Can God make a mistake?

The only reason I'm asking, is because it sure seems like God put a dog's soul in our orange Tabby cat's body. Hobbes is NOT an ordinary cat.  Take today, for instance.

Dinner was in the oven, and Bruce and I decided we'd take a walk to the back meadow to pass the time until it was ready.  As we headed out with the Shelties, we looked back to find Hobbes following us.

He was most certainly NOT going to be left behind.

Determined little soul that he is, he kept coming...

and coming. The back meadow is quite a distance... especially for a little cat.

Periodically, he'd stop and scan the area... sniffing for coyotes, eagles, etc. The only real sign of discomfort was his slightly puffed tail. 

Ever watchful, he kept pace with us.

Whenever we stopped, he made sure to claim us by rubbing against our legs.

The dogs bounded ahead, delighting in their exploration.

They found all sorts of wonderful smells, and trails but they didn't chase the deer! not even once! (which might have had something to do with the treats I had in my pocket, that were brought out every time I saw a white tail :)

and through it all, Hobbes kept up.

We went deeper in the woods where we found deer, elk, and coyote tracks. Bruce may have found a young mountain lion track, but it was difficult to say for sure. AND we're pretty sure we found MOOSE tracks!!! All on our property.

The Shelties had NO respect for animal tracks, and ran through the middle of them. :(   But they had so much fun, it was difficult to be upset with them.

We stopped to look at the creek.

and after taking a photo or two, 

we headed back.  I actually tried to pick up Hobbes, and carry him a little ways.  He wouldn't have anything to do with that.  He walked the entire distance with us.

but he was one tired kitty by the time we made it home.

Hobbes

our little dog-cat.

:)

Spring snow

I got up this morning, looked out the window, and felt the urge to start singing Christmas carols!

6 inches of heavy, wet snow blanketed the yard.

The brilliant, red breast of this Robin was the only touch of color I saw in the cold, grey day.

I didn't feel as sorry for the Winter birds- Juncos, and chickadees. They are used to fending for themselves in the snow.

but I imagine the Spring birds felt a bit betrayed (and little did they know, we were to get another two inches the following day!)

You've got to admire their pluck! and I'm so grateful to see them. They are harbingers of Spring! and a very welcome sight.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bruce had been traveling A LOT in Feb. and March, and only managed to get home from a trip to Canada late the night before St. Patrick's Day.  Perfect timing for us to enjoy corned beef, boiled cabbage, buttered potatoes, and green cake!

  Happy St. Patrick's Day!

New life

Journey has a favorite cow. 

It's a Longhorn, brown and white, and it plays with her, albeit on it's own side of the fence, while Journey plays on hers.  They chase each other back and forth along the fence line. It's so endearing, that I look for that cow whenever the herd is in the lower pasture.  Tonight, I noticed she was acting strangely.  I put the binoculars on her, and watched awhile, concerned, when it dawned on me- she was calving! Her very first calf!  I grabbed my camera, and raced through our pasture while a very dramatic scene was unfolding. (please excuse the photos... the lighting was poor, and I couldn't get too close, so I was using my big lens, which doesn't let in much light).

First, a big, brown longhorn, whom I recognized as the cow's mother, raced over to the brown and white cow. They touched noses.  Then, more and more of the herd trotted over to the cow in labor. They encircled her completely, so I couldn't even see her in the middle of the pack. 

Then came some mooing, and they gathered to one side... taking turns touching the new born calf- touching the new mother, before ambling off.  The old solid brown cow didn't leave, however.  This was her grandchild, after all!

She stayed close by, lending her support, and who knows? Perhaps her advise, too. ;)

I was touched by the herd's instinct to help and protect the cow in labor- how the herd had recognized the cow's distress, and literally ran to help her.  I was touched by how each cow greeted the newborn calf and congratulated the mother.  And I was touched by how "human" it all felt.

By the way, Mom and baby are doing well.

Welcome to the world, #4

uh-oh... Mom says it's time we mooo-ve on.

An almost adventure

We first noticed the coyotes yesterday. A pair. Beautiful, thick fur coats. They were running through the pasture, and heading towards our back meadow.  Journey and I found a den back there last Fall, and we assumed they were a mated pair, checking out the old den site.

This morning, they were back. I saw Journey cue into something, and sure enough, there were the two coyotes.  But then, I noticed something else.  A murder of crows- actually ravens.  (a large group of crows is not called a flock. It's called a murder!  eerie, huh?)  

A bunch of crows always makes me nervous. They often group up when something has died.  Crows are part of Nature's way of cleaning- but it always makes me sad.

By the time I noticed the eagles, I KNEW something had succumbed.  Our rancher neighbor is in the middle of calving season, but I hadn't noticed any cows in that field so I was pretty sure it was one of my deer. That's when I decided to walk down and find out.

I didn't take the dogs or Hobbes with me, because of the coyotes and eagles-  I just set off alone.

Immediately, I noticed a beautiful Bald eagle in a distant tree.  Do you see her? (you can click on the photo to view it larger).  She stood out so prominently that it was quite awhile before I noticed the immature (baby) eagle on the branch below her.  Another baby circled in the air.

By now, I was absorbed with watching the eagles, and wasn't really thinking about discovering the kill site.

I crept closer and closer, until I spooked the baby.

Mom (or Dad) allowed me to get even nearer, but eventually, it took off

and flew pretty much right over me.

Thrilling!

and then, I looked around me.

I could still hear the ravens- their eerie, raucous calling. But I was walking deeper into the woods, when I remembered I was uncomfortably close to the area where a mountain lion had killed a coyote last summer.  My imagination had me wondering if perhaps the lion had made another kill... and was, perhaps, still ON that kill... And here I was, walking without dogs, or guns, or even a stick deeper into the lion's territory.  EEK!

I turned back. :)  and I don't mind telling you, I looked over my shoulder quite a bit, too.

When I got closer to the pasture, I was comforted to see that the mares weren't anxious.

Dakota was grazing

as was Wynter.

Journey was wondering what in the world I was doing- and if perhaps, whatever it was, involved food?  She came trotting over to me- totally unconcerned about mountain lions.

I, always, take my cues from my animals. They see, hear, smell and sense so much more than we ever do.  So, I'm sure there was nothing out there to be afraid of.  However, later today, when I drove up (so sue me... I drove instead of walked- it was cold, and grey, and yukky!) to get the mail, I found ANOTHER kill site in our neighbor's field.  A deer and very recent.  So, there IS a predator out there somewhere, and an adventure in the making.