Bug and Dog and Gang

When things shift, for me it always seems to be a violent shift.... but an invisible one. It's like a horrible fart that makes no sound, but the smell wakes you in the night, and you think WTF has that dog been eating in the woods?
My life... silent but deadly... smelt it but didn't delt it?

I have a dog now. My neighbors dog who is known as the neighborhood "whore dog" (AKA, Bruiser) - because he can't seem to stay at home. He doesn't say why and it doesn't matter how he ended up back at my house... he is here now. A big bag a gluten free dog food, and I made him his own pillow bed from some wool and fabric. He seems content, and has not yet run away.
I was feeling a bit more then disappointed this week, because the local primitive & outdoors living skills classes (called Firefly) was happening and i missed it due to having to take the Flagyl anti-biotics to kill the mean, evil, worthless giardia (parasite) that was plaguing my intestines.
And kill it, it seems to have done. Kill many things. No more diarrhea! YAY... but oh the fuckin' side effects that linger and my body is eager to throw off toxins, which means now the waves of nausea are again my pal. A friend I have to tell to go away.
I chant over and over "but no more diarrhea!"

I have noticed with the weird weather we are having this summer (it never gets hot here, and now it is downright chilly!)... the variety of bugs has shifted a bit from last year. I have seen maybe 3 live mosquitoes all summer. Had only one night of No-See-Ums.... and the moths are slightly different too. And remember the giant bug that got in bed with me? The Palo Root Borer Beetle....
here is a video of one outside, looking for a place to lay eggs and then actually laying them in a dead log outside the Luck Cabin!......


My animal gang is my joy, entertainment, my drama, and my laughter.
If you replace "my animal gang" with "my future man" ... that totally sounds like a terrible 'walk on the beach' personals ad. ha ha. I bet these guys would love to walk on the beach too... maybe i can book that whole animal crew and myself a plane ride to the Caribbean, the donkey would love it.
XOxOXoxOX

Spring Sounds! Chicken Funnies & Frogs!

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It finally warmed up here, a little tricky break from the winter... and it's got everyone going. The chickens are bocking, the rooster is crowing, the frogs in my pond suddenly appeared and started chirping in the middle of the night.

I found a random egg in JuJu's hay that one of the chickens laid, so i picked it up and put it under my old hen Skinny Minny - and she got this look of suprise as though she had laid the egg herself and began to announce it to all...
that's when the noise party got started!

This makes me laugh... makes me happy...



xooxxo

New Chickens & Donkey Chaos! (Will the baby live?)

Oh my gawd, baby jezuz, mary and joseph! My uncle went to the local Haywood County Small Animal Auction and brought me back six new chickens.... 5 big laying hens in beautiful colors and one tiny tiny TINY adorable white americuana chick (which I am holding in the picture above.)

The rooster (whom I have had for over a month now) was oh so proud of all his new ladies, and even though my one hen "Honey Pie" was pecking at them & pulling out their feathers - the rooster still stood tall, proud, protective and horny.

And you can see why! HAwt Ladies!

This is what chicken sex looks like (pictured below)... the rooster chases the hen, holds it by the back of it's feathered neck, opens wings and goes at it pretty quick. Even though the hens resist at first, or maybe just tease, they seem really satisfied after... happy.

BUT..... as amazing and wonderful as this all seems...... there was JuJu Bean, the donkey. The donkey who has been a great guardian animal to my hen and rooster, she has loved them, she knows them. So to say I was shocked when she hauled ass on my new chickens is an understatement, I screamed in horror at the unexpected scene!!!

She went after them, not just in a dominating way but with her front hooves pounding at them like she was going to smash them to bits, like she hated them the way a donkey hates a coyote!

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At first I tried yelling "NO" and hit something loud (a bucket onto a tree stump) to startle everyone into reality. That didn't 'work' per-say, but it did slow things down. Then I ran to my house, cut up carrots and used the reward method. I had JuJu walk past the chickens over and over while giving her treats, and if she made a move towards them I touched her chest and said a firm "NO". That seemed to calm things down for a little while.

....but then after JuJu was rolling in her favorite mud spot, she saw the tiny little white wonder who had been following me around, standing between my legs & who I had also been carrying around in my arms. She turned on the tiny bird standing near her and went straight to threatening, stomping, kicking, and running over it. I let out a terrible high pitched scream and ran for the bird. I charged JuJu in an animalistic way, angry/in charge, then left the area with the possibly half dead baby chick. I put it in a basket and brought it in my cabin. It's sitting on my desk next to the computer right now as I write this post! Fingers crossed it'll live!!! Cause I already wuve it. Tons.

Xoxoxo

My Rooster Has Arrived!

Look how big and red and handsome he is! The chickens are coming this week, but as I have started to learn, if ya live rural everyone has an extra rooster they need to get rid of - my uncle brought over this beauty yesterday. At first the rooster was totally nervous and spazzzzed out - I tried putting in some food scraps and water and he was flapping his gigantic wings at me, crowing, screaming and going bazzurk.... now he is cool with me but said he could reallllllly use some ladies, and fast!
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And you can see he knows where to look for the ladies too.....


I think I will name him Chante Rouge!
Xoxoxox