what's up

August is almost over and boy oh boy I will not miss it when it's gone.  August 3rd, my cousin who was in the process of moving from California to Idaho came to spend one night enroute.  When he called and said he was about 2 hours away I decided ok, time to put clean cover on the sofa.  As I took the one off the sofa out to the washer (my laundry is out in a separate building) I walked down the three steps and went about 5ft and almost stepped on a coiled rattlesnake.  $@#;;&% ran back in the house found my shotgun, box of shells, loaded one shell and shot the snake from the deck.  As I watched to make sure I got the snake I see a second one come out from under the steps ....... that I had just gone up and down.  I quickly loaded another shell  and blew that sucker away too.  Both snakes were about 3 ft long one with 8 rattles the other had 9. 

My one night visit with my cousin lasted 5 days, he had kidney stone surgery two weeks before traveling.  Ended up taking him to Urgent Care Facility and getting him some antibiotics.  Would have been a nice visit if either one of is was feeling well.  He is going to be 85 this year and since Idaho is a ways away don't know when we will see each other again.

I had my kidney stone surgery on Monday, feeling much better, just waiting to get off antibiotics tomorrow so hopefully I will have an appetite and food will taste good.  Haven't been to fiber group get togethers in over a month, hoping to feel up to going on Sunday.

Come on Fall ...... I seriously need some rain.

If it's over 100 degrees how can I have frostbite?

Well I have made it thru July, weather 7 day forecasts are a continuous rolling 102 to 107, and August is known to be more of the same.  Why oh why did I move to a place that has 6 to 8 months of summer.  I am so looking forward to Fall.  The last few years it has rained just enough on one day of the Big Fresno Fair to mess with attendance, Fair runs for 10 days in the beginning of October, can't wait.  It was cloudy, with thunder and lightning Wednesday with a few sprinkles, not even enough to dampen the dust, just saw a few drops of water in one of the dogs feed dishes.  Don't need lightning starting fires....there are 2 major fires just north of here, the Sand Fire in Mariposa County, near Yosemite, area is close to last years huge Rim Fire.  Saturday a fire started in Madera County area of the Sierras called the French Fire, brought a lot of smoke my way Saturday night.  And now, I see my cousin in Shasta County posted pictures of lightning caused fires in her area.

Two of the older Doppler ewes each had a single ewe lamb two weeks ago and are doing fine.   The Shetlands are having issues with the hot weather but the ewes do have a big fig tree to hide under during the day.  Bella and Dollar hang out in the house close to the fans.

How do I have frostbite?   I am living on popsicles and I noticed the tip of my tongue seems s little tender, LOL.

Doctor has been on vacation so nothing has been scheduled yet for my kidney stone, since it is in my kidney and not causing blockage it is not an emergency .....

Stick a fork in me I'm done ....

Here it is mid July, temps hanging out in the 100 - 105+ range, day or two have slipped to 98/99 but still feels like 100 ....... last two days have been humid from the clouds coming north from Arizona, no rain left to share with California.  My two zucchini plants had a few blossoms ..... no zucchini, yellow squash has some new growth but no squash right now, tomatoes are disappointing, not producing enough to make the time or the water worth the effort.  I should just go to local farmer's stands would probably be cheaper in the long run.

Still haven't figured out how to download pictures from my tablet, lambs are getting big.  I banded all but one of the ram lambs, he was too small when I did the others, need to get him done before it is too late.  On the downside of making them all wethers looks like I have one that is not going to have horns, oh well.

Finally made doctor appointment, had to go for referral since it has been 5 years since my last appointment with the urologist, then go through xrays, CT scan, yada, yada, yada, yes I have another kidney stone, parked in my left kidney so have to go for another treatment to blast it out one of these days.

I'm ready for winter but I know the rest of you are enjoying the idea of a long hot summer.

Go California Chrome

Today's is the final leg of the triple crown in horse racing, something I don't pay a lot of attention to until after it's over. 

But today is different, California Chrome is a local horse to this valley and trained at Harris Ranch across the river from me. 

Go California Chrome.

Just to let you know I am still alive. Google error will not let me post on my computer.  I bought a tablet several months ago and am a slow learner when it comes to new things. Lots of new lambs and baby goats but camera died too.
So I now have a new camera too, now I just need to figure out how to load pictures here and I will be all set.

If you have heard there is a drought in California it is true, very little rain this year and what little grass grew in my pastures is now gone. Weatherman has predicted the next 3 days will be over 100 degrees.

I have been able to follow a few blogs, hope to catch up with the rest of you soon

Goodbye 2013 .... Hello 2014

 

Those green coats are getting well used .... took them off the 2 ram lambs Saturday morning, kicked them and mom out of the stock trailer into the big world of the rest of the herd.  Got up Sunday morning only to find 2 new lambs, this time 2 ewe lambs, so they got the coats and are now living in the trailer since nights are still down in the low 30's.

 

Temps have been in the 60's during the day .... good for growing winter veggies, I have planted 36 Broccoli and 12 Cauliflower in the raised beds.

 



I planted 18 Lettuce plants in 2 old rusty wheelbarrows, I can move them under cover when needed.

 

 



Dollar is wondering where all the green grass is we should have by now.  Farmers and Ranchers are really going to be hurting if we don't get some rain soon.  All the hills and pastures are still brown and dry.  Weatherman said this morning this is the dryest in the 100 years of record keeping.

 



 

Little bull calf is growing on alfalfa but would be much cheaper to feed if there was any grass in his pasture.

 



 

Wish there was some way to take some of the rain and snow that everyone is already tired of and send some of it to California.  Ski resorts here would love some of your snow and the Farmers and Ranchers would love to have some of your rain.

 

Wishing you all a

 

***** Happy New Year *****



Outgrowing their shirts

Here are the 2 lambs born little over 2 weeks ago, their shirts are more like muscle shirts now, no I have not cut any off, they are just outgrowing them.  Think I will take them off tomorrow and get ready to turn them out with the rest of the ewes and lambs.  Temps are now in the mid 30's at night and still in the 60's during the day.

 

 

Today there was a big package in my mailbox ....Sweatshirt sleeves ........... I hope no one in Idaho is running around with cold arms.   I had sent a picture of the lambs the day they were born to my cousin's daughter ........ today she sent me a whole wardrobe for future lambs, LOL.  Now I am thinking how handy these will be when the Shetlands start to lamb, first off, it will be easier to keep track of twins born to ewes if they have matching coats, and if I start off getting them used to wearing something they should be easier to get them to wear coatx.

.

 

Still no significant rain here, it has only rained twice about 1/2 inch each time, grass is trying to sprout but until we get a really good rain and the ground gets some much needed moisture there is nothing for the sheep or goats to eat.  My latest stack of 72 bales of alfalfa is dwindling fast.

 

Hope everyone had a great Christmas

and

looking forward to a

Great New Year!