~cattleman cafe~ & another 24...

[Jude58]

I think that I'll give the volunteer job another couple of weeks before I make a decision either way. Part of the problem is that there aren't enough people to do all of the work so sometimes I'm the only one feeding, watering and cleaning cages. It's back breaking work and it does a number on my back, but I love interacting with all of the cats. Decisions, decisions...

Peanut is growing fast and is now playing with the other cats. She's still wary about us humans but I was able to pet her the other day. She even purred, albeit grudgingly.

Ginger, after I put the pie in the oven I noticed the crust sitting on the counter and was able to fix my drunken mistake.

Cowboy, I bet that you're happy about the harvest being over so that you can spend some quality time with Bubba.

Rava, glad that the latest hurricane is going to miss your area. I'm far enough inland that we don't have to deal with that kind of weather thank God.

Hey dill and Mul!

24 more please...

[Rava]

Good morning Cafe. Jude, I am glad Peanut is settling in. Playing with the other cats is good. Ginger, We ended up not fishing as it was rainy and cold so we played board games instead. I am getting them off the bus tomorrow and have them for a few hours so if it’s nice we might fish. Cowboy, glad you are wrapping up your harvest. Packing up to go home and cleaning is also work. Glad you will be able to spend more time with Bubba. Hi to Dill and Mul. Hope everyone has a sober day! 24 more please and thank you.

[abcowboy]

5:15am in Alberta, 24 more for me please, and thanks...

In the last 24 hours, these friends have signed in for 24 hours of wellness:
Jude58 Rava Ginger999 ill

Today is going to be a darn good day not to drink!

[dill]

I sure hope you have good fishing weather today, Rava! But I know you'll have a good time, come rain or shine. We held a family fishing derby here over the weekend with cash prizes for participants. (We're not talking big buck here.) It added to the fun.

Good to hear about Peanut's progress, Jude. Sorry about the back aches from your job. I wonder if you could write a letter to the editor in your local paper to bring awareness. More people might get involved. Around here the high school students are required to perform a number of community volunteer hours. I wonder if the local high school would add it to there community hours list for high schoolers? You need reinforcements!

Congrats on completing a successful harvest season, Cowboy! Now you can rest up.

Hi Ginger! Hi Mul!

Yesterday when I was cleaning the front porch the dog came around and got interested in the spirea bush on the corner of the porch. She started jumping up and snapping at the upper branches. I went over to see what she was so interested in and it was............a garter snake! Who knew they slithered up on bushes?!

24 more for all of us here, please and thank you.

[abcowboy]

I have thought of volunteering Ginger, possibly at the local library or maybe get more involved in the activities at the Senior Centre. Haven't quite decided yet lol.

Hopefully the weather will improve enough for you to do some fishing today Rava.

I'm not sure I would continue volunteering Jude if the work was that physically demanding. We're supposed to enjoy our retirement activities, not suffer from them. Peanuts will soon be one of the gang with everyone.

We have quite a few garter snakes around the farm area dill, but I've never seen one climb a bush! We see them a lot more this time of year as they head for their hibernaculum for the winter.

There's large flocks of Canada and Snow geese overhead now as they make their way south for the winter. Also saw a few bald eagles during harvest on their trek south as well. I think the hummingbirds have already left so today I'll take down the feeders and get them cleaned and put away till next spring.

[Ginger999]

Jude, you are doing a good thing. I bought a simple back brace off Amazon to wear when I'm doing manual labor. Makes all the difference! I'm so glad Peanut is starting to play with the others. Maybe they will put in a good word for you!

Rava, The alternate activity with the grands sounds fun. Maybe it will work out to fish today. I used to bake cookies with mine and send all but a couple home with them. Win/win.

Dill, a fishing derby? What a fun idea. Who was the big winner? Did you eat your catch or did you release them? Do the fish winter over? Sorry.... lots of questions!

ABC, one thing's for sure, with your wide variety of knowledge you could volunteer about anywhere. I used to say, if I ever had to go back to work, I'd love to work in a small hardware store. My favorite place to shop!

Hi Mul, I bet ya'll are getting rain. It's so smokey this morning, I can't see the lights below us. We have a fire burning in the mountains that's now over 14,000 acres. When my boys were young, it was our back yard, basically. Makes my heart hurt to know all of it will be gone the next time we go. My middle son and gson hiked in that area just the week before it started. They had a wonderful time and are so glad they made the trek before it started.

Lots to be thankful for! That's for sure. I'll take another!

[Jude58]

Good morning all!

Ginger, thanks for the suggestion of a back brace, sounds like it would help a lot so I may have to try it out. Wow, 14,000 acres on fire; how tragic. Hopefully no lives were lost.

Cowboy, I haven't seen a hummingbird around here since early September. We had a few stragglers for a bit but then they were gone. I used to love sitting on my porch and watching them at the feeders. I miss them.

Dill, can't say that I've ever seen a snake in a tree before, but apparently snakes can climb!

Over the summer we had all kinds of help from the high school kids, but now that classes have started there's no one. It's the morning shift that needs the most help. The name of the shelter is CNY Snap and they have a FB page and a website where they are always looking for volunteers.

Cowboy, I've often thought of volunteering at the local library. Whenever I go there I feel like a kid in a candy store. I used to spend a lot of time there reading and enjoying the quiet. Sounds like it would be a good fit for you.

Hi Rava and Mul!

24 more please...

[dill]

Wow, Cowboy! I learned a new word from you: hibernaculum. I had to look it up. The birds are migrating around here, too. Now that you mentioned it, I haven't seen the hummingbirds for some time now. Not enough nectar this time of year, and add to that the drought conditions.

Ginger, gdaughter one the prize for the most fish and son and gson won prizes for participation. We threw them all back this time, but sometimes Mr. D likes to clean a couple for us to eat. Just didn't want the mess this go 'round. And yes, the fish do winter over. When they dug the pond they made an area that was deep enough for the fish to survive over winter. However, since the pond has developed a leak the water may not be deep enough. Fingers crossed.

Jude, I guess your high school students get their community service hours out of the way during the summer so they can focus on their studies and sports during the school year. Hope Ginger's suggestion is the ticket for you.

Rava, what grandkid activity is on tap for today?

I'm having my Echocardiogram today. I don't expect any problems thought.

24 for all of us here, please and thank you.

[Rava]

Good morning Cafe. Ginger, wow 14,000 acres is a lot of land. So sorry that the fires are taking over. I was not really aware of the widespread fires until we went to Idaho. You a see them burning from far away. Scary for sure! Dill I like the fishing derby idea. Very good way to get the kids involved. Today might be making pizza rolls from bread which I saw on a reels post. They are picky eaters tho so that might not be successful. Of course cookies would be!!! Maybe fishing. Today is half day for students so that where I come in. Jude a back brace from amazon is helpful. I have one as well. The only thing I hate is how my stomach hangs over the top. I just wear a loose shirt to cover that mess. It really does give some added support. Cowboy, library volunteering sounds interesting. I would have a problem keeping quiet tho. LOL. Hope everyone has a good and sober day. I need to start thinking about making a plan to say alcohol free when we got back to Fl this month.

[abcowboy]

5:15am in Alberta, I'll have another 24 please, and thanks...

In the last 24 hours, these friends have joined in for 24 hours of wellness:
Jude58 Rava dill Ginger999

Today is going to be a darn good day not to drink!

[abcowboy]

That is a lot of land to be on fire Ginger, do they have any idea what caused it? People can be so careless when it comes to being careful about starting wildfires.

I'm sure you'll have a plan in place by the time you head back south Rava, you've been doing great so far. Have fun making/baking whatever you decide with the g-kids. For some reason I didn't picture you as a person who talks a lot, maybe a library isn't a good fit for you lol.

I love watching the hummingbirds at the feeders as well Jude, they are amazing little birds. I think I'd give the back brace a try, seems like some good advice from the other ladies.

I had no idea what a hibernaculum was either dill until a few years ago. One of the neighbor's out by the farm had a garter snake hibernaculum under the cement in his attached garage! Their yard used to crawl with snakes this time of year. He called the wildlife biologist to find out how to get rid of them only to find out the hibernaculums were protected by law. Let's just say somehow it got a blast of anhydrous ammonia and they no longer have a snake problem. Good luck with the test today!

[Ginger999]

Talking of climbing snakes reminds me of a story. Several years back my sil and I were out hiking in the scablands of Central Washington and came across an old abandoned cabin. We were all over that find! Poking around it, I stopped and leaned against one of the walls, only to here something behind me. Thinking it was a rodent I jumped away only to see a snake, eye level of where I just was. Not positive but it sure looked like a rattlesnake. They are very prevalent in that area. Sure glad my knee worked back then! We laughed and laughed once we were away from it. We'd always get back to camp at night with the best stories! Lol

Jude, hope you try the back brace. It's a game changer!

Rava, hope the littles like the pizza. Even if they don't, they will have had fun making them!

Dill, thank you for answering all my questions! It sounds like so much fun. I'll keep my fingers crossed the fish winter over!

ABC, now what's on your agenda? Do you home choirs to catch up with?

The forest service says the fire started by lightening.

Hi Mul!

I'll take another day of freedom!

[Jude58]

Good morning cafe!

Yesterday was opening day for deer season around here, and Mr. J was out most of the day but he didn't see any at all. Better luck today I hope! He just loves sitting in the quiet beauty of the woods this time of year, deer or no deer.

Ginger, coming face to face with any kind of snake is definitely not on my bucket list!

Hi Rava, dill, cowboy and Mul!

Not today...

[dill]

Interesting about the snake hibernaculum, Cowboy. And since I avoided chemistry in high school I next had to look up anhydrous ammonia. You've really put me through my paces this week! LOL

Ginger, great snake story!! I would've jumped right out of my skin!

Jude, I hope Mr. J sees a bit more action today.

Hi, Rava!

Short on time as I am off to my volunteer job. 24 more for all of us please.

[Rava]

Good morning cafe. Ginger, it seems like lightening is the cause of so many wildfires. So sad. Speaking of snakes, when we lived on our second story condo surrounded by trees, i would see snakes slithering up the branches all the time. Now that we are ground level with no trees I see them in the grass. I hate snakes! Today I am making beef jerky. I cut all the meat 2 days ago and it’s been marinating in the refrigerator. Today is dehydrater day. I am doing it outside because it stinks too much. My family loves this still so I am making it and vacuum packing it before we head to FL. I hope everyone has a good Thursday. Alcohol free day again for me!