Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

Watched the debate last night. Probably shouldn't make any comments about the performance of our current president - just !

Getting to work today to clear out living room and move packing supplies to Connex. Found the walker, toilet chair (necessary to lever up from toilet), and leg wedge from DH's surgery so will have them ready for mine. Not as much of our stuff to move as I thought - a lot of it in the dining room is DDIL2's stuff for kids. Also found the boxes with large china elephant tables packed to store so will move them out to Connex as well. A couple of boxed paintings are also there that didn't make it into the trailer for TX. They can go on the next load. Found another bin of bubble wrap that needs to be boxed up to go in Connex. Also found some boxes of odds and ends to sort through and dispose of, then the room will be empty except for DH's gold cabinet, the antique tea cart that can go to DD1's house, and Gammy's rug for the Persian rug people to pick up for cleaning or sale. DH is not sure if he should just have a moving company come out to crate the gold cabinet for protection and then store it. It is a signed piece and should probably be sold as well, but my grandmother gave it to DH and he treasures it because he loved her. We can find a spot for it in DD1's living room - they use it as a library and music room - so hopefully I can find a safe spot.

DDIL2 plans to convert the living room to a playroom. Hardwood floor is probably easier on falling toddlers than the tile in the family room. Hopefully the floors will stay nice with spills from food and juice. There was a time when I would have been practically hysterical about that thought but it is a sign that I have severed my emotions from this place. I loved it and cared for it for 35 years but am ready to move on with DH.

 

[Ridgetop]

OH NO! Just got notice my drivers license is up for renewal in August! I will have to pay $45 and go to DMV for renewal, take a written test, etc. We wanted to transfer our licenses to TX when we were there but couldn't get an appointment before we had to return to CA.

 

[Mini Horses]

Look -- you need to sell all this precious heirloom stuff not keep shifting it! The kids don't want, love or treasure it. Instead of convincing yourself that they do -- sell and use the money!! I understand the emotions. I've got & had a ton of this "stuff". One day the kids will level with you & toss what they've ruined of the "gifts" you bestowed. It's a different world now. Sell to someone who WILL & DOES appreciate the artifacts of years gone by.

A newer tractor will make life easier. A rug in storage will rot. Harsh words? Yeah but you know, deep down, they are true and in everyone's best interest. . Offered with ONLY the best intentions and with knowing love.

PS...your kids will thank me.

 

[SageHill]

There was a time when I would have been practically hysterical about that thought but it is a sign that I have severed my emotions from this place.

THAT is a huge step. Been there done that when we moved here to the ranch, thirty years of memories and good times. But it was time.

 

[Ridgetop]

Horrible news from Cody (hay tenant and now friend). He lost 5 calves to black headed vultures so far this calving season! Calves born at night are safe but flock of 20 will attack calf and cow during the day. Lots of cattle losses from them in area. Joe Don (cattle grazer on south side of my property) has been losing cows every week. Cody said there were 2 fresh dead cows near fence when they were mowing hay. Cody says that the black headed vultures are nesting on his neighbor's swampland. He has been shooting them (he has a permit) to try to control them. Says he has to carry a gun at all times they are so thick!

I may need to bring in even more Anatolians to protect lambs during season next year as well as getting a permit to kill them. Hazine will be a year old, Ozel will be 2 1/2, Angel will be 6. Erick is looking for good male to breed Ozel to. I will probably have to keep 2 pups. In CA the coyotes were bad, but they seldom attacked in packs of 20!

I think I am going to write to the various livestock producer organizations in TX asking them to lobby for controls on those black headed vultures. Currently they come under the raptor designation, but the protected status needs to be removed when there are such numbers and that much loss of livestock.

With the price of cattle and calves, those are horrible $$$ losses. Joe Don is averaging $5000 loss weekly. Cody sold off a lot of his breeding cows so this is a big loss in calves for him. He also breeds registered Brahma, Brangus, and Tiger Stripe so even more $$$ lost in registered calves.

Ranching is not for the faint hearted, you need to be strong to be a livestock producer. No outlaw or Indian raids anymore, but between the black head vultures, hogs, coyotes, weather, and the government restrictions it may be worse. And you can't just shoot your way out of government regulations or weather!

So sad for Cody and other producers.

 

[Baymule]

I HATE THOSE DAMNED THINGS!

 

[Margali]

I think I am going to write to the various livestock producer organizations in TX asking them to lobby for controls on those black headed vultures. Currently they come under the raptor designation, but the protected status needs to be removed when there are such numbers and that much loss of livestock.

Until the people in Austin see the cute baby calves mobbed to death as soon as they are born, nothing will change. Cody and everyone else needs to have camera's up and flood the internet with pictures of them attacking live animals mid-birth. Have a daily blog on # seen and animals lost. The environmental people SWEAR they only eat the dead or rarely a live animal. I almost got into a fist fight over it.

 

[SageHill]

Until the people in Austin see the cute baby calves mobbed to death as soon as they are born, nothing will change. Cody and everyone else needs to have camera's up and flood the internet with pictures of them attacking live animals mid-birth. Have a daily blog on # seen and animals lost. The environmental people SWEAR they only eat the dead or rarely a live animal. I almost got into a fist fight over it.

EXCELLENT IDEA. Go big with that on social media.
Can't help you with that, because thank God we do not have them here.

 

[Margali]

As far as protection in the meantime, the only thing I can think of is small maternity paddock with overhead netting. I found this website selling for 1"squares x 100'x100' for $527 designed to keep hawks off chickens. I'm not sure how many about to cows would fit in an 100'x100' pen.

 

[Baymule]

As far as protection in the meantime, the only thing I can think of is small maternity paddock with overhead netting. I found this website selling for 1"squares x 100'x100' for $527 designed to keep hawks off chickens. I'm not sure how many about to cows would fit in an 100'x100' pen.

Or ranchers could build some fields with sheep and goat wire and get LGDs like we do. Maternity pastures with LGDs to protect the cows and calves.

It’s the black head vultures that are the killers. The red head buzzards are the true carrion only eaters.