop where all her friends were awaiting her return.

Pond side puppy...yesterday evening​

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Doing alot more sleeping...deep kinda, slow breathing...but better than when she has those breathing episodes she has been having more frequently. I much prefer her to be resting quiet like.

Dinner last night...

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Pork Shoulder Steak...dangerous corn (asked Rick to see if there was some corn in town to be bought as the village groc had none yesterday...told him specifically, not to buy it if it was expensive...it WAS and he came home whining that "Queeny requested CORN be rousted up and brought home!" Aggh...no matter it tasted fine!) and baked potato...BQ'd on the Man Porch.

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Fixins awaiting the DINNER GONG...tis ready and Dad will hand feed her his pork steak...
so much of it, he had to go retrieve the "spare" chop I knew he needed to cook so he had some meat in his dinner for himself!

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She looks tired, eh...but she perked right up when dinner was served!

Summer 2013, in the Man Porch​

I am going to think positive thoughts for now and enjoy my time with Fixins...for as long as she chooses to be here. Remember good times past and things like when her and Foamy would RUN!!!

Carefree and fast...as dogs should.​

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Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[Amberjem]

 

[scottcaddy]

Thanks!!
Scott

 

[drumstick diva]

Tara always a beautiful day when Fixins is in it. I wouldn't mind getting fed what she eats - except for liver

Love me some bicolor corn got a few tiny ears at Walmart, looked iffy but tasted okay. Not a good year for any crops here I bet. Corn was from Florida.