When It's Not So Hard, We're Happy

 

During winters like these, we often set our expectation bar pretty low. 

Doesn't take much to excite us. 

So, this morning I'm almost ecstatic, almost. 

 I needed no pain deterrent on my bad knee. Oh, it was still stiff and a little sore but nothing like it and its partner were a few weeks ago. 

To have made it all through the morning chores without feeling the need to slap on some Tiger Balm---that was a good thing. 

I was happy most of the way through chores.  Barn door opened easily, no igloo snow blocks had fallen on the gate to the barnyard, and my trip out to distribute hay was easier than usual.  

No stumbling, no stepping in unseen deep depression where horses had stepped. 

I was feeling so good about this chore session that I actually filled the sled with two stalls' worth of shavings and horse apples.

After all, I had spent about an hour yesterday afternoon with the tractor cleaning out the route to the manure pile. 

Twould be easier than usual pulling the load out and dumping it.  

Giddiness turned into groaning when I came around the corner and saw that igloo ice blocks that did not slide off the barn roof to block the gate had slid off the west side of the barn into a large pile covering the area where I would take my sled. 

A narrow passageway allowed me to pull it toward the pile and empty it, not exactly with ease. 

BUT, overall this morning's chore session turned out to be one of the easiest in about three weeks. 

So, my low bar exceeded expectations. As I led Bridie back to the house, I could almost feel a euphoric bounce to my steps, but held off jumping in the air and kicking my Yaktrak barn boots together. 

Yup, the ice rink still slows the pace. 

My bar of expectant exhilaration is bubbling this morning as I hope and pray the turkeys don't come back. 

If they do, they'll have to figure out how to get inside the garage to rob the feeders and poop all over the place. 

You can be sure the door to the garage will remain closed. 

There is nothing creepier, at least at this time of year, feel something staring at you.  And, that happened several times yesterday as my eyes sensed a need to turn toward the living room window, where Ma or Pa Gobbler had made its way to the platform on my makeshift bird feeder stand and stare into the window. 

Bill said he or she was probably checking to see what kind of goodies were inside that window. 

As the day wore on and the turkey population at our feeder doubled, I pounded on windows and yelled. 

Turkeys, which the day before had scampered and trotted off or fluttered their wing and launched off, stood staring at me as I pounded and yelled. 

I took the broom outside and stood on the deck shaking it at them and yelling and screaming to get lost. 

Nope, these had overnight deemed themselves domesticated turkeys, gathered around waiting for me to dish out the next batch of sunflower seeds. 

They WOULD NOT LEAVE, so I took the bird feeders down and hid them in the garage. 

At first, there was astonishment as turkeys stood in their circle with puzzled expressions on their ugly turkey faces. They still refused to leave.

About twenty minutes later, when nobody came out to replace the bird feeders, they must have headed to greener pastures----if there is such a thing in North Idaho right now. 

I am fervently hoping not to see one turkey today. Or, tomorrow, or ever anywhere near my house.

I had to go to do the same last summer when the coons showed up every single morning and went from shy and cute to bold and not quite so cute. 

They never came back, and happily, I could put the bird feeders back. 

I would not mind the turkeys so much if they'd clean up their mess and not occupy our domestic space so emphatically. 

In other news, I must report that Liam has once again found Heaven in that killer ice in the driveway. 

Liam licks and licks and licks, by the hour.  

This morning, while walking back to the house with that almost bounce to my step, I saw a neat row of three Liam-licked ice holes in the driveway. 

Last night when Bill took the dogs for their precisely 7 p.m. (so designated by Liam) outing, he brought only two back into the house. 

"Liam is going to stay out for a while," he announced. "He's licking."

And, so, as long as there's a sheet of ice to be found anywhere around Liam's daily routes, the horses will get some breaks from their obsessive guard dog cuz he's got licking to do. 

"All Creatures Great and Small" returns to PBS tonight, and I'm thinking that my real-life days spent with the creatures around this place might just be the reason I love this show. 

And, that's about enough to share on this day of relative ease----so far, that is. 

Speaking of creatures, Sandpoint businessman Jack Parker, with help from his granddaughter, contributed a cool and fun story about a special dog in this morning's Daily Bee. 

Enjoy. 

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2022/jan/09/story-behind-sandpoint-bulldogs/

And, you'll see in the story below, that life at the Gooby Ranch in Montana has not changed much. 

Mary Ann makes good cookies for Dick to eat while she fixes fence. 

Licker Liam at work. 

That red spot is part of our antique manure spreader peeking out from the ocean of snow. 

Gooby Ranch Report:

At 10:00 PM on New Year’s Eve we were fast asleep.  The phone rang and rang.  Mary Ann woke up and took the call.  It was from our neighbor.   He said our cows were in their yard.  It was 4 below zero and the wind was blowing really hard.  

Mary Ann woke me up.  We had to get our winter clothes on and head out to get the cows.  We drove down to the neighbor’s place and sure enough, they were our cows.

  Mary Ann went back and opened the gate to our place while I had a cup of coffee with the neighbor.  When she got back, I drove the pickup down to the gate to block the road off so the cows would go in our place.  

Mary Ann herded the cows down the road.  One cow got past me and ran down the road.  Mary Ann shot past me and got in front of the cow.  She chased the cow back up and it went through the gate with the others.

After we got the cows in our field, Mary Ann walked along the fence with a flashlight to see how they got out.  She found where the fence was torn loose and four posts were broke off.  We had to go back home and get the post hole digger and the rest of the fencing material and drive back to where the fence was down.  

While Mary Ann got everything loaded, I got some coffee and delicious cookies she made me for Christmas.  We drove back to where the fence was down and Mary Ann started digging post holes.  It wasn’t easy since the ground was frozen.

It took her over a half hour to dig a post hole.  I kept the pickup in position so the lights were shining toward where Mary Ann was digging so she could see.  

I kept it running and the heater on full blast so Mary Ann could get in the pickup once in a while to warm up.  During the whole digging process, she never stopped once to warm up.  I guess all the work she was doing digging was keeping her warm.  

In the mean time I ate six cookies and the pickup was so warm I fell asleep.  The next thing I knew Mary Ann opened the pickup door and said the fence was all fixed and we could go home.  It was 4:30 am. 

When we got home Mary Ann was happy, she could get a half hour nap in before she had to get up and start the morning chores.  I couldn’t believe she let me sleep in the pickup while she fixed all the fence.  

That Mary Ann is one great girl.  I’ll bet we will never forget how we spent this New Year’s Eve.