Warning! Rant Ahead

So sorry my friends, but no thought provoking post today, just a nitty-gritty ranting post because something caught the edge of my irritation. Better that I let it out here!

People need to keep their damn judgmental thoughts to themselves. How *dare* you make assumptions about me and my life. It's not like I ever make any effort to hide things, or gloss over issues in my life. I am open and honest and I revel in what I have created to be MY life.

You want to judge me? Go right ahead. It only shows your ignorance and your foolishness.

While you do that, keep in mind, I have created my world on my own. I don't have parents or family to run to when I need help. There is NO ONE out there that is obligated in any way to help my little family. When our truck breaks down, our roof gets ripped off, our pets get sick, there is very very few people we can call on to help us, and even less that we would actually feel comfortable doing so.

No, we take care of OUR problems OURSELVES. No mommy or daddy or uncle or aunt to loan us money, or give us a helping hand. We buckle down, hold on tight, and ride it out. And we generally keep a good humor about it too.

It just chaps my ass that someone would make a comment about something, and then turn around and talk about how something happened but it was okay because their mommy or daddy bailed them out. Are you even an adult? We barely even talk to our parents in my family, for numerous reasons, and extended family? Forget about it! We paid THAT debt long ago, more than paid it, and suffered for it as well.

So much for the "goodness of family."

My birthday looms next month. I will be twenty-six years old, still a youngster. And yet I have my own house, my own land. I am a successful goat raiser. I have luxury pets, including horses. We have our own truck. My husband is a manager of a small town grocery store. We not only care for ourselves, but my brother as well. We have *no* debt.

Yeah, that really fits the bill for "irresponsible" doesn't it. You want to know why I have all of this? Because I didn't waste my time doing bullshit, or expecting mommy to wipe my ass for me. I dug in, rose from oppression, rose above the drug abuse going on in my family, the toxic situations, the trash dragging us down, and I made it happen.

I believed in myself, in my husband, in MY family, and I made it happen.

Can YOU make it happen?

Wolves

It's time, once again, to touch on a pretty volatile subject. I have a good friend who posts these pictures fairly often, and they always end up in pages of comments discussing the image and wolves in general.

Now, most people who know me know that I spent a great many years working with exotic animals, specializing in wolves and wolf mixes. So you might think, well, that picture is sure to piss Epona off.



That's where you would be wrong. Let's talk about the wolf for a little bit.

I love wolves. They are noble, impressive creatures. They have an organized way of living and hunting. Above all, they are predators. Powerful predators.

The government has decided it's a clever idea to introduce the Canadian Grey Wolf into the United States in several areas. Most people think this is a great idea. After all, weren't these wolves here first? Don't they deserve a chance to "reclaim" their homeland?

See, that's where you would be wrong.

There are indeed wolves native to the United States. What people don't seem to understand is that there are MANY subspecies of wolf, each adapted to their own climate and territory, complete with adaptations that help them live, hunt, breed, and survive in their particular environment.

What people aren't realizing is that the wolf native to our lands is a smallish, timid creature, that rarely causes issues with humans, finds enough wildlife to sustain itself, and has a moderate range of territory.

The Canadian Grey Wolf, on the other hand, is a massive creature, with huge paws, thick coat, and a huge territory that it roams. These are the adaptations it has evolved to live up north, where human settlements are further apart and there is larger game to be found.

Do you not see the problem I am getting to? The Government is introducing, NOT "reintroducing" a foreign species into the ecosystem. These wolves do NOT belong in that environment, and have indeed begun to wreak havoc among livestock and native game. They are far more bold than their shyer cousins, and need much more meat to sustain a growing pack. They migrate miles upon miles, ending up far from where the Government "wants" them to be.

So someone posts a picture of a dead wolf and the world blows up. Animal Rights activists and animal lovers are outraged. They parrot false information: The wolf belongs here. The wolf does not threaten humans. The wolf won't kill livestock.

What they fail to realize is that they are simply repeating the tired and false mythology spread by bleeding hearts. Most wolf lore is based upon a study done on a captive pack, and then written about in numerous books and journals. (Julie of the Wolves, anyone?) People begin to take it as truth, when in reality, many of these "facts" have since been proven erroneous.

I have handled wolves. Many wolves. I have handled wolf mixes (I refuse to call them hybrids, as in my personal opinion, the genome of the dog shows it to be merely a very complex subspecies of the wolf, therefor, a mix between the two is NOT a hybrid) extensively. The differences between subspecies of wolves alone is staggering. Everything from behavior, size, habits . . .

So I stand on a fine line between two warring factions. I stand for the right of the wolf, to live it's life unfettered and allowed to be in it's natural state.

I stand against the Government and Animal Rights activists sticking their dirty fingers where they don't belong.

The Canadian Grey Wolf does NOT belong where they are introducing it. It WILL migrate, it WILL destroy livestock, it WILL cause problems.

The American Timber Wolf, on the other hand, STILL exists in our country! Why are we introducing a whole new subspecies when we have one already, one adapted to living in smaller territory, with smaller prey and natural predators.

It just doesn't make sense.

The wolves in the picture above died from human foolishness. Do I mean the hunters pictured? No. I mean the fools who thought up and implemented this moronic introduction of an invasive sub species.

Recognizing Oppertunity

It's a strange thing, that many people do not recognize opportunity when it comes "knocking."

I, on the other hand, have lived my entire life looking for opportunity, and pouncing on it like a starved wolf when they come along.

So just how important is it, I wonder? For some, it might not be all that important at all. Perhaps you are content with your life and the way things are. You don't feel the need to take a risky venture into something new, or to take advantage of things that might come along your way.

Or you could be like me, always on the look out for some new way to gain something. Be it money, friends, material items, knowledge....


It's odd, too, how it can sometimes be presented. Take my new business relationship with the goat dairy. It would NOT have started if, over a year ago, I hadn't been bold enough to suggest a bartering - a new website for them in exchange for a new goat for me. And even then, another opportunity presented itself this past year, when I procured two new goats from them that ran away. It was because of those naughty goats that I spent so much time with the owners of the dairy and became friends. From there, I was invited over to do a bit of work in exchange for a small profit (fresh turkey meat!) and then it just continued to grow.

Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize these new paths. Sometimes you stop in front of a door, metaphorically speaking, and are not sure how to open it. Other times, you hold the key in your hand and don't even know it.

The only advice I can give is to be bold and to be honest. These two key elements can often unlock doors that you might have believed were sealed closed.

Check In Post - February 2012

Yes, yes, I know. Another dull check in post. I apologize! I haven't had anything very interesting pop into my head here lately. I'm sure when it finally comes, it will be a humdinger of a post.

So let's round up my scattered thoughts.

I find it interesting that shortly after making the post I did last, talking about power of the mind and the challenges of being positive, some things in my personal life took a sharp turn downward.

So I am struggling a little with my own preachings. Like I said, no one is perfect.

But I will throw down my anchors, dig in, and ride it out. All things pass, in time. I choose to not be overly stressed about it, even though it is hard.

On a more positive note, I have made some awesome friends and business partners, of a sort. For a while now, I have been working with Honey Doe Farm, a goat dairy and cheese maker in the town north of me. I started this relationship over a year ago when I agreed to do a website for them. When their website came up for renewal, they "paid" me with Gypsy and Yumi, who were the goats who went missing.

The owners of Honey Doe Farm, we'll call them "F" and "L" are a lovely older wife and husband. They came and helped me search for the missing goats, and during that time I came to really enjoy F's company. It took a little longer with the husband, L, as he is deaf, but I soon learned he had a great sense of humor and really loves their goats and other animals.

Since then, I have been "working" for them, in a sense. I go over and help out with whatever chores they need doing. I have helped process home grown turkeys, helped milk, helped catch and photograph sale goats. Last week I helped disbud some 60+ goat kids. What a day! It's hard work, but I was never afraid of that.

In exchange, they have provided my family with goat and turkey meat, milk, eggs, and given me an awesome deal on hay. So I'm getting "paid" just in a different fashion!

I'm also pulling goats from their farm and "brokering" them, ie selling them from my place and taking a small cut of the sale price. I have plenty of time and a huge network, so it works out. Of course, feeding nine bottle kids three times a day is work in it's own right. ;)

I have started learning American Sign Language so that I might communicate with L better. It's a little awkward, but I dislike not being able to understand him completely, and really, what other excuse to NOT learn it except laziness!

The other day I took along my husband and brother to help them move their new cheese equipment into the buildings, and then we were treated to a cheese tasting and wine. It was so great, pulling out all these amazing cheeses and tasting them, and giving feedback. They sent us home with a ton of cheese to enjoy - we LOVE cheese!

I can hardly wait until their building is complete and they can begin to sell cheeses to the public. I'm going to be joining them in a class to learn how to make Brie, and they are eager to hire me in an "official" sense when they are up and running and doing well. Can you imagine a better job for me?

Plus no more super tight penny pinching budget to make sure all the animals are fed and we have enough left over to buy ramen for us. ;) Just kidding...mostly!

They may be twice my age but . . . I always did enjoy older people far more than people my own age. I guess I'm just an old soul. It's so strange to be getting out of the house and working and enjoying it. I think I've even gained some weight. I know I feel a lot better.

On other subjects - Gypsy is milking out really well now that her boys are gone. She has a beautiful lovely udder. Juliet is due early March, followed by everyone else. I think everyone is bred, although Zenyatta and Ruffian have me puzzled - they are just starting to udder up. Did they miss being bred by "Billy" and get bred by Blizzard? I would be delighted if so.

I am looking to place Secret now that she is much healthier and happier. I had planned on keeping her longer, but there is a horse that stole my heart some time ago and is now for sale. With luck, I will be placing a down payment on him next week and he'll be coming home about the same time Spyder heads home.

All else is well. We've had no health issues with anyone, and everyone is fed and fat and happy.

Until next time . . . .

Strength of Mind

Many of you may remember a post I made about "choosing to be happy" and talking about mind over matter before.

However, I want to dig a little deeper into this mindset.

I have a few friends who are very good people, but will continue to talk about all the things they can't do, or wish they could do. I've had a lot of people ask me why I have been so successful (to a point) and why I am so content most of the time. I have other friends who spend far too much time focusing on the negative and ignoring the positive.

So take a walk with me. Open your mind.

First and foremost, I believe strongly in the power of your mind. Some might find this a bit hokey, but truthfully, it works for me. Will it work for you? Won't know until you try it. And it certainly won't hurt to try.

Let's start with me, of course. Anyone who's spent any time around me knows I have a high opinion of myself. I love to talk about my accomplishments. I often tell people how awesome I am! I am capable of doing anything I desire. If I want something, I will obtain it, eventually.

Some have called me arrogant. That's okay, it's true. Part of this power of the mind is indeed accepting the bad with the good. But I do try to never be condescending - that would be far too negative.

The point is, I believe these things with every bit of my being. I believe I am awesome. I believe I can do whatever I want. I believe I can get whatever I need.

Because I believe it, it's true.

Is it easy to believe these things? Not all of the time. I've slipped and had spells where I am negative. It never helps. Am I perfect? Hell no. I'm uncouth, rude, with a loud mouth. I have no problem poking a stick at someone who deserves it, metaphorically speaking. I have a wicked sense of humor and a nasty temper.

But I accept these things as part of me. I control them to the best of my ability. And I do not allow these faults to overcome me.

Many people will go, "I'm so fat/ugly/useless/stupid/immature/etc" and guess what? It eventually becomes true because these people have repeated it so much, they believe it. And belief is the foundation for truth. Believe in it...it becomes true.

So tell me. What do these things do for you? They either do nothing at all, or they drag you down into a spiral of negativity.

How can you change this? Stop focusing on the negative and look for the positive. Again, I know it sounds hokey. Just trust in me.

Instead of saying, "I'm ugly" find something else. "My eyes are beautiful."

Build on that. Find a new positive thing to think about as often as you can. Repeat it to yourself. BELIEVE IT.

It is easy? Hell no. You will fail at times. You will slip. But you CAN do it. Believe that as well.

Put aside anything negative about yourself. So what if you have something that society perceives as "bad." Who gives a flying crap what society thinks about you? Put it aside! Society means NOTHING. Only what YOU think and what YOU believe matters.

I've also written about taking time to feel gratitude for things in your life. Things as large as being blessed with a good family, or a good job. But remember the tiny things. Hot water, food, a roof that doesn't leak. A running vehicle. APPRECIATE THEM.

It all ties in together.

When you've trained your mind to focus on the positive and set aside the negative, you will soon realize how much more pleasant your life is. You will be able to handle problems that crop up your life better. Try it out.

I once read a quote that makes perfect sense.

If you want to do something, you'll find a way to do it. If you don't actually want to do it, all you'll find is excuses.

Happy Valentine's Day

What is Appropriate Discipline?

It sure as heck isn't this.



Let's recap shall we?

Pony decided to give a little hop and rider falls off. While holding the reins, rider is handed a crop or whip, and proceeds to smack the pony a few times until she loses control and pony runs off. Now you have a loose pony.

Yeah, great horsemanship there.

Discipline is absolutely necessary. I've ridden many sour little ponies who have learned that little cowhop/buck trick to unseat people. And I absolutely punished them for it, (once health concerns were ruled out.)

We'll use my previous pony, Jetta, for an example. Ain't she cute?

Jetta came to me with a lot of bad habits, including refusing to move forward, bucking, and even rearing. Once we ruled out health concerns, we went to learning how to behave ourselves under saddle.

And yeah, it included a crop or a stick. The moment she acted up, she got a verbal reprimand and a stick across the butt until she changed her mind.


Jetta came out the other side of that as one of the best ponies I've ever ridden. Bomb proof (except for scary tractors) and brave. I could do anything with her and ride anywhere. She's now an elderly woman's beloved pet and gives pony rides to her grandkids.

Discipline has to be administered immediately and properly to be effective. If I had fallen off of Jetta, yanked on her reins, and then beat her with a stick, what would that accomplish? NOTHING. It would have possibly created a far worse problem.

Losing your temper has no place in the animal world. Or in any world, quite honestly. If you can't solve a problem on your own, with a good seat, quiet hands, and a well timed and precise correction, you don't need to be working on that problem. Find someone who can, before you ruin a good horse.

First Kids of 2012

Welcome to K-n-S Farm's first kids of 2012. They are purebred Nigerian Dwarf kids, out of Honey Doe Gypsy Girl and by Wild Bill from Honey Doe Farm.

Two bucklings. One gold and white and one red and white. Both have very cute little waddles.

The first kid presented with only one leg forward, so I had to ease him back, rearrange him some, and help get him out. It was a little touch and go there for a moment.

The second kid also had quite a big head, but we got him out without too much more effort.

Gypsy was very attentive to them, cleaning them off and talking to them, but it did cause an issue - she didn't want to stand still and let them nurse, she was fretting over them too much. After a moment, I tied her to the wall and relieved some of the pressure on her udder (a lovely udder, I might add!) and then showed the kids where the teats where. After a bit of nursing, the light went off in Gypsy's head and she understood what they were wanting.

I left them happily snuggled together. They're doing quite well, full tummies and happy faces. Typical of bucklings, these guys were born with their horn buds quite prominent, so I'll have to hit them with the iron pretty soon.

Being purebreds, these guys are spared from Freezer Camp and will be available as bucklings or pet wethers. Registration can be arranged.

The next kids are due early March.

I Won a Contest

Turns out I won Oregon's Living Legends recent writing contest. Pretty cool!

The challenge was to write a short, very brief, post about what the picture (at right) inspires in you.

I wrote a short piece that came to mind and entered it without much thought. I like contests like these, but there were so many amazing entries, I didn't even think twice about it.

I found out yesterday I actually won first place! I was really surprised. My prize is the framed picture. It will fit right in with my living room decor - it's just lovely. Can't wait to see it in person.

Check out Oregon's Living Legends website or their Facebook page. The author of the book about mustangs is a good friend of mine, and a damn fine woman. Order a copy of her book . . . I sure am!


Here is my entry:

The sun was setting over the range, its dimming light falling over the two weanlings standing quietly in the grasses. The mustang herd stood nearby, some laying down to sleep, others standing hipshot, and more grazing slowly, one mouthful at a time. The stallion, a rough black coated horse, paced back and forth atop a slight hill, watching their surroundings with a cat-like wariness.

The weanlings, splashed with color, gambled about in the failing light, striking at each other playfully and wheeling around to kick up their heels. They squealed and snorted, then slowly dropped off their play to pick at the sweet grasses beneath their hooves. Several of the mares nickered softly at them to move closer to the herd.

The sun began to dip beneath the horizon as one weanling folded his legs and sunk to the ground, ears swiveling to take in their surroundings as he made himself comfortable on the soil of his birth. The other foal nosed him gently, then nipped, requesting more play. The first colt fluttered his nostrils in an irritated blow of breath, and his companion ceased his teasing and stood quietly beside him, cocking one hind foot and watching their herd.

Night falls at last, obscuring the view of these young lives, living free on the range.