Bugs and Beasts

No other schools have contacted us yet about our off-grid adventure or alternative energy source, but I haven’t given up hope just yet. I also haven’t given up hope on getting rid of the coyotes yet, either.

Twice this week I got the scare of my life. I was outside in the dark with just my headlamp emptying and cleaning out the “honey pot” (I do this a couple times a day …Ya!). I gave the field a look around for eyes — clear.

I should mention I am terrified of the dark. Back to the grind, I’m cleaning and rinsing, and I look around again to see these eyes coming straight for me and fast! I dropped my bucket, screamed for Phil (who didn’t hear me) and froze solid. It was Chompers, the “neighbor” dog. I suddenly felt like I ran the Boston Marathon because of all the adrenalin that hit me, so I calmed myself down with some tea and a punch to Phil’s shoulder for not saving me.

The second jolt of adrenaline was Friday morning, about 8 a.m., when the girls and I were walking the 50 yards to my car. Hoooooowwwwllllll, right behind us! The dogs went insane.

Jake really dislikes people and animals to get close to his “people” (he wedges himself in between) so he was frantically trying to jump over the 6 foot kennel. I had Daphne on my hip, Riyan behind me and Harper to my right.

I grabbed Harper by her jacket, ran and yelled at Riyan to RUN. This is not what you should be doing if you have coyotes behind you.

We did run for our lives and made it to the car with nothing behind us. That was too close for comfort for me. I have now declared war on them.

It’s about to get real Texas Chainsaw Massacre down on Rough Branch Farm. I heard they don’t like to see their own kind dead. I have no shame in dismembering them and hanging them on trees. I know, that’s morbid but it’s on!

I think I’ve gotten rid of most the spiders in the house but ladybugs are taking over the windows. I don’t have the heart to kill them, so I vacuum them up with the little battery powered shop vac and set them free outside.

Harper and Riyan are more scared of them than the spiders I think. Daphne just picks them up.

Oh, the trunk of my car became a home for a little mouse. I love little field mice, they don’t bother me at all, but since one got into my trunk and pooped everywhere … I may or may not have mouse traps in my trunk. Don’t judge me.

At least we don’t have the bear problem anymore. The elk like the field and I’m OK with them. Jake wants to play with them, too.

They are just his size! He got stomped once, so he “plays” from a safe distance. Cerberus stays on the porch by the door. He doesn’t care about anything but food.

The rain has kept me from doing anything outside this week. I don’t feel like getting soaked and I don’t want the girls soaked. I did notice that some of my potatoes are starting to sprout.

Normally I would have thrown them away, but now they are in a paper bag waiting to be quartered and planted! I need to get the chicken coop coyote proof because it’s almost chicken time. It’s almost time for us to start starts!

Jolene! I need to borrow your goats!