and Salad:
Herb took pity on the horses and cows today and let them out of the soupy barnyard into the Home Pasture to enjoy a bit of fresh "salad." Well, he let some of them into the Home Pasture.
Someone was a naughty girl and escaped.
Being eager to rejoin her friends, you might think that Julie would let Herb put her into the pasture--but you would be wrong! Julie is an equine which is a big word for "completely illogical animal."
Equine also means "animal that thinks with its stomach!"
As easy as that, Julie went into the Home Pasture.
The first thing Julie did was take off chasing Sara and Siobhan. Why?
Because she knew that the first thing Brandy would do was to chase her! She was just getting even first!
What goes around, comes around, so everyone ran around in circles for awhile until everyone was even with everyone else and the barnyard pecking order had sorted itself out with Brandy on top and Sara on the bottom. Poor Sara!
By that time, Hero and Misty saw that there was nothing more for them to do from the other side of the fence and they wandered off, leaving everyone else happily enjoying their freshly-washed salad.
Merriam-Webster.com gives the following definition of "high jinks" (emphasis added by me):
high jinks
noun plural \ˈhī-ˌjiŋks\Definition of HIGH JINKS
: boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on : carefree antics or horseplay
Our animals want us to know that 2013 might be a New Year, but as far as their mischievous ways are concerned, it's the "same song, second verse!" And we're quite happy with their high jinks because we know it "could be better, could be worse"--LOTS worse!
We here at Zephyr Hill Farm wish a very Happy New Year to all of you, for better instead of worse, and just as soupy as you wish your year to be!
Thanks Susan, I hope everyone including the animals at your place have a very happy New Year. I enjoyed reading the post, but you never said how Julie escaped from the pasture or barnyard. I need to know what to look for in escape routes when I get my animals:)
ReplyDeleteI did forget to explain, sorry! The barnyard and Home Pasture gates face each other across a gravel drive. When both sets of double 12' gates are opened toward each other, they almost meet in the middle, closing off the driveway (only a chicken could fit through the gap). Herb was letting the animals go from the barnyard into the Home Pasture and thought Julie had gone through, so he started to close the gates. Julie was actually still in the "chute" made by the connecting gates, and when Herb swung one gate closed, Julie escaped through the gap.
ReplyDeleteI will say that the way Herb built the Home Pasture with the gate directly across from the barnyard is one of the best things we've ever thought of! Some day I'll do a post on how we move the animals wherever we want them without them ever being unfenced. We didn't put in all the gates on the farm; some were already here. But wherever we have the option, we build gates so they can make chutes between pastures. It's SO much easier than hauling corral panels or cattle panels around!
I suppose the only thing to be learned here is to count heads before you try to open or close a gate! Believe it or not, most of our escapes have involved gates we left open or started to close too soon or too late. We've only ever had one animal go through a fence. KNOCK ON WOOD!! Siobhan pushed her way through an old barbed wire fence and wandered off into the woods--but she came around the front of the house looking for Mama, so we just opened a gate and let her back in!
You've got me thinking I need to do a post on Escape Routes! :)
I thought I would share this message from our pioneer friends Mark & Bev in Eden, Wyoming:
ReplyDeleteHappy new year, Eden farm is doing well. We have our chalenges 20 below nights. Have had water freeze several times but reworking insulation & walls has helped. We have been working hard on house it coming along. I have ordered a wood furnace from Tennesse can't wait for it to get here. That will solve our heating problem. We are all well here. just wanted to let you know. Having internet troubles seen each storm upsets my satlite untill it thaws out. Take care will post soon have so many new photos of progress.
God Bless take care.
Mark & Bev