Beautiful Early Morning Walk with a Special Treat

Wow mornings like this are the reason I moved out here. I took Min Min and Cheyenne for our walk. Instead of doing the loop around the driveway we went up the ridge behind the house, out into the pasture and came back in around the greenhouse. It’s actually a longer walk. I could take Cheyenne off lead out there safely. Maybe I’m a bit over protective but I do not want to walk along the road with her off lead. You never know when some rancher/farmer is going to come by with their dogs in the back of the truck.

Most stay in the truck but I just don’t want to risk it. Not to Cheyenne or Min Min. Cheyenne is around 15 years old now. Min Min is my baby. She turned 5 this year. Our farm cats are actually bigger than she is. I keep her close to me when we are walking. I carried her the last bit this morning. She had pooped out. Actually my legs were feeling a bit like noodles too.

When I walked up over the north ridge I saw that the Prairie dogs had spread over at least 5 acres. I hate to do it but I’m going to have to put a stop to that. I know the other ranchers around would have a hey day with this, but I love the way they talk back and forth.

I looked off to the west and I could see Laramie peak. It was foggy early this morning and there was still a morning haze around the peak.
Then I got a real treat. I heard this wonderful sing song call coming from somewhere. Of course I’d been listening to the meadowlarks all along the way. At first I couldn’t figure out what it was. Then I saw them circling. Hundreds of them in flocks flying in huge circles working their way north towards where I was. There are lakes south of me and ponds to the west and the river runs east and west not too far north of us. There is a creek as well to the east of us a few miles.

I was walking along, avoiding the cactus and gawking at these flocks of birds. They came in low enough so I could see their feet sticking out behind them and the dark tips on the underside of their wings. I wish I’d had my camera or some binoculars at least. But of course, I didn’t. They were Sandhill cranes. Wow I’d never seen them in that close. Usually when we see them go over they are so high they are just dark specks in the sky. This was a wonderful treat.

Here is a link to their call. Such a cool sound. The photo is from the international Crane Foundation’s Web Page. They have more photos there as well.

I saw my first grasshopper of the season too. Could do with out those things; however they are good food for the birds. I’m thinking that if the grasshoppers are coming out I’d best start keeping an eye out for snakes on the southern ridges where the ground is warmed up. Don’t need to step on a bullsnake; nor a rattlesnake for that matter. That’s always a concern when I have my dogs off lead. I walk with a staff, works great as a walking stick but also as a weapon to deal with an aggressive snake if I have too.
With the guineas about we haven’t had near as many snakes in and about. Odds are there are some good sized ones in those prairie dog holes though. Food supply and all that.

The day is zipping on and I’m working on my office mess. I will be a very happy person when I finally have all this stuff sorted, shredded, filed, dealt with. So I can easily find whatever I need in my work day.

It’s quite the job coming back from such a long illness. It’s truly amazing how much mess has accumulated. Wow! One pile at a time.

Puppies are outside enjoying the sunshine. Little cuties. Hopefully I’ll snap some photos this afternoon.

Baby ducks are growing like crazy. Wow! Very soon I’m going to have to move them to a larger confinement. Have to keep them penned up tight so the farm cats don’t eat them.

I’m glad we have the cat population though. They have really made a difference with the mice. Before I got sick, right after we bought the place spring of 2003 we planted 20 or 30 fruit trees. The rodents belted them. Killed every one of the apple trees. No it wasn’t just rabbits. Since we have so many cats around now there are not so many rodents. Still quite a few mice. But the cats do a good job of thinning them out. The birds, chickens, turkeys and such will go for them too given the opportunity.

I do want to get some more turkeys. I would like to establish a flock here. Not the broad breasted ones. Those poor birds are so heavy they can’t even breed naturally. I want something that can live on the range and be healthy. Of course they have shelter and grain but they are able to go wherever they want to roaming around.

It will be good to have the surround fence up. The fowl will fly over it for the most part. Probably not the geese. The guineas and chickens will. So will the Muscovy once they are grown. The point is to have the fence up to keep the coyotes out. It will slow down the foxes as well. Depending on the type of wire used.

I just looked at the clock… gotta run…
Life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians
307.788.0202