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| Am having to use the old desk top computer until the wireless is hooked up for my notebook. In the meantime I have uploaded images from the web. Day before yesterday while chopping wood ( that alone is an adventure), a neighbor stopped by to let us know that there is a Bobcat in the pasture with the horses, donkeys and goats. He said in all his years here he has never seen one in daylight! He also said that our donkeys chased the Bobcat back into the blackberry bushes. I drove the Gator to the end of the pasture and sure enough, sitting there was a wild neighbor! Beautiful. He or she, looked at me and went back into hiding. I don't worry about the Bobcat hurting the horses, donks or goats thanks to the donks being the magnificent guardians that they are. Although the outside cats and the chickens may be in danger if the Bobcat comes close to the house. My chickens are locked up at night. The outside cats go into the garage at night. After some thought I wonder if the resident Bobcat may be a descendant of one of the trained ones that once lived here when Roy Kabat ( he trained animals for Hollywood pictures and commercials) lived here. Hmmmm. Who knows. |
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| For several days I have watched a somewhat young buck hanging around the house. This morning he was in the front yard! I mentally told him that as long as he stays here on the property that he and his does will be safe. And speaking of does, there are about half a dozen that come down the gully behind the house. I must mention the wood stove. My hat is off to everyone who has one for their heat source. Having one is a lot of work! Gathering the wood, splitting the wood, stacking the wood, bringing the wood into the house, keeping the stove loaded, cleaning the ashes out and cleaning the wood pieces from the floor. Yes, I admit I got spoiled with today's conveniences. Just pushing a button for heat was really nice......and warm! :) One more thing. Am looking forward to when the toilet seat is not cold!!! lol Tomorrow the moving adventure stories will start. Have to say I am glad it is over!!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Until next time..................... |
Wow those are some wild neigbours, but beautiful for sure. Never seen a bobcat other than a zoo.
ReplyDeleteMust be just so beautiful there! How far is your nearest neighbor? How far to civilization? It looks like you a hundred miles from nowhere!
ReplyDeleteKnow what you mean about a wood stove, cheap, but SO much work and mess!
I hope your Thanksgiving was good too!
I'm not sure how you are so calm with those neighbors. Wood heat is a lot of work. It will be easier next year when you can get it stacked close to the house before it's actually winter. You can't beat the warmth of wood.
ReplyDeleteI think having a bobcat as a neighbour would make me a little nervous ! but I don`t know that much about them ! we have a wood stove and you are right they are hard work- but boy do they throw some heat out ! they look really welcoming too -x
ReplyDeletei am so glad you love your babies and keep them in at night. so many 'farmers' do not...i put our cats up at night as well and if i had chickens i would do the same. that bobcat must have a tame gene in its body. probably looking for field mice. i have seen some scat that looks similar to bobcat poo but not sure since the photos are online...we probably have some here too...he/she is very very cute i must admit! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI never knew that donkeys would or even could put the run to bobcats or anything else.
ReplyDeleteWood is very popular here too. We don't use wood though, too citified I guess!
You could write a book with all the adventures you have had with your critters.
Jim
Wood heat is a ton of work! Bobcats won't bother big animals like horses or donkeys, but chickens and cats that strayed into their turf would be fair game. They are usually pretty shy.
ReplyDeleteYour donks will do a good job of protecting the bigger critters, and it sounds like you have a good plan for the safety of the small ones. Waiting to hear about your adventures.
ReplyDeleteHow dangerous for your cats and chickens. You should maybe look into having the bobcat moved to an area that's safer for him. Will the dept of natural resources help you?
ReplyDeleteWe have a woodstove. I hate it. It is so much work. Randy splits the wood in the summer and recently brought up a bunch right onto the front porch, so it's convenient. Waking up to a cold house sucks. Loading wood into the stove all the time sucks. It really is a lot of work.
~Lynn
Sounds like a whole new world out there! Hopefully the bobcat won't become so bold as to visit near the house during the day. He/she is probably as curious as you are with the 'new neighbors'. Would be pretty cool if he was a descendant of the former tenants cats. As for wood heat...it has been my only source of heat for 25 years. I do buy it cut though, but even at that, it is a heat source I can afford and be somewhat independent with (if the electricity goes out). I buy three cords per year (delivered and stacked) and usually have about a cord and a half left over. That way I continuously have seasoned wood and green wood each year. I spend ALLOT of time when I'm out and about gathering kindling---I even have a little bag I take with me. I also saw up anything I can get my hands on to make smaller sticks of wood. I buy the starter loggs square bricks (usually about $10 for a box) and use about a 1/4 brick each time plus lots of newspapers and kindling to get a fire going if it is completely out. I agree on the work of it all--wood carried in, ashes out and all the rest. The heat is nice and warm around the stove, but the far ends of my house never warm up. Hope it gets easier for you as the winter progresses! Just make sure you have plenty of dry wood under cover and don't get caught with all your wood wet or green. (ask me how I know! ha...) Looking forward to the moving adventure!
ReplyDeleteTammy
Bobcats are just a bit too much for me. I freak out when the guys say..'Here Kitty kitty'..always teasing...aargh!
ReplyDeletehow cool about the bobcat! they are sooo beautiful! up here in the high desert i even had one show up in daylight. so strange - good omen, though i said. i think it's a good omen bobcat came to you also! hope the stove is keeping you warm with all the work you're putting into it! have fun making your house a home.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are doing OK. And that we will be hearing from you on a regular basis now. I'm so looking forward to that. I see bobcats during the day here too. Well, I'm not out at night, so that's my only chance. I heat my house with a wood stove fireplace kind of thing. And then use little electric heaters to add heat as needed. Good luck with yours.--Inger
ReplyDeleteBe careful of that Bobcat. He's looking for his next meal.. he/she will come in the daylight hours, though usually around late afternoon and early morning hours. I've lost a lot of chickens and cats and my huge Tom turkey to a visiting Bobcat at my farm. And yes, they are locked up at night too! Just didn't figure they would disappear during the day. I don't let my chickens out of the coop now until late morning. And I put them up long before dark now too. But, I do think these cats are beautiful. Just not when they are eating my birds and cats! Can't wait to see more pics.
ReplyDelete