Not For The Squeamish or Animals Rights Activists...

For those of you who have farm animals you know farm dogs are an intregral and essential part of the operation.  We have a fine team of farm dogs quite a mix in fact.  We have two Border Collies and four mixes that each have their own talent and work together as a team.

Lil our short-haired Border Collie is the jump in and finish it lady.  TP is the alerter, Ki and Junior are the finders and seekers, Maggie our other Border is the all around dog.  Lil, Maggie and Squiggie herd, kill snakes and varmits.  The young ones are learning.

 The three little ones are after a mole here.  They keep the yard and garden free of them.

TP treed this bad boy

 in the corner of the chicken house.

Lil took him out and shook...

and really took him out!

The Hot Peppers learn by watching...

and Lil says, You ain't getting my 'possum!

Good Farm Dogs!!!!!



Are We Dry??

Sunday I checked out the creek with part of the farm dog team.  Don't know how I got away without the hot peppers but it made for a little calmer exploration.

The elderberries bloom along the creek's edge.

You can tell the creek is low. It is fed by three wet weather springs and two full time springs. I have not seen the creek this low in a very long time.

Tried to capture the water skater

but only his shadow is clear.

Normally I travel up the creek so it remains clear.

This day we traveled down and stirred the silt.

The Borders were having a ball.

Lil tries to catch the water skaters

but never gets one.

There was rain all around us Monday.

We were blessed with one tenth.

Rock Hollow Called Me...

So I listened.

Found a feather on the way

and placed it in my hair.

It was cloudy when I started.

All the way I prayed for rain.

I entered my favorite place and was saddened.  The tornado and the ice storms of years past have left damage.  No rains have fallen big enough to wash the debris away.  It's still my favorite place, just harder to navigate.  Rock Hollow carries the rain fall to the creek below and is home for many living things.  I kept my eye out for snakes with camera in hand.

The Poison Oak was healthy and the ferns still grew so there had to be some moisture deep in the ground.  On top it was dry.  I slipped in leaves, I clung to rocks, I crossed logs and climbed to my heart's content.

The farm trio found something interesting.

To give you some perspective,

the rocks here are huge.

Then I fell...

This is the view from where I lay.

I'm still enjoying the beauty

 but now my behind is hurting.

I thinking, Oh, no, I didn't tell anyone where I was going.  I want my ashes scattered here so I was happy to lie there for a minute or two letting my body tell me if it was okay.  I may not have gotten the rain I prayed for but a Higher Power was watching after me.  Above is where I fell...right in the spot that has no big rocks, plumped my behind right into the safe zone.  Guardian Angel or dumb luck?  You decide.  Oh, I'm okay, I'll be bruised but I'm not broken.

My little tumble was from here to there.

I was hot and rested.

Taking in the beauty of my favorite spot...

Rock Hollow.

These puppies were glad to be home.



Mag 121

Still Life, 1670, detail by Jean François de Le Motte

Ms Tess knows how to challenge the writer in all of us.  Many people view this pictorial prompt and produce quite a creative variety.  Stop by, visit, join in the fun.

My Take

His life on one wall.
That is all.

SC 110...A Writing Prompt

She married young and she married “up” as they call rising above your present condition. Her parents agreed. Instead of providing a dowry they were given one.

It was a whirlwind courtship.

Alone except for her new strange husband in a large mansion, everything most young girls dream about.

The nights were not what her mother had told her.

She found her solace outdoors and with the horses.

The husband was not pleased with her newly found distractions.

In bed he softly said, “You could have had it all.” His large hands closed tightly around her neck. Her last sight was insanity in his eyes.

Click the picture.

Join the fun with Jenny.