Bruce's Journal

[Bruce]

She was Bay. Interesting, perhaps it is a cat thing. None of the other 3 cats seem to notice. I don't think dogs work that way.

DW, DD1 and I sheared Teddy today. He fights getting on the stand but after that he is pretty calm. Not HAPPY but calm. He got sheared all the way down to his feet. A lot of it is hand shears and scissors. The shears were getting hot and not cutting well. I have to figure out if that means the tension is too high or too low. Sure would be nice if there was a shearing school somewhere around. Laddie is sporting a knee high fur boot look. His 4 feet were tied and he was still kicking when he was sheared a month ago. I'll try to get pictures tomorrow.

DD1, DD2 and I split the wood I've brought in since the first cord was finished. Not so overbearingly hot the last few days though tomorrow is supposed to be over 90° again. Not even a full run I notice it is a lot more work for me when I have to cut the trees and bring the 16" pieces in to be split that it was when Al dumped it in front of the barn.

 

[RollingAcres]

Really not liking these 90 degree days!

Laddie is sporting a knee high fur boot look.

Trying to picture this look on Laddie.

 

[Bruce]

May not get pictures today. It is so dang hot they are laying in their part of the barn alley. Though if I go out there, they will likely stand up and get ready to run. If I get to their gate, they are likely to head outside because they KNOW I'm going to do something awful to them. Too bad they don't understand that getting sheared only happens once a year and they have a long time before I am mean to them again.

 

[RollingAcres]

That's because Bruce is the BIG BAD WOLF!

 

[Bruce]

Too bad I can't hang out in that form near the barn in the later evening. That woodchuck would be history. Didn't try to trap it last night, no time this morning to deal with it if I got lucky. Might try tonight bit it is SUPPOSED to rain tomorrow. Don't really want to be traipsing through the waist+ high growth in the fields in the rain to move it to the woods.

 

[Mike CHS]

I don't blame you. Do you have ticks up your way?

 

[Bruce]

We do though knock on wood I've managed to avoid them entirely. Of course now that I have to cut my own wood I'm out where the ticks might be a lot more often.



Saw the "wood pile" chuck last evening through the bedroom window. Couldn't have gotten it even without my "restrictions" since the window is an awning. Today, exiting the garden I saw the "little barn" chuck racing through the flock of chickens in the back yard, hightailing it for it's hole in the bushes by the little barn. Didn't look like a little chuck to me. Figured it likely had an opening in the lower part of the little barn floor since I've filled some in there in the past. Yep, nice big hole. Didn't have the camera to take a picture. Moved the trap near the hole and baited with peanuts (which they supposedly like). No idea if it is 1 chuck making use of lots of old tunnels or 2 of the little b@stards. I was really hoping for a year off from the varmints after "rehoming" about 8 of them last year.

For reference, the "wood pile" is to the right of the north end of the big barn. The garden is in the lower left corner and the little barn should be obvious from its "name".

 

[Mike CHS]

I have declared war on all of the destructive varmints. I have found out my brave Lance is gun shy.
Every time I see a critter outside and grab the shotgun he jumps up on the couch (where he isn't allowed) to hide behind Teresa.

 

[Bruce]

OK, so you have 2 LGD's, 2 herders and now you need 2 hunters! Get fast ones so they can catch the varmints before they get to safety.

 

[Latestarter]

Get the right hunters and fast won't matter... They'll dig the varmints out producing even larger holes and sod destruction.