Better Than A Rabbit's Foot

Out doing a bit of roaming around today, helping My Boy with things he needs help with. He's always needing my supervision. No telling what trouble he'd get into without my guidance. Here he is holding Ruby Tuesday's baby, Giacomo. He's almost as big as My Boy is now! Queen Ruby likes My Boy and doesn't seem to mind. She's a good mama.

While we were checking out the cow and calf, I noticed Glynn had found something very interesting in the grass. I mosied over to see what she was doing, and she told me that she had found a bumper crop of four-leaf clovers and was collecting some to press and keep for good luck.

She said it's easy as pie to find a four-leaf clover. Just stare at the clover patch and one would jump right out at me. She had already found several to press, like this one.

Never in my whole eight years have I found a four-leaf clover. Not even close. I've never even caught a rabbit's foot, so I was a bit skeptical. Still, I gave it a go, and I stared at that clover patch until my eyes were crossed.

And then, would you believe, I found one! I was so excited I did a Snoopy dance. Glynn showed me how to press it when we got back to the house. Though it isn't a perfect specimen, I'm proud of it. A dog like me can never have too much good luck!

Wishing every dog and hammie out there a safe and fun-filled Memorial Day weekend.

~Tell

I'm Calling Shotgun Now

If there's one thing I've learned about living on a farm, it's that springtime means babies. Already we have played foster mama to a fledgling barred owl and four cottontail rabbits. And that owl sure made me nervous, the way he was watching those buns, so we made sure nobody went hungry until they were released (far apart from each other, I made sure of that). But the biggest surprise of all was when My Boy's show heifer, Ruby Tuesday, had her baby last week. Lookee here!

I'm a bit jealous that he has more spots than me. He even has a heart on his forehead. So far we can't decide on a name for him, but it has to be a special one because he will be My Boy's show calf next year. Isn't he a lucky one? We think so.

My new best bud weighs four times as much as me and is growing bigger every day. I have to watch where he steps so he doesn't mash my head in the ground. My Boy is teaching him to lead right now while he's small enough to handle. I just hope that when we all ride in the pickup, he knows I like to sit by the window.

~Tell

Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas to all my friends out there. Seems like the holidays came faster this year, and I barely got all my Christmas shopping done in time. Got Cap a new squeaky and Glynn a new spiffy collar (she likes accessories). Can't tell you what My Boy and My Girl got yet. Don't want to spoil their surprise.

Mom and Dad got their Christmas presents early this year, and let me tell you, there's no way they could be wrapped and put under the tree. Dad got a new bull, a gorgeous black Angus that should make the heifers happy. Yeah, I know, not your usual Christmas stocking stuffer but you have to remember, we're country folks. Mom's present was a pair of llamas. You heard me, llamas. We got them for coyote and sasquatch control on the farm. Stomper, the big one in the photo, is standing next to a seven-foot corral fence. You can see he is much bigger than the average camelid. When we unloaded them, the herd looked up in surprise and stampeded over the hill. Stomper and Rockette were neutral about the whole thing, they're used to cows. So far, no spitting, so we believe they're happy with the new digs.

Have a wonderful holiday!
~Tell

Ruby Tuesday

My Boy had a surprise for us this week. He put our leashes on and told us that we needed to go outside to the big barn see it. I could hardly wait!

First, though, he made us sit and listen to him. He said we had to be on our best behavior and not do anything silly. As if.

Here we are trucking along across the green grass. This is a very good view of us, though from this angle Mom sometimes has touble telling Who's Who in the Zoo without her glasses.

We stopped for our mail...

When we finally reached the barn, we saw a red Shorthorn cow! This is My Boy's new FFA project and her name is Ruby. Mom calls her Ruby Tuesday because that's probably where she'll end up someday (for those of you across the pond, Ruby Tuesday is the name of a fine restaurant chain here in the States).

My Boy is going to brush her and give her baths, and show her at the county and state fairs. I'm not sure how's she's going to fit in the bathtub, though. Ruby's real name is Queen's Ruby Red. Even though she's got a long pedigree and fancy name, I know My Boy still loves me best!

~Tell

Retired Show Girls

All our heavy snow is gone now. It lasted a little more than a day, and now it seems like spring again. The cold was a bit hard on the grape hyacinths in the yard. They are looking straggly this morning.


But the American Beauty wildflowers are springing up everywhere! Grandma-Great used to call them Good Morning Spring flowers.


It's been a bit tearful on the farm this week as we say goodbye to some of our piggies. It's time to send them to Uncle P's farm for breeding so we'll have some fall show babies. The pigs look on this adventure as a trip to the spa because they get very spoiled and pampered at Uncle P's place. Since My Girl is a senior in high school, this was her last show season. She is retiring from the show ring, and when our sows come back to us this fall, My Girl will be away at college and won't see them much. She is giving Happy the Hamp a hug. Happy wasn't worried, though, she's been through this trip before and she likes to travel.


Twiggy is very anxious to load in the trailer and is squealing to be turned out. She will run and hop in, just like she did in her show days. My Girl is telling her to be patient and let the other girls load first. All of our sows are retired show pigs and are very gentle and sweet.

Okay, My Girl, we're ready. Release the hounds! (I don't know what that means, but I always wanted to say it.)

Asta the cow is looking on. She can't believe pigs go to a spa and wonders if there is room in the trailer for her, too. Oh, that's right. We have a cow named Asta (no offense, Asta NY and Asta Down Under, she's a very nice cow).

It will be quiet on the farm now, with no squealing to be fed in the morning. Pigs are a bit noisy. Now, if I could just sneak that pesky rooster onto the trailer, too, I can sleep late in the morning...

~Tell