FarmGirl's Friends

Theses are some washcloths that I have listed in my ArtFire store.  http://www.artfire.com/users/BlondeNakCreations  

They are so much fun to make and I am loving playing with all the bright, springy colors!

Bring on the Rain

I love the rain in the High Desert!  The smell, the anticipation of greenness, although short lived, to come.  The way the dull browns of the usual landscape become transformed into a bright palette of browns, yellows, oranges, tans, sage greens and all the mixes in between. :)  I'll try for some pictures next time...Who really knows when next time could be!

And how is it that dust can smell good???  I don't know, but oh it does!  The rain opens up the desert pores and the wet dusty, sagey, rainy smell is everywhere.

I'll take this last bit of snow too....Here that snow weary easterners?  Send it here! :)

Chicken Woes

It's been an adventurous past week here in the NakPak house.
The neighbor's dog came through the aging back fence (on the to get done list for this year, 100%!) and attacked my chickens.  On my front steps.  Ended up getting two of the gals.  One of my fluffy butted Buffs and Lil Yellow Hen, that I hatched last spring.  The Buff got the worst of it.  A friend has some experience tending wounded chicks, so I drove Ms. Buff over the hill to be watched while we were out of town.  She didn't make the weekend, which breaks my heart.  Should I have just put her down here at home?  I hate to think that I prolonged any suffering.

Lil Yellow Hen had much more minor wounds.  But I couldn't leave her cooped in "the box" , aka homemade chicken tractor, while we were gone.  I rinsed her wounds, treated them with some iodine and covered em with Pine tar and what was left of her back feathers.  Poor gal has literally been tarred and feathered!  But the pine tar is a natural antiseptic, covers the bare skin and any redness that might show through.  The nasty taste will keep the other chickens from pecking at her while she heals.  Who knows when the pine tar will rub off.  Just might last until her next molt.  Or when new feathers grow in.  BUT she is hobbling around with everyone else and eating well and otherwise a happy hen.

I am not a happy hen about the whole situation.  On the one hand IT IS THE DOG OWNERS FAULT.  On the other hand I have a hard time 100% blaming the dog.  These neighbors, right behind us, have 2 heelers.  That stay cooped up in a small kennel 90% of the time.  When they do get to come out for a romp the dogs are understandably stir crazy.  They have always stayed in their yard, I was quite impressed with them actually.  The fence is just 4 strands of barbed wire, more to keep cows out than dogs in.  BUT, you don't just open up the kennel and then go back in the house!!!!  Supervise the dang dogs!  These are just renters, so who knows where they moved here from, how long they'll stay and if they really "get" the lay of the land, per say, around these parts.  Your dog has had its one chance from me.  The shotgun is now on standby.

I really just need to get that paint ball gun.  Wayward, naughty dogs (and totally obnoxious grazing cows) can be stung with a paint ball, effectively warned that they are not welcome here.  Repeat offenders can be easily recognized, and the shotgun can be used as a last resort.  And trust me, it will be (used that is).