Operation - Rattlesnake Removal is now complete...

Thank you to the Avra Valley Fire Department for removing the rattlesnake I had in containment last night. I did not realize you need to call 911 for this. The fire department graciously called me back today and left me know that when needing snakes or bees removed to call 911. They stated that once you do this the 911 operator will transfer you to the closest fire department for assistance. They also stated it is illegal to kill them and people should call to have them properly removed and then relocated.

Above, used with his permission to post, is the person from the Avra Valley Fire Department who did the removal today. He was professional and polite and did an outstanding job. The rattlesnake however, was not happy and he was showing his temper by striking and rattling loudly as he was being caught and boxed for relocation.

Again, thank you to the Avra Valley Fire Department for their quick and professional response to my need.
Chris Size

Chris Celebrates his 46th.....

Chris celebrated his 46Th birthday on Monday, August 25, 2008. He ate his favorite food in front of his plasma TV watching his favorite kind of TV.....the DVD on the Blue Planet a documentary. After sharing his favorite food with his protector Abby he retired for a several hour nap....afterward he groggily went outside and checked to make sure the rattlesnake was still in containment....happily it was. Overall it was a good day for him and he is looking forward to a challenging new year.


C

Night in the Desert part Three

I really like this photo...I put it in black and white and it just jumped out at me. It is a creosote branch against the Desert night sky. To me it captures the essence of desert life. Sparse yet strong in its own way. It speaks to the beauty this Desert has while being simple at the same time. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Now this picture may not look like much...more like another hole in the ground but open it up and look carefully at what is inside the hole. It is a female Tucson Blond Tarantula awaiting something, its evening meal or mate...maybe both depending on her mood, to cross her door. I have never seen one in the wild and was excited to find her...it was by accident. Again, I was outside oh about 3am and saw her.....so I watched carefully and saw where she went.....I gave her some time and went back and there she is sitting in her burrow. Females can live many years and create burrows and that have just the right amount of moisture so they don't dry out. The males are the ones we currently see roaming the streets looking for love. If you scroll through my Blog you will see one.....he was probably looking for her the night I came across him......don't know if they met but she seems nice.......for a tarantula that is.

C

Night in the Desert part Two

Above is a cactus that is just doing great...hidden under a bush growing away. Each year it is covered in blossoms and just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Someones entrance to their house. Not sure what lives in it but is sure is round and sturdy. I was going to knock but decided it was too late and they may not have wanted any visitors.

My Mexican fan palm.

Fruit of the Desert. Ripe and ready for picking.

C

Night in the Desert Part One

Above are my Plumeria's...they are doing just great. This is their first year so they're will be no blooms at least that is my understanding. Had them sent directly from Hawaii....and with a little Spray-N-Grow they are just growing away.

This is just a neat picture of some plant in my small wash on the property. The way it is growing on a large root just caught my eye.

This is my Palo Verde tree on the west side of my house. I hope one day that it gets big enough to shade that end of the house from the afternoon sun.

A small century plant growing away and doing its thing.

C

Here is the Rattler..........

The first two pictures didn't bother me as much as the third one. He is about three feet long and well fed.....I bet he is the one who bit my Llama Oreo. I try to leave things alone but, he is much too big to be around my house...

Above is where he is now (full containment). I couldn't just leave him wandering my property....Abby has been bit twice in the last few years and Oreo was just bit. I called the Avra Valley Fire Department and left a message.....he is too big for me to mess with and I am not taking any chances to try and kill him.....if I miss I could be bit, Abby or he gets away and gets one of my animals.

I will update with some pictures once the Fire Department calls me back.

C

Reward for her protection...

Last night Abby my Coon Hound was doing her alarm bark to let me know there was a rattlesnake in the area. So for her reward she got a big bone.....she chomped on if for over on hour....then she and it disappeared to her top secret location for later munching.

C

I'd like to recognize two dear friends...

These are two of my dearest friends and co-workers that I knew at my former employer. Mary is on the left and Sharon is on the right. To me they are both great people that mentor and teach well and I hope to know them for many more years.

We worked together for several years....learning, stressing, crying and rejoicing.......and today we all are still smiling and living life to is fullest.

Love,
Chris

A Blossom opens up and calls to the night sky...

The other night while walking my property I found a beautiful night cactus in bloom. It was just getting really dark and it was almost fully opened. It appeared to be calling to the creatures of the night to come pollen it. It will only last the hours of this night and will burn closed with the suns first rays but, for the moment it was showing in all its glory. I find the night blooming cacti to be have the most spectacular blossoms.

C

Sometimes things go wrong....I worry when things happen.....

On Wednesday of last week I walked outside and got really scared. As you can see Oreo's face on the bottom is terribly swollen. The first picture shows it the best.

Immediately I called the Vet as asked what should I do. He asked if she was walking around and breathing ok, which she was. He stated to watch to see if the swelling affects her breathing and if it does he will come out.

I checked on her every few hours for her breathing, eating and walking during that time she seemed fine. After a few days she returned to normal like nothing ever happened.

Above is what Oreo normally looks like. I was just so worried. The Llamas, both Oyster and Oreo like to lay and roll in a dust bed they make or sometimes as I call it...lay like the dead. I think something bit her during a roll or a lay......because it was so swollen I am thinking it was a small rattle snake.....I don't think a scorpion bite would have produced such swelling.

Anyway, Oreo is back to normal and so are my nerves.

C

Fiber from my Augusts Shearing.

Here is the fiber that Tor sheared. The quality is not very good and I will ask my friend Kathy to take a feel to see what we can do with it. Although it is kid mohair it is not the best.....these are the kids that Double D sired. As you might remember he went on an extended holiday a few moths ago. I am hoping the my buck Sampson will produce top quality mohair.

C

Shearing isn't just for Goats you know...

Chris in need of some bad shearing....and wearing his new glasses.

Just like a shearing, starting right down the middle.

All done......oh boy now that is just so cool.....but the fiber has to go..... After looking at my fiber I realized I have some work to do.

Oh...doesn't he think he looks hot.......... Well all sheared up and ready to go.....but the glasses...man what about those glasses.

I decided if it is good for the goats...it can't be bad for me. So my friend Glenn came over and graciously sheared my head. It is much cooler and I am going to keep for at least until the weather cools.


And I kind of like it.
C

Couldn't leave out the Patrolmen...

Above are my 'Five Geese a laying' doing what they do best....supervising. They observed the whole shearing event and highly approved of the process. Above they are outside the main pen getting ready to go on patrol to make sure there is nothing around the area that shouldn't be....if so they will get rid of it, eat it or chase it.....Abby...look out here they come.

C

'Shearing is over...and I know what your going to do'

Oh isn't she just cute...and what a smile. After the shearing she knew what was going to happen.......feeding time. And just look at that smile saying feed me first and the most....because I am cute, I know it, and you love me. Above is my Cherry Berry....she gets her head stuck in more places then I can count. She gets into and behind things she shouldn't but I guess I can't get upset...just look at that smile. Who could resist that look.

Hey, what about me....says Farley.....don't forget about me. I call him my 'Starving Marvin' with the fat belly....he eats just to eat and always wants more. He knew what time it was as well.

Well, everyone got feed and was happy for the night....making a good night for 'Peace in the Pasture'...

C

Who Am I???

On the 11Th of August, Tor graciously came over in the heat of the day to shear my kids born at the end of December. Their mohair was getting really long and they were getting messy. Well Tor puts one up on the rack to be sheared and states he got a buck. I said oh no it is a doe, look here. To his surprise it had doe parts....but he stated the horns tell him it is a buck, they were too wide. He felt underneath and said... it is both.......male/female. I said.....no way!!!! Can that happen.....Tor smiled a big smile and said I almost got him, but he was right. If you feel way underneath there are nucs's but they are way up inside....he stated they will never come down. So I took this picture afterwards with the hermaphrodite looking at me as if saying 'Who am I'? Now I understand why she is the nosiest goat I have.....she is still trying to figure it all out.

But she is cute even if she has both parts...

This is a behind picture, not that I am into taking behind(butt) pictures of my goats...usually they are not pretty and I mean NOT pretty. To the right is her mom Amber supervising me to make sure I was checking everything out properly.

On the top picture I tole her....I love her just the same as the rest...now stop making so much noise....I got it, both parts....OK already lets move on to something really important like eating.

C

My plant 'Jewels of Opar'

This plant is call 'Jewels of Opar' because of the different colors it goes through producing seed pods. The sponge got in my way but for the most part you can see the neat color variations that it is going through.

C