Pioneer Day...

The first Saturday in May for sixty years, people have visited the town of Melbourne, Arkansas to celebrate.

It begins on Friday night with a rodeo at the local fair grounds and the night continues with a free street dance.
Saturday has two parades, first the Kiddie Parade and then the Main Parade later.  The day is sprinkled with events and the town is crowded with vendors.  Saturday night brings another rodeo and street dance.

When I was a child, this was something I never missed.  I would search for weeks to find the fastest terrapin to join in the terrapin races.  I also used to compete in the Pioneer Dress Revue, as did my children.  It was an all day event filled with new friends, water guns and horses.

My favorite part of Pioneer Day was the horses.  I had friends that would let me ride at the rodeo and sometimes, even the parade. 

This year, it goes on without me.  I have no desire anymore to fight the crowds for a funnel cake or a Lions Club Burger on the square. 

Today began with storms and the Kiddie Parade was cancelled.  Hubby and Andrew went after the rains stopped...and I remain at home enjoying the solitude and quiet.

Happy Mother's Day Weekend

Have a great one!

Why Maria Hates Snakes...

The wonderful comments and questions I received on yesterday's post got me to thinking.  As a child I had snakes for pets but had to keep them in the barn.  Mom wouldn't allow them in the house, don't know why.  Snakes have never been a problem for me and have always had dogs that were trained to eliminate them.  I, too, have no problem eliminating a poison one.  I try to move the others to a place further into the woods.

Well, as my mind was traveling through all the snake tales, I thought of how terrified my youngest daughter is of snakes.  The evil me laughed out loud because I remembered why!

I had a pair of Thrushes building a nest by the chicken house when Maria was about twelve, I'm guessing.  I call them Thacker birds because this is the sound their song makes.  My Thacker birds were throwing a fit, Maria and I went to look. 

Sure enough, there was a huge black snake trying to eat my baby birds.  The parents were bomb diving it and trying to get the snake to leave. I sent Maria after the gun, while I kept an eye on the snake.  He is about midway in a thick cedar tree about twenty-five feet off the ground, I did not want to lose him, especially this close to my egg laying hens. He is wrapped around a limb, striking at the birds as they attack him.

Maria arrives with the gun and the dog.  I think I may have had to shoot a couple of times.  The snake was hard to see in the branches and I was using a twenty-two.  I hit it, it fell.

Zara, the dog, jumped on it and started shaking it like a dirty rug.  Zara let go, the snake was not completely dead and it wrapped around Maria's bare leg.  I'm really sorry but it was a funny sight!!!  Maria is hopping one legged, screaming, Mom, get it off me!!!  I am laughing so hard at the sight I can't function.  From ankle to knee, Maria is wearing a live snake and it's not happy.  Neither is Maria!

Come oonnnnnnnnnnn, guys, it was a black snake, perfectly harmless except to my Thacker birds.  I finally grabbed the snake and with Zara's help, we unwrapped it from Maria's leg.  She ran screaming to the house and left me and Zara alone for the kill.  Zara did the job.

Maria, I apologize for such a tramatic...but funny...event.  And that is why Maria HATES snakes.

Check out more Farm Friend Friday Posts at Verde Farm.

To Kill A Snake

takes every one.

The gang works together.

This is a needed service by our farm dogs.

Copperheads and Cotton Mouths are poisonous.

Black snakes eat the chicken eggs.

If the snake is not a threat, the dogs are called back.

The inspectors show up,

approving the job

takes every one.

Good dogs!!

Good horses!

Watching Marcy Do Her Thing

Marcy is my oldest sister and the one who provides most of the awesome photos you see on both my blogs.  Today we walked and I took pictures of Marcy so you can put a face to the wonderful photographer.

We've had several days of storms and rain.

The creeks are rolling.

In between the storms,

Marcy and I explored.

The horses found us.

Marcy has a way with horses.

She also has a way with photography.

Now you can see how we get all those wonderful closeups.

The horses are inspecting the snake kill by the farm dogs.

The sky had cleared temporaily  and the walk was good...

Thanks, Marcy, for all the wonderful pictures you share.

Close Up...Fungi and Flowers

Flowers

and fungi

enjoy!

A Glimpse of The Herd

The horses are enjoying the green grass.  Although, we still have many cool days, things are growing, animals and plants alike.  Viewing this, I wondered, what in the world was Charme doing.

Charme continued to be the strange one.  She must be in season and none of the other guys can help her out.  Even in their ratty-tatty pasture state, my horses bring me peace.  Magic has been rolling in the mud but every one is beginning to get their summer coats.

They graze peacefully.

They were unaware anyone was around.

Oh, to ride!

Time With Horses

With all the wonderful things going on,

I needed some horse loving!

Nothing like being surrounded by my yard dogs!

Everyone wants a scratch.

I needed a curry comb, a brush

and about four hours.

I did some untangling but I knew

it would be useless to brush them until the ground is dry.

Maggie gets a little worried when I am surrounded.

She tries to take the horses away from me.

I guietly tell her to leave it and continue

absorbing my Vitamin H.