Kitties at the Ranch
Hubby just returned from a weekend working at the ranch. He laid rocks in erosion areas to build up the road and cut down a tree that looked like it was dead so it wouldn’t block our entrance at an inopportune time (it was on the only easily accessible road to the house site).
Dazzle and Millie had a grand time roaming with him, riding in the Jeep, and just enjoying the freedom.
He had a little excitment one night when the neighbor’s hay trailer caught fire. The fire department responded and contained the fire. (Those large hay rolls burn quite a while.)
And, of course, he confirmed what I already knew–we have bobcats. (I caught a fleeting glimpse of one a couple years ago.) Hubby scared one up this weekend and sent it packing. So, a quick inventory of the wildlife we’ve seen in the four years we’ve owned this property:
Deer
Owls
Cardinals and other similar-sized birds
Raccoons
Rabbits
Hawks
Buzzards
Bulls and Cows (when they get through the fence)
Snakes (poisonous and non-poisonous)
Wild pigs
Hubby has heard coyotes
Squirrels
Spiders (the big ones with 20 foot tall webs that threaten to wrap you up if you don’t watch where you’re walking)
Massive mutant grasshoppers (just kidding about the mutant part)
Wonder what else we’ll find?
After you start putting up buildings, the renegade dust bunnies will appear.
Hi. Thanks for the good thoughts over at Holly’s site. I hope our place is in one piece too.
Your Texas land sounds similar to my Colorado land. I own 75 acres in Southern Colorado with bobcat, mountain lion, elk, deer, black bear and more on it. Love being there.
I presume you are going to build a home on this land? If so, pick your contractor very carefully. He will make or break the project. A bad one is worse than terminal cancer and a good one can make your dream home a reality for a reasonable price. Be picky, talk to a lot of former clients and choose wisely.
Stay low and keep moving,
— F
Renegade dust bunnies? I’ve already heard them rustling in the shed we built two years ago. And, of course, they latch onto anything we take up there already. I think I’ve heard them gathering in the woods…
Mountain lions? What gorgeous creatures. If we weren’t surrounded by people raising cattle, I’d be thrilled to have a few. But on our 100 acres (with the surrounding cattle areas and small “gentleman’s ranches”, I’m afraid mountain lions would just get themselves in trouble with the local humans (although, we have a neighbor that swears we have some, so it could happen).
Yes, we plan to build. We’re very concerned about finding the right contractor and are thinking about being our own general contractor–which has potential pitfalls of its own.
It sounds as if you know exactly how we feel when we’re there, Frank.
Did you say MUTANTS?!! YAHOO!!! Me and the mutant hunting team are on that way! 🙂