Life on the Ranch

This season has to be the best wildflower season in many years in this part of Texas.  Last year we were already into the drought, but this year the fall rain at germination time and the spring rains it really has produced a bumper crop.  Wildflowers everywhere.  Of course pollen is also high so those with allergies are effected. 

I did something I really don't like to do because of most times the end is not good, but I did bottle feed a little kid goat.  She was really sweet and thought she was one of the dogs.  Always stayed around the house and entertained us.  She progressed from bottle to grass and after two months it was time to introduce her to life as a goat in the goat pastures.  Unfortunately she has disappeared probably to a predator.  Without a mother the young ones tend to wander off and that is dangerous.

Speaking of predators I did see a rare 'black' coyote.  This was just before the kid disappeared too so I will be looking to eliminate this coyote if I can.  It will be luck to see it again and have a gun at the same time.  I will try some snares.

We have had some light rains this spring so the trees and grasses are looking very good.  We had perfect burning weather this week so I was able to burn a large brush pile in the goat pasture that had been needing it since the drought.  Also burned three very large old oak trees that had fallen.  Still a lot of clearing and cleaning to do.  Lot's of dead trees in the mountain pasture and lots of dead cedar due to the drought.  I'll try to harvest posts from the cedar, they are paying pretty good for good posts.  Maybe I'll get enough to pay for the new Stihl chain saw I recently purchased.  I haven't used it yet, but it will get a lot of use soon.

The Painted Buntings have arrived as have the Hummingbirds.  The goldfish in the wildlife tank survived another winter and are huge. 

The weather has been excellent.  Not really hot as of mid-May.  We really aren't using the pool yet other than a few days after working the burn piles.