Country Fun

This morning, while waiting for the sun to shine through the clouds, I decided to have some real country fun. No one can say we gals don't know how to entertain ourselves.
Armed with a large strainer and a bottle of salad oil I tackled the huge population of mosquito larvae. First I sat by the primordial swamp and scooped larvae.I kept one eye on Zoe who thought nudges and cuddles were needed. I was afraid she'd nudge and cuddle me right into the pond. Now I do respect most all living things,but mosquitoes rank right up there with flies as being expendable, so expended them I did. Scoop, dump, scoop, dump until the ground was wriggling with wrigglers.
Then over to the goo puddles behind the barn where I couldn't get close enough to scoop, so I poured. Oil on the water keeps the little rascals from breathing. So pour and die was my motto there. Now I know city folks wouldn't see the fun in the scoop, dump and pour activities, but you country folks get it. Right?
The mornings have been spectacular. When the sun hits the trees on the hill behind us it is breathtaking. It makes us so glad that we live in the Northern California foothills.
Years ago- 1966 to be exact- Jim, my folks and I took a Christmas trip to Mariposa CA. The hills were so rich in history and so wonderful that I knew someday I wanted to live in them. We are a lot farther north, but in the same mixed woods hillside. We have grey pines, sugar pines, various oaks and a few poplars.There are manzanita and buckeye. Of course, there is a lot of poison oak, too, but even it is very pretty. It is a favorite donkey food.

Sugar and Gracie nap together in the warm sun. Sugar has accepted us now after 5 years. She had been abused and abandoned for years before she came to Home At Last, but comes up for treats and scratches all the time.

We have come to the conclusion that by letting the animals live with us all in one yard, they come to accept us more easily. We all share the place. It seems different from us going into their space. I wonder how long, if ever, Posey and Bucky will take to allow us to pet them.

Gracie will allow you to feed her treats and if you are quick you can catch her. Once caught she is very docile and seems to like the attention, but she does play hard to get. Feisty likes his cat climber. We had hoped the cats would climb and sleep in the cubby holes, but Feisty likes to sit on the very top. The top rotates so he's not always facing in the direction he started.

His newest game is to scratch the window and entice Keecha over. Then he jumps at Keecha and she jumps at him. He's playing. She's not. We have tried to explain to all the kitties those are not kitty-loving dogs, but the game continues. We watch the doors carefully so there is no close encounter of the worst kind.
Please, visit our website http://homeatlastsanctuary.webs.com and Home At Last Thrift and Gift on FaceBook.

Jim and I spent the day working on the ranch- feeding, watering, grooming, fencing and getting ready for the week-end. There are regular house-keeping chores, too.

We are always tired at night, but look forward to the upcoming day. What new adventures await us? Maybe more country fun.