Thursday

Thursday .......clouds, misting of "rain" ...a little wind.....very little sun. I got up at 4am, did some laundry...drug my feet, drank my coffee slowly, read email....and finally got out the door early to go to the barn. Tired and unmotivated this morning.

I let the chickens out, let the barn cat out and went in and turned the lights on.....threw hay...came back out to feed the chickens......patted the barn cat....when I noticed the squirrels.

Notice I said "the squirrels". My mom has been feeding the squirrels and they are running rampant all over the property...although there have not been many right at the barn.......
however, this morning...I thought it was a rat...running into the barn. Nope...on second glance.....a squirrel...and he or she is not afraid of me....stops by my foot....scolds me and proceeds to dig through the chicken food...while it's friend is running in and out of the barn....chattering. The barn cat is ENTRANCED....eyes huge, looking at them, then looking at me like "did you see that?" I think she was also thinking "squirrels for breakfast" as her tail flicked back and forth and she started making little memememememmmmmeeeeeemmmeee sounds. Hmmm......I thought this could mean trouble for the squirrels and I could envision the onslaught of dialogue with my mom. The one squirrel went up a nearby small tree and scolded me as I moved the hose......and then sure enough, here comes the companion squirrel......zip...right up the tree next to the other one. They are both chattering....scolding as squirrels do.....The barn cat took the opportunity to get a better position next to the chicken food and she is slow and deliberate...like she is stalking something..but the squirrels are up the tree...soooooooo.....I figured all was safe and I turned around to go back in the barn.....ummm.....squirrels seize the day.........they both launch themselves at the barn cat.......one lands on her head, biting her ear and the other on her neck. The cat was not expecting this....startled she tries to shake one off....and the other one runs around her like a wind up toy.....the cat doesn't know what hit her and all she can really do is RUN...which she does......the chickens are hanging around eating and as the cat runs the hens start chasing her. Poor kitty....kitty runs and gets into my truck. I am watching and laughing....the squirrels are still mad and scampering around my feet.....they have no fear of me. I shut the cat in the truck for her own safety. I realize that the squirrels are not really after the chicken food......but they are after what I put into the chicken food.....SUNFLOWER seeds. Ahhhhh...well then.....that is why they are in the barn...I feed sunflower seeds to the horses.....what a perfect place for a squirrel to live and EAT. The sign on the barn does say "rescue".

I finish up my morning and head to work......today is my Friday and I have the next week off for vacation. .....I am looking forward to it.

Tomorrow, I will ride my own horse.....in an actual lesson......Winston..you better be a good boy.

I will also work on some chores around the barn, if the weather is good....I have some tractor work to do.
I got a big semi tire today to hold the feed tub for Grace.......she knocks it over every morning to get rid of the beet pulp and in order to get right at the grain. She cannot knock the tire over.....and the tub fits snug in the center of the tire.
Problem solved.

I hate the Fourth of July. I like the meaning.......I like the concept.......I hate the fireworks. I will be exhausted after staying up until nearly three in the morning with the horses and dogs. I just wish the noise would go away...for good. Leave it to the professionals folks. It is always interesting to me that although we are strict on drunk driving laws.......we simply tolerate and allow drunks to have explosives all day and all night......go figure.

Off of my soap box...have a safe weekend and I hope you get to do something you enjoy.

Pony Up fortune for tomorrow:

It is not where you left it...so look elsewhere.