Life Lately

Lack of posts =Brain cells overtaken by other matters.
Like my JOB!
School started two weeks ago and it has kept me hopping.
Just when you think things will settle down, they don't.


 I finally had two ripe tomatoes.  I worked so hard to get the garden in before my surgery (April 21) and didn't get ripe tomatoes until September 4th.  RIDICULOUS!  I often have ripe tomatoes by July 4th.   The whole garden this year has just been dismal, really dismal.

 I have one sunflower out of 8 that I planted.   At least I have one!

 This is the inside of my garden shed, AFTER the dogs have been squirrel hunting.

 Unreal the things they knocked over and spread around!

 The new solution?  Until they figure out how to get around it!

And, once again, this happened.

Oh, those squirrels!

The squirrels seem to have taken a hiatus since the weather warmed, but earlier they cost us some hard earned money.

But, they also got Boyd mad enough to haul off the scrap metal pile and make a couple hundred bucks.

 One day we found one in a boat.

 In the truck.

But never in the trap :(

 We even dug up any tunnels we could find.

 The check engine light came on in the Ranger and sure enough, chewed through the vacuum hose and a few wires.

 You can see the shells tucked here and there in the engine.

 And tracks!

 Trying to clean it out.

On the Edge

This is my Ford Edge.  I love this car.  It is the perfect size for me and has been very reliable.  But the other day it was making strange noises from the heating system.

 Could it be because of the squirrels?  Hmmmm?  Look at what they left on my battery.  Who knows what is stashed away in other engine parts.   Once we found a whole pear in the fan housing of the F150.  These squirrels have got to find a new home!

 Jasmine and Buddy do their best to get the squirrels to relocate.   It seems to be a temporary solution at best.

 And this photo is just because I found it recently.  It was taken one day this fall.  She sure loves him!

Of Skunks and Squirrels

and other weird animal experiences.

We have a squirrel problem.  They like to store their winter supply in the fan housings, on the batteries and just about anywhere else under the hood of our vehicles.

 This causes the dogs to try to climb up inside the Bronco.  They will also spend hours laying underneath or worse, chew on the wires and pull stuff apart to get to the squirrel.

 Last Sunday, Jasmin sniffed one hiding out in a siphon tube.  At some point it ran out of the tube, across the road and into the engine compartment of a tractor.  So, I called out Boyd and Buddy and they spent the next hour trying to get one teeny, tiny little squirrel.  Finally, with the help of a pellet gun and some starting fluid, Boyd got it out of the tractor and the dogs did the rest.  I would feel more sorry for the squirrels around here if they would just stop putting nuts in our cars and live on the other 89 acres of the farm and leave 1 acre for us.

 Boyd found this wasps' nest in the lawn.  They made a nice little earthen home, which Boyd drowned in starter fluid. 

 These geese and ducks get let out of their pen and spend the day in the canal in front of their farm. 

 Then at night they either return on their own or get herded back by the farmer on a motorcycle.

 Skunks!  Man, have we smelled our share of these guys lately.  One day Laura and I were walking and Jasmin found a skunk on each end of the walk.  She constantly goes after them and gets sprayed every time. 
When Boyd, the dogs and I went out to the Bird Refuge, this guy was walking around where I was standing taking pictures.  He/she didn't seem to be disturbed by me, so I kept snapping shots.  I just might be dumber than my dog !

Squirrel Chasin'

As previously mentioned, we have an abundance of squirrels around here.  The dogs love to chase them, but rarely catch them.  These squirrels have cost us money, they are so destructive.  They like to eat pears and walnuts in the fan housing of the new truck.  One day, Boyd left the hood open hoping to make a squirrel leave and Buddy, being the helpful dog he is, jumped onto the engine and started biting his way down to the squirrel.  He chewed through some important wires and got himself into some big trouble.  The mechanics at the Ford dealership found the story entertaining.  Jasmine got herself stuck in the baler trying to get to a squirrel.  She must have went in through the bale chute, but got wedged tightly in the part where the spring hooks are.  It looked painful.  I couldn't find her for more than 30 minutes, but I would hear an occasional whimper.  I finally got Buddy to help and he ran straight to her.  My husband, his shovel and two dogs couldn't catch the squirrel living in the corn chopper.  The fancy traps my husband bought don't always deliver either.  Although, I must add, that Jasmine managed to open the trap which actually did get a squirrel and take care of it herself.  Smart dog!   This morning the dogs were hot on the trail of the squirrel which has been living in the chicken coop.  Buddy was so intense he moved a sheet of plywood 4ft X 4ft with his TEETH!  He drug it at least 3 to 4 feet. 

The squirrel was in this long piece of metal tubing.  It is really heavy!  I have to regrettably admit that I assisted in the killing of an animal today.  You all know that is against my normal animal lover mentality, but I am tired of paying for squirrels!  Boyd lifted the tube and I poured in water.  It finally ran out and for once in her life, Jasmine was paying attention with her eyes and she caught it.  Normally, the dogs have their noses going and don't bother to LOOK!  
A video of the hunt.  Sorry for the shaking, I can't walk and film at the same time.

If you listen carefully, you will hear the chirping of the squirrel.  Buddy got another one last week and Jasmine killed what I think was a weasel.  These adorable dogs seem to have a vicious side.