Summer on the Farm

What a summer!  So hot, so stormy, so buggy!  But with those complaints out of the way, we have been blessed with garden goodies, good health for all humans and animals for the most part and good living.  Who could ask for more?

My horses are doing well.  Jessie continues to patiently trot around the arena while young children learn to post.  Blue is being good while his mother puts him through his dressage lessons though now he has decided not to give me left lead canter each time I ask....groan!!!!  A chiropractor is coming to the farm at the end of the month so maybe she will fix his back.  The nasty flying vampires are relentless this year.  I turn out at dusk so they can't torment my poor Jessie.  I do hate horse flies with a passion!

My  deer seem to be doing well too.  So far I have seen eight fawns but I think Brownie has yet to show me her twins that were born July 3rd.  Bossy was the first to bring Cappy to the corn yard.  His pronounced markings look like he has a little cap on his forehead.  I think Bandit is the father since he has the same markings.

The fawns love Ringo for some reason.  They love to smell him.  He seems to be happy especially around all the girls.  Bossy's Boy still has that awful arrow sticking out of his right shouler.  It looks like it is trying to come out with a wrinkling around the entrance of the wound.  It hurts me to know what is inside him.  I looked the other day in a hunting catalog and the arrows are brutal. 

My little Buttons has now decided that I can pet his back!  A first for me.  It is such a joyful thing to pet him while he eats his corn.  Some will disagree with my actions thinking he will get tame for a hunter.  I am not so sure.  Thousands are killed each year anyways that are not tame.  Bossy's Boy and Bandit have survived 3 killing seasons though they are not tame like Buttons.  I can only pray my Buttons will stay around the farm like Bossy's Boy and hopefully avoid that evil tresspasser.  Also, I remember that the boys become more shy as the weather cools so I am sure the petting will soon be a thing of the past and I will back off getting close to him.

The garden didn't do as well this year. The corn was a disappointment as it was planted too early and received too much rain, then the crows ate the second planting until we planted American flags all along the rows which seemed to help but now the cobs aren't growing well and something is eating them.  The good husband thinks it is a raccoon but they have electric fencing every four inches so I am not sure....

Cricket has been on the attack lately which is very disappointing.  He will be 4 in September and so far hasn't figured it out yet that other cats are ok.  He is unlike any other cat I know with his huge fangs on the lower jaw as well.  He moves like a leopard and still remains so dense, so long and so lean.  His 15-inch tail seems like it might have grown as well!  The other day I found Daddy Cat with a bloody eye lid.  Of course it was a Saturday when nobody was open.  I elected to wait a day and sure enough, the eye lid looked better.  Then I discovered an old wound under his throat!  Probably the same day.  Then just two days ago, Callie's tail was dripping pus.  They shaved it and there are two wounds.  It has improved immensely but she is still on antibiotics.  I put Cricket in a huge dog pen at night so the other kitties can have rest and Daddy Cat refuses to allow me to pick him up and put him in the tack room during the day while Cricket is out so I am stumped.  Sylvester goes out when Cricket is in and just cowers if Cricket gets close.  So sad.  They all know Cricket rules and nobody dares to challenge him so I don't know why he continues this domestic violence!!

My little Bridget will have been with me almost a year now...August 14th....she has grown a lot but her little head doesn't match her body.  She is getting independent and doesn't want her mother to pick her up and very rudely puts her strong little paw against my chin to avoid those human kisses!  How spoiled is that?  By the way, Cricket was outside which fascinated the indoor kitties.  Princess was behind them but jumped down.

Poor Nugget had to endure another TTA surgery on the other knee.  He is the perfect patient.  I used a local vet who did a much better job than the huge well known MedVet in Columbus Ohio.  Not once did he whimper and my beautiful golden barely limped the day after surgery!! I was shocked.  Pleasantly shocked.  This dog was limping horribly before surgery and one would think the limping would continue until healed as it had done previously...not this time.  The incision was done a bit differently and the miniscus was not removed as there was no damage to that knee.  Dr. McNeel at Cross Lanes Veterinary Clinic has done over 60 this year already.  If anyone in WV is reading this, you need to see him if your pet is experiencing a torn ligament.  He is cheaper, better, and your dog will be recovering a lot quicker. 

What a long post!  Hope everyone is doing well.  I don't blog as much due to some other things that dominate my time and I do miss reading all of your interesting entries.  Have a great August and stay cool!