Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Baymule]

I'm glad that it is coming together for the wedding. Instead of renting tablecloths and washing them, what about buying the throwaway paper kind? It's Covid Time, ya' gotta make sacrifices..........

 

[Ridgetop]

I am seriously thinking of decorating paper masks for wedding favors!

Alas, Sweet 8040, I knew her . . . . (stolen from Wm Shakespeare)

My beloved 8040 became a casualty of our massive heat wave on August 15. Heat stroke took her. It was devastating. The ram and 9 other sheep in that pen survived without a problem. She had been in the pen for 2-3 days but if I had known that the heat wave was coming I might have waited to move those sheep from the creep pen to the front field. The creep pen is on the east side off the property and has more shade while the other field is on the west side of the mountain. It has plenty of shade and lots of water but gets afternoon sun instead of morning sun. Still the day she died it was about 110 degrees. 8040 was an excellent ewe along with her chiropractic skills. She was large and had lovely lambs without any problem and was an exceptional mother I have a September daughter out of her that is bred and due in November. 8040 was not bred yet but perhaps having her ram lamb removed several days previously may have precipitated enough stress that the heat finished her off. I really don’t think so since he was 3 months old and rarely nursing but any separation in the flock might cause stress.

When large animal control came to pick her up, he said that he had been picking up a lot of large dogs during the heat wave. People that keep their dogs outside don't realize that they need to keep them cooler. Our dogs have lots of hiding holes dug out under bushes, etc. where they can keep cool but not everyone has that option. He told us he picked up one dog where the owner had a female in season. She was in the house so he locked the male in the garage. Died of heat in the closed in garage. Horrible and avoidable.

At any rate, 2 of the remaining 3 ewes that were in the creep pen with 3 month old lambs have already rebred. 7041 the day after we moved them, and 0123 three days later. 0123 is the new Lewis ewe I bought with a ewe lamb on her. She is bred to my Lewis ram. Hoping for good things there.

The August lambing dates don’t look very likely, but quite a few are due in early September. Hope the weather cools down a little before then. Then several each month through January (the 2 that just bred) and on into February with the last ewe 7088, and possibly AAC, Orange 5 & Orange 6.

Axtell’s 2 ewe lambs from last October don’t seem to have marked yet. They are not terribly large, but are normal medium size for 10 month old lambs. Since the September born lambs bred in July, the month younger lambs should breed this month. They are out of Texas lines which are a little smaller and slower growing so I will keep watching them. They have been in with the ram since they made 80 lbs. Also, will change out Moyboy’s crayon tonight when we bring them in. Even though the ram is not actively marking ewes since most of them are bred, the crayon gets worn off and clogged with dirt and gravel when he lays down. We still have to change it out every couple weeks. AAC who lambed 3 months ago and lost her lamb has not remarked so she will probably be breeding again about now.

Matt from Bonner’s is coming today to give us an estimate on how many people we can accommodate here for the wedding and the estimate for the stuff we will need to rent. Odyssey Restaurant is still waffling about how many people, whether they can serve food, etc. At least we have a backup plan. Fr. Mike said that the neighbors around the church are keeping an eye on how many people are coming to services so we may even have to cut the number of family and friends allowed at the church! What a bunch of nosy neighbors! He is worried that they might get raided during the ceremony! I am beginning to feel religious persecution just like during the Roman days and during the reign of Henry VIII. While I don’t expect we will actually be fed to the lions, jail time might be a possibility. After all, it is only the real criminals like murderers that are being released from prison due to the Covid epidemic here in California. Families wanting to go to church, get married and bury their dead are the ones being arrested and fined. Violent protesters no problem – that is their right, God fearing, law abiding citizens watch out.

By the way, Kamala Harris is the woman hated here in California by law abiding gun owners for trying to seize all weapons, including hunting weapons. Jut so everyone knows how close the threat of gun confiscation is.

Back to the wedding plans. Since we may have to tighten the invitation list even more, the kids are now considering whether they would just go with a smaller wedding in church and a much smaller family reception in October, then a large party to celebrate their wedding next year. They plan to try for a baby right away so maybe a combination celebration for their 1st anniversary, and a baby welcome.

DD2 is planning the same thing. A very small wedding at the courthouse, then next year she will do the walk down the aisle for a renewal of vows, and family reception at home with about 50 people. DH was so upset when he learned that she would not be walking down the aisle on his arm, that I am now planning a renewal of vows under an arbor of flowers for DD2. She can have the white dress and veil for that ceremony at home since the family is telling me that I am silly to think she can’t have that. Maybe DS1 or DS3 can stand in for a minister as a Master of Ceremonies. At any rate, I have done all I can for now. Just have to see how it plays out and be ready to jump into action.

The Super Ground Squirrels are getting more pushy. They are actively invading the plants in full sight of us and just sneer at us. DH went out again with his air rifle, but it disappeared when he showed up with his long fire stick. We can see them from the windows of the office. DS1 suggested removing the screen and opening the window a crack for the rifle barrel so DH can shoot from inside the house. It might work, but the temps are so hot outside that even that open crack would cause hot air to pour into the house.

DS2 has been going to marksmanship competitions in San Luis Obispo. He is a crack shot and is looking forward to the official competitions opening again. He has been taking DGS2, age 9, with him and says he is also becoming a crack shot. If DGS2 were older I would have him come up and eradicate the SGSs and rabbits. DS2 doesn’t allow him access to firearms (even pellet guns) yet without supervision. A wise move as several BB holes in my shed windows 25+ years ago can confirm.

We had to do flea treatments on the dogs for the first time this year. I think they are getting fleas from all the rabbits and ground squirrels. The fleas drop off into the hay, straw, and grass then the dogs pick them up when they lay down or walk through.

 

[Ridgetop]

Well the ground squirrel trap has arrived. Reading an article in the current issue of the Anatolian Times I realize why our brave livestock guardians are not chasing and killing the ground squirrels. Apparently, the best livestock guardians have a “very low prey drive”. That means that they do not chase down and hunt prey with the same enthusiasm as the standard Labrador. This lack of prey drive keeps them from chasing and playing those cute lambs and kids to death. It also causes them not to chase a rabbit through a flock of heavily pregnant ewes. Excellent behavior for LGDs. Bad behavior for garden protectors. We will have to resort to electrified garden fencing next year.

However, DS1 set up the trap last night and baited it with some barleycorn. Today we have a prisoner! He/she will go to that great garden in the sky soon. In the meantime, DS1 and I saw another evil ground squirrel approach the trap and proceed to climb on top of it – probably trying to release his compatriot! Luckily, he wasn’t able to do so. Sadly, he did not venture inside the trap to play with his buddy. DS1 was worried about our LGDs trying to tear the trap apart in blood lust for the ground squirrels. They did not. Refer to previous paragraph about “low prey drive”.

Following the bait advice that came with the trap, DH is currently buying a mango and some peaches which apparently are preferred foods. We will try those tonight after eradicating and removing the nasty vicious pest currently inhabiting the cage. Ground squirrels are not cute when trying to bite off your fingers through the wires. They not only carry rabies but also Bubonic Plague. The first case of Bubonic Plague in California in 5 years was just reported last week in Lake Tahoe. It was thought to be spread by fleas on squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks, aka ground squirrels, or other rodents. Lake Tahoe is a mountain resort area on the border between California and Nevada. We will kill this hideous predator before putting it in a plastic bag to dispose of it in the trash. Yuck! I wonder if I should spray him with flea spray first before taking the body from the trap.

We will rebait the trap with the mango and peaches, I also found a couple of very ripe bananas. Hopefully we will not spend more in fruit bait and the trap than it would have cost to buy veggies. Once DS1 has trapped as many of the ground squirrels as possible by moving the trap to various locations (my rose bed aka The Graveyard of The Dead), he will move it into the barn. Since there are no sheep in the jugs or creep pen, we will lock the cage in behind the gate and hope to catch more ground squirrels, rabbits and rats. All nasty little critters that deserve extinction.

Yeehaw!!! Also Bazinga and Eureka!!!

DS1 just checked the trap and there are 5 – Yep 5! ground squirrels in the cage. DS1 said that it is rated for 25 of the little miseries so we are leaving it in place until this evening when we will eradicate them, empty the cage, and bait it with the fruit DH bought and a banana. No time off for good behavior, no clemency, this is a death penalty zone! NO! Ground Squirrel Lives Do Not Matter!!!

DS1 said he read that ground squirrels only forage about 50’ from their burrow! No idea where their burrow is, but since they are pillaging both in the front and back of the house as well as in the barn, there must be many burrows. No wonder we will be eating alfalfa soup this winter! I wonder how the farmers manage. Of course, they probably have other lethal deterrents that we can’t use because of our dogs. DS1 is now wondering how to kill the little monsters. Should he put on heavy gloves and try to dump them into a large metal trash can alive and then either poison them or shoot them? I am worried that they will escape while the transfer is being made. We could fill one of the empty horse troughs with water and drown them in the cage. DS1 said that repumping the air rifle each time would be time consuming to kill all 5, but I think that is the safest way to go. I wonder how many will be in the cage by nightfall. I really did not think that trapping them would work – kudos to DH and DS1! My heroes!

DS1 just came up with a solution for the disposal of the ground squirrels! 5 ground squirrels + 5 grandchildren = 5 PET GROUND SQUIRREL GIFTS!

On to Bubba and his ongoing semen collection appointments. He was a champ on Wednesday. The technician had a teaser bitch in heat, and he performed magnificently, producing 11 straws. She said they were excellent motility and condition so his trips to the vet are now over. I had a brucellosis test done at the same time as the last collection. The test was within the 30 day limit for all 3 collection dates. The technician said she would miss “her big old teddy bear”. She has never seen him in snarling protection mode. He looks more like a snarling grizzly bear than a teddy bear when that happens. 🐻 Now that he is in the tank, well, his posterity is in the tank, I can have him fixed if I choose. We are waiting to see if Angel can be registered in the next year. At that point we might breed him to her when she is 3 or so, for a litter of puppies. DH wants puppies. I love puppies, and the grandchildren would love puppies, but I really don’t like approving homes for puppies. Is anyone really deserving of one of my perfect 🌡puppies? I am the same about selling breeding sheep. Meat sheep no problem, selling live to someone I always wonder. I have had some bad experiences selling pets in the past so don’t like to do it anymore. I told Erick that if we had puppies, they would be loaded into the car at 12-14 weeks and we would bring them to him in Texas to be assessed and good LGD buyers found and approved by him. He was very happy about that. Any west coast buyers could pick them up at our place or we would deliver them on the way home. Better to deliver them after receiving the checks, I don’t like people putting off pick up dates which often happens.

The heat wave has been going now for a week – triple digit temps. 🌡 🥵 Not muggy heat but true high heat temps 1003-110 degrees. It is expected to last another week at least. I found DH sobbing into his electric bill. Last night it cooled off to around 80 at 10 pm, and we opened all the windows with the ceiling fans going to get the house aired out. The dogs have disappeared as have the sheep. They are all seeking shade and cooler spot to rest. The majority of the sheep on the large field go into the gully where the temps drop by a couple degrees and hide under the brush. Rika has holes everywhere where she can watch them from a shady, cool spot. Bubba and Angel are sleeping in the old milkshed which has a concrete floor and is 15’ below driveway level. Slightly cooler there and the concrete floor is cool. They are slacking off knowing that no predator will be hunting in this weather. The dogs are not allowed in the house lately since they have gotten fleas. Probably from the ground squirrels! I gave them a flea treatment last week and will reapply in a couple weeks. We have tile floors so if they do drop fleas, the fleas will not locate in any carpets, but instead will instantly jump onto us. So no dogs inside for a while until the second treatment, and I get hold of some flea spray. By spraying them outside first, the fleas will jump off outside instead. Hoping the heat wave will go away in another week or so.

DS2 and FDIL have been working on their wedding invitation list. They are trying to decide whether to have a very small reception and no dancing, with a larger party next year, or a medium small party now. It is going to be a lot of work for us although the bid for the rental of the tables, chairs, tents, fans, and dance floor was reasonable at $2000. However, we would still have to budget at least $3000 for food, beer, wine, champagne and the cake. Also have to cook al the food in advance. As well as buying the paper tablecloths, napkins, paper plates, plastic silverware, and plastic glassware, etc. I also don’t have a bid on what the wait staff would charge. On the other hand, it is much cheaper than the $100/hd they would have paid at the restaurant for 200 people. Not to mention the DJ who will charge over $1000. If there is o dancing the dance floor charge of $300 will also go away. More money saved. At this time since they can't have the big blowout they wanted, I am looking at saving them as much as possible. It is disappointing for them - DS2 was really looking forward to a big shindig and had a great DJ chosen.

I am leaning to a small wedding reception at home after the small church wedding. Remember our priest warned about busybody neighbors who would report a large wedding party? Small in this case would still be at least 50 people. Darn Catholics – why can’t we practice birth control?! LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

Ridgetop runs amok again. Seriously, "Murphy’s Law" should be renamed "Ridgetop’s Law"!

So, the Squrrelinator was baited (yes, that is the manufacturer’s name for it) and had already caught 5 of the pesky creatures. We were feeling pretty satisfied with ourselves now. Pride Goeth Before a Fall. We should have been suspicious that all was going too well.

Remember how I said that LGDs have a low prey drive? Well, the author in the Anatolian Times should be advised that while LGDs’ prey drive may not be activated by sweet lambs and kids in a pasture, apparently it awakens to full blood lust when confronted by a small wire cage filled with ground squirrels. They become like sharks arriving at blood in the water for a feeding frenzy!

Rika was bringing her sheep up from the pasture. Having refreshed themselves with a long sleep on the cool concrete floor of the milkshed all day Bubba and Angel awakened and sauntered up the steps. Meeting on the driveway an Anatolian Sniff and Greet was in progress when they suddenly became alerted to the sound of squeaks from the cunningly hidden trap. Curious, they converged on the trap and discovered the trapped ground squirrels. Uh Oh!


DS1 became aware of what was happening when he heard loud growls combining with shrill squeaks from outside his window. Looking out he was greeted with the sight of 3 large angry Anatolians dragging the trap across the driveway in an attempt to rip the cage apart. The dogs had dragged it out from its concealment in the garden and were attempting to get at the squeaker toys within. Each one wanted the trap al. to themselves. As one would try to take it the other 2 defended their right to rip it apart. The ground squirrels were loudly protesting this treatment. Pieces of the trap were falling off. Two of the ground squirrels seemed to have escaped.

Shouting angrily for backup, DS1 sprinted for the door. I heard him and ran for the door as well. DH, listening to the TV with his TV ears in (he is so deaf now that he needs earphones to hear the TV or have it so loud that the furniture rattles) noticed my rush from the room. I thought I heard him ask where I was going but had no time to stay and explain to him.

Running outside I found an angry DS1 attempting to wrestle 3 large snarling Anatolians for possession of the trap. This was hard since the ground squirrels were valiantly trying to defend themselves by biting anything that got next to the wire. This included Anatolian muzzles, lips, tongues, paws, as well as human hands and fingers. Rushing to his side, I tried to pull Bubba back – none of the dogs were responding to our commands of “NO drop it”. It was like trying to stop a Sherman tank with a peashooter. DS1 meanwhile was trying to hold back the 2 bitches. The dogs kept lunging forward and grabbing the sides of the trap in an attempt to tear it open. At one point I thought they might succeed. This was like a feeding frenzy on Shark Week. Finally getting my arms around Bubba’s neck I saw DH appear in the doorway. Screaming at him to bring the leashes that hang in the hall, I struggled to hold Bubba as he lunged for the trap again. DH, still wearing his TV earphones, and unable to hear what was said over the snarling, shouting cacophony, said “What?” “The leashes” I screamed “Get the leashes”. “Get the leashes” bellowed DS1, along with some rather salty language. Finally comprehending that we wanted leashes DH brought out ONE leash. Sigh . . . .

Leashing Bubba I shoved the leash into DH’s hands and made a run for the hallway and the other leashes. Behind me I could hear DS1 shouting at his father (who still had not removed the earphones from his ears) to put the dogs in the barn. DH always insists that he can hear everything that is said while wearing these things even when we can hear the TV program coming from them! LOL Love that man! Coming back with the leashes I found DH struggling to put Bubba in the barn while DS1 dragged Angel to the barn behind him. Grabbing Rika as she tried to slink away, I leashed her and took her to the barn. Rika is the smartest of the 3 and apparently, she had just realized that we preferred she not destroy the cage to kill the quivering ground squirrels within.

With the dogs locked in the barn, DS1 dragged the trap across the driveway to a dirt area to shoot the ground squirrels. DH got the pellet gun. The remaining 3 ground squirrels were dispatched. Apparently 2 had escaped during the Anatolian free for all. The remaining GSs were probably begging for death now in their little squirrel language. While DS1 disposed of the carcasses and hosed off the trap I searched for the missing pieces of the trap that had been pulled off by the dogs in their frenzy. I brought the hog pliers and rings out to DS1 and he repaired the trap.

DS1 set it up in the barn with the barn gates closed and the dogs locked outside. We hope to catch more ground squirrels, rats, and possibly rabbits tonight. Tomorrow we will set it up in the garden again. This time we will put a large horse trough on top of it to prevent the dogs from being able to pick it up and remove it. Maybe we can chain it to some stakes in the ground. We will try to fence the dogs away from it. As long as we get to the trap and dispatch the contents before the dogs come up from their long daytime sleep, we should avoid a repeat of this ruckus. Kind of like hunting vampires only during the daylight. I could never understand why the vampire hunters always showed up at the graveyard or burial vaults as the sun was going down. Pretty stupid. Wait till morning if you’re too lazy to get there before dusk! The howling wolves in the middle of the city was a nice touch too. We had howling Anatolians.

In another day or two we will set the trap up in the Graveyard of Lost Hopes (or rose garden) which has a fence around it already. The dogs might be able to jump in, but hopefully will not. We will disguise the trap with dying squash vines again and hopefully catch more ground squirrels. Then back to the garden again. We also need to set it up under the house since we hear creatures loudly running across the pipes in the crawl space.

Occasionally something goes right. It always stuns us when that happens. My sciatica is back. Where is the aspirin bottle?

 

[farmerjan]

OM GOODNESS sounds like my place....As a kid I was called walking Murphy's law.... Really

 

[Baymule]

I am so sorry about the loss of 8040, I know she was your favorite. That's tough, why is it always the ones you like the most? Why not that scrawny scrub that is going to auction or as guest of honor at supper time? Just not fair!

The ground squirrel adventure! I busted out laughing and read it to BJ, we both laughed our way through it.

 

[Ridgetop]

Always happy to provide my friends with mirth! Gotta laugh at us - we do! Building memories, right? LOL

Yes, 8040 was a great ewe. 7041 marked yesterday and 8040 was due to mark next week. Oh well, the rough with the smooth . . . . it is why after 30 years I try not to have favorites, and use their ear tag numbers instead of names. Doesn't always work to keep me unattached though. Knowing all their numbers by heart may not be wise either . . . .

 

[Baymule]

How can you have them and not have favorites?

 

[Ridgetop]

That is the problem! Most of them are my favorites, although little Snowflake (DGD1's lamb) has a name and is very tame, coming u for loves all the time. She is the daughter of our prolapse ewe and was kept in a jug in the barn for 6 weeks because we were doctoring her mama.

Well, we reset the trap in the barn. Got 2 ground squirrels and 1 rabbit in 24 hours. Hoping to get more today although poor Bubba is locked in the creep today so that may keep them from entering the main barn area. The trap is in one of the jugs. Once we go 24 hours with no catches, we will relocate the trap again. DS1 bought a cheap air pistol and some "hollow point" BBs to execute the doomed. We felt that the hollow point rounds would have more killing power and be quicker. However we have gone back to the pump air rifle for executions. DS1 came up from the barn last night after killing the GS in the trap. He said that after 16 BB's (the full clip) it was still alive. He reloaded and shot it another 16 times. Still alive. He finally dispatched it with the air rifle. DS1 said he doesn't mind killing them but doesn't feel right beating the creature to death with BB's when it is more humane to just use the air rifle. The cheap pistol apparently doesn't have enough power, or possibly the hollow point BBs are to blame. He will pick up some wadcutters tomorrow. They have points and are more lethal than the BB balls.

Angel is in season today and the kennel doesn't open until 3pm on Sunday. Bubba is not that interested yet but she is acting flirtatious already so no need to take chances. Now that he is in the tank we could arrange to have him fixed, but we want to see if her imported sire can be registered then Angel can be registered. We will breed her when she is 2 1/2-3. One litter only. No point in getting him fixed and then paying for AI from our own stud dog! LOL AI is a lot of hassle, you have to track their hormone level, give additional hormones, then daily testing again and hope you catch her on the right day, etc. If it doesn't take you are down a straw and all that money! I've done it on goats and hated it. Another couple boarding fees are worth it until we see if we can get a registered litter. She is a beautiful bitch. If we can get her registered we might even try showing her. Local shows only, and only after Covid quarantines end.

If Biden gets elected I wonder if we will have to show in masks? I wonder how Anatolians will react to masked judges taking liberties with their persons? It could get ugly.

 

[Baymule]

Beat it to death with BBs!! Guffaw! Boisterous laughter! Haha! Snort! That’s so freakin funny!!

You realize of course it takes a reeeeely twisted sense of humor to fall out in the floor laughing at that.

Puppies! Yes! Puppies! By all means take her to show. Don’t worry about a masked judge. By the time the loonies get through, dogs will have to wear them too.