Wednesday Thoughts

It's 5:30 in the morning and the day has begun. It's still fairly quiet, except for the roosters' happy Good Mornings and an occasional mare squeal. With so many equines, someone is always in heat.
The local TV station wants to come and do a program on our young volunteers. Hope they can all make it. We have special girls who give it their all.
Not having pictures to show you makes me look at things more closely, so I can share them with you.
The lower stock tank gets filled each morning. Jake the red roan Belgian and Quincy the sorrel Quarab love to splash and swish in the tank. Water flies out and they love it. I don't know how she does it, but little Sweetie Pie the Hackney Pony just gets right in and plays IN the tank. My, oh, my, does the water go everywhere. The rest of the lower herd just waits til the ruckus is over to get their drinks.
While the tank is filling, I sit and enjoy the peace. The hillside is bare as you can imagine. When we first moved here we wondered how we would get rid of all the star thistle. No problem. Every time something green pokes its head up, it's eaten.
There are oak trees to provide shade, some manzanita and a few pines. We put in a small watering tub in the ground outside of the fence so there will always be water for the turkeys, deer, skunks, raccoons and who ever else might wander through.
The back part of our property is designated for the turkeys to breed (don't know if they read the state proclamation but they seem to raise their families there) and as a winter feeding area for the indigenous deer herd. The dogs help the critters stay out of the garden, but leave them alone in their area.
A seasonal creek runs in the back and we have springs that follow a course from the front of our property down to the back. There is still a little water in one of the springs, though the wells are beginning to feel the effects of Summer.
We have two 5000 gallon tanks for our use and so Cal Fire can hook up and get water if they need it. One of the tanks is at the lower well. Sunshine and solar panels pump the water to the upper tank.
While I sit and wait for the stock tank to fill, Zoe, Love and Keecha dogs come and sit with me, if the gophers don't distract them. Old Mac dog doesn't come down any more. His old legs just can't carry him that far. He waits for us at the house. The other dogs and I have a good "love-in" and maybe a little grooming. The stickers and burrs are thick.
It is the quiet time of the mornings that I love best. It is time to think, pray, and put things in the right prospective. Troubles and their solutions can often come to terms there. At least there is the sense of what we are doing and for whom.
The lower herd consists of Jake the Belgian, his very best buddy Smokey the Rocky Mountain Horse, Smoke the Quarter horse, Tucker the mule and his love, Sweetie Pie, Quincy and his lady Tiger Lily the Kiger mustang, Lucky the pony and his mate Cricket, Bonita the Draft cross and her friends Jet, Pearl and Brandie the Quarabs, Stoney the Quarter horse, Leeso the Paint, Lady Bug the mule and Navajo the Quarter horse. That should be 17 as we moved Molly mule to the back yard.
They have the biggest turnout because they are the youngest and most active group. They wait for me by the fence and follow the tractor to where ever I feed them. In the day time I try to go down near the well so they will be closer to the water, but at night I feed them closer to the barn. There is water there, too. We do have wild critters- bears and lions- and at night I like them closer to the dogs, though I guess a mule can take care of the herd pretty easily.
In the Summer there is a cloud of dust as they gallop along with the tractor. I throw out many extra flakes as we don't want any hungry horses. My red tractor and I chug along dispensing food.
Most of the snakes have left the country, but we have frogs and lizards galore. Lots of birds with the ravens, acorn woodpeckers, swallows and the cute little yellow ones who like to eat the sunflowers leaves being the most prominent. There are a few hummers, too.
Jim is rustling around. Mac has been out and in again. There are stirrings in the back yard and I guess it's time to begin the rest of the day. Jim cooks most of the meals, but I do breakfasts and Holidays.
After we eat Jim will pull on his boots and out we go to feed, water, medicate, clean up, etc. Jim is going to Chico today to see his friend John and the animals and I will have to get along without him. We will tend the garden, do laundry, clean a little and maybe read some. He'll be home in time for dinner and evening chores.
Thank you to all who support us with your kind words, thoughts, and yes, donations.
We know we could not do this without you.