Kill All Wolves - Or Take Personal Responsibility

So I stumbled across this video on Facebook yesterday evening, (been doing a lot of stumbling!) and took a moment to watch and listen to the guy.

> Video Here <

"so here is the story. we are pissed to say the least. we find a nice cat track this AM. Turned out our jump dog (our pride and joy=sadie) I put sam on a lead and a buddy brings his young dog in as well. Sadie goes in a 1/4 mile and starts really hammerin down the track. so we get about a mile from the truck and things start heating up so i let sam go to sadie and my buddy cuts his loose. sam gets in with sadie they make a circle and screaming, i figured its jumped but my buddys dog didnt really go witch is weird for him. all of sudden treed. i told nick something is wrong sam don't bark like that. all of sudden sadie takes off and moving. so we run twards sam cant hear him, nicks dog comes to us screaming like ive never heard out of dog. Then the wolf right on his ass he gets to twenty yards and turned and belined. So now i go to sam and he is completey dead. Sadie is 230 yds and still barking and moving so i run to her leashed her up(still chasing the cat) then realize there is wolf tracks all a round her. she is one very lucky dog i don't know how she got out alive and no scratches. we did see a glimpse of one more in the brush. I brought sam out dead and i was gonna take into the DNR office and through him on the desk and tell then to deal with it...."

The basics, as explained in his little note, is that he went out hunting with his dogs for bobcats. They were trailing a cat track when his dogs were allegedly jumped by "timber" wolves and the younger dog was killed. He then videos the dead dog, with the other dog still calling and tracking in the background, and bitches about how his dog was killed, and how all wolves need to be killed. How he and his buddies should just be able to enjoy a bit of sport without having to worry about their dogs getting killed.

I just sat there and blinked for a moment. So . . . let me get this straight?

You went out hunting, to kill, a predator. And then your dog gets killed by another predator, and suddenly it's a big ordeal?

Look, I don't have a problem with hunting. I support responsible hunting. I don't have a problem hunting with dogs either. It is indeed a great sport, and very exciting. But it's also a risky sport. Shit happens. You are sending your dogs out into the "wild" and putting them against dangerous predators.

Is it really so surprising that once in a while, an incident like this happens?

Many people know that I have extensive experience handling exotic mammals, including wolves. I like wolves. They are absolutely fascinating creatures. But there is also a huge amount of misinformation out there about them. So much "research" was done on captive bred packs, which tainted the findings and has led to romanticizing the wolf.

These wolves no doubt saw a threat to their territory, and did what wolves, and many other wild predators, do. They dispatched the threat.

Is it unfortunate that the dog died? Absolutely. But the response by the hunters just blows my mind. The solution is not "kill all wolves." The solution is to take responsibility for your actions. You sent your dog out to hunt a dangerous predator in the territory inhabited by other dangerous predators. The risk of injury or death to your dog is something you have to accept. You cannot turn around and blame a wild predator.

Don't like the risks? Don't hunt in this fashion. Don't waste your breath blasting the DNR because you chose to go out and take the risks.

Personal responsibility people. Get some.

Special thanks to Theresa B. for accidentally pointing this article out to me.

Recipe Post - Rabbit Legs and Rice

Nothing beats a recipe post, does it?

Tonight we have rabbit legs over fried rice.

You'll need:

Rabbit thighs (hind legs)
Rice
Butter
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Eggs
Seasonings to Taste



In a hot pan, throw a couple cloves of smashed garlic in with butter. Melt the button. Then season the thighs with your seasonings. Garlic salt or just general seasoning salt works well. Keep it simple. Sear the legs on each side until they are nicely covered. Remove from pan and place in baking dish with juices/melted button. Cover and place in preheated oven at 350. They'll need to cook about thirty minutes.

Prepare your rice. Deglaze the frying pan you used to sear the rabbit with a splash of soy sauce. Pour the rice in, fry. Push to the side and cook two eggs, then mix in with the rice. Add salt to taste.

Remove rabbit legs from oven. Let rest - use juices to mix into the rice for more flavor. Place rested legs atop rice. Enjoy!

A note on the FHOTD post:

I was really pleased at how well that went! There was lots of good debate, with well-presented opinions on arguments on each side, and very little insulting, which of course is good for nothing. To all of those who wandered over here to check things out, welcome! You'll find a random lot of everything here, from recipes, to posts about self-sustained living, and plenty of posts about goats, horses, and anything else that crosses my mind. From time to time I'll rant about something, and occasionally post a bit of my art or writing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Just how Safe is Safe?

Today while I was browsing the internet, I stumbled across this article.

Quote:

"A horse lover was left with a wheel emergency on her hands - after her pony Smila got trapped inside a huge tractor tyre.

Marlene Schmidt, 30, from Limmer, Germany, believes the horse had been trying to graze on fresh grass under the tyre when she slipped and fell head first into it.

The unfortunate animal was left trapped inside the tyre with one of her hind legs poking out and her head pushed into the ground."

Okay, I admit. I laughed. The things ponies will get themselves into. Obviously this is a pony kept in a dry lot to prevent the reoccupation of founder. So of course, the pony must find some way to get into trouble.

So what do you have in YOUR pasture that is not safe? I've heard time and time again that these tractor tires make safe hay feeders, if turned inside out. I personally have never had the chance to look at one in person and decide. Just about anything can be turned into a danger though, if a pony or other critter tries hard enough.

So what can you do to maximize the safety of your livestock? Use your brains! If there is a way an animal can get hurt on it, most likely, eventually they will have a go at it. And usually your only really nice, expensive, stock will do that. Just seems to be the way things go.

Be sensible. Don't leave junk in your pastures. Pick up any loose metal or any foreign objects you find. Take the time once in a while to walk around in your pastures and look for anything that has been unearthed. I once found an entire window pane in my pasture that the goats has discovered while grazing.

Don't leave bailing twine loose for your animals to inject or get tangled in. Make sure fencing does not have any sharp ends poking out to scratch delicate eyeballs. Same with feeders and water sources. Look for deep holes that have opened up, or thin ditches. Fill them in if you find them.

Make sure your fencing is in good repair and pulled straight. If you use electric fencing, be sure it's hot and correctly tensioned. We use electric here, and I can't begin to explain how often I have to go outside and adjust it, straighten posts, or check for bad spots.

If you have t-posts, invest in t-post caps. It can save your horse from a dangerous impalement. Although some ponies delight in pulling them off.

You cannot wrap your livestock or pets in bubble wrap, but you sure can do everything in your power to minimize their chances of getting hurt.

The Little Lost Goat - A Children's Story

Once upon a time, there was two sister goats who lived in a herd of goats in a big pasture with a lovely red barn. Their owner, a kindly lady, would come out every morning and give them delightful things to eat.

One day, a new person came to the farm and looked at all of the goats. The sister goats were shy and hid behind their older friends, but it wasn't enough. They were picked out from all of the other goats and loaded into a strange truck.

One sister, a red and white little goat with long ears, said sadly to her sister, "We're surely going somewhere strange."

The other sister, a gold goat with tiny ears said, "We are going to a new home indeed."

The sister goats didn't much like leaving their herd and pasture and little red barn. They especially did not like leaving their kindly owner. However, they knew from their older goat companions that sometimes goats went to new homes. It was just the way things were.

They arrived at their new home and were put into a little pen. Stranger goats came up to the fence and demanded to know who they were. Giant strange creatures with long noses and hairy tales and solid hooves snorted suspiciously. The sisters cowered against the other side of the pen, so sad they were to be in this unfamiliar place.

The red goat hung her head and maa'ed, "Oh Yumi my friend, we are not in our nice pasture anymore."

Yumi, the gold sister, shook her head, "No we are not, Gypsy. But we don't have to stay here."

Gypsy looked at her sister in surprise, unsure of what she meant.

Yumi jumped onto a little house and proclaimed, "We will have babies in the spring, this much I know. Let's get out of here and see the world, instead of being stuck in this strange place."

And with that, she leaps over the fence and into freedom!

Gypsy perked up her long ears and scrambled to follow her sister. They stood in the yard for a long moment, then turned their noses to the wind and ran, their long legs bouncing through the short grass.

"Where . . . oh where shall we go?" Gypsy exclaimed.

Yumi flicked her goat tail, "Follow me. We shall have many adventures."

They ran and ran, almost a whole mile. Here there was a long road and strange houses. They were standing, deciding which way to go, when suddenly some strange dogs ran out, barking at them!

They cried out in fright and sprang to run, going across the road. The dogs were very big and mean, not at all like the dogs at their original home. Yumi and Gypsy became seperated, and the dogs chased poor Gypsy and trapped her within a little garage.

Yumi hid in the woods, trembling, and watched in horror, certain that her sister would be eaten alive in front of her eyes. But luck was with little Gypsy this day. A man came out and rescued her and carried her away to a little pen where she was safe from the big dogs.

Gypsy cried for her sister, but Yumi was too afraid to go close; the dogs were still there and very scary.

She hid in the wooods for some time, finally falling asleep under the leaves.

She was awoken by more barking! The dogs had found her and were coming for her again!

Yumi jumped up and raced away, heart beating fearfully hard, afraid at any moment to be caught by the big mean dogs and bitten.

She ran and ran and ran without looking back. She crossed roads and ran past houses. She did not stop until it began to rain. Once the rain came, Yumi found a bush to hide under, breathing hard and looking around. The dogs had gone and she was safe . . . for now.

She was getting terribly wet from the rain, and she hated it. She missed her nice red barn. Even the little house in her new home would have kept the rain out of her fur. And her poor sister! Yumi hoped that she was staying safe out of the rain. What would happen to her?

It rained for much of the night and part of the next day, so Yumi stayed under the bush and tried to sleep.

The sun finally peeked out again, and Yumi ventured out and nibbled on some leaves. To explore the world, you had to stay strong and eat well. She wandered here and there, looking for the best plants to eat.

It was nearing nightfall when she stumbled across some wild pigs feeding on acorns in the woods. They snorted angrily at her, and one large one even chased her! Running away, Yumi exclaimed in dismay, "Oh, how cruel this world can be!"

Suddenly the little pen with the little house didn't seem so bad after all. Yumi galloped across a wide road, narrowly being missed by a loud vehicle, then stopped on the other side, shivering. She very much wished she could return home, or even to her new home, but she did not know which way to go.

She picked a direction in the hopes of being right, and walked that way.

She walked and walked for many days, stopping here and there to find good things to eat, or a sheltered place to sleep. She was alone and frightened. What would happen to her babies if she never found home again? Would she ever see her poor sister?

Yumi lost count of the days and nights she wandered about, going steadily in one direction. It rained several more nights, and often she found herself soaked through the fur and shivering. Never before had she suffered so, and she was terribly afraid of catching a cold. Who would take care of her if she was sick?

Then came the worst night of Yumi's life. She was hiding under a little tree, exhausted from a day's travel, when she heard a frighting noise. It sounded much like dogs, but she could smell something that made her very bones tremble. She shrank as much as she could, holding as still as possible. What new horror could this be?

The strange dog-like creatures walked by, tan colored fur thick against the cold. There were three, much larger than Yumi and smelling of the Wild unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She dared not make a single peep, for if they discovered her, she was certain it would be her demise at long last.

The coyotes, for surely that was what these creatures must be, continued on their way. By some miracle, they had not scented poor tiny Yumi on the wind, and she had not moved or made a single sound. She escaped their clutches, but how long could her good luck last?

Yumi knew now that she would never find her home on her own. She had to seek out help. But who could she trust?

It was early morning when Yumi finally ventured out of hiding and approached some tiny people, children, playing in a yard. She put on her friendliest face and maa'ed at them, "Please help me, I am lost!"

The children petted her, and she closed her eyes with happiness. How wonderful it was to find such kindness! They said many things to each other, and then brought old an older person, who picked her up and placed her with some chickens. She gazed through the fence at him imploringly, and was rewarded with a handful of grain.

She bleated her thanks. "Please, please help me find my way home!" she begged.

Night came and went, and the gentle man gave her more feed, which was very good to feel in her stomach. The chickens were interesting, but said nothing that made sense to her. How sorely she missed her sister and other goats.

Suddenly, her tiny ears caught a familiar sound and she ran to the fence. Could it be true? Was that really her new owner, who had taken her to the new home? It was!

The new owner patted her gently and put a rope around her neck, then placed her in the same truck she had rode in before to go to her new home. Yumi's heart swelled with joy, and she called out, "Thank you, thank you!"

It was quite a long ride home! Yumi marveled at how far she had come, obviously in the wrong direction. When her new home came into sight, her little legs trembled. Oh how wonderful it was to see now. It may not be her home pasture and little red barn, but it was her new home, to be appreciated now in a way she could not before.

Yumi's new owner carried to back to the little pen, and she yelped in joy as she spotted none other than her sister!

"Yumi, Yumi is that really you?" Gypsy hopped up against the fence for a better look.

"Gypsy, I'm so glad you're here!" Yumi was set down on the ground and she ran to her sister, sniffing her long ears with happiness.

Gypsy danced a little goat jig and exclaimed, "We never thought we would see you again! Our owners have been terribly sad, searching and searching for you!"

Yumi looked a little embarrassed, and shuffled her hooves, "How did you get back home, sister dear?"

"The man who saved me from the dogs must have brought our new owner over to see me, and she brought me back home. It's much better here, safe from dogs and the rain, and the goats here really are quite nice. Even the ponies are okay. There is good food and much room to run. It is a good place."

Yum lowered her head and said softly, "I agree. It was foolish to run away. I am grateful to be here now, and I hope our babies love and appreciate it too, when it is time for them to be born."

The two sisters slept together that night, and every night afterward, content in their new home.

Adventure Goat

Yumi has been FOUND!

Can you believe it? She went missing nearly three weeks ago. I had honestly given up all hope of finding her, had spent hours searching, putting up posters, posting online. There are so many coyotes, stray dogs, wild pigs, and of course, the dangers of people themselves. I felt that surely Yumi had fallen victim to one thing or another and was terribly sad.

So imagine my surprise when I got a phone call this morning telling me they think they have my goat!

She apparently came up and tried to play with an older man's grandchildren over the weekend.

He caught her and penned her up with his chickens, unsure of where she came from. He saw my poster at the Post Office this morning and gave me a call.

She was found over *ten* miles away. Astonishing. Especially for a goat, since goats don't tend to wander far. I wish she could tell me all about it!

She appears to be in fairly good health and unhurt. I've put her with her sister and she settled right in, eating hay and snoozing in the sun. I wonder how her adventure will affect her pregnancy, but I suppose we will find out in the spring. She is due March/April. I hope, being so early on in her pregnancy, she will not abort, but it's always possible of course.

On another note, I have been featured on Fugly Horse of the Day. I submitted several posts, and currently two of my most offensive horse slaughter related posts are being discussed. I'm certain the more rabid followers of FHOTD will have themselves twisted into knots over it, so I'm sure the comments will be fun for all of you to read! I personally may not read the comments past what I have already peeked at, for I have no interest in reading ignorant insults.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all of my readers. I do hope you are all enjoying them.

I personally do not celebrate Christmas, so I spent the day getting things done. Yesterday I cooked a ham and potato salad so that we would have some nice leftovers today and I wouldn't need to cook.

I played with the ponies and goats a bit, checking feet and making sure everyone is feeling fine. We've been having a lot of RAIN lately. I'm ever so grateful for it, even if the mud is starting to get a bit deep! Our grass is trying hard to grow. I've got half the pastured section off from the horses. I'm hoping if I keep them off of it into Spring, it will grow back and turn into pasture again. Fingers crossed!


After I came inside, I decided to go ahead and process some of the rabbits, since the wind had died down. I did three: the older male and two of the younger females, leaving an older female and young female to do possibly tomorrow.

I set them in cold salted water for a couple of hours, then removed the hind legs and set them aside to freeze, and put the bodies in the freezer. Can't wait to cook one!

If you wish to see the processed rabbits, click > Here <.

I've gotten a lot of painting done here lately. I finished a commission piece and have one other half way done. A couple of orders waiting on models and I'm doing some personal pieces: Apple and Spyder. Lots of fun!

Looking forward to the New Year. Be sure to check back soon!

Dinner Doesn't Always Come Packaged

At least, it doesn't if you're resourceful!

Say hello to Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. (Snacktime and Brunch are in the pen above them) They are young rabbits.

Looking at them, and after showing them to my friend who shows rabbits, we've decided they are Standard Rex rabbits. They sure are cute, aren't they?

Sometimes your food IS cute. But food it remains.


These five rabbits will be processed most likely this weekend. They are from a lovely older lady in the next town over who has become a little overwhelmed with rabbits and wants to make sure they go to good use. I stopped by her place today and had a lovely chat and made a new friend, and she gave me these rabbits to process and feed my little family. They will not go to waste, that's for sure!

I know it can sometimes be hard for some people to wrap their minds around this way of life. Is that bad? Not currently, but I have this vague feeling that it will become a negative thing. More people need to expose themselves to the truth of where your food comes from. Once it breathed and moved and lived and had a face. It didn't show up wrapped in plastic and foam or in a box. It WAS alive once, it DID have to die to feed you.

Not everyone has the stomach to process their own meat. For those who did not grow up in that kind of life style, the process that goes into it can be difficult to acclimate to. Someday, perhaps not in my lifetime or the next, I have a premonition that these skills will be very important.

There are many meat animals that can be raised humanely with good quality of life in small areas. Rabbits, quail, chickens. Then you move upwards to things like goats, sheep, turkeys, and more.

You don't need a ton of land to raise your own food. You just need enough. Grow a little garden. Raise a little pen of quail (Coturnix are popular) or keep a pair of rabbits. Find someone to help you process, or use the Internet and research.

You CAN do it. And who knows. Someday you might HAVE to.

Check back after this weekend to see the processed rabbits.

To update on things around here. Yumi has still not been found. I'm not really optimistic at this point, but I did put up a few more signs. We've done some repair on the run in and dewormed the horses. Secret is starting to pick up, slowly, but surely. I can't wait to see her once Spring rolls back around.

To all of those who celebrate the holidays, have a good one!

And he sent forth the pasta strainer and verily said...don't overcook the macaroni please.

Lost and One Found

So, as a follow up to my last post . . .

One doe has been found!

It turns out, the silly creatures went at LEAST a mile that very first night. The red doe, pictured on this post, got herself pinned in a shed by dogs. The dog owners rescued her and penned her up.

They finally asked at the local feed store, where I had left my information, then called me. I'm glad I thought of that. So the goat, newly named Gypsy, has come home.

Her escape route has been blocked and she has stayed in the pen. Since she no longer has her sister Yumi, I gave her April as a companion and she seems to be settling down now. She appears to be in good shape, except a little thin from stress. She's a bit shy as well, but runs right to me if she thinks I have something yummy, and will allow me to pet and handle her.

She's pregnant, due in February. I'm fairly sure I felt some kids in there! And she has begun to grow her udder. So she'll be the first one here to kid. Since her kids will be purebred and unrelated to any bucks I currently use, I may retain a doeling. You can see the buck she is bred to on the breeding schedule of our website.

We still have hope that we might find Yumi, but as each day goes by, the likelihood decreases. At this point we're just calling around and leaving the information where ever seems hopeful. You never know what might help.

The support from the community has been great, thanks guys. It's a good reminder of what a great group of online friends I have. And it's nice to make new friends. The breeder of these does is a great example of what I might be in 25 years! She's been hugely helpful, helping me search and calling around as well. She brought me some goat meat and is butchering a turkey for me as well. She also found someone with rabbits who needs to do a cull, so I will have some nice rabbits to butcher here soon.

In this world, banding together is the only way some families will make it. Put aside material items and remember the REAL needs in life!

Lost and Not Yet Found

I must be the only person in the world whose paychecks run away.

Seriously though, I have lost two goats. Wednesday morning, I went over to my friend and client's home to pick out a goat. This goat was to be in payment for the renewal of her website hosting (Honey Doe Farm). I was really interested in adding a La Mancha cross, to bring in some milk.

We had a great time chatting and looking at her beautiful herd, and then I picked a lovely golden doe with elf ears that is bred back to a Nigerian buck.

After more chatting, she offered me another Nigerian doe, since she was trying to cut down on her mini herd. Excited, I picked out a rich red doe with white markings, as I would *love* to add that color into my herd. She is bred back to the same Nigerian.

I was well pleased and we chatted a while longer and I took the two lovelies home. I set them up in the Quarantine pen and left them hay and water. Later that afternoon I decided to have a bit of a nap. My husband checked on the new girls before he left. But I woke up several hours to silence . . . no yelling crying goats.

Sure enough, the silly buggers were gone. No doubt they jumped out using the little shelter which I had foolishly left too close to the fence. After that, who knows where they went.

I spent hours searching, but it was pitch black. My husband came home around midnight and searched as well. The next morning the breeder came over with her husband and we searched with one of their working dogs. No luck.

I went out later on horseback, still no luck. I came home and put in a call to the Livestock Officer in our area, leaving a description. I did the same with the local feedstores. I've put up a notice at the Post Office and spoken with as many neighbors as I can. Thankfully, if they're spotted, MOST of the locals will know they likely come from the "crazy goat chick in pajamas on the corner."

I am exhausted. I've been out almost constantly, searching. It poured rain last night and I hope they had somewhere to get out of the weather. I pray nothing has gotten hold of them. I actually hope someone managed to lure them into a pen and have them locked up, not sure where they came from.

My art commissions stalled these last few days, but I'm going to try and get back to work on them; the last thing I want to do is get backed up. My online friends have suffered as well, since I've either been outside searching or sleeping. Sorry guys!

These are valuable does. These represent a huge loss for me if they aren't found. But even if they had been free goats, I'd be out there searching. The idea of them being frightened and lost somewhere breaks my heart.

I will keep you guys updated. The breeder is coming back out on Sunday to help me search again. She's also bringing me some cabrito (goat meat) so look forward to a recipe blog on that. More people should be eating goat.

The KnSFarm Goat

I had a few people ask me what exactly am I striving for with my goats, and I also made a post on a new forum I've been frequenting, introducing my goats, when I realized: I've never fully explained my goals.

It may (or may not honestly) surprise people that I do not breed for an already established breed. I think this is becoming more clear as I have begun to branch out from just Nigerian Dwarf goats as I introduce different breeds and lines.

So what IS my ultimate goal in breeding? Because I'm not just breeding willy nilly, even if it seems that way!

What I am striving for is what I consider, the ultimate backyard goat. A goat who exhibits all of these qualities:

• Sturdiness
• Worm Resistance
• Hardiness
• EASY Keepers
  
• Good Hooves
• Small but not "Miniature"
• Well Formed, easily milked udders that stand up to milking each year
• The ability to milk out a reasonable amount each day for an extended period
• Easy to settle (get pregnant)
• Easy to kid
• Ability to RAISE those kids
• Easy to handle

So as you can see, that's quite a goal! Sure, there are breeds out there that have most of these qualities. Some goats might have them all. But so often when purebreds are bred "up" for show, they become more delicate in the race to have the best show goat. Certainly not everywhere and certainly not in every breed. But it happens.

I want to mold my herd into the "poor man's" dairy goat. If that makes any sense at all.

I set this goal with my herd queen in mind. She is the epitome of what I want in a goat. She rarely needs deworming, is never sick. She is a super easy keeper. She is not full sized, but is not on the small side either. She is "deep" and has a well attached easily milked udder that has held up VERY well through each kidding and through each milking cycle. She settles (gets pregnant) super easily, kids like it's no problem, and is a great mother. And she is highly intelligent, and very much MY girl. Despite coming to me wild as can be, she has become a highly affectionate and friendly goat. These are ALL the attributes I want to develop!

To continue working towards the goal, I have culled relentlessly through the years, only keeping goats that meet most of my criteria, and bringing in bucks that I feel can add what I am looking for.

Breeding to a meat buck this year was a calculated risk. I want to bring some heft into the smaller lines, without sacrificing the milk. I suppose in a year or so, if I produce any doelings that make the grade for keeping, I will find out.

To add more milk in, I also bred a few goats back to Blizzard, who exhibits some of the best milk lines I've seen in Nigerian Dwarves.

Surprisingly, the kidding I am looking forward to most is out of a doe that isn't even mine. Her name is June. She is out of my very own Hope and by Roadhouse, one of the best bucks I've leased throughout the years. She was bred to Blizzard and will be returning to our farm to kid. (Her owner is getting married around the same time!) I have been promised the first doeling out of her, so I can hardly wait to see if she settled, and what she will produce. A real powerhouse breeding. If there is more than one doeling, I may even have to purchase the others! And it would be pretty hard even to pass up a well formed buckling out of this combination.

I suppose we'll see what happens! Stay tuned . . . kids are expected March - April.

Awaken - Short "pilot" Fantasy Story

Awaken

by ~Epona142

A soft whicker broke through her drowsy consciousness. Opening her eyes, she took a moment to bring the wooden roof of her small shelter into focus.

A more impatient snort this time, and a smile quirked the corner of one side of her mouth and she sat up, pushing one hand through a tangled mess of dark hair. She rubbed her eyes, stretched, then lifted herself from the sleeping mat and pushed aside the deer hide covering the hut's entrance.

The golden creature standing outside ruffled his wings and nickered again in greeting. She smiled and touched his silken nose gently before returning to the hut and reappearing with a wooden vessel filled with wild grains.

Solid hooves approached and the nose was thrust into the grain. Contented chewing sounds filled the air. She set down the bowl and let him eat, running her fingers through his satin coat, before stepping back and looking at him in full.

He shifted on his four hooves, dished muzzle still buried in his feed. A thick white mane lay across each side of his neck and down onto his back, between the tightly folded and softly furred wings. Powerful hindquarters ended in a long, thin tail, tasseled with silken white hair at the end, much like a lion's, so unlike a true horse's.

But this wasn't a true horse. Born of a horse, born of magic, born of chance, but not a horse. The woman touched his golden palomino coat again and took a moment to remember that night once more.

It had to be her favorite mare of course. She had two horses on her little farm; a light mare for the chase (hunting), and a heavier draft mare for plowing. Two more horses than most farms had. Her hunting mare had managed to get loose one late spring night and had returned to the farm days later. Goodness only knows what kind of stallion she'd met up with, but she'd met with one sure enough, and that became obvious in late winter.

The foal came late at night, delivered in their sparse shelter, in raked dirt that she had taken the time to spread out. Straw was too expensive, this was the best the woman could offer.

It wasn't until the foal scrambled to its hooves before the woman realized that something was amiss. A shocked gasp slipped through her lips and her heart sunk as she saw the thin whip like tail, the fragile legs, and most importantly, the delicate wings held tightly to its sides. His sides; a bright golden colt. A winged colt.

No one knew why or how these winged horses were born. They could be born of any mare, any time. There was no rhyme or reason to it. They were rare, perhaps one or two born a year. Most simply considered it part of this land's magic.

The Empire considered them their property.

Any winged colts that were born ended up in the Empire's hands. The Empire granted the farm that produced one a year's break from the heavy strain of taxes. This marvelous gift meant that poorer farms handed them over quite gladly and without a fuss.

Rarely, a richer merchant would try to refuse to turn over their foal. Strangely, family members would begin to disappear, or have accidents. They were never proved to be connected, but everyone knew the Empire was behind it.

And always, soon enough, the winged foal would be "gifted" to the Empire.

The Empire always got what it wanted.

The woman's fingers worked through the tangles in the mane as she continues to think about the past.

She knew from the start that she would never give the colt up. Like many farmers, she was taxed to the extreme, in debt to the Empire indefinitely, never able to get out from under them. The break from taxes would have been a wonderful boon. But her anger went deeper; she remembered vividly her beloved husband's death. Killed in a war stirred up by the Empire in a conquest to gain control of even more land. A war fueled by the strength of the poor working man, for why should the Empire sacrifice their best soldiers when they can draft the farmers?

From that day forward, the woman bore a grudge against the Empire. To consign this golden colt to their clutches made her feel nauseated.

The Empire used the winged horses in their war-mongering. They were assigned riders, trained, and spent their lives enforcing the Empire's harsh laws. Most lost their short lives in some battle or other. A waste of a miracle.

No, this would not be the fate for her colt.

The woman hid him as long as she could; there were spies everywhere, even in your farm workers. Your friends, companions, the store owner in town, any of them could be a spy.

The winged horse lifted his satin muzzle and nudged the woman with great affection, interrupting her train of thought before she could reflect once more on their daring escape in the middle of a cold night.

She smiled and tucked his delicate head into her arms and kissed his forehead. Perhaps they would go for a ride this day. He needed the exercise. And perhaps, one day soon, he would be ready to spread those magnificent wings of his, and take to the sky, and take her with him...

- Want to read more about these characters? Comment and let me know!

Hoarding

I thought I'd explore a more . . . interesting topic today.

Recently, I was accused, perhaps not in so many words, of being a hoarder. I was told that I needed "professional help" and I was in "denial." It turned into rather a shitstorm, and I ended up losing a friend over it.

I have of course, moved past this and let go of any anger over the whole mess. I sit assured that I acted the best I could in the situation, and I cannot control another's actions.

The mess started all over Secret, the emaciated Welsh pony I agreed to take in. A bit silly in my mind. It also centered around posts that I made in previous months, when I was having a fairly bad time in my mind, worried about being able to find hay. Worried about the drought. I had developed a real fear of it destroying everything I worked for. I was afraid that I would NOT be able to find hay.

With the help of others and a lot of work, I solved each of these problems and I came out the other side of it stronger. Things balanced back out and I returned to my usual "rainbows and kittens" posts, because everything WAS okay again. I was never in any danger of being able to FEED my animals, as long as I could FIND the feed to buy.

However, a "friend" used these past posts against me, completely bypassing and ignoring all the posts in between then and now about how things had worked out. They insulted me, hurt my feelings, and pretty much made it clear what kind of a person they really are, when they ignored MY apologies for any perceived wrong doing and refused to apologize for their wrong doing.

So I sat and thought about hoarding for a while. I came to the conclusion that, if I am a hoarding, I think I'm pretty much a failure at it!

"Hoarding is the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them. Hoarding often creates such cramped living conditions that homes may be filled to capacity, with only narrow pathways winding through stacks of clutter. Some people also collect animals, keeping dozens or hundreds of pets often in unsanitary conditions." - MayoClinic.com

Hoarding is not something I'm unfamiliar with. It actually runs in my family and I have often recognized the symptoms of it in myself. I have a family member who is what I call a "Hoarder Tri-fecta." She hoards items, animals, and people. And it has pretty much caused a ruin of everything she owns. Another family member hoards items.

So, am I a hoarder? According to that definition, I have to say a resounding, No!

My house is anything but cramped. I have a serious adversion to clutter. My house may be occasionally messy, with hay on the floor and a bit dusty, but it's not cramped or overfilled with stuff. There ARE certain areas that reflect it however. I have one closet neatly crammed full of things that "might" be useful, or I want to keep. I have a large shelf system FULL of model horses across from my bed that I like to look at.

But do I hoard animals? I don't think so. My pets and livestock are not in "cramped conditions." Heck I don't even cage my two chickens. The ONLY caged creatures are two ferrets, who get several hours out of their cage each day, and in fact, plans are in the works for a permanent large pen they can play in most of the day. The goats and ponies have three acres to roam. All have adequate shelter. Clean water that is refreshed every day. There is nothing unsanitary about their lives. Sure, there's poop in the pasture...but that tends to happen with livestock!

And trust me, they aren't starving. I'm having to cut back the grain on my goats before they're getting too fat. They might as well be pigs.

In my experience, a hoarder also will not provide adequate medical care. Some of you may know that our little farm operates on a very tight budget. It's this budgeting that allows me to do all the things I can. We have no debt (except our mortgage). But I will admit, we have no savings. Except for one. Our Veterinary fund. Every time I get a chance, and every week, I slip a tiny bit of money into it. I have done this for years, for as long as I have had ANY type of animal, any amount of animals.

While I do quite a lot of medical care on my own to save costs, Apple and Spyder managed to decimate the vet fund nicely. I spent a good amount with Juliet early this year, when she had a stillborn kid and a retained placenta. Currently we are spending a goodly amount of money on our older Boxer's medication, as she has Cancer.

But I am glad to say that through Jetta's sale, a helpful friend, and my artwork, the vet fund has recovered and is growing again.

I do have a lot of animals. I'll admit it. I spend all day at home, and my animals are among the few things that will drag me out of bed in the morning. They are my lifeline. And I refuse to allow anyone to make me feel guilty over it.

Yes, my goats serve a purpose and are production animals, but they are ALSO pets. They receive the best I can offer them. It may not be the BEST available in the world. But it's a hell of a lot more than many production or backyard goats get.

My horses may not have a fancy barn and the most expensive feed and supplements, but I think if they could understand and convey their thoughts, they'd be damned grateful, especially in this current economical situation, to have what they do. Especially Secret . . . who was facing a much less pleasant end.

So here I have gone off and rambled a long, probably incoherent post. The fact of the matter is, I know what I can and cannot handle, and I refuse to allow any person to make judgements upon me and try to make me feel badly. I am stronger than that.

This is my life, and I am content.

The Joy of Winter?

Winter approaches, stealing upon our drought-ridden lands like a sleek temptress of -

Wait, what?

Sorry, I was channeling my novelist side there for a moment. It happens.

It's getting cold again. Dreary. So I want to address a saying that absolutely drives me mad.

"I love winter!"




Hahahaha! What a load of tosh!

Now, don't get me wrong, I fully understand that those of you who claim to love winter fully believe this sentiment. And you may actually enjoy some of the more pleasant aspects of winter. Some people find snow beautiful. Certainly the cold helps cut down on insects. Many people enjoy the holidays that are associated with winter.

But let me tell you. No one loves winter. No, what they love is the ability to defeat winter. Oh yes . . . think about it. It's freezing cold outside, ponds are frozen solid, snow sits on the ground, the world is in an almost still silence.

Yet you are tucked cozily away inside a well insulated home, in front of a fireplace or a heater. Or perhaps your whole house has heat. Food is easily obtained, a short walk to the cupboard or a careful drive in a heated vehicle to the store. These are the wonders of our modern society so many take for granted. These marvels make it possible for people to claim to love winter.

Take away these things. See how much you love winter then.

Huddle under a scrap of cloth, in a thin shelter with no heat. Go hungry and shiver, using valuable calories trying to stay warm. Visualize this, for a brief moment, for me?

Many people, even in our modern country, still experience this each year. Do you think they love winter?

It's okay to love the "defeat" of winter. That's one of the great things about being as "advanced" as we are, as a species. Just acknowledge it for what it is, and take a brief moment to appreciate all the things you have, that others may not.

Never forget, that no matter how bad you might have it, there is always something to be grateful for.