Sorry I don't have any pictures to go along with this post, but it was dark, I was in my jammies, and only concerned about the critters. For only the 3rd time in 30 years, we had a bear come visiting. Didn't do any damage except to the fence. Skippy actually barked at it, the goats snorted and gathered in the middle of their pen, and it was 3:30 in the morning when all this woke me up. I went out with my spotlight and saw eyeballs out behind the goat pens but couldn't see what it was. I walked into the pen and over to the fence closest to that side. Finally saw a big black body behind the eyeballs. It was just ignoring me and sniffing the ground. I told it to go away, but it didn't pay any attention, so I grabbed a big stick and started banging on the closest metal roof of the goat houses. That scared it away. I don't think it came back again. The fence is needing repair now, but I'm going to wait till the bear hibernates or for sure isn't around any longer before fixing it.
Today I walked around the lower pasture fence line and found another couple of spots where a bear smooshed down the fence and came in. So, I'll be repairing that area too, later on. Down at the bottom of our road they did an extensive logging operation this last month. From too-thick trees to almost clear cutting, it looks wildly different down there. That is also where all the bears, mountain lions and other critters were hanging out, since there is a creek down there. The logging pushed them up this way, so now we are dealing with a few newbies to the area. With three LGDs in the neighborhood, they aren't sticking around too long, thank heavens.
Then two nights ago Skippy started barking around midnight pretty fiercely. I once again went out in my jammies, spotlight in hand, to see a rather large skunk coming out from underneath the "gray shed", a little storage shed where I keep the chicken feed and other things. Luckily Skippy was in his kennel, so he didn't get sprayed by the skunk. Although the kennel is only a few feet away from the shed. It left after a bit without spraying anyone or thing. I don't think it's been back either. I guess they eat mice, and that shed has quite a few in it, so as long as it doesn't go after any of the birds, it can come around once in a while and have some dinner. The chickens and guineas are in pretty safe areas now, so I don't think anything could get them.
My heart and prayers go out to all the affected people in the SE that got nailed by the hurricane Helene. That was/is awful. I can't even imagine what that was like to go through that, and now dealing with the aftermath. I have observed over the years, that as long as people survive the disaster, they usually come out of it in better shape than before when all is said and done. Most of the time anyway. Everyone I know that has survived something, has ended up better off for it. It's a huge struggle at the time and dealing with everything, but a couple of years later and they are doing quite well, living in better houses than before, and better situations than before. One thing Americans, and humanity in general are good at is banding together when adversity strikes. All differences get set aside and everyone works together to get things up and running again. No governments needed, just people helping people. The government doesn't do much of anything anyway, they are too big and too slow to be of any help. Can't count on them for anything. Humanity is pretty resilient as a whole. All the poor animals that were caught in it and didn't make it, that is really sad. I wonder how many goats were lost in that whole thing.
We are having some dry weather now, after a rainy few days. I may get the goat pens cleaned out after all. If my left leg would work properly, I could get more things done. It's been almost a whole year since Skippy crashed into me getting away from the goats, and the muscle still isn't totally healed. It's much better, but I still can't walk normally, or do a whole lot on it. I'm pushing my way through it, which is probably why it hasn't healed, but I have animals to take care of and all the things to do around here on a daily basis. My husband helps out some, but a lot of it he can't do, so I'm doing it. He does help if I really need some assistance. I can't walk fast or run, so that is posing a few issues. Probably a good thing the bear ran away from me and not towards me, I'd be a sitting duck. Same with the skunk. That could've been interesting!
I'd post more often, but I don't think most of what I'm doing around here is all that interesting, so I haven't been writing anything.
Hope everyone is doing well. Looks like things are going to get interesting this month out in the big world.
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