Little Fellas...

OK, well this is the first real blogging attempt... and a masterpiece in progress I can't promise. Especially for those of you who've fallen for Denise's Blog (asthebutterchurns.com). She is doing a marvelous job at documenting, her and her family's Farm Life experiences.  And  that's just one segment of their day. There are the daily, non-stop, must be done, priorities of caring for, feeding and taking care of the animals, and the farm itself...  and let's not forget a little thing like running a household on the side... taking Henry to school, feeding, cleaning, paying bills, doing laundry, answering posted comments, trying to get a screenplay off the ground, re-working a business plan, trying to figure out where the heck is our mail person with our mail, go get Henry from school, then off to gymnastics, then home. Then once home... picking up a dead mouse here & his little head over there ... and there's more I'm sure, but I'm going to stop there... just because,  I'd like to keep some semblance of manhood around here. And so my little blog... while it maybe fun to read, and packed with questionable grammar... will be starting off small... Hence my first topic... Field Mice. 

Now when you make a move like this, you learn a lot as you go. But most people probably wouldn't have made such a big change unless they were ready & open to face something new and challenging. But once you've come to that threshold, then being more open and flexible becomes a part of your evolving experience. For me that 'change' has been in motion for a very long time... I just needed to slow down and Listen more... (more on that later). So starting off small... let's get to know some little friends I didn't expect to meet. Of course now in hindsight, I would've been a fool not too. This fuzzy pic is of three little field mice, huddled together sleeping. I caught them over night. It's fuzzy because I have them temporarily housed in a big, plastic storage bin. This makes 19 total captures in 12 days... We're (the mice & I) on a 'catch & release' program... like a fisherman after 'furry' trout ... I bought one of those mouse friendly traps that ... trap them with out harm, and then I get up, put them in the bin with some water, a walnut and a paper towel so they can 'rest up' for their morning release.  

Now for those of you who are squeamish... sorry... but this is a 'small' part of country living. The wildlife only gets bigger from here on out. So here they are, the next morning... where upon I usually walk up the street a couple hundred yards to release them into the woods. But with 19 captures and climbing, the thought has crossed my mind... "Am I re-capturing some of the same one's over & over". I mean, do they actually stand up on their little hind legs, look over and recognize my Apt off in the distance, and trek back?! No clue... but everyone has had the idea of marking them. The suggestions have ranged from putting a 'zip-tie' on their tail (W), to a spot of paint on their back (DM), to nail polish (MMM)... yet each one of these 'wonderful' idea's means picking up these incredibly fast, long jumping and teethed fellas...   Yeah... not on my list of to-do's just yet... 

 
This particular morning, Henry came over to tell me that the barn 'mucking' had begun, and so as I got ready, boots and all, I asked him if he wanted to take these little guy's over to the barn and we'd release them over  there this time. So here are 2 of the 3, on the compost pile. I'm told that the compost pile is just 'teeming' with wild life, that it's actually very warm, and it's sort of  a built in cafeteria.  So... "Go free 'lil Fellas! ... and please ... don't come back" 

Here's a shot of Denise... arguably not one she'd prefer I'd post... but by the time she reads this... it'll be too late ;-)  The quality is my fault... no flash on the iPhone. But since she is always the one taking pic's, needless to say, she's always behind the camera... I'm going to try and remedy that once in a while.  She's the 'boots on the ground' & backbone of this operation... and while taking pic's in the field (so to speak) usually finds you scuffed up and dirty... leaders still need to be recognized!  "So hat's to you Denise! ... and,  you've got a little somethin' on you cheek there..." ;-)

 
And she really does talk to the animals... the mice aside, she has a relationship with every single animal here. They are truly pets...  I really need to start paying attention to the background stories (or you can check her blog), but she raised these geese from 'goslings'? Started them off in the house, in the tub, and now they follow her every where she goes. She & Henry will on occasion run, flapping their arms and the gaggle will all run after them, in a flurry of flapping wings, feathers  and some intense honking... 

And lastly... 2 'acceptable' pic's... (according to her)  Denise and Loyd... you gotta be momma to get close enough to pick up one of these guys. I now know why they use goose down for comforters, pillows, etc. Petting Loyd's 'lil belly, clued me in to how soft, and plush their feathers actually are... and I was again, further educated in the ways of living closer to the land.

 
And for all concerned... 'no animals were harmed in these pic's" ;-)  They get nothing but love and attention here in 'Mayberry' (ST). So that's it for now... I just wanted to get this thing rolling and thank those who've given me such wonderful words of encouragement, and who've expressed their desire to follow along, reading more tales about Country Living.  Trust me, reading these tales is a lot cleaner then following some of the other tails around here...  in a word... "Boots"    as always... take good care of yourselves... Alexis